Quiet Reflections and Prayers
Writing became a meditation,
an easily accessible way
to connect with a truer sense
of self —
in any moment.
My notes became precious tickets
back to parts of self
and back into the world.
Even after I reached a point
where I could safely let go,
translating lived experience
into words continued to be
a ticket into the quiet space within
I wouldn’t have traded
for an easier path.
And so the unfolding continued,
along with challenges.
It took a bit of reorientation
into finding calm
in the midst of challenge,
but it was possible.
Finding creative ways of
meeting challenges and triggers
head on and moving through
quickly became a valued skill.
It helped to be okay
with having a tender space within
where it was understood
that some things might not ever
be completely resolved.
It helped to understand the difference
between resolution and transformation.
This quickly shifted the focus
onto the tenderness of meeting
the present moment without attachment
to future results.
It helped to remember that it was
this tender space that had
been the source of past healing
and creative processes.
Sometimes there were no words. And then somehow, mysteriously, worlds began to well up from somewhere beyond. A new kind of thought from a gentler place began to transform all that seemed unreachable. Gentle prayers began to take form out of the resolve to surrender everything — just to remember this place for a moment.
There came a desire to remain in this place within — just a little longer — no matter what appeared on the surface or how big the challenges seemed.
There was a quiet connection
within my heart
that never left.
Words flowed from somewhere
beyond time –
comforting and creating
space for healing –
a path through
all that was painful
into a place of ever-evolving
tenderness.
And so I began
to listen to the one
continuous quiet prayer
in my heart.
And though it was
painfully subtle at times.
I came to know
this quiet voice
as my deepest connection
and healing.
The peace found in the space within my heart began to spill over — until the essence of every experience became a prayer.
Again and again, I chose to find my way back to the silent spaces my mind once tried to escape. It was a gentle turning away from the constant inner chatter and outer struggles of mind — a sinking down into my heart — where mind, joined with heart, was able to reflect the quiet prayer of a love hidden safely within.
There were times when I sensed listening for inner resonance and trusting the quiet whisper of truth in each moment had become a little more important. I had learned the importance of stopping to listen to life and gained a respect for its mystery, but it was during these times when I was called more deeply within that I began to notice just how much I could soften my experience in the world and be in a state of listening prayer in any moment.
I found
that no matter what,
I was a flexible,
creative,
evolving being.
I could let go
of thoughts
and stories,
while honoring
all that had
brought me to each
new moment.
No matter what,
I was connected
with the part of me
that was
most whole.
No matter what,
I could easily follow
my attention
until my most natural
position was
within the quiet prayer
of my heart.
I learned to listen
with my heart —
navigating my way
gently through
all that had been
too much.
I found I could
back up a little
when part of me
needed picking up.
I found relief
in letting go
of everything,
refocusing
in my heart
and waiting for
words to form
as a prayer —
reaching deep down
to where I couldn’t
reach before —
always just enough.
Laurie's Notes 