Last Leaves of Autumn

 Breath connects the universe with our innermost processes and vice-versa. ~ Ilse Middendorf

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
The last leaves 
of Autumn
Sit 
On bare branches,
Resting for a while
On the way home
To Mother
Earth.

Breath Meditation
Waves of cool moist air
Flow into me.
Birds shout for joy
From every direction.
Every cell 
Joins in the celebration
Of another day.

Gathering and Dispersing

 "Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension, and letting the natural order of life through one's being." ~ Donald Curtis

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Yellow.
Tiny birds dart
Left, right, up, down,
Gathering and dispersing.
Leaves surrender
Falling to the ground
A symphony of chatter
Against a soft gray
Morning.

Breath Meditation
Breath opens and fills me,
Reaching up and down
My spine,
Into my feet, hands 
And head.
I settle back into
Nature
Where everything is happening
In the present moment.

Leaves carried by Mother Earth

To be sensitive is to be alive. Vanda Scaravelli

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Autumn leaves
Poised like scuplture
Each in their own gesture
Carried by 
Mother Earth.

Breath Meditation
Breath grows 
From its seed,
The center of existence
Of humanity
Of me.
A new power
Awakens,
Peaceful and effortless.
My body surrenders
To the constant rhythm
Of filling and emptying,
Life's energetic 
Essence expands in the moments of 
Resting silence.

Fiery Orange Leaves

Since the heart and breath are mutually dependent, the circulation of light must be united with rhythm of breathing. The Secret of the Golden Flower

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Golden sun turns
Dark red and yellow leaves
Into fiery orange brilliance
Against the blue
Serene morning sky.













Breath Meditation
Mind and breath join
Resting inward.
The looming tasks 
Of the day
Dissolve
Like pieces of paper
Falling away.
Breath by breath
Each cell begins to
Dance
In quiet and joyful
Freedom.

Early Autumn

 The breath is the intelligence of the body. ~ T.K.V. Desikachar

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Leaves turning red
Slender fingerlits take 
The autumn sun
Downward
Slowly transforming
Shimmering
Into a new
Season.

Breath Meditation
Coming home to my breath
Thoughts, concerns
And self-discipline
Yield into
Just Breathe.
Breath ripples like 
A river of velvet
Melting tension.
Bracing softens into
Joyful space.

August is Ripe

The universe provides nourishment and breathing is our way of absorbing it ~ Heiner Fruehauf

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
August is ripe 
Tomatoes
From seed to flower to
Fruit
Nourished by summer heat
Day after day
Every cell is sweet, full
And juicy.

Breath Meditation
Sun glimmmering on 
Closed eyelids,
MyBreath awakens in
Anticipation
Readied for the
Tasks of the day.
Resting in that millisecond
In between breaths,
Head and heart settle back 
Connecting to my pelvis, legs
And roots.
I become a rich and full
Cell 
Held with together with life 
By mother earth.

Oleander

True Breathing is like a flower blooming. If we hold our breath, the bud never opens. ~ Chungliang Al Huang

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Oleander
Each summer reach
A little higher.
Season after season
Bright red flowers
Bloom.
An offering to sky
whether it is dark or grey
Or blue.

Breath Meditation
My breath large and full
Seeps inward during the rest.
I feel a layer of tension
Holding me in, like a chrysalis.
MyBreath, smaller and soft now
Meanders like a river.
Neck, jaw, shoulders release
My body ponders how to grow and be free.
Feet extend. 
Legs reach like roots
Into the earth. 
My center is released and free to grow.
I extend upward
To flower,
Like an Oleander.