Looking for a change in my outlook, I was recently inspired by Ruth Smith to conjure daily haiku.
This new tiny practice is doing what I hoped it would ; hushing the pandemic-induced anxiety a little. The constant worry-noise had created a daily pull towards more left-brain thinking (not my usual default setting, leaving me discombobulated)
So now; in a moment each day, I sit (or move) with a thought that I am attracted to, and ponder its beauty, and its attractiveness. Why am I drawn to it? Pain, longing, beauty? In fact, over the the short time that I have taken this practice, the main theme that is emerging is HOPE. I am desperate to feel hopeful. I need it now, like oxygen. There has not been enough oxygen, and now I need to breathe deeply and freely. I need to let the light in through these cracks of fragile brokenness.
This little tweak has reopened the flow to this life-giving breathe of Source. That is just part of the story though, as it seems the words alone don’t convey the full meaning of the practice for me – it needs to feel technicolour, so visual!
So now, in addition to photgraphy, I’ve been inspired to explore art & journaling.
What has resulted, to my surprise, is a combining of both practices … making a haiku art journal, a little colourful volume of hope.
If you’re looking for some light in your day, there’s so much inspiration to drink from. There are so many generous creators who share their vulnerable processes with us, and I am eternally grateful to them. I am proceeding – and giving auto-permission to reject the limits of needing to be ‘perfect’ or ‘talented’
I will share the haiku below, and to see the accompanying art, visit my instagram ✨
first 08.02.21
Time’s linear loss
Parallel cacophony
Days roll into one
second 09.02.21
Daughter slightly ill
(or addicted to cuddles)
Pale precious closeness
third 10.02.21
Brigid’s blessings flew
airmail, Irish Indo wrapped
Beannaithe in Suisse
forth 11.02.21
An ocean-like lake
y apporté par La Bise
Bitter east west waves
fifth 12.02.21
Above the mask line
a stranger’s eyes lock with mine.
In this together
sixth 13.02.21
Une bise de La Bise
Inverted ice-crown kisses
soufflés par la reine
seventh 14.02.21
In the rituals
of family life, my heart
purges and refills.
eight 15.02.21
Scant thaw this morning.
Favouring the sunny side;
life imitates walks.
ninth 16.02.21
The dormant vine knows
through accepting her slumber,
she will bear rich fruit
tenth 19.02.21
The other side’s grass
is often a paler shade
than you imagine.
eleventh 20.02.21
Bright spring sun pierces
the littoral’s cold prism,
and hope germinates
twelfth 21.02.21
The time has come to
rake away the winter coat
and make a fresh start
thirteenth 22.02.21
Restoring our faith
in the awesome, she stretches
her rosy fingers
fourteenth 23.02.21
A lace husk shelters
tomatillo ‘volunteers’
slumbering below
fifteenth 24.02.21
J’ai un cœur qui fond.
Et toi, mon cher printemps,
tu vis là-dedans.
sixteenth 25.02.21
Seeking clarity,
my blind eye and my third eye
keep watchful focus
seventeenth 26.02.21
I lack ambition.
Yet, quite miraculously,
my music does not.
eighteenth 28.02.21
Clap your syllables,
my little haiku playmate.
Count five-seven-five
nineteenth 02.03.21
There will be a time
when we can take it all in,
and let it all go.
twentieth 05.03.12
My mind is reaching
(beyond her tired, seeing eyes)
for Ajna’s star-flight
twentyfirst 09.03.21
We all must begin
in the womb of a woman,
cradled into life.
twentysecond 11.03.21
I’m still here, even
if a full hand is too much
for a growing girl
twentythird 12.03.21
Spring’s sweet voice whispers;
“Go outside. Move your body.
Photosynthesise”
twentyforth 13.03.21
To ‘flow like water’
need not be benign. Agile
rapids pack a punch.
twentyfifth 14.03.21
As I dial, I hear
her words; “Hold on till
I turn down the radio”
twentysixth 19.03.21
Trying to keep up,
I adjust willingly to
your magnificence.
twentyseventh 24.03.21
Remember, before
the death of optimism,
we noticed blue skies
twentyeigth 26.03.21
Unpunctuated
mirror-canvas of winter,
yields to spring’s rigging
twentyninth 28.03.21
A daylight preview
before tonight’s main event.
Then she’ll wane, gibbous
thirtieth 30.03.21
l semble qu’on soit
tous sous-serre, là confinés
comme des palmiers
thirtyfirst 22.04.21
Haiku-atus ends
as Sogyal Rinpoche’s words
on water, return
thirtysecond 23.04.21
On Friday, Earth cried
“Every day is Earth Day”
and got back to work.
