Lissa Elissabeth DeFreitas

Meandering currents carve a way
of artistic beauty among these
ancient stones of granite.

The song of the water’s breath
cascades inward to my meditation
 echoing against the giant Cedars

This song is gentle, yet immersed
with the cadence of melodic balance

I Am Within
deep transcendence in this Holy Place

I marvel at the perfection of every cedar

... especially the old fallen ones that lay open

in deep crevices of this forest bed

The Spirit of the water brings awakening  

to these smooth granite beds

of timeless mystery

Alive, I Am alive

as this song of the morning splendor joins with my Heart

In this Holy Place, the gift of Great Mystery

moves me to dance in the stillness and pure awe

While I resist this place of remembering; I meander with great courage along this path of storms and monsters -waiting to discover the hidden pieces of my tapestry.  The colors can be majestic, for with this tapestry, I am both creating as well as letting go.  I am building a foundation of Light in my four directions without borders.

I do not want to miss the experience and utter privilege or Being here now,

in humble and steady growth and discovery.

As I surrender to the embrace of this calling to traverse the unchartered reaches of my soul, my strength expands to carry me through the deserts of the unexpected and the remembrance within me.

The desert flowers bloom in the driest wasteland, undisturbed in the silence of its vast reach. I listen for the gentle voice that emerges like a compass to guide me through.

The salty sweat teases my senses, as I grasp for the true Waters to nourish me. In the stillness, the shackles of slavery fall away, as I sink deeply into the Heart of my True Self.

Within, I See.

With bold vision

I cross the aching valleys

joined in eternal wonder.

This morning.. my friend brought attention to a small sparrow that sat listless in the driveway. I shared with her -- I am going to be present and see how I can assist.

In our own silent moment, I told the sparrow, "i am here to assist". Her head turned around & her soft, gentle eyes looked up at me. Some tears of awe welled up in my throat. I reached over and scooped her up in my hands . We sat together, just being one.

After many minutes of holding her in love, I began to notice every thing about her. How precious the ways her wings were so small and delicate -concaving and tucked within her. She was in stillness, this small sparrow -utterly trusting and surrendering to my holding and my lullaby.

Her life force began to grow, ever-slowly. I noticed her breathing expand, her head turning around often to look at me. In an unexpected recovery, she began to 'chirp' and move about -as if coming out of a shock. I kept seeing her 'healed and whole' - coming back to life! In fact, i KNEW of this life, as I had a glimpse of her 'taking flight' with my inner eyes. We waited peacefully together, singing, ... breathing... celebrating .. her restoration.

During the slow, stretching movement of this small, delicate winged one, -I witnessed her strength returning. First, she shifted her 'legs under her'. I could literally FEEL the energy returning to her small little webbed feet. She began to try out her wings -moving them, flapping; intermittently. Finally, in her time -she jumped off my hand onto the earth nearby. We waited together some more. She gently leapt onto my foot now, still flapping her restored wings.

Her chirping now was STRONG -- a continuing song, as her head was bobbing about, sending out the message to her winged family of her return.

My heart was leaping for her, as she jumped step-by-step out of site, making a nest of safety in the stone porch until her wings fully recovered.

 This was my meditation today: A witnessing of another that had disconnected from that full-powered life within! She had 'first' - to remember her breath and find her 'song'. And in partnership, we waited, holding a lantern for new life.

 In order to find her wings -her foundation had to return. I knew I could continue to 'hold her'; yet, I recognized the power of attuning to that fine, powerful moment, where she would trust the strength of her own legs to take the 'next step'.

While this was a spring time experience years ago -it reminds me of our journey of winter: from dark to Light.

A Rainbow at Port Townsend, September 2017

In our ordinary walk, the treasure of extraordinary surprise may arise in our awareness.

Such gifts might be experienced and felt by many; yet, often they come in simple reflections, with their deep and abiding message authored from our inner Call of wonder.

One of the ancient inspirations I carry within my Heart and Being goes like this: “As Above – So Below”. It is a reminder to me that the All and Everything responds to my inner stirrings, thoughts and emotions. I recognize that what is reflected to me ‘on the outside’ holds a deeply held seed within.

This rainbow treasure manifested in the clearing of my heart, on this rainy time in Port Townsend.  While I marveled at the beauty and majesty of a full rainbow at sunset, within –I was celebrating the New Light and covenant of healing and peace that goes beyond words.

I stood in awe with many, gazing…marveling and celebrating –the extraordinary surprise arising in the sweetness of the sunset sea reflection.

For each, this wonder reaches in to the places within our Heart and Soul where the journeyer awaits its revelation.

As the first snow fell in early November,  the beautiful large, soft flakes building on the limbs of the cedars, activated a profound memory of a Beloved Soul Friend, who has been gone from this physical earth since 2001. It had been a joy-filled tradition to put on the holiday music the minute of the ‘first snow’ each year. The songs, filled with inspirational messages, would reverberate far and wide  -dancing across the waters of Lake Pend Orielle & filling the spaces with the vibration of love and cheer. This brought a smile to my heart SO BIG.

Yet, in contrast, I noticed in the following days, a heaviness within that bore a resemblance of unexpressed grief. I realized that I ached to feel and remember the love that goes beyond words. While I have a knowing that ‘love is forever.. love does not die’, I wondered: “where has this lie been living in me that it is not eternally present?”

Last night nestled in blankets in the curves of my easy chair, I laid out photos, notes and cards that brought to life - the remembrance of our journey and experience shared. My heart leapt, as I came across a simple note that assisted me in recognizing that -words too, are eternal. The presence of love knows no borders; in fact, is timeless. In this moment of discovery, I recognized that this love is ever-now.  I have only the choice of opening my heart to receive the truth of love.

As I began to read this, it is as if I was reading it for the first time and all is NOW.

“I am ever with you in each bird that peaks in your window … in each tone on the wind .. in each taste of sweetness.. in each sunset.  My love reaches you and remains ever-present.

Darling, I hold you close in support while I am away.  Feel my arms around you and my lips upon yours…. Know that I with you always.  Carry on your quest as I carry on mine and we will meet in the middle and know God. ...I love you."

 Here, in the sweetness of my tiny house, nestled in the cedar grove filled with snow, there is no emptiness, only infinite remembrance, of love that resides in eternal wonder within.

In gentle silence,

the first winter snow fell

softly against the log walls

of the cabin.

The iced flakes drifted

into my meditation,

searching for the words

to celebrate the miracle of all Creation.

“I am loved”, boomed the voice

Of my Highest Self,

Behold.

Behold.

Behold!

With every journey,

there are clouds so dark;

while rainbows cut through

with ribbons of Light,

piercing the illusion

of separation

in a momentary glimpse

of truth .

The west wind brings in the song of the dream.  An inner voice whispers quietly at first, to awaken the deep wells of my Soul.  “Wake up!  Wake up; and remember who you are”.

I began to tremble inside, like the rising of a new mountain within me.  My heart beat rapidly with every note of the song.  I danced with the rhythm of the breeze flowing through me, searching for new understanding. My body became lighter and lighter as I began to feel the brush of giant wings against my face. Tears were trickling from the corners of my eyes, for it felt like a blush of golden light filling my heart like a rushing, passionate river.

Ruffled now, I reach out to clutch the edges of my familiar bedspread.  I look around the room for any evidence of change.  My face feels the same.  I touch my fingers together and find that I am still fully intact. “Was I dreaming?” I wondered.  I lay still remembering the song that had come; and the beautiful dance of wings.

The groundwork was now laid upon my journey of awakening on this new morning.  A small seed was planted to remind me that the foundation soil within me needed to be turned up from the inside out.  The soil ached to be renewed and reborn. I am alive!  I am the dream.  This remembrance propelled me to embrace the seeker within; and to overcome all barriers to fully claim the soil and to become the Gardner.

There is a path, I have discovered, that emerges within our very Soul.  Unique and wondrous, this path has no reproductions.  It is ours alone to shape, carve, plow, smooth and create.  Like a circle of Light, this inner passage interconnects with every aspect of the vastness our Being.  

We are all a part of the fabric of this circle of Life. While there are many voices, there is but One true Song. This Song  - our catalyst for awakening to fully Knowing Our True Self.

We are all in a process of remembering who we are.

              In our quiet intentional walks,

              we are attuned to an inward Voice

              that whispers from the depths of

              Our Being.

              In stillness, we hear above the flowing

              song of the waterfall or the rush of

              the wind.

              Here—we are joined in awe in the

              Concert of our True Self ..

              One with the Divine All.

              By: Lissa Elissabeth DeFreitas   2017