Body and Soul
Poetry Friday
Beloveds,
When I look at this picture I envision a body dancing in a fluid motion and the untamed soul in harmonious vibration. They flow together like a blur indistinguishable from each other. I can see the beauty flowing from each. You can almost hear the music and feel the trance of being one.
The soul wants to be free,
to dance,
to love,
to be curious,
and to express itself within the body.
The mind is silent. It’s mesmerized by the beauty of the dance. Words escape it because the feelings are indescribable. The mind has no vocabulary for what it is experiencing.
The body wants to move while the mind is not judging, telling it what to do, or how to behave. The body feels safe which gives the soul a playful curiosity.
The soul says, “Shall I appear?” It tests by swaying and when it is set free in the body and realizes… it is safe! Soon It gets caught up in a loss of control. It is sweet with freedom.
Oh how I long to be this picture even if it’s just a few minutes of body and soul united in pure, harmonious, and delighted dance!
Blessings,
Jace
BLESSING THE BODY
This blessing takes
one look at you
and all it can say is
holy.
Holy hands.
Holy face.
Holy feet.
Holy everything
in between.
Holy even in pain.
Holy even when weary.
In brokenness, holy.
In shame, holy still.
Holy in delight.
Holy in distress.
Holy when being born.
Holy when we lay it down
at the hour of our death.
So, friend,
open your eyes
(holy eyes).
For one moment
see what this blessing sees,
this blessing that knows
how you have been formed
and knit together
in wonder and
in love.
Welcome this blessing
that folds its hands
in prayer
when it meets you;
receive this blessing
that wants to kneel
in reverence
before you—
you who are
temple,
sanctuary,
home for God
in this world.
—Jan Richardson
From Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons
Image: “Testimony”
© Jan Richardson
janrichardsonimages.com
The Body is Like Mary
The body is like Mary, and each of us has a Jesus inside.
Who is not in labour, holy labour? Every creature is.
See the value of true art, when the earth or a soul is in
the mood to create beauty;
for the witness might then for a moment know, beyond
any doubt, God is really there within,
so innocently drawing life from us with Her umbilical
universe – infinite existence …
though also needing to be born. Yes, God also needs
to be born!
Birth from a hand’s loving touch. Birth from a song,
from a dance, breathing life into this world.
The body is like Mary, and each of us, each of us has
a Christ within.
– Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi
Translated by Daniel Ladinsky in his book, ‘The Purity of Desire’
from sufispirit.com.au 
THE GOD WHO ONLY KNOWS FOUR WORDS Every child has known God, Not the God of names, Not the God of don'ts, Not the God who ever does anything weird. But the God who only knows four words And keeps repeating them, saying: "Come dance with Me." Come dance. by Hafiz, from poemsofemptyness.com Poems of Hafiz
Beautiful. Thank you!