This winter, I made a commitment to myself to slow down, look inward, and reconnect to what matters most. Paying attention to the simple things that make me feel grounded, grateful, and alive has made me somewhat nostalgic for times and places in my life where I felt most authentic and free.
I am also undoubtedly feeling the energy of today's full moon in Leo inviting all of us to let go of old patterns that hold us back and really SHINE.
So this volume is a collection of favorites that have helped me find the courage to be true to myself when it feels like who I am or what I deeply desire does not conform to what's expected from the outside world. I hope they encourage you too!
"When I was a Boy" by Dar Williams
This song has only grown more poignant and relevant since its release in 1993. I love the way she evokes the familiar feelings of childhood freedom and the painful diminishment of self required to conform to society's expectations. I'm guessing many of you might also see versions of yourselves in these lyrics. Some of my favorite lines:
I was a kid that you would like, just a small boy on her bike Riding topless, yeah, I never cared who saw My neighbor came outside to say, "get your shirt" I said "no way, it's the last time I'm not breaking any law" And now I'm in a clothing store, and the sign says less is more More that's tight means more to see, more for them, not more for me...
Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus
I still have my childhood copy of Hope For the Flowers (pictured here!), a beautiful story of hope and revolution that I discovered, thanks to Mr. Zucker, my 8th grade English teacher. I'm grateful to him for tucking this deceptively childlike book about the pitfalls of conformity and "success" into the curriculum. He touched my sensitive and idealistic teenage heart and he gave me a touchstone that I've carried with me all these years.
If you don't know it, there's a lovely reading on YouTube featuring many of the illustrations. You can watch that here.
The Black Sheep by Bert Hellinger
If you've ever felt like you're the black sheep in your family (many at ALTAR seem to have this in common), you need to read this short passage by psychotherapist Bert Hellinger, the founder of Family Constellation theory. I especially love this line:
The black sheep, those who do not adapt, those who cry rebelliously, play a basic role within each family system, they repair, pick up and create new and unfold branches in the family tree.
Poetry (in general), but especially by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
Poetry is literally a lifeline for me. This passage by Roger Housden, explains exactly why poetry is so powerful and transformative.
“One way to slip through your own resistance to a greater aliveness is to hear a poem that speaks to the essence of the shift you are looking for.
That’s what a good poem does; it is the distillation of a universal truth; its precision and clarity enables it to slip through the sentries of the heart to your core.
When you feel something viscerally, when you know it in your bones, you can act on it. A good poem can be a catalyst for life-changing action.”
I've been a long-time subscriber to Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer's daily dose of poetry, and I love waking up to a new poem each morning. In addition to the that project, there are two exciting opportunities to "meet" her over the next month that I wanted to share.
First, on February 12th, she will be participating in More Love, a poetic celebration of the MANY different kinds of non-romantic love represented in poems by Mary Oliver, Billy Collins, Rumi, Derek Walcott, e.e. cummings, Maya Angelou, and more. Following the poetry reading, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer will share the art and joy of writing love letters to the universe.
Then, in March, she's facilitating The Big Reframe: Poetry as a Tool for Re-Seeing the World. I love how she discusses Poetry as an invitation in the video below.
If you need a quick dose of joyful poetry, her poem from Friday, Though I Don't Have an Album (Yet), put a smile on my face.
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