Spiritual Progress
Oh yes! Today was the day I would begin to find me
Today I was armed for a fresh start and glory
I would be diligent
So much knowledge from my self improvement workshops, fitness programs
and spiritual awareness classes was with me now
I was a woman with a plan
My mantras polished
My breathing timed and peaceful
My yoga moves correct and familiar
Yes indeed, I was enlightened action at the ready
Hypnosis CD’s tucked away in a shoe box
Empowerment courses stacked neatly on the shelf
between volumes discussing the Buddha, various holy ones
and three paperbacks extolling the virtues of Dr. Dyer’s zen mondo
I stood, wisdom at the ready
But as the day began, Buddha faded blissfully into a basket full of laundry
Rabbi Kushner and Saint Paul disappeared into a bookstore next to the supermarket
My precious book of Sufi enlightenment was baby pushed out of the shopping cart
while I searched in vain for a coupon on a chicken soup special
I lost sight of Carolyn Myss somewhere in the hardware section of Walmart
And Deepak Chopra stayed at school to shoot baskets with the nine year olds
Practiced breathing techniques failed to ease my shock
when I realized that I nearly drove through a red light into oncoming traffic
By late afternoon my world churned like the laundry trapped in my clothes dryer
No, not now – it’s never just now
Well meaning affirmations sagged
between the rent receipt book and credit card bills
When I finally stood the vacuum at attention to clean
mighty Artemis slipped out of the window eager to escape to her sacred hunt
My spirit sagged into the whine of a busy vacuum
Stop! Came a voice that rose within me
Now is the time Right now It has always been right now
I switched off the vacuum, stood there stunned and listened intently
With no thought of my own
Then I closed my eyes and waited without expectations
Trusting
Slowly the sweet sound of my breath rose within me
I began to feel my heart conversing with itself in a quiet and steady beat
My thoughts rose gently to intertwine within the radiant light of my spirit
And for a fleeting moment
I soared in grace through the echoes of the Universe
Filling the arc of Divinity Singing
© 1/16/11
Sandy Hartman
Oh yes! Today was the day I would begin to find me
Today I was armed for a fresh start and glory
I would be diligent
So much knowledge from my self improvement workshops, fitness programs
and spiritual awareness classes was with me now
I was a woman with a plan
My mantras polished
My breathing timed and peaceful
My yoga moves correct and familiar
Yes indeed, I was enlightened action at the ready
Hypnosis CD’s tucked away in a shoe box
Empowerment courses stacked neatly on the shelf
between volumes discussing the Buddha, various holy ones
and three paperbacks extolling the virtues of Dr. Dyer’s zen mondo
I stood, wisdom at the ready
But as the day began, Buddha faded blissfully into a basket full of laundry
Rabbi Kushner and Saint Paul disappeared into a bookstore next to the supermarket
My precious book of Sufi enlightenment was baby pushed out of the shopping cart
while I searched in vain for a coupon on a chicken soup special
I lost sight of Carolyn Myss somewhere in the hardware section of Walmart
And Deepak Chopra stayed at school to shoot baskets with the nine year olds
Practiced breathing techniques failed to ease my shock
when I realized that I nearly drove through a red light into oncoming traffic
By late afternoon my world churned like the laundry trapped in my clothes dryer
No, not now – it’s never just now
Well meaning affirmations sagged
between the rent receipt book and credit card bills
When I finally stood the vacuum at attention to clean
mighty Artemis slipped out of the window eager to escape to her sacred hunt
My spirit sagged into the whine of a busy vacuum
Stop! Came a voice that rose within me
Now is the time Right now It has always been right now
I switched off the vacuum, stood there stunned and listened intently
With no thought of my own
Then I closed my eyes and waited without expectations
Trusting
Slowly the sweet sound of my breath rose within me
I began to feel my heart conversing with itself in a quiet and steady beat
My thoughts rose gently to intertwine within the radiant light of my spirit
And for a fleeting moment
I soared in grace through the echoes of the Universe
Filling the arc of Divinity Singing
© 1/16/11
Sandy Hartman
