Welcome,
Dear dreamer.
Tonight is a unique experience.
After our initial Yoganidra relaxation,
I'll be sharing a story of one of the most beloved yogis ever to bridge the East and West.
Paramahansa Yogananda.
As a bedtime story to carry you the rest of the way into sleep.
This somatic healing and bedtime story practice is here to support vagus nerve regulation and guide you gently into deep rest.
Through breath.
Through stillness.
And through a quiet return to the vastness that has always held you.
The one ocean of being beneath every thought.
Beneath every sense of being separate or alone.
Tonight is a complete journey home.
We'll begin with a few simple breaths to soften the nervous system.
First,
A physiological sigh to release the held weight of the day.
And then some slow,
Steady box breathing to settle the body into rest.
From there,
We'll plant a quiet sankalpa,
A heart-centered intention for unity and belonging.
Before moving into a gentle body scan that will guide you,
Layer by layer,
Into deep relaxation.
And then,
As the body rests,
The story will begin.
A story about a young boy named Mukunda.
Who would later become known as Yogananda.
And who,
Sitting in meditation on the banks of the sacred Ganges,
Felt the whole world's heartbeat sync with his own.
And heard a quiet call to carry the wisdom of the East to the seeking souls of the West.
A story about oneness.
About the truth that every path every river.
Flows toward the same vast ocean.
About the boundless presence you have always been part of.
Holding you.
So now,
Let yourself become comfortable.
Let the surface beneath you take your weight.
Let the jaw soften.
Let the shoulders fall away from the day.
Let the belly know it no longer needs to brace.
And when you're ready,
Place one hand over your heart.
And one hand over your belly.
Feel the warmth of your own touch.
Feel the breath moving beneath your hands.
Nothing to fix.
Nothing to perform.
Only this gentle returning.
We'll begin now with a breath designed to release the held tension of the day.
It's called the physiological psi.
It's designed to immediately switch your system into relaxation.
Take a deep,
Full inhale through the nose,
And at the top,
Before releasing your breath,
Take one more small sip of breath to top up through the nose,
Filling the lungs completely.
And now exhale very slowly through the mouth.
A long,
Soft,
Unhurried release.
Emptying gently.
All the way out.
Beautiful.
Let's do that one more time.
A full inhale through the nose and before releasing,
A small top-up breath in through the nose.
And a long,
Slow exhale through the mouth.
Softer slower.
Empty air.
And one more.
Inhale through the nose Topping up gently through the nose and release through the mouth.
Slow as a tide going out.
Letting the body hear the message The day is complete.
You are safe now.
You may rest.
Wonderful.
Now let the breath find its own quiet rhythm again.
We'll move into something softer still.
A box breath.
Four gentle counts with the inhale.
Hold for four.
And four gentle counts with the exhale.
And hold for four once more.
A simple even rhythm.
Like four sides of a square.
Breathing in.
2,
3,
4.
Hold softly.
2,
3,
4.
Breathing out.
2,
3,
4.
Rest in stillness.
2,
Three.
Four.
And again,
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Holding at the top.
2,
3,
4.
Exhaling 2,
3,
4.
And rest 2,
3,
4.
For.
Now one more time.
Even softer now,
In 1,
2,
3.
Four,
Hold at the top.
Two.
Three,
Four and out,
Two,
One.
Three,
Four,
And rest,
Two.
Three.
For.
Now let the breath drift back to its own natural rhythm.
No counting,
No effort,
Just ease.
And now,
Before we go any deeper,
Plant a quiet sankalpa.
A heart-centered intention for this practice.
Tonight,
The intention is unity and belonging.
You might repeat silently.
I belong to the whole.
I am the ocean in a drop.
I am never separate.
Never alone.
Again,
I belong to the whole.
I am the ocean in a drop.
I am never separate or alone.
Let that settle softly within you.
In a few moments,
I'll guide you through a gentle body scan,
A slow,
Restful sweep.
Of awareness through the body.
Allowing each part to soften.
Release and settle into deep stillness.
And after that,
As you rest in that quiet spaciousness,
I'll share the story of Yogananda.
A bedtime story to carry you the rest of the way home.
So now,
We begin.
We'll move slowly through the body now.
There is nothing to do.
And just notice.
Receive.
And allow.
Begin at the very top of your head.
The crown.
Imagine a soft glow.
Gathering there.
Spreading across the scalp.
Releasing any subtle tightness.
You perhaps didn't even know you were holding there.
Let that softness move to your forehead.
Feel the space between your eyebrows melt open.
Like a sigh of relief.
Just let it.
Let it all go.
Your eyes allow them.
To soften in their sockets.
As if they're floating.
And warm water.
Let the tiny muscles behind the eyes Let go completely.
Feel your temple's ease.
Your cheeks soften.
Your jaw loosen.
Let your tongue relax.
At the bottom of your mouth.
There's nothing left to clench.
Nothing left.
To hold.
Bring your awareness.
To your throat.
The center of expression and truth.
Let the golden light settle there.
Gentle.
Who are you?
Reassuring.
Then let it flow to your shoulders.
Let the shoulders drop away.
From the ears.
As if someone just lifted a heavy backpack off your body.
Feel your shoulders getting heavier.
Warmer.
Relaxed.
Now let the warmth travel down your right arm.
Your upper arm.
Your elbow.
Your forearm.
Your wrist.
Your hand.
All the way to each finger.
Now.
Through your left arm.
Your upper arm.
Your elbow.
Your forearm.
Your wrist.
Your hand.
Each finger soft.
And glowing.
Your arms.
Or heavy.
Peaceful.
As if they're sinking into clouds Bring your awareness to the center of your chest.
Your heart space.
Imagine a gentle sphere of light expanding there.
A warm,
Golden pulse.
Spreading forward into the chest.
Backward into the spine.
Outward in all directions.
Feel your heartbeat.
Slowing.
.
.
Your breath.
Deepening.
Your whole upper body.
Settling down.
Into harmony.
Notice your lungs.
Let them breathe in light.
And exhale.
Release.
Inhale nourishment.
Exhale.
Letting go.
Inhale,
Restoration.
Exhale softness.
Your breath is slow.
Smooth.
Effortless.
Move your awareness.
Down to your solar plexus.
The space just under your ribs.
This is the center of your power and confidence.
Let it open.
Become warm and spacious.
Let the light flow into your stomach.
Your abdomen.
Your internal organs.
Imagine each one glowing.
With its own intelligence.
Working in perfect harmony.
Or the intelligence.
Of the universe.
Feel your belly soften.
Release.
And expand with each breath.
Like gentle waves.
Now let the golden warmth move into your hips.
The hips hold so much emotion.
So much memory.
Allow them to soften.
To widen.
To fully let go.
To feel supported.
The pelvis.
The lower belly.
The sacrum.
Bathed in comfort.
Bathed in ease.
Let the light travel down your right leg now.
Your thigh.
You are in me.
Your shin.
Calf.
Ankle.
Foot.
All the way to the tips of your toes.
Feel that whole leg get heavy.
Worm.
And deeply relaxed.
And now,
Your left leg.
Your thigh.
Your knee.
Your shin.
Your calf.
Your ankle.
Your foot.
Your toes.
Soft and glowing.
Both legs are heavy and calm.
Completely surrendered to gravity.
Now,
Step back inwardly and sense your whole body.
From crown to crown.
Toes.
As one field of warmth and gentle light.
Feel yourself glowing.
A soft golden outline around your whole body like a warm aura.
Resting against the sheets.
Beautiful.
Golden light.
Your breath is easy.
Your mind is quiet.
Your whole being is open to healing.
Your whole being.
Is whole.
Perfect.
At rest.
Light.
Your whole being is light Imagine now.
That's the golden light.
Within you.
Begins to brighten.
From the inside.
Slowly.
.
.
Gently.
Each cell.
Is lighting up.
One by one.
As if tiny lanterns are being switched on within your body.
This is your body's own intelligence.
Waking up.
Repairing.
Restoring.
And it feels effortless.
Like your system already knows exactly what to do.
Let the golden light move in waves.
From head to toe.
Cleansing.
Healing.
Softening.
Over and over.
Each wave slower.
Deeper.
Quieter.
Until the whole body feels weightless.
And warm.
You are safe.
You are held.
You are supported.
By something greater.
Supported.
By the infinite intelligence of the universe.
Let the light expand.
Beyond your skin now.
Into the space around you.
Forming a cocoon of peace,
A sanctuary of healing.
Every breath.
Draws in warmth.
Every exhale dissolves tension.
Every moment brings you deeper interest.
You are drifting now.
Effortlessly.
Toward the most healing sleep your body has ever known.
Nothing to do.
Nothing to think nothing to manage.
Just allow.
Just received.
Just rest.
Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda Chapter 1 The Silent Call of the East in the heart of India.
Where the majestic Himalayas cast their shadows and the sacred Ganges hums tales of eons past.
Was an ashram,
A haven of serenity.
Here amid lush meadows and under the gentle embrace of banyan trees.
Young souls came to discover deeper truths.
Among them was a boy named Mukunda.
Who would later be known as Yogananda.
With deep-set eyes that held the mysteries of the cosmos and a heart that pulsed with love for the divine,
He was not quite like the others.
Every dawn saw him by the river.
With legs crossed and eyes half shut in meditation.
Feeling the world's heartbeat sink with his own.
The Ganges whispered secrets to him,
Its waters reflecting the wisdom of the sages who had sought its blessings for centuries.
With every ripple and wave.
Mukunda felt a pull.
A yearning deep within.
Visions of distant lands where towering structures touched the skies and people worried about their lives filled his meditative sojourns.
He saw souls seemingly lost amidst the clamor of the West,
Yearning for a light,
A beacon to guide them towards inner peace.
It wasn't just the physical world that Mukunda saw.
He glimpsed the ethereal threads connecting every heart,
Every soul.
He realized religions,
With their rituals and doctrines,
Were but different paths through a vast forest,
All leading towards the same radiant summit of divine love.
Like myriad rivers,
They all sought the vastness of the same ocean.
One day,
As the sun cast golden hues across the sky,
Mukunda sat deep in meditation under an ancient banyan tree.
The world faded away,
And in its place,
A vision emerged.
He saw a vast ocean,
Its waters shimmering with divine light.
Rivers from all directions flowed into it,
Each river distinct yet becoming one with the ocean.
A voice,
Soft yet resonant,
Whispered.
As the rivers lose themselves in the ocean,
So do the paths of faith merge into the same truth.
Awakening from his meditation,
Mukunda felt an overwhelming sense of purpose.
He confided in the ashram's elder guru about the visions and the silence call he felt.
The wise old sage,
With a knowing smile,
Introduced Mukunda to ancient techniques of Kriya Yoga.
A spiritual practice that enhances one's journey towards self-realization.
You,
Dear boy,
" the Guru said with a glint in his eyes,
Are destined for a unique path.
You are to be a bridge between worlds,
Between the ancient spiritual wisdom of the East and the seeking souls of the West.
As days melted into nights,
Mukunda delved deep into his practices.
Preparing for a journey he did not fully understand,
But was ready to embrace.
The silent call of the East was not just for him,
It was a song for the world,
And he was to be its singer.
CHAPTER 2 Journey to Distant Shores As Yogananda set foot on the soil of the West,
The towering skyscrapers and the thrum of bustling life contrasted sharply with the serene landscapes of his homeland.
Yet within him the river of tranquility flowed,
Unabated.
This new world,
With its energy and dynamism,
Held souls as curious and seeking as those by the Ganges.
But every coin has its flip side.
Alongside curiosity,
He also encountered skepticism.
Voices whispered,
Eyes squinted,
And heads tilted in wonder as he introduced himself and his teachings.
A yogi from the East,
Some would question,
Their skepticism evident.
What newness can he bring to our structured faiths?
Yet amongst the doubters were those whose souls recognized the timeless truths Yogananda spoke of.
They felt the magnetism of his presence and the depth in his words.
These became his first disciples,
Sincere seekers yearning for a deeper connection and understanding.
In cozy gatherings beneath starlit skies or in the quiet corners of bustling city parks,
Yogananda would speak.
He talked of the divine dance of life,
Of the unity that underlay apparent diversity.
He drew parallels between the teachings of Jesus,
The insights of the Buddha,
And the verses of the Bhagavad Gita.
At their core,
He would emphasize,
All spiritual paths speak of the same truth.
The rituals and practices might differ,
But the essence is one of love,
Unity,
And self-realization.
To the people of the West,
He introduced the ancient practices of yoga and meditation.
These were not just physical postures,
But a holistic approach to life.
They were tools to calm the restless mind,
To feel the heartbeat of the universe,
To touch the silence that spoke louder than words.
Each session with Yogananda became a transformative experience.
Those who attended felt a melting away of boundaries,
An expansion of their heart space.
Differences in attire,
Language,
Or lifestyle paled in the radiant light of shared humanity and spirituality.
One evening,
In a dimly lit hall in the heart of New York,
Yogananda addressed a diverse gathering.
Religions,
He began,
Are like the many colors of a prism.
Each beautiful and unique.
But when light passes through them,
When divine wisdom shines through the core teachings of each faith,
The colors merge into a radiant beam of pure white light.
That is the essence,
The shared truth.
Whether you kneel in a church,
Meditate under a tree,
Or chant in a temple,
You are reaching out to the same divine.
The audience sat in rapt attention,
The depth of his words sinking into their souls.
Many had tears streaming down their eyes,
A blend of realization,
Gratitude,
And inner peace.
By the end of his talk,
As Yogananda led them into a deep meditative silence.
The hall,
Which had once echoed with diverse voices and footfalls,
Resounded with the unified heartbeat of souls touched by a universal truth.
The journey to distant shores was not just Yogananda's physical voyage.
It was the bridging of worlds,
The merging of skies,
The intertwining of hearts,
A testament to the truth that spirituality knows no boundaries.
It is the universal quest for the infinite within.
CHAPTER III WHISPERS OF ETERNITY Underneath the inky expanse of the starlit sky,
A serene retreat unfurled,
Its energy both magnetic and soothing.
Trees swayed gently in the night's embrace,
And the fragrance of blooming jasmine wafted through the air.
People from diverse backgrounds sat,
Their hearts and minds converging in anticipation.
Waiting to drink from the well of wisdom that Yogananda would share.
Yogananda stood at the center,
His presence like a beacon of light in the soft glow of the evening.
His eyes sparkled with the mysteries of the universe as he began.
On nights like this,
When silence speaks and the cosmos hums its eternal tune,
I see a vision.
A vision of a world where every heart beats in harmony,
Every soul recognizes its divine essence.
A hush fell over the gathering.
Every heart attuned to his voice.
Every soul resonating with his words.
Let me share with you a tale.
" Yogananda continued.
He spoke of a tiny drop of water named Nura,
Which lived atop a leaf in a vast forest.
Nura often felt alone,
Gazing at the vast sky and wondering about her place in the grand scheme of things.
She would watch other drops fall to the ground,
Merging with streams that flowed into mighty rivers.
Yet she felt confined to her leaf,
Unsure of her identity.
One faithful day,
A gust of wind carried Noora off her leaf,
And she found herself plummeting towards a vast,
Shimmering expanse.
As she touched the surface of this expanse,
Something miraculous occurred.
No longer did she feel like a solitary drop.
She felt expansive,
Boundless,
As if she had become one with a mighty ocean.
Yogananda's voice,
Gentle yet profound,
Carried the gathering deeper into the narrative.
Nura had always been a part of this vast ocean.
She was never just a drop.
She was the entire ocean in a drop.
The leaf,
The sky,
The journey,
They were all stages in her realization of this truth.
The audience engrossed in the tale felt a deep stir within.
Yogananda's words painted a vivid tapestry,
Leading them to a profound realization.
Like Noura,
Each one of them,
Each one of us,
Is not confined to our individual identities or beliefs.
Beneath it all,
We are all part of a boundless,
Eternal consciousness.
Close your eyes,
Yogananda's voice softly beckoned.
Feel the pulse of the universe,
The rhythm of your heart,
The whispers of eternity.
Recognize that you are not separate from the vastness that surrounds you.
You are it,
And it is you.
The garden filled with attendees from all walks of life and religious backgrounds.
Began to reverberate with a shared energy.
The boundaries of self and other,
Of me and you,
Began to blur as Yogananda guided them into a deep meditation.
An encompassing peace prevailed,
And the whispers of eternity echoed in every heart.
As the meditation concluded and eyes fluttered open,
A shared moment of tranquility and interconnectedness wrapped itself around each soul.
The profound insight that their true essence isn't confined to individual identities,
But is instead a part of a boundless consciousness had touched and transformed them.
And so,
Under the canopy of a thousand stars,
Hearts united,
Souls soared,
And the whispers of eternity sang their ageless song.
As we drift even further off into stillness.
I'd like to leave you with a poem called The Ocean in a Drop.
That expresses our unity.
With a vast oneness of being.
The ocean in a drop.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered.
.
.
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm and the stillness.
The pearl,
And the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow to the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back,
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love to which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
The tide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me.
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl and the shell.
The swimmer,
And the short.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow to the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back.
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love to which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered.
.
.
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl,
And the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart and mind.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow.
To the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back.
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love to which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought,
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm and the stillness.
The pearl and the shell.
The swimmer,
And the short.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow to the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back.
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded.
I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl,
And the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow to the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back.
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought,
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl,
And the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow.
To the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back,
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded.
I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl and the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow.
To the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back,
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought,
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl and the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow.
To the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back,
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me.
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought,
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl and the shell.
The swimmer,
And the short.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow to the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back,
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a droplet.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded.
I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl,
And the shell.
The swimmer,
And the short.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow.
To the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love to which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl and the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow.
To the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back,
Into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded.
I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl,
And the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow to the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back into the waters of love.
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
I am the wave before it rises.
Let's hide before it moves.
The hidden moon pulling the waters of my soul back toward the shore of God.
I searched for myself in distant places.
In names,
In faces.
In the praise of others.
In the silence after love had gone.
But every road curved inward.
Every longing became a door.
Every ache whispered,
Come closer.
What you seek has been breathing within you all along.
I am not small.
I am folded I am not empty.
I am vast.
I am the sky compressed into a breath.
The sun sleeping inside a seed.
The whole of creation resting quietly beneath my skin.
Within me.
Rivers remember mountains.
Within me.
Stars remember fire.
Within me,
The first song of the universe still hums beneath thought.
Beneath fear.
Beneath every name I have mistaken for myself.
I thought I was a lonely drop,
Trembling at the edge of the sea,
Afraid to disappear into something greater.
But when I surrendered,
I did not vanish.
I expanded.
I became a blue depth.
The endless horizon.
The storm,
And the stillness.
The pearl and the shell.
The swimmer,
And the shore.
The Beloved was not somewhere beyond me.
The Beloved was the depth within me.
The temple was not built of stone.
The temple was this heart.
Cracked open wide enough for infinity to enter.
Now I bow to the mystery I carry.
Now I listen.
To the ocean in my chest.
Now I know.
That even my smallest tear contains the salt of ancient seas.
I am not a drop in the ocean.
I am the entire ocean in a drop.
And when I finally fall back into the waters of love,
I do not lose myself.
I remember myself.
I remember.
That I was never separate.
I remember that I was never alone.
I remember that the wave,
The sea,
The moon.
The sky.
The seeker.
The path.
The Beloved.
And the prayer,
We're always one.
I am the ocean dreaming.
It is a single drop.
I am the drop awakening to its endlessness.
I am the silence.
From which all waters rise.
I am the love.
To which all rivers return.
