Faith That Reveals

Faith That Reveals

In this softening of my soul,
there is a liberation of spirit and emotions.
I woke up at least twice last night
with a gasp,
followed by tears,
and even a visit of anger.
I feel a sort of stuckness
in my hips and spine,
as if something
that has been impeded,
or even tethered,
is soon to be freed.
I know this to be good,
and it is also hard
to experience solo.
I’m going to let it unfold as it will,
maybe reach out for help….
Ohhhhh… there it is.
That must be at least part of what
needs to go.
The sense of failure that
still pesters just beyond
my awareness
when I feel vulnerable
and have a need.
The memories harbored in my body
of being negated
when I dared to ask, speak,
wonder, cry.
There, I’ve named it.
Maybe that will help
and my faith will continue to reveal.
I’ll find balance
in these reflections,
which include how brave I’ve been
to access healing,
process so much alone,
share my poetry along the way.

Sarah Carlson
November 12, 2022

A Serene Softening

A Serene Softening

A recent experience
of feeling safe, buoyant,
held yet again,
enables an intricate mix
of vulnerability and courage
to stir deep within.

Outworn, inflicted patterns,
once carefully concealed,
are bathed in light,
given the opportunity
to disperse, absorb, transmute
in whatever ways are right.
Dynamic stillness
yields ever more opportunity
to notice, honor, allow
with far less tension and disquiet.
This can feel drifty, muffled, vague
as when winds or rains
interrupt crystal clear reflections.
What glee there can be
when those images resettle,
 can be observed
with fresh awareness,
insight, and delight.
When one was taught that
needing help means weakness or failure,
which was essentially only true for you,
the recognition of the bold energy it has taken
to look deep and up and out
since the loss of a Love that anchored
is both validating and liberating.
There’s a serene softening of the soul.
Rest calmly on solid banks
as confusion clears,
 energy enlivens
in your depths, in the wideness,
and within the faith that reveals.

Sarah Carlson
November 11, 2022