Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Open My Eyes ...

Foot path in Cameron Park ~ Waco, TX
(Photo by Karen Wood)

Lift the veil from my eyes, Oh Lord!
Let me peek out from behind the curtain
That shrouds my vision,
Keeping me from seeing You ~
My Beloved, my Teacher, my Guide!

Unmask me!
Remove the shades from my eyes!
Let me open wide to Your Beauty,
Your Wisdom, Your Eternal Truth!

Let me see as I have never seen before
Your abundant Grace ~
The feast You have prepared for me
And the foot path You have
Marked for my Way.

Open my eyes, Oh Holy One!
Open my eyes so that I may see You!

Blind me with Your Holy Presence
So that I have no need to ever see again,
Except by Your guiding, ineffable Fiery Light
Within.

~ By Karen Wood

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Wisdom Teacher

(Photo by Karen Wood)

To see the mark of wisdom
In a stately tree ~
One must cut it open.

Its rings bespeak
The years ~ or eons ~
It has watched and waited ...

It has weathered
Seasons and storms,
Diseases and dangers ...

It has nurtured within its leafy arms
Birds of song
And birds of prey ...

It has withstood mighty winds ~ icy assaults ...
And wept inner tears to sustain itself
During unrelenting droughts ...

It has shaded playgrounds
And watched lovers
Stealing kisses ...

It has borne silent witness to unspeakable horrors
Committed beneath its branches
Under the cover of darkness ...

Through the ages, it has suffered neglect ...
Lack of appreciation ...
Isolation ...

As time unfolds, it has enjoyed occasional acknowledgement ...
Sometimes respect ...
Rare devotion.

Yet it always reaches out its arms,
Open and wide ~
And up ~ ever up ...

As it sends its roots deep into The Source
That birthed it ~
And will one day reclaim it as Its Own.

Yes ~ to see the mark of wisdom
In a stately tree ~
One must cut it open.

Only when one can gaze inside ~
At its innermost core,
Can one see the ageless wisdom it held within ...

It must die first ~
Before one discovers how truly wise was
That Wisdom Teacher.

~ By Karen Wood

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Blinded by Your Love

(Photo by Karen Wood)

Eternal One ~

I bow before You
And disappear into Your Great Love.

You have swallowed me whole
Into Your Flaming Light.

I am blinded by Your Love,
But I have no need to see,
For You have given me
Wings to find my Way.

We soar the unfathomable spaces
And Breathe as One
The Breath of Life
That sings the song of dawn
And whispers the hush of dusk.

It shouts the coming of the Kingdom
And the arrival of The Holy One.

Universes awaken with anticipation
And quiver with glee!

The moment is Now.
The arrival is assured.
My heart is Your Throne.

Oh, My Love!
Come Now!

~ By Karen Wood

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

"Master Physician" Prayer ...

(Photo by Karen Wood)

Master Physician ~
We come before You in our brokenness,
Offering pieces of ourselves
At the altar of Your Holy Feet.

Heal us, Oh Holy One!

Put us back together
As You would fix a broken doll
For a crying child.

Patch us with Your Divine Love
And smooth Your Celestial Salve
Over the deep woundedness
Of our most hurting humanity.

Sweetly dab dry our tears of pain ...
Sing songs of Hope and Joy
To pull us from the depths
Of our illusive ills.

Shine Your eternal Light
On the Perfection within us.

Destroy all the dark places,
Until all that remains to be seen
When we look in the mirror
Is Your Light
Staring back at us.

Oh, Master Physician!
Heal us with your Divine Touch!
Cleanse every spot;
Banish every blight;
Wipe away every ill ...

Heal everything within
That is not All Good ~

Heal until there is nothing left to heal ~
Until All that is left
Is You.
Only You.

~ By Karen Wood


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Long Enough ...

(Photo by Karen Wood)

I ache for you ~
Longing for you to STOP
Long enough ...
To see Me.

I AM pained
By your distractions
And disbelief.

I groan in agony ~
Wondering if you
Will ever still your heart
Long enough ...
To hear My pleas.

I yearn to Feed you ~
But you won't STOP
Your eating and drinking
Long enough ...
To be Eternally Nourished.

I ache for you ~
For whenever you STOP
Long enough ...
I AM there

Closer than your breath
With the Breath of Life
To take away
Your pain,
Your agony,
Your suffering,
Your hunger,
Your lack.

You need only
STOP
Long enough ...

~ By Karen Wood

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Sweet, Divine Mystery!

(Photo by Karen Wood)
Angel Fire, N.M.
Sweet, Divine Mystery!
You are so close ...
Yet ever elusive!

I reach out to touch You ~
You are nowhere to be found ...
Until I draw my next Breath.

I crave Your Presence ~
I feel so abandoned ...
Until I see the grey-white dove perched mere feet
From the hovering, hunched black raven.

I yearn for Your Voice ~
I hear only SILENCE ...
Followed by sweet bird songs, wind whispers,
And majestic thunder claps.

I long for Deep Peace ~
Cruelties, injustices, deep woundedness engulf me ...
Until I submerge into the Depths of Stillness
Where I find Perfect Rest.

I chase certitude ~
I capture only more questions, more doubts
Until it dawns, slowly ...

The Divine Mystery Is
The only Certainty.

It is not knowable.
It can only be Loved.

~ By Karen Wood

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

The First Song, Continued ...

~ Stellar Blue Jay ~
(All photos by Karen Wood:
Angel Fire, New Mexico)

We sang love songs to each other,
The birds and I ...

Mine was a lullaby, sweet and low ~
Sung barely above a whisper ...
Perhaps thankful no one heard me,
For what would "they" think ...
This one who sings lullabies aloud
To wild birds?

Moments later ~ or was it hours? ...
From deep within the depths
Of meditation and prayer,
As I poured out heart cries
Unto The Holy One ...

Their reply rode on the wind ~
Straight into my heart.

It was a bird-song anthem
Resounding throughout the forest,
Echoing and reverberating
Into my Soul.

~ Pine Siskin & Nuthatch ~

I had whispered to them a lullaby.
They shouted back to me an anthem!

One after another dropped by on my lap,
As I sat meditatively motionless 'neath a warm woolen blanket,
Holding a stone picked up from the road
In one hand ~
A devotional angel made from stones
In the other.

The birds shouted their Praise Anthem
In coordinated bird songs ~
Blackbirds, mountain chickadees, pine siskins, crows,
Stellar blue jays, hummingbirds, juncos, nuthatches ...


~ Red Winged Blackbird ~

Singing a mighty chorus
That drowned out everything except their
Song of Glory!

My heart leapt with Joy! ~
Utter Joy! at the recognition ...

That we are all held
In the same Lap of The Holy One ~

And all spring from the same Majestic Source
Who Sang the First Song!

~ Dove ~

My song was a soft lullaby ...
Their bird song was a resounding Praise Anthem ...

~ Hummingbird perched in tree ~
They were both
Love Songs ...
A continuation of that
First Song ...


~
~ Hairy Woodpecker ~
Sung to each other ...
And to The Holy One.

~ By Karen Wood

Friday, September 14, 2012

The Permeating Presence

Photo by Karen Wood
(St. Bridgit's Garden reflection pool, Ireland)

I close my eyes
And sink deep
Into a calm pool
Of gratitude and devotion ...

I am immersed
In quietude ~
Permeated by a
Loving, Holy Presence.

There are no words,
For they are unnecessary.

The Silence holds
Everything
In Its No-thing-ness.

I am nourished,
Uplifted,
Held,
Soothed,
Caressed,
Comforted,
Affirmed,
Purified,
Wholly Loved ~
By the permeating Presence.

Myriad thoughts float above
Along the surface
Of this deep, calm pool
Of gratitude and devotion.

I barely notice them ~
For the permeating Presence
Draws me deeper and deeper
Into Its Loving Silence.

There are no words ~
For they are unnecessary.

The Silence holds
Everything
In Its No-thing-ness.

~ By Karen Wood

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Space Within

Photo by Karen Wood
(Labyrinth in Crestone, CO)

The space within cannot contain
All the Love You hold out for me,
Sweet Lord and Lover of my Soul!

I expand until ready to burst,
Hoping to somehow fill myself
With Your great Love.

Yet there is ever more.

I draw in Love.
I exhale Love.
I eat and drink Love.

I imagine Love in the most fanciful places ...
I sometimes think I see Love
Even in the darkness.

Even when I sleep,
I find myself
Sometimes dreaming Love.

Oh, Sweet, Mysterious Love!
Love me until I cannot draw in another moment ~
Or exhale another piece of You!

Love me until I can no longer imagine You ~
Or see You in the darkness!

Love me until I no longer can eat or drink You
When I feast or fast!

Love me until there is nothing left to Love
But You and You Alone!

Love me until I have learned
That the Space Within
Is All there is ...
And it is Only Love.

~ By Karen Wood


Saturday, September 8, 2012

In The Depths of My Being

(Photo by Karen Wood)

In the depths of my Being
I burn with Love ...

The hot, Divine Flame
Consumes all
That is not holy.

The Flame licks its lips ~
Devouring anger,
Regret,
Impure thoughts,
Judgment,
Ill will,
Inaction,
Fear,
Carelessness,
Envy,
Impatience,
Excesses,
Jealousy,
Doubts,
Discontent,
Arrogance,
Covetousness ...

I feed the Flame well ~
Continually tossing more and more
Unholy passions
Into its ravenous mouth.

I draw Life and Joy
From the flaming Sacred Fire within ...

And burn with Divine Love ~
In the depths of my Being.

~ By Karen Wood

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

"Just For A Moment" Prayer

Photo by Karen Wood

Oh, Holy One!
Just for a moment ~

Strip away my thoughts,
My desires,
My longings,
My daydreams,
My fantasies.

Peel back my emotions
So I no longer feel sad or lonely,
Energetic or tired,
Happy or joyful.

Steal back sensations
So I no longer hear,
See,
Feel,
Taste,
Smell, or
Sense.

Take away my identity,
My occupation,
My hobbies,
My life pursuits.

Remove me from my family,
My children,
My parents,
My siblings,
My extended relations.

Separate me
From all friends.

Unravel me
Until there is nothing left of me ~
Until I am laid completely and utterly bare
Before You.

In that moment, Oh, Holy One!
May I see myself as You see me.

May I see Myself
When I gaze into You.

In that moment, Oh, Holy One!
May I know the One within myself
Who Is
All Friends,
All Families,
All Sensations,
All Emotions,
All Thoughts,
All Desires,
All Identities,
The All in All.

May it be just for a moment ~
Or for the rest of my life.

~ By Karen Wood

Sunday, July 8, 2012

In Your Holy Womb

Photo by Karen Wood
(Rose Window ~ Avila, Spain)

In Your Holy Womb,
Divine Mother,
I am not yet ~
I am about to be ~
I am not quite ready ~
I am still unfolding myself.

You still feed me,
Providing my entire life sustenance ...
You still hold me,
Carrying me securely within Your Being.

You are still forming me,
Impressing Your stamp of Divine Identity
Upon my every cell ~
Even marking my Soul
As sacred and holy.

I am yet to Be.

Still, within Your Holy Womb,
I am already
All That Is.

As You birth me, Divine Mother ~
May I be outside Your womb
True to That which I was
Inside Your Holy Nest.

May I ever be mindful
Of my sacred bloodline.

And may I seek solely
To bring honor, love and gratitude
As the only gifts worthy
Of such a Divine Parent.

~ By Karen Wood

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Entering the Divine Womb

(Photo by Karen Wood)


I enter Your Holy Womb,
Divine Mother,
And sink deep into prayer
In Your sacred, dark, feminine nest.

May I always hear Your Voice there
Along with Your Loving Heartbeat.

May I always be strengthened ~
Nourished by the Wisdom
That feeds my Soul there.

May I always find rest for my journey
Cradled within Your waiting belly.

And may I ever heed the calls
You whisper to me ...
And carry forth the songs
You sing to me there.

~ By Karen Wood

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Songs of Devotion to The Holy Father ...

Photo by Karen Wood
(Crestone, CO)

"I AM God the Father" Song
"I AM God the Father,
"I AM the One you claim;
"I AM God the Father ~
"Praise My Holy Name!

"I have heard you call my Name;
"I have heard your every prayer.
"My arms of Love are 'round you;
"You remain ever in my care.

"I will always be within you.
"I will always be your Guide.
"I have always been there with you.
"I have never left your side.

"I AM God the Father,
"I AM the One you claim;
"I AM God the Father ~
"Praise My Holy Name!"

~ Lyrics by Karen Wood



Photo by Karen Wood
(Avila, Spain)

"Holy Father-Holy Daughter" Song
"I love You, Holy Father!
"I love You, Holy One!
"I am Your Holy Daughter,
"We're meant to be as One!

"Come now, please! Holy Father!
"Come, take Your Holy Throne!
"Come now, please! Holy Father!
"My heart must be Your Home!"

~ Lyrics by Karen Wood
 

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Be Still and Know ...


Be still and know ...
The Power of the Silence
In the subtle markings
Of a sacred river stone

Be still and know ...
The symphonic sounds of Silence
In sweet bird songs, lapping river banks,
The call of majestic trees

Be still and know ...
The energy of the Silence
In the quiet vibrations of creation
As the earth moves softly under foot

Be still and know ...
The fragrance of the Silence
Brought as gift to the senses
By gushing, generous, playful wind

Be still and know ...
The sacredness of the Silence
In a candle's flicker, an empty bowl,
Works of art, respected space

Be still and know ...
The People of the Silence ~
Heart-connected, Love-inspired ~
Souls enmeshed on the journey

Be still and know ...
The pathway of the Silence ~
Find the secret doorways
Hiding treasures within the depths

Be still and know ...
The intimate touch of Silence ~
Warm kisses of sunshine,
The hug of grass, winks of butterflies

Be still and know ...
The Source of Silence ~
Oh, Divine Spirit!
Radiate Your Silent Light
Throughout my innermost Being!

Be still and know ...
Be still and know the Silence ...
Be still ...
Be.

~ By Karen Wood


Sunday, May 6, 2012

You Mirror Me

Photo by Karen Wood
(Meditation musing below comes after meditating upon the portrait above, which is in the private collection of Rev. Arlene Curley, Co-director of the Greenshire Arts Consortium and a Minister of the Church of Illumination, Quakertown, PA.  The meditation honors all seekers on the spiritual path.  It also honors Rev. Curley's recent discourse on sacred-friendship mirrors, delivered 3-25-12 at The Church of Illumination, available on CD from The Philosophical Publishing Co., 215-538-5300 or megbevhall@comcast.net.)

I look into your eyes
And see myself reflected ~
For we are One in Spirit,
Co-creators and Christ-children
Of The Eternal One.

You mirror me,
And I, you ~
And the Image is
Pure Divinity.

In loving recognition
Of our sacred heritage,
I come to you ~

Pledging to you
Deep, Divine Love,
Total acceptance
And unwavering commitment
As we step forward
With Joy
On the journey together.

I embrace and enfold you
With Sacred Love ...

Knowing through Holy Love,
You and I are truly
One.

For you mirror me,
And I, you ~
And the Image
Is Pure Divinity.

~ By Karen Wood