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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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



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

"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

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

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

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

 

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

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