"We Sat, and Breathed"
We sat,
and breathed . . .
100 souls,
gathered to hear our teacher speak
after the weekly meditation.
Most curious,
some indifferent,
a few desperate.
Like any other week.
Maybe . . .
Our teacher started to speak,
but instead,
simply observed
the breath of the group.
His breath now,
a long, subtle inhale,
followed by
a longer, subtler exhale.
Each containing a Knowingness
that begged explanation,
but refused.
Each invited the group's awareness
to extend beyond
their individual capacity
to sense and feel . . .
But to simply
Be.
Ever so slowly,
Our energy coalesced into
a collective wave of breath,
like a forest gently sighing,
And belief,
in the vast Atman of Experience.
Once again,
he began to speak,
But instead
interrupted by the gentlest onset of rain,
ever so slowly at first,
as if in our imagination.
Then, coming to full fruition.
I watched
as the room expanded further —
the altar behind our teacher brightened,
the flowers demurred to their own beauty,
the house sandals conferred their importance —
As if the very walls could no longer hold this
Silent Secret.
Finally, our teacher spoke and said,
So . . .
December, 2019