Setting Intentions for Self-Care: Journalling, Poetry & Yoga

Today's post is a bit of poetry inspired by a recent outdoor yoga class at The Branches (formerly Queen Street Yoga). As I settled in before class, I jotted down a list of the things I felt disconnected from and yearned to experience. The rest grew from there.

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Body

Breath

Healing

Rest

Meditation

Sweat

Laughter

These are the jewels I leave behind

When blindly chasing pursuits of the mind

Let me loosen my focus

So that I may see clearly

Let me put down my pen

And lift my Self up

Body and soul

Reaching toward the sky

Rooting into Earth

Exerting great effort

On purpose

With pleasure

Let me play like a child

And rest like a babe

Unconcerned about practical, worldly things

Let me lose my mind for a moment

So that I may gather the jewels

Much too precious to leave behind

Body

Breath

Healing

Rest

Meditation

Sweat

And laughter

With the steadiness of tree trunks

And the lightness of the breeze through birch tree leaves

I walk on in dappled sunlight

Reunited

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Do you get swept up in thought and lose awareness of your body? What parts of yourself do you occasionally drop or disconnect from, whether intentionally or unintentionally? Just noticing is a great starting point for reconnection and reintegration. And yoga (in my humble opinion) is an amazing vehicle for mind-body-spirit alignment as well as community connection.