Recipe for a Mindful Work-In

Thanksgiving is always a busy holiday but such a wonderful time with family. While my Poetry Friday post is late in coming, I wanted to join in to celebrate poetic goodness. My traveling poet/teacher/friend, Ruth Hersey, is hosting today from her new residence in Uganda. She shares odes about a kitchen table with lines that illuminate the significance of daily life and family. Please travel to her blog here for a feast of poetic goodness not to be missed.

During this week, my thoughts centered on new baking recipes to dazzle the Thanksgiving table: freshly pureed pumpkin pie with an oreo crust and chocolate pecan pie with hints of whiskey. I also contemplated the Poetry Sisters' challenge to create a recipe poem with a new twist: be creative with form, length, meter, or topic using an assemblage of elements with recipe text/cooking instructions. I used the language of my recipes to create a self-care recipe poem for post-Thanksgiving. 

Back Story: This month has been filled with many events and downtime has taken a back seat. During yoga, I listened carefully to my yoga teacher's thoughts. Inspired by her inspirational thoughts, my topic evolved.  

May my recipe for a Mindful Work-In bring a plate full of zen and peace. As I write, I relax and begin a work-in practice that allows the mind to let go. The body relaxes and the soul finds inspiration in the silence of the room. 

"Silence is the eloquent expression of the inexpressible." Sri Chinmoy, poet

Recipe for a Mindful Work-In

Ingredients

1 quiet place to ponder

1 cup of brewed herbal tea

1 tablespoon of honey

a pinch of peace

liquid awesome

1 yoga mat

Instructions

Preheat your space to relax the muscles, mind, and spirit.

Start off with a full playlist of quieting music.

Gently add a flow of soft breath.

Mix in praise-worthy raised arm movements.

Scoop up generous amounts of drishti.

Slowly whisk in bending bows.

Add 1 cup of refined liquid awesome.

Gently smooth out the process.

Pour your body onto the mat in svanasana.

After 5 minutes, release the pose.

Cool down your mind, body, and spirit in gratitude.

Namaste.

©CV, 2022, draft

Within silence

the mind understands what is

involved in the

quieting of senses. Eloquent

ways of expression

evolve in awareness of

what is the

inexpressible.

©CV, 2022, draft

Thank you Poetry Sisters, Laura,  Tanita,  Mary Lee,  Liz,  Kelly,  Tricia,  Sara,  and Andi for the November Challenge to write a recipe poem. 

Thanks to Tanita for the above ad. #PoetryPals