When All The While - Carrie's Sunday Post
New Growing Edge Podcast, Poetry, Community Question, One Inch Photos,
Another in my conversations-with-Hafiz poems. It is a poem that looks at the sincerity of my own longings with a bit of humor. I don’t know if you’ve ever inhaled a book wanting to take in all the wisdom it contained, only to get to the end and not remember much about what was on each page. It is a poem for those of us who occasionally lean so hard into becoming, who long to “get there” so much, that we forget what we need most to live, learn, live and be is right here. I think there is a shift that happens when the internal dialogue is grounded in compassion…and even a little humor. When I was much younger I would pray to be wise, until I figured out the kinds of experience that wisdom would require. Now I don’t pray to be wise, I ask to be here, to be humble and mostly kind, even to myself. Because on the way to my growing edge are so many glowing autumn leaves to consider.
When All The While
I can only travel as far
As I can go in one day
Such is the way of walking.
For pressing hard,
Lengthening my stride
Quickening my pace
Only keeps me focused
Upon the movement of my own feet
When all the while
The autumn light
Is streaming down through the amber leaves
Making the dust sparkle
And the whole world glow from within.
How foolish
Yet so good intentioned
The impatient pilgrim in me
Who longs so sincerely
And comically to see you
At the journey’s end
That imagines us sharing mint tea
With the perfect number of ice cubes
Mumbling, "I'm sorry it took me so long."
Forgetting you are right here
In the water bottle
In my shoe laces
In the dappled light
In the right path
In the wrong turn
In the ache in my shoulders
In the time it takes
Especially in the time it takes
And always
Always
In the song that is ever
so slowly
forming.
Carrie Newcomer Practice
Autumn sky alert - set your watch or calendar to alert you at some random point in the day. When your alert goes off, take a break and head outside and just consider the autumn sky. Notice how the quality of the light is different in October than it is in August or January, at 10am or 6pm. Breath it in, Breath it out. Then head back into whatever you were doing.
Question
What can you tell us about your experience with the autumn sky today?
October The Growing Edge Podcast - Episode 53: The Inner Roots of Democracy - Holding Difference & Prophetic Voice
With Carrie Newcomer & Parker J. Palmer is Now Available.
You can listen here, or on Substack, I-Tunes , Spotify, Google Podcasts or where ever you get your podcasts!
In this podcast Parker and Carrie wrestle with when and how we creatively hold the tension of our differences, and when differences are to grievous and do not yield to creative tension holding. We explore the meaning of “We Shall Over Come” and the power of prophetic voice in these challenging times for the democratic system. I also sings the title track “A Great Wild Mercy”.
This was a particularly meaningful conversation for me. As we head into a divisive election season. This month’s growing edge conversation came at the right moment for me. I am a person that has dedicated a good deal of time developing a practice of holding difference with creative openness, trying to hold difference creatively is my “go to” mode of operating in the world. But lately I’ve been wrestling with the idea that all difference and conflict are not created equal. There are times when I do not feel it is correct or effective for me to enter into a conversation when it means I would have to validate or normalizing a hateful and harmful belief or idea. I check in with myself and make sure I’m not just avoiding uncomfortable moments or conflict when I come face to face with difference of opinion, and then assess if I cannot be effective in a conversation or I do not wish to lift up or normalize the person’s starting point. So I hope you’ll join Parker J. Palmer and I as we explore balancing the ability to hold difference and the soul’s imperative to prophetic voice in these challenging times.
For more about generative spaces for democracy and the common good check out Parker’s book Healing The Heart of Democracy
Here’s a link to The Growing Edge Podcast Page and Archives on our website.
One Inch Photos
The Great Wild Mercy Fall Tour
Many shows have already sold out, so get your tickets soon! For more info visit www.carrienewcomer.com/tour
StoreWide 20% off Sale
Just a reminder I am having my biggest sale of the year in celebration of the release of A Great Wild Mercy. All Items in my online store are 20% with the code GWMSALE!
My autumn sky is blue today, but not the deep blue of summer. A more muted blue that fits the season. I just love Hafiz. This one is lovely. Thanks, Carrie for the reminder to be in the present.
I breathe in the light. I breathe it in through the tunnel of thick bushes outside the window, wet with memories of the cozy indoor Light of the last four days of fog and rain - of a grandmother's heart - also in an autumnal season -- listening to the rain now of falling leaves, cycling life.