Session Notes

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

When I’m not writing, I am a massage therapist. I am fortunate that both of these things require similar skills: show up, pay attention, love everything enough so that it reveals its secrets to you. Today’s breath is an attempt to put words on the silent act of deep attention that is a massage session.

I.

Slow down.

Make space in the borders around you

so you can expand --

let your skin cells release and

feel what this does for the organs of your body.

It is safe to float.

II.

Green, streaked with yellow

followed you in here.

It sits over you making comet trails

as I move my hands.

That thing you fear will invade your heart.

Soon.

And you will be happy for it.

III.

A body of motion, still,

surrendered to the quiet

that comes behind

the tender sleeping monkey mind.

IV.

You live in the space between

the inhale of scans and checks and

the exhale of another month suspended.

Your limbo is midnight blue and black night sky

with an orange glow in the distance --

daylight or fire?

You have no idea.