Category: Healing

Poetry Podcast – Seeking Light: Mindful Presence
Audio · Go Dog Go Cafe · Healing · Original Digital Art · Podcasts · Poetry · Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul · Writing

Poetry Podcast – Seeking Light: Mindful Presence

extraordinarysunshineweaver4 Comments

Hello, everyone,

I have a new memoir up on my poetry podcast called Seeking Light: Mindful Presence. This memoir reveals how poets seek light, the mindful presence, in their poetry.  Being present to the NOW fosters insights and promotes healing.

https://meelosmom.podbean.com/e/seeking-light-mindful-presence/

“Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul”     https://meelosmom.podbean.com/

(If you have the Podbean app, you can see the featured images on my podcasts. Also, I am using the same image in this post.)

My gratitude for the original digital art, Seeking Light, by my sister, Martha Harris (See the featured image for this post.)….. You can find her works of art on Martha’s Artistic Flarings. https://artisticflarings.blog….

My gratitude to my sister Cynthia Cady Stanton, who is an ordained Presbyterian minister and hospice chaplain, for her poems, “Grace Shower” and “We are Needed.” You can find her services for spiritual care, weddings, funerals, and spiritual counseling online at her website https://cynthiacadystanton.com. And her poetry can be found at https://becomingandbeholding.com

My gratitude to Stephen Fuller for his poem, “Silent on Chauncey Creek”. His work can be found on https://FullbeardLit.org. He is Managing Editor of Go Dog Go Café: Where Writers Gather. https://godoggocafe.com. Check out both sites! You can promote your work every Monday and promote other writers’ work every Thursday.

I  also read a poem by The Buddha. “Thought”. You can find more examples of poetry by The Buddha and other Poet-Seers on https://poetseer.org

If you would like to contribute poetry to this podcast, you may submit it to me in a Word document attached in an email to me at meelosmom@gmail.com. On the subject line, indicate it is a submission to this podcast. I can fit it into a theme. In the email, include any pertinent information on yourself and publications you want me to promote, especially for the work submitted.

©Barbara Leonhard, https://extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog and https://meelosmom.podbean.com/

Image “sSeking Light” ©Martha Harris, Martha’s Artistic Flarings, https://artisticflarings.blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poetry Podcast: Cupid Sings the Blues
Audio · Healing · Podcasts · Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul · Writing

Poetry Podcast: Cupid Sings the Blues

extraordinarysunshineweaver3 Comments

To honor Valentine’s Day, I created a podcast called Cupid Sings the Blues on my Podbean podcast …. Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul.

Why is Cupid sad? Tune in to find out. You will hear poems by rivrvlogr (one of our fellow WordPress Poets), Robert Burns, Ben Jonson, and myself. The episode is under 30 minutes.        https://meelosmom.podbean.com/e/cupid-sings-the-blues/

For all the episodes, …. https://meelosmom.podbean.com. Simply go to the link. The podcast episodes are listed below the site image. Click on an episode title, relax, and enjoy! When you have time, check out my other podcasts. 

I am new at this art form, so bear with me as I learn the ropes. 🌹

It’s just you and me, no team. We are enjoying tea or coffee and thoughts on one thing or another.

If you would like to contribute poetry to my podcast, email a word document with your poems. In the subject line, let me know the submissions are for the podcast. I can work the poem(s) into a theme. Also, in the body of the email, tell me any pertinent information you would like me to include in my podcast to support your work. Maybe you have a new poetry book, or would like to promote your blog.

Thank you for your support!

©Barbara Leonhard, https://extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog; https://meelosmom.podbean.com

Image: Pixabay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio · Healing · Mother Earth · Podcasts · Poetry · Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul · Writing

Poetry Podcast on Mother Earth

extraordinarysunshineweaverLeave a comment

I hope you like my new poetry podcast on Podbean. Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul.

Mother Earth must be talking to me because I have written a lot about her lately. I have a couple of guest poets in this podcast. Walter Bargen and Sharon Singing Moon.

https://meelosmom.podbean.com/

Sorry for any irrelevant noises. I may need a producer! 🤓 There is beauty in imperfection, right?

©Barbara Leonhard, extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog Continue reading “Poetry Podcast on Mother Earth” →

What Mother Needs – Barbara Leonhard
Free Verse Revolution · Healing · Mother Earth · Poem · Writing

What Mother Needs – Barbara Leonhard

extraordinarysunshineweaverLeave a comment

FREE VERSE REVOLUTION published my poem, What Mother Needs. ♥️

FREE VERSE REVOLUTION

A Time to Heal

We are all one kind, one child

in the eyes of our wondrous Mother.

Our Mother’s lungs are shared by all;

we all breathe the same air.

Our tears, her tears.

Every cry of a newborn,

recorded on her fabric.

Every gun, shot in fear,

rips through our Mother,

her flesh, her bones, her breath,

and into dark matter out of sight.

Apprehension, the basis of all injury,

creates separation creates isolation creates animosity.

You are not alone in love.

Love heals torn limbs reaching for embrace.

Love constructs not just your soul,

but the soul of your Mother.

Distain and reverence cannot reside

in the same house.

Despair not. Despise not.

Love those that fear and hate.

This is the great challenge

It is your choice –

In fact, the most important choice,

to cherish with all your heart

regardless of fear of harm,

which…

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Poetry Podcast on Grief: Fire and Ice
Audio · Healing · My Mother · Podcasts · Poetry · Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul · Prose · Writing

Poetry Podcast on Grief: Fire and Ice

extraordinarysunshineweaverLeave a comment

I have another episode up on my Podbean podcast, Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul.

This podcast episode is about grief and in particular, my grief over my mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. I describe grief and the havoc Alzheimer’s wreaks on its victims, especially Mom. In addition to my poems, I include a poem by Robert Frost and another by Walter Bargen, Missouri’s first Poet Laureate, appointed in 2008.

Thank you for listening! This podcast is around 40 minutes.

https://meelosmom.podbean.com

©Podcast, Barbara Leonhard, extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog

©Walter Bargen’s poem, “Migration” is from his book of poetry My Other Mother’s Red Mercedes (2018, Lamar University Literary Press)

Robert Frost reading “Nothing Gold Can Stay” https://www.modernamericanpoetry.org/video/robert-frost-reads-nothing-gold-can-stay

See also, Robert Frost, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”, Poetry Foundation

Image and Music: “Fire and Ice”, original tune ©Dierik Leonhard, Ironweed Bluegrass Band, found at ironweedbluegrass.com

What Mother Needs: Time to Heal
Healing · Mother Earth · Poetry · Writing

What Mother Needs: Time to Heal

extraordinarysunshineweaver1 Comment


I revised this poem since putting it up in FREE VERSE REVOLUTION. I’m Still not certain it is finished. Is any poem?

What Mother Needs: Time to Heal

We are all one kind, one child

in the eyes of our wondrous Mother.

Our Mother’s lungs are shared by all;

we all breathe the same air.

Our tears, her rain.

Every cry of a newborn,

recorded on her fabric.

Every gun, shot in fear,

rips through our Mother,

her flesh, her bones, her breath,

and into dark matter out of sight.

Apprehension, the basis of all injury,

creates separation, isolation, animosity.

We are not alone in love.

Love heals torn limbs reaching for embrace.

Love constructs not just our soul,

but the soul of our Mother.

Distain and reverence cannot reside

in the same house.

Despair not. Despise not.

Love those that fear and hate.

This is the great challenge

It is our choice –

In fact, the most important choice,

to cherish with all our heart

regardless of fear of harm,

which is dread of separation and isolation

from our Mother, who supports each of us.

Forgive and hold dear the loveless;

Mother teaches charity and integrity

Even in storms and floods.

This is our choice,

to adore and revere with all our being.

Those who love without abandon

heal all, even our Mother.

©Barbara Leonhard, extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog

Follow my poetry podcast, Poetry: The Memoir of the Soul, on Podbean – https://meelosmom.podbean.com/

Free image on Pixabay by Bianca Mentil

Sunday Best: Gaia
Free Verse Revolution · Healing · Honors · Poem · Poetry · Recognition/ Honor

Sunday Best: Gaia

extraordinarysunshineweaverLeave a comment

I’m grateful for the subject matter. Gaia is suffering, and only we can reach out to her and minister to her needs. At the very least, we can work with her to co-create a new Earth free of fire, flood, and fear.

I was pleased to get first place in this writing challenge.

https://freeverserevolution.wordpress.com/2020/01/05/sunday-best-gaia/

 

FREE VERSE REVOLUTION

Dear reader,

Happy new year!

January on FVR follows the theme of ‘Earth’ and submissions are still open with 12 spaces left for contributors. See the submissions page for the guidelines.

To catch up the first five posts of the year:

Tuesday – Kristiana Reed

Wednesday – L. Stevens

Thursday – Devika Mathur

Friday – Bojana Stojcic

Saturday – L.E.

This week’s prompt was ‘Gaia’ and here are three wonderful responses:

Gaia – Barbara Leonhard

Earth – M.A. Morris

Gaia – Michelle Rolland

Gaia mother earth goddess

What has our world done

You gave us life force

Over which greed has won

Money won’t listen

So many unchanged

Even when voices of reason 

Cry out in pain

Gaia mother earth goddess

You send us your signs

Predicting our imminent demise

Show avarice what it is doing

Change what you can

One small voice can be a shout

For the love…

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