Let Yourself be Heartbroken*

In how many ways,
For oh, so long,
Have we
Protected
Ourselves
From
Our
Own
Feelings?

In how many ways,
For oh, so long,
Have we run
From
Our
Fear?

From
Our
Heartbreak?

I certainly have.

I
Sometimes
Still 
Do.

Lama Rod Owens
Tells us:

“Let yourself
Be heartbroken.”

His invitation
Echoes.

His surety
Calms.

His
Clarity
Rings
Authentic.
~~~
I understand.

In my head,
I know.

Kripalu yoga
Off the mat
Teaches
Us
To
Be
Exactly
Where
We
Are. 

One moment,

One
Feeling,

One breath
At a time.

I know that.

Yet I get 
Scared,

So scared
To feel.

Let yourself be heartbroken,
~~~
I am heartbroken,

HEARTBROKEN
About the world.

The violence.
The injustice.

The cruelty and lies.

The overriding
Of
Reality
For personal
And
For
Political gain.

As a child of the 1960’s,
I am shocked,
Surprised,
Disappointed,
And
Profoundly,
PROFOUNDLY 
Heartbroken.
~~~
I thought
I really did,
I thought
We could change it.

I thought
I really did,
I thought
Peace and flowers,

Freedom and happiness
Were possible
For all.

For all.

I was wrong.

So far,
I was wrong.
~~~
Why bother?
Why feel?
Why?

Leonard Cohn says it 
Pretty darn succinctly:

 

~~~
When we feel our pain,
Our suffering,

We are able
To 
Feel
Others’.

When we 
Authentically
Connect
To ourselves,

We can
Then
Authentically
Connect
To others.

And the
World
Changes.

The world,
For that nanosecond,
Becomes
One.
~~~
Anthem, from the London concert: