Sun Salutation

Alone. Silent. Close the door.
Bare feet flat, shoulders back, feel your vertebrae
How many are there?

Breathe in…one, two, three
hold it. close your eyes
release the dross back into the houseplants

Listen.

laundry humming in the distance
thoughts humming in the ears

breathe, two, three…
tip the hips, hug your liver
open the ribs and lead with your heart.

breathe.

palms together, thumbs between your breasts
life blood pulsing at each fingertip
energy collects in the god spaces between them

breathe.

Now bring out your dead.

the stones of others that you are hoarding
the muck of mistakes that need composting
thorny words that occasionally land like flies,
meaningless buzzing.

sorrow upon sorrow washing the pain of loved ones over my head
drying salty drops on my feet as the tide retreats again.

breathe.

stand up straight.
center the universe in your navel.

reach for the sky, then reach for the earth
place your burdens at His feet

rise like dawn, gathering light as you go
back to your heart, release it there

breathe.