Hope & Healing Through Photography and Poetic Expression

Posts tagged “healing

Creation

Faithful Brush Stroking

Willfully Tinting The World

Pulsed Breath of Canvas

©Robyn Lee

IMG_5560


When Love Heals

Every
now
and then

~

love
stops
everything:

~

the
noise

~

the
chaos

~

the
pain;

~

Every
now
and then

~

love
shines

its
wondrous
light

on

~

even
the

darkest
corners

~

through

~

the
fear

~

the
loneliness

~

 the
struggle;

~

Every
now
and then

~

love
surprises

us

~

with

something
rich

~

something
magnificent

~

something
extraordinary;

~

And

~

Every
now
and then

~

Love
shows us

~

its
astonishing
power

~

to

Heal.

~
©Robyn Lee

485746_10150689219406277_903697894_n

 A Look
Through The Healing Lens
of this special couple

I am delighted to introduce you to a most remarkable couple, Rachel and Bill, featured in the stunning image above. I was mesmerized by this photo when I first viewed it, and asked Rachel if I might display it in a post, and share her heartwarming story with my readers and friends here.  She was honored.

Rachel and Bill met September 9, 2010 on a Facebook online support forum consisting of a group of patients coping with hip dysfunction, pain and surgical decisions. Slowly, and in spite of their respective pain and struggle, they discovered a magical connection across 800 miles. There were four months of letters before they met; And then, through the stressful rigors of surgery and a lengthy difficult rehabilitation, they became each other’s support, encouragement, motivation and hope. Their story is a beautiful testament to the fact that, every now and then, love shows up where we least expect it… and can, literally, change worlds. “He is my angel” were Rachel’s words to me this morning, after thanking me for seeing the magic, not only in this image, but in their love story. 

I will never forget when I met Rachel on this same support forum, and we first chatted about our ongoing mission to overcome the hip problems and pain…we compared rehab strategies and surgical experiences. It was then that she told me of her new blossoming romance with Bill, one that was born of both physical pain and emotional challenge. I was deeply moved and uplifted, and now, I am doubly delighted to include each of you in the celebration, and beautiful spirit of  their history.

With great joy, I dedicate this post to the beautiful union of Rachel and  Bill.
They were blissfully married on September 8, 2012 .

Their story of love, healing and inspiration
has touched many lives.

Blessings and Love to them
Always!
~

Robyn Lee

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My Lens


 

As we stand before
the garden
so
lush

~

you
ask:

 “Which lens
will you choose
to view
the world?”

~

Without hesitation,
I reply:

“I choose the lens
that
illuminates
the sky…

so
I may sparkle
amongst the
evening
stars,

and

slide down
the golden rays of
morning
sun.”

~

Approvingly,
you nod,
and
query:

“Can you tell me more
about this lens
you
long for?”

~

I exclaim:

“I wish
for

this lens
to
enlighten,

and
show me

how to dance
with trees,

 as they
sway

to
and
fro

with
reverence

for
wind’s most
soulful
song.”

~

You gaze at me,
with a most
curious stare,
and say:

 “Ahhh, but tell me,
can you
even
find

such a
lens to call
your own?”

~

I pause,

and
wistfully
declare:

“Oh yes, Oh yes!

 I will
find
this lens;

This looking
glass

that
inspires

my fingers

~

to

touch
the delicate
silken petals

of

even the
smallest
flower,

and 

to
explore
the deepest
lines

ingrained
on
 earth’s fallen
leaves.”

~

 You sigh,
seemingly
satisfied,

“Hmm,”

you say,
in a low
contemplative
tone,

“but this wonderful
lens you

speak of…

tell me
of
the most
perfect
vision
it

will
 ultimately
reveal.

~

And then,
I smile,
slowly closing
my
hopeful eyes,
and
profess:

“I choose the lens
that
 guides me
gently…

through
the open
doors
of

my own
heart,

so that I
can

see

~

with perfect
precision
and
clarity

~

every
glorious
color

of

~

Your

Love.”

~

© Robyn Lee

 

 

 


Up In The Air

Upon Silver Wings
Ambiguous Blue Brilliance
Through Windows of Hope

©Robyn Lee


Divide

Lines
Define

~

They
Separate;

~

Borders

~

Boundaries

~

Shields
of
Fate;

~

Beyond
the
Fences

~

That
we
Build,

~

a
Path

~

a
Link

~

True
Hearts
Fulfilled;

~

Where
Love
Flows

Like
Water,

~

Grace
Resides;

~

Moon
Beams

of

Light

Our

Sole
Divide.

~~

©Robyn Lee


She Spins


round – and – round she twirls

dreamer spinning fairy tales

 orbiting wonder

 


~~~
we came spinning
out of nothingness
scattering stars
like dust

the stars made a circle
and in the middle
we dance

the wheel of heaven
circles God
like a mill

if you grab a spoke
it will tear your hand off

turning and turning
it sunders
all attachment

were that wheel not in love
it would cry
“enough! how long this turning?”

every atom
turns bewildered

beggars circle tables
dogs circle carrion
the lover circles
his own heart

ashamed,
I circle shame

a ruined water wheel
whichever way I turn
is the river

if that rusty old sky
creaks to a stop
still, still I turn

and it is only God
circling Himself

~Rumi~


Beyond

Take me beyond
these rocky
shores

~

Beyond
twilight
skies

~

Through
celestial
doors;

~~~

Show me your
deepest
fiery
place

~

Where we
dance to
Love’s
song

~

 In
our
sacred
embrace;

~~~

Take me beyond
the raw
edge of
day

~

Past the
fields
of
forever

~

Where moon
shadows
dare
play.

~~~

©Robyn Lee


Pier Anticipation

I
will
wait
for you
there
~
On
the
wooden
planked
pier
~
Where it’s
honest
and
free
~
Just
the sea,
you and
me.
~
I’ll
arrive
before
you
~
Set a
blanket
for
two;
~
You
can
bring the
chilled
wine
~
And
unlimited
time.
~
We’ll
watch
day
turn to
night
~
Velvet
skies
glow
moonlight;
~
 Inhale
misted
salt
air
~
Close
our
eyes:
~
Disappear.
~~~
©Robyn Lee


The Most Famous Question…

~
To be,
or not to be?
That is the question—
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep.
To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes calamity of so
long life.
~~~
William Shakespeare
Hamlet
~
~
Please visit To Be Or Not To Be | Suite101 for a short philosophical view on why the first
line in Shakespeare’s soliloquy has resounded as the most famous quotation
throughout literary history, and has implications reaching
far beyond the context of Hamlet amongst our
contemporary existential thinkers.

Fall

Autumn hues adorn
Rusted gold magnetic charm
Prelude wintertide

© Robyn Lee


Figs: The Secret

The Fig
is
Erotic?

Oh please,
tell me
How

~

I’d not the
slightest
idea,

until here
until now;

~

Please pardon
my
blushing,

Don’t mean
to
offend

~

But I must
share
my discovery,

Since we’re
all such
good friends;

~

So
savor this
image,

And when
your joy
is complete;

~

Learn the
secret of
Figs

Through
a poetic prose
treat!

~~~

😉 RL

Figs

excerpted from the poem
By D. H. Lawrence

~~~

The proper way to eat a fig, in society,
Is to split it in four, holding it by the stump,
And open it, so that it is a glittering, rosy, moist, honied,
heavy-petalled four-petalled flower.
Then you throw away the skin
Which is just like a four-sepalled calyx,
After you have taken off the blossom with your lips.

But the vulgar way
Is just to put your mouth to the crack,
and take out the flesh in one bite.

Every fruit has its secret.

The fig is a very secretive fruit.
As you see it standing growing,
you feel at once it is symbolic:
And it seems male.
But when you come to know it better,
you agree with the Romans,
it is female.

The Italians vulgarly say, it stands for
the female part; the fig-fruit:
The fissure, the yoni,
The wonderful moist conductivity
towards the centre.

Involved,
Inturned,
The flowering all inward and womb-fibrilled;
And but one orifice.

The fig, the horse-shoe, the squash-blossom.
Symbols.

There was a flower that flowered inward, womb-ward;
Now there is a fruit like a ripe womb.

It was always a secret.
That’s how it should be,
the female
should always be
secret.

~~~

And for even more fascinating information about this sacred, and sultry fruit :

The Sultriest of Fruits: The Fig 


To Become

 Untainted buds anew
Blushed open velvet wanting
Becoming with grace

©Robyn Lee


In awe, and so very touched ~ Penny has created a post (featuring her phenomenal illustration) , and a challenge inspired by a simple comment I made on one of her wonderful blog posts ~ ‘A Pigment-of-My-Imagination’. Penny you rock! Thank you dear friend …  Enjoy – and Lots of love to all!  ~Robyn Lee

Penny L Howe's avatarThe Why About This

This one’s for you, Robyn!

In September I posted A Pigment of My Imagination . At the end of the post was a graphic (the one above). I asked viewers to tell me what it might be a picture of. One of my favorite people (who inspires with every photograph she takes and every word she writes) answered:

Robyn Lee  “Ok – in the picture, I see a mystical but loving sea creature emerging from the depths of an enchanted lake — after sunset… doing his magic for the good of all of mankind.”

Since then I had been thinking about what a “loving”  sea creature would look like, I thought of Robyn’s personality, one that embodies “loving” to me. Yesterday I saw a photo of a bronze rendering of a dragon and I knew I’d found her. Last night I drew this dragon on my notepad. A beautiful (I hope) female sea creature emerging!

View original post 133 more words


Will You?

Will you meet me there? Beneath the muddy surface…
Where we shed our armor..remove our masks…
Where we strip down the layers;
Where we go, willingly…
to unveil our hearts’
deepest truth.
~~~
©Robyn Lee

Please allow me to share this wonderful prose poem entitled, The Invitation, by Oriah Mountain Dreamer.
It is a favorite of mine, and challenges us all to find the inspiration, the intimacy,
the courage and the commitment to live fully, every day.

Enjoy! ~RL
~~~

The Invitation
by Oriah
…………………………..
It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon…
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.

It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.
~~~

from the book: The Invitation
© Mountain Dreaming,
published by HarperONE, San Francisco, 1999 All rights reserved


Aquatic Maiden

Tiny
Aquatic
Maiden
~

She
Defies
Gravity

~

Weightless

~

Drifting
Amongst

Transparent

Crystalline
Dreams.

~

Tiny
Aquatic
Maiden

~

Basking
Calmly

~

in
Clarity,

~

Gliding

~

Atop

~

Currents
of

Glistening
Peaceful

~

Bliss.

~

Tiny
Aquatic
Maiden

~

Sees

~
Through
Closed
Eyes

~

Reflected
Visions
of

~

Love

~

Dancing
About

~

The
Empty
Chambers

of
Her
Mind.

~

Tiny
Aquatic
Maiden

~

Opens
Her
Whole

Self

~

Wide

~

Welcoming

~

Sky’s
Warm
Breath

~

Sun’s
Sweet
Kiss;

~

Floating
Floating
Floating

~

to

The
Music

of

Her

Precious
Heart’s

Beat.

~~~

©Robyn Lee

Special thanks to my candid model for this post,
my beautiful 8-year-old niece, and our

Aquatic Maiden:
Miss Rebecca Jayne!

Much Love
~

Robyn