Italian town of excess
of taste and touch and smell and song
I’ve only been there in books
or dreams
or genetic memories
but live its promise to the fullest, I believe,
each Spring
Culmination then with May day revel
I move into my contemplative stay
My Ashram
Only to bounce again to revel with the Samhain dawn
I am learning patience
to let go my powerful need to control outcomes and just show up for the process.

so many times in practice to Rome and India
this year perhaps I’ll get to Indonesia…..

I am learning forgiveness for my own weakness.
Forgiving yours no longer necessary
As I find the taste of baking soda nauseaous but brownies, bread and cookies
Are not the same without them.

So many times in teaching others I lined the ingredients up
First lesson for my second years
“Now you have established who you are and who you want to be, its time to let go of the things that hold you back,
to dispense with the angers
the righteous judgements
the things that rob you of your magic,”
I would say,
I would lead them to the classroom, a kitchen
The ingredients lined on the counter
flour, sugar, cocoa, milk, eggs, vanilla, baking soda
“taste this,”
I would sayas teaspoonful after teaspoonful raw ingredients would be placed upon their tongue,
Some would try and refuse
Some would retch
and others would taste, puzzling ahead
one, maybe two would
just taste.

“Now, taste this, ” I would say
and place a warm bite of brownie in their mouth.
“More like it,”
“Yum,”
or smiling silence.

“How is this about magic,
about anger
about acceptance” I would say,
“Each of these ingredients are your past,
the bitter hurts,
the sweet loves,
the nauseating struggles….this brownie is you.
Which ingredients would you leave out?”

CC