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Poetry Month Day 18: “Communion” Poem

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Happy Day #18 of National Poetry Month!

“Communion” is the title of today’s poem. It was inspired by a mindful meditation and walk trip I took with my church, Unity of Washington, DC  to the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmitsburg, Maryland this morning.

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During the walk, I stopped and sat by a reflecting pool. As I sat in the stillness, the word communion kept repeating itself in my mind. It stayed with me for the rest of the day. My poem below is the end result. Enjoy!

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Communion

Dwelling in the sacred place of the Most High,
I willingly enter into communion with my higher self.

Together we celebrate the April new moon that dances in the fire energy of Aries and prepares the way for new beginnings.

We surrender the past and breathe in the present as we embrace the future.

Our heart rejoices in song.

I am so blessed.
I am so blessed.
I am so grateful for all I AM.

We sing it until we rest in the silence
Allowing the vibration of each word to permeate the core of our being.

Copyright 2015 by Madelyn C. Leeke. All rights reserved.

Poetry Month Day #17: “Sanctuary” Poem

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Happy Day #17 of National Poetry Month!

Today’s poem is entitled “Sanctuary.” It celebrates the many places my soul has found a peaceful sanctuary including my creativity (art and writing), yoga and meditation practice, home affectionately known as “The Chakra Castle,” Elmina Slave Castle in Ghana, La Regla in Cuba, the city of London (Brick Lane and Forest Gate neighborhood in East London, London Buddhist Centre, and the Southbank Centre), museums like the Brooklyn Museum and the National Museum of African Art, and Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC.
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Sanctuary

My soul seeks a sanctuary
Where the peace that passeth all understanding resides
And the grace of the Almighty exists in abundance.
I travel from DC to La Regla in Cuba to Elmina Slave Castle in Ghana to Forest Gate in East London only to find that which I’m seeking is always seeking me because it lives inside.
So I settle into myself and travel within.
And I discover what sages have written about for ages.
My sanctuary of peace exists in my present moment.
It appears wherever I go and in whatever I feel think, say, and do.
It is my creativity.
It is my yoga and meditation practice.
It is my Chakra Castle home.
It is my cup of ginger tea.

Copyright 2015 by Madelyn C. Leeke. All rights reserved.

#FierceLiving Friday: #FierceLivingat50 Lesson 6 OWNERSHIP

Posted by on in #FierceLiving Friday, #FierceLiving@50, Self-DiscoveryLeave a comment

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Happy #FierceLiving Friday!

OWNERSHIP is #FierceLivingat50 Lesson 6. Last year, I was blessed to read Discovering Your Soul Signature by Panache Desai. Desai’s book and online offerings (videos and wisdom Facebook quotes) have guided me in my healing work and helped me fully grasp the importance of knowing and loving myself.

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Through this process, I am learning to accept and embrace my strengths and weaknesses. The end result is me claiming and expressing ownership of my magnificence each and every day while realizing life is a journey and I’m a divine magnificent being in process. Check out artist Tim Okamura’s painting, Sunrise on U Street (2013). Okamura captured my soul signature in his work.
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My photographer Leigh Mosley captured my soul signature during a 2008 photo shoot of my eight archetypes for my book, That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman’s Poetical Memoir of Self-Discovery (available on Amazon). Meet my Sapphire archetype below.
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How are you claiming and expressing ownership of your life?

What does your soul signature look like?

Photo Credit: PanacheDesai.com, Leigh Mosley – http://www.leighmosley.com, and Tim Okamura

WH.gov blog recap of #ObamaTownHall with BlogHer and SheKnows

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The White House blog published a great recap of President Obama’s Town Hall with BlogHer and SheKnows on April 15 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Click on the link to read it.

https://m.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/04/15/what-you-missed-presidents-town-hall?utm_source=snapshot&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4162015-topper

#CreativityThursday: #Creativityat50 Lesson 6: BRILLIANT

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Happy #CreativityThursday!

BRILLIANT is #Creativityat50 Lesson 6. One of my creative jewels (wisdom nuggets) is written on a cardboard plaque that sits on my artist desk. Each day it reminds me: Be the most BRILLIANT color in the box.

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For me, being the most BRILLIANT color means being my authentic self. It means taking the time and actually doing the work to heal and release limitations I have imposed on myself and inherited from my ancestors, family, and society. It means owning and celebrating my strengths and weaknesses. It means being me (not doing me) — a BRILLIANT work in process!

Do you have any creative jewels?

Poetry Month Day #16: “Whole” Poem

Posted by on in National Poetry Month, Poetry1 Comment

Happy Day #16 of National Poetry Month!

Today’s poem is entitled “Whole.” It is inspired by a yoga nidra (deep relaxation) class I took on Wednesday evening at my church, Unity of Washington, DC. During the class, Reverend Ivy Hylton, a Conscious Creation Life Therapist, led two guided meditations that allowed my body, mind, spirit, and heart to relax with deep breathing.

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Whole

As I slip into the stillness
Calmness travels from my head to my toes.
All parts of me surrender.
For the first time in a long time
All of me is present.
We are one body, mind, spirit, and heart
Connected to the breath.
So I breathe deep and long
Allowing myself to embrace everything I find within myself.
The strengths and weaknesses.
The consistency and inconsistency.
The beauty and complexity of being whole.

Copyright 2015 by Madelyn C. Leeke. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: PanacheDesai.com

#DigitalSisterhood Wednesday: #DigitalSisterhoodat50 Lesson 6 VOICE

Posted by on in BlogHer, digital sisterhood, Digital Sisterhood NetworkLeave a comment

Happy #DigitalSisterhood Wednesday Digital Sisters!

VOICE is #DigitalSisterhoodat50 Lesson 6. I was reminded of the power of women’s voices online two times today. The first happened while reading reading a Medium blog written by the new White House Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman about what he has learned from #socialcivics.

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I was excited to see Goldman had included several women’s voices in his post. Three women are connected to me through the Digital Sisterhood Network (DSN): Janet Johnson, Patricia Patton, and yours truly. FYI DSN named Johnson and Patton as Digital Sisters of the Year. A few weeks ago, we used our blogs and digital presence to give voice to our #socialcivics ideas. Speaking up is something we can all do when we honor our voices.

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This afternoon, I watched Lisa Stone, BlogHer co-founder, SheKnows Chief Community Officer, and Digital Sister of the Year, give voice to women’s issues while moderating the #ObamaTownHall with President Barack Obama. As I watched the event on WhiteHouse.gov, live tweeted, and read the tweets of other women, I witnessed firsthand what happens when women believe they have something to say — they give voice to their concerns with passion, encourage other women to speak up, and spark important conversations that can inform and influence society.

How are you using your voice?

Photo Credit: http://instagram.com/sheknows