I love this wimsical image of the Japanese tanuki* upon his golden throne with a halo
of divine light. The tanuki, or “raccoon dog,” has a heart of gold that emanates light.
Like water, the heart’s light is gentle, yet it’s one of the strongest forces on earth:
Nothing in the world is a soft and yielding as water yet for dissolving the hard
and inflexible, nothing can surpass it.

May you touch your heart each day with your warm palm & know yourself as beloved on this good earth.
Avec amour, Krayna

Gentle

A gentler world begins 

in the way you touch your heart. 

Be soft with the light inside you. 

Caress your body with this breath. 

God is nothing else 

but the place where the sun comes up  

in your chest. 

You are the glimmering destination. 

You are the golden honey daubed 

on the bread of the ordinary. 

Whatever is perfect, 

whatever is heavenly, 

begins here. 

 

By Alfred LaMotte, from Savor Eternity One Moment at a Time
Copyrighted material; for non-profit/educational purposes only. 

Image: Tom Nook, a *tanuki, sits as a god upon a golden throne surrounded by a halo of divine light. Tom Nook, a fictional character from the social simulation video game, Animal Crossing, is inspired by Japanese mythology. The tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog) are Japanese ghosts or spirits; mischievous and lovable, the tanuki possess magic, are famous for their ability to transform, and are known as the mascot of prosperity in Japan.

*  From the Tao Te Ching, translation by Stephen Mitchell.

Check out the archive of poems starting in 2006 here.