Compassion’s Prescribed Burn

feeding inner fires ~d nelson

Total freedom awaits these energy’s
return to cosmos’ frozen vastness.
However, during the remainder of this heart’s
brief precious lifetime on earth,
fires of love, compassion and healing, blaze.

cozy fireplace

There’s a wounded child
constantly crying for help
inside of this fragile heart.
Self love warmly kindles
while hurtful words & actions
gust hazardous firestorms.

listen to Smokey!

fueling rage

Breathe in difficulties, breathe out empathetic connection.
May I continue listening to the difficulties & pain of others.
I’ve just read that:
now only 550,000 individuals are homeless in the US, nightly.
Most Americans cannot afford adequate health care.
Displaced workers are not adequately helped
reintegrate into the labor market and acquire skills.
Such injustices stoke anger’s flames.

deep, inner flames

fire’s pit

Incoming government officials speak of registering
members of certain faiths, if not internment or deportment.
This before, or perhaps after building a wall between neighbors.
Meanwhile California’s drought has killed more than 102 million trees
in a die-off of forests that increases risk of catastrophic wildfires.
Inadequate funds are being pledged to reverse climate change
& our leaders talk of walking away from the Paris international agreement.
These injustices really intensify raging fires.

nearly too hot

nothing left but ashes

Dear ones, I don’t want this fire getting out of control.

I’ll care for myself by skillfully using controlled or prescribed burns
so not to start the whole forest ablaze.
I wish to be peace & calm in efforts for justice,
not walking around like a bomb awaiting one wrong word or action.
I’ll do my best & ask that you do your best
so that we can help each other make a better future
for seven generations of descendants,
by our wise, beautiful actions, now, in this moment.
Inside a child thanks you for helping
me prevent forest fires.

controlling fires, together!

If your house is on fire, the most urgent thing to do is to go back and try to put out the fire,not to run after the person you believe to be the arsonist. If you run after the person you suspect
has burned your house, your house will burn down while you are chasing him or her. That is not wise. You must go back and put out the fire. So when you are angry, if you continue to interact with or argue with the other person, if you try to punish her, you are acting exactly like someone who runs after the arsonist while everything goes up in flames. Thich Nhat Hanh, from Anger