Episode 70 – Poetry – An antidote for aloneness – A deeper connection with Emily Dickinson

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-fbapg-123afb9

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought

and the thought has found words.”

– Robert Frost

 

Episode 70 with Danielson has finally arrived. Another unedited, one take blithering session with “Just Two Ones.”  As indicated in the “Antidote Primer for upcoming Episode,” Danielson and I will attempt to interpret and relate to six selected Emily Dickinson poems.  The poems discussed include: 

1. This is my letter to the world (Danielson)

2. I felt a cleaving in my mind (Danielson)

3. My portion is defeat (Danielson)

4. I’m Nobody! Who are you? (Steve The Hopeful Humanist)

5. Longing is like the Seed (Steve The Hopeful Humanist)

6. There is a solitude of space (Steve The Hopeful Humanist)

 

It is my hope you have had a chance to read and recite out loud the poems before listening to the episode.  I hope you enjoy the conversation …

Resources: 

1) Please revisit the “Antidote Primer for Upcoming Episode” for complete resource list.

2) In terms of some Canadian poets worth exploring, you might try collections by Al Purdy, John Newlove, Erin Moure and Roo Borson.  

A Parting Salutations:

A special thank-you goes out to Danielson! I am already looking forward to our next blithering session.  

Thank-you for joining me for another meeting of the minds. Here I would like to  leave you with the invitation to think about the benefits of bringing a little more poetry into your life.  Express yourself! As always, the conversation is ongoing and continuous. 

If you think you might benefit from working with a Self-Care Life Coach, please visit my website at Soundcarelifecoaching – Self-Care – Kitchener, Ontario to learn more.  You can start the process by emailing me at soundcarelifecoaching@gmail.com. 

Peace, take care, be well, and share

The Hopeful Humanist –

 

 

 

Antidote Primer for upcoming Episode

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-usirx-1238660

“Without poetry, we lose our way.”

—Joy Harjo, U.S. Poet Laureate & Academy of American Poets Chancellor (2019– )

 

Getting prepared for the discussion:

In my upcoming episode, Danielson will join me for another “Just two ones blithering” session about six specific Emily Dickinson poems.  I think the listener will get more out of the listening experience, if one reads and then recites out loud the poems with one’s self before listening to the episode.  Here are the selections discussed:

1. This is my letter to the world (Danielson)

2. I felt a cleaving in my mind (Danielson)

3. My portion is defeat (Danielson)

4. I’m Nobody! Who are you? (Steve The Hopeful Humanist)

5. Longing is like the Seed (Steve The Hopeful Humanist)

6. There is a solitude of space (Steve The Hopeful Humanist)

 

The Invitation: 

1) I encourage the listener to not only read the poems, but also to recite them aloud as the creations will come alive in a way that will allow our souls to really resonate with the musical meter contained within. 

2) I invite the listener to get curious about what the poem might have meant to Emily, to interpret the poem from Emily’s point of view. 

3) I invite the listener to relate to the poem. What feelings, thought, images, or reactions does the poem elicit from the listener.  

4) I invite the listener to think about which poem is about a giraffe?  Often, when one reads and recites poems, the default automatic negative thought (ANT) is, “I don’t get it!”  Is that true? If I was to suggest that one poem is about a giraffe, would you agree?  It is clearly not about a giraffe!!!!! To commune with a poem, one just needs to give time and space for our “patience” to sit with the creation and “notice” the inward “striking-a-cord” experience.    

5) I invite the listener to have fun and play with poetry. Simply, write a poem.  Just let it flow without self-judgement and tap into the need to express and create!

6) I invite the listener to check-out the links in the resources sections below.

 

Resources:

1) To learn more about Emily Dickinson, click here – Emily Dickinson Poems

2) Interested in accessing an on-line resource for poems, poets’ biographies, essays about poetry, and resources for K-12 teacher, go to poets.org by clicking here – poets.org | Academy of American Poets

3) Visit the Poetry Foundation is you want to support the “vigorous presence for poetry in our culture.”  The foundation “exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience.”  By visiting the site, you can also subscribe to Poetry Magazine.  Click here for the link – Poetry Foundation.

4) Interested in publishing your poetry on-line, visit the site All Poetry by clicking here – All Poetry – The world’s largest poetry site : All Poetry

 

Playing with poetry … A haiku from Steve The Hopeful Humanist:

 

I’m “Om”

 

Presently being

Invigorating deep breath

Soulful releasing

 

See you soon …

Episode 69 – Rising Thoughts with Emily Dickinson

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-9qe8r-1214883

Where do thoughts come from?  In episode 69, we turn to a poem from the American Poet Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (Dec. 10, 1830 to May 15, 1886) where she shares her experience of an arising thought.  It is a beautiful poem. The poem provides one with the opportunity to become aware of one’s thinking mind and it’s relationship to one’s observing mind.  As some are more visual learners than others, here is her untitled creation: 

A thought went up my mind to-day

That I have had before,

But did not finish,–some way back,

I could not fix the year,

Nor where it went, nor why it came

The second time to me, Nor definitely what it was,

Have I the art to say.

But somewhere in my soul, I know

I’ve met the thing before;

It just reminded me–‘t was all–

And came my way no more.

-Emily Dickinson

At the end of the episode, I have included some bonus material. Something extra from Danielson, a regular Hopeful Humanist Café guest, and the first beat I have ever created called, “Outdoor Playfulness.”  Both “sharings” utilized free digital audio tools from the online music platform called, “Soundtrap.”  I hope you enjoy the listening experience. 

Resources:

1) Want to create a background musical ambience for your outpourings of poetry, check out this resource: https://www.soundtrap.com/

2) Interested in understanding more about the “Default Mode Network?” Check-out this video:(157) Autopilot Mode, the Brain and Mindfulness (The Default Mode Network) #LewisPsychology – YouTube

3) Need strategies to stand up to intrusive thoughts, check out this book by Russ Harris called, “The Happiness Trap.”  Find it at your local library or possibly get a free audio copy via Amazon by clicking here: The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living (Audible Audio Edition): Russ Harris, Russ Harris, Shambhala Publications: Amazon.ca: Books . This book in itself, is another episode waiting for the making.  

4) Take a trip to your local library to pick up a book of poems by Emily Dickinson.  If you want to own your own copy, you can click this Amazon link: The Essential Emily Dickinson : Dickinson, Emily: Books – Amazon

Related Episodes:

1) Episode 57 – BOOMPF …”It’s Create a Word Day!” (hopefulhumanistcafe.com)

2) Episode 59 – ”Audio Sound Blot” – Lot#1 Growing Old & Sardines (hopefulhumanistcafe.com)

– both episodes are all about leaning into creative play … I especially enjoyed the audio sound blot creation and imagine more might come now that I discovered Soundtrap.  Is it time to unleash your creative spirit?  When we do creative things, it seems as it fun is not too far away!  

A Parting Salutations:

Thank-you for joining me for another meeting of the mind. Here I would like to  leave you with the invitation to think about the benefits of bringing a little more poetry into your life.  Express yourself! As always, the conversation is ongoing and continuous. 

If you think you might benefit from working with a Self-Care Life Coach, please visit my website at Soundcarelifecoaching – Self-Care – Kitchener, Ontario to learn more.  You can start the process by emailing me at soundcarelifecoaching@gmail.com. 

Peace, take care, be well, and share

The Hopeful Humanist –