To Our Own Astonishment

These feel like cynical times. Octavia was right. It’s 2024 and climate catastrophe and resource wars are in full swing. But then I look at the faces of the people I love and I am surprised again at my own capacity for love in uncertain times. What if in this moment, when I am terrified and in deep grief, I can still be guided by what Che Guevara called “great feelings of love”? What if I can still surprise myself?

Last week in celebration of Alexis and Sangodare’s 16th anniversary of loving partnership Mobilehomecoming hosted two new moon intention setting workshops for Loveships (committed partnerships) and Lovebirds (people seeking committed partnerships). But it turns out that it is ALWAYS a good time to create and powerfully practice intentional love, so replays of both workshops are available at this link: https://www.mobilehomecoming.org/loveship-workshops

Both workshops are guided by our sacred text, June Jordan’s “The Creative Spirit” which teaches us that Love is Lifeforce!

For a sneak peek of the beautiful energy we experienced check out our Lovebirds group poem below!!!

To Our Own Astonishment

by the participants in “Like Tigerlilies: An Intention Setting Workshop” 

“let us look at tiger lilies blooming to their own astonishment, and learn to cherish their form and orderliness and freedom for our own.”

-June Jordan “The Creative Spirit”

i am the key and the door

to my own astonishment.

i am open

to my own astonishment

i am ready

to my own astonishment

i am present

to my own astonishment

i have petals, stem, leaves and roots

to my own astonishment.

i am both tender and firm

to my own astonishment

i am the echo wreathing the mountains

to my own astonishment

i am still learning to breathe

to my own astonishment.

i still love and care deeply

to my own astonishment

i am free from self-judgement

to my own astonishmeent

i can ask for help

to my own astonishment

i am allowing sweetness

to my own astonishment

i have access to safety, dignity, and belonging

            to my own astonishment.

i am feeling hopeful about the future — my own and the planet’s

 to my own astonishment.

i am moving through the grief

to my own astonishment

i am abandoning empowerment to drop into my pain and heal

to my own astonishment

i am in need of forgiveness

to my own astonishment.

i am somehow still spacious, even while grieving

to my own astonishment

i am committed to my aliveness

to my own astonishment

i am making peace with aging

to my own astonishment

i am an exquisite, aging body

to my own astonishment.

i am abundantly loving with my whole self

to my own astonishment

i am a new person now

to my own astonishment.

i am capacious and persistent

to my own astonishment.

i am gracious

to my own astonishment

i care for what i love

to my own astonishment.

i am present with myself

to my own astonishment

i am certain i am spontaneous

to my own astonishment

i am becoming even more brilliant

to my own astonishment

i am learning and applying that learning

to my own astonishment.

i am stopping to witness beauty every day

to my own astonishment

i am making new friends and local connections

to my own astonishment

i am compassionate and kind

            to my own astonishment

i am being vulnerable and sharing my heart

to my own astonishment

i am seeing and being seen

to my own astonishment

i am reaching to new places

to my own astonishment.

i am in flight

to my own astonishment.

i am rising to my truest self

 to my own astonishment

i am learning to show up as my full self

to my own astonishment

i am unlimitedly and unconditionally loving myself

to my own astonishment

i am romantic

to my own astonishment

i am dancing playfully and deliciously

to my own astonishment.

i am full of curiosity

to my own astonishment.

i am learning to play

to my own astonishment

i am no longer drinking coffee every day

to my own astonishment

i am deeply relaxing

to my own astonishment

i am celebrating my accomplishments

to my own astonishment.

i am joyful

to my own astonishment.

i am barely working but/and still thriving

to my own astonishment

i have manifested a beautiful house to live in

to my own astonishment

i am a waterfall of flowers

to my own astonishment.

i am already held in so much love

 to my own astonishment

i am taking my rightful place

to my own astonishment

i am ready, willing and open to receiving loving partnership

            to my own astonishment

i am worthy of love

to my own astonishment

i am in love, with myself

 to my own astonishment

i am the embodiment of love

to my own astonishment