Zombies

This is a time to let go.

To bring your attention to the feel of your breath.

Cool as it enters,

Warm as it leaves your body.

Welcome to a hit of hope.

Some people pay money to sit in a dark place and watch a movie where dead things want to sup on brains.

Yes,

I'm talking about zombies.

And in these movies,

The brave grab whatever is handy,

An axe,

A rolling pin,

Some records that they can toss like deadly frizz-blees.

All in an attempt to defeat the dead,

Walking about the world,

Ready to bite and tear and do all kinds of damage.

And we,

In the audience,

Cheer.

But if you've ever watched one of these movies,

Have you noticed that in some versions,

It's hard to tell who are the living and who are the dead?

Our daily lives can press so heavily on us that it can be hard to breathe,

Let alone live with a lightness of being so that our souls shine brightly and steadily from our clear eyes.

Instead,

The living,

Like the dead,

Trudge from here to there,

Searching,

Always hungry,

Never,

Ever satisfied.

There's something else.

I think I can safely assume you have a brain.

Do you ever willingly feed it to the zombies in your head?

These zombies,

Like the ones in the movies,

Might take on familiar forms.

They might be the memories eating you up,

The voices tearing you down,

The shoulda,

Coulda,

Woulda,

Or the if-on-lays.

All of these things can eat you alive.

Inhale.

Exhale.

You can run from your zombies,

But they will probably find you.

You can cower in fear.

They will probably chomp you to bits.

You can listen to the audience gathered,

The one cheering you on.

You are strong.

You've got this.

There's a lacrosse stick.

Defend your brave and beautiful self.

Or better yet,

You are wise.

So very,

Very wise.

You inhale.

Exhale.

And start a different movie in your head.

You're the hero with incredible eyes and an awesome smile.

You,

Sitting there,

Centered,

Full of life and light.

You've got this.

And here we all are,

Cheering you on.

Namaste.