Luxuries of Grace

When writing poetry, I’m searching for wisdom within myself and in our world. I seek the primordial source of truth, penetrating to the roots of existence. This search has taken me all over Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, as well as into the quarry of my own being. The search involves Vipassana meditation, fasting and spiritual healing. I write feverishly until I discover the answers for which I yearn. 

Poetry comprises a lifetime of self-discovery. Once written, I recognize my personal vision and beyond; I tune in to universal awareness by abandoning a personal perspective and merging into a sense of infinity. I hope my poetry serves others seeking to discover themselves in extraordinary ways. 

Luxuries of Grace portrays those phenomenal moments when we are completely present and mindful, absorbed and harmonized with nature as it eternally spreads before us, pure and essential in our true Sovereignty.

These Luxuries remain virtually ineffable even after writing hundreds of poems and explaining the concept to as many friends. This mirrors the essence of Taoism:  the Tao transcends all explanation. This irony typifies the paradoxical nature of this compilation; its only possible language is poetry.

This collection presents a daring balance between transcendent Luxury and Grace juxtaposed against poems that vacillate between violence and lyricism. I seek to preserve a profound sense of equanimity as I explore the rich dimensions of existence.

As you’re reading, you may be arrested. That is, you may question the Grace of poems such as Music by which to Destroy the World or the anarchistic Bicycle Tour. These poems may not sound ‘Luxurious’ or ‘Graceful’ to your ears, but they represent genuine exploration through the labyrinth of becoming. This poetry emphasizes authenticity, whether that implies droplets of morning dew or drops of psychological blood.

My personal path for the last decade has involved discovering where poetry meets healing as represented by poems such as Healers and Madmen and The Healing of Poetry. I’ve been writing poetry for more than thirty years. I increasingly recognize that the intuition, images and symbols in poetry parallel the work that I perform with Reiki. In both pursuits, I am seeking wisdom and wholeness. In poetry, this involves insight and epiphany. In Reiki, it’s referred to as attunement and healing. On this topic, my book Personal Transformation through Reiki shares numerous perceptions and healing experiences.

Poetry, like Reiki, began for me as a very personal quest and has expanded into a global community service. Writing and sharing this work has been a tremendous healing for me – therapeutic in every dimension. I hope you will be inspired by this experience as it nurtures your insight into Luxury and appreciation of Grace.