Moments of Light

All the people I’ve met
still live in me.

We can never part.
Even if memory fades.

Years may pass..
We might
get in touch.
We may never
meet again.

That is okay.

You still have
the same loving place
in my heart.

I was out camping
in my teens.

Out of nowhere
came this group
of men.

They had come
to present
an Afro-Brazilian tradition
called capoeira.

I can’t remember
exactly
how many there were
or whether
they brought instruments
that day.

But their sound
was loud and clear.

Two of them
completely fascinated me.

To my young mind
they looked like
Amazonian Indian warriors.

Their bodies
were deeply
connected to the earth.

Strong
Rooted

At the same time
their movements
were like fire.

Like tornadoes
swirling
lifting the earth
from beneath their feet.

Giving form
to its strength

One of them
Milico
would later be
my capoeira teacher.

He was a mystic, really.

At the end of class
he would tell us
to lie on our backs.

He would turn off the lights
and fill us
with the sound
of him playing berimbau.

I was hooked

This mystical form
of capoeira
has stayed with me
ever since.

I was a teenager
at a family gathering
at my grandma’s house.

I overheard my aunt say
I was getting uglier.

People are not trustworthy,
I thought.
Their minds change
all the time.
And what do looks matter
anyway?

How can I prove
what I’m worth?

Mathematics
comes to mind.

A theorem
once proved
holds.

The theorems
I will prove
will be proof
of my worth.

I followed
that reasoning
for years.

Sweet child,
you just wanted
to feel loved.

My home country
Portugal
is full of foreigners.

Or maybe
it only feels that way
because the Portuguese
won’t risk talking to you
unless compelled
by law.

Along comes
a Dutch fellow.

He can tell
it’s safe to reach out.

My wild clothes
give me away.

I was born
but
I’m not from here.

There is this awkwardness
in the air.

But we go right through it,
straight into
existential questions.

Our minds meet there.
Our hearts
grow warm.

So little
between us
after all.

Walking in the sand
Holding hands

Sun’s warmth
Penetrating
all the way
inside

My woman
Pouring her heart out
A million emotions

Little waves
caressing our feet
Sometimes
galloping at our heels

Me
Just listening

This is our dance
today
leaving our footprints
in the sand

The sun sets
over the ocean
with her in my arms

It is safe
my love
I have you

I went to meet someone
who at times
calls himself a teacher.

He wanted to warn me
of the dangers of the world
and of finding
myself complete.

He said
he finds fault
in everyone.

I whispered back to him.

Could you be looking
with imperfect eyes
at what is perfect
and judging it lacking?

And so finding
evidence of lack
everywhere?

Clear vision
must come first.

Otherwise
what are we teaching
one another?

And how can we live
from our essence?

Waking up
on a sunny
autumn morning

Warm
Inviting

Lying in bed
All by myself
Restless

An urge
to get something going

To run away
from this uneasiness

Wanting something
out of the day
Out of life
Out of myself

As though
being
were not enough

Can I love instead?
Can I nurture
with my every act?

Suddenly
I am the invitation
I am the warmth
I am alive

Love is the quality of being.

You exist
because you are loved.

You are alive
because you are loving.

Love is what nurtures.

Love is the strength
that sustains existence.

In every moment
with your every gesture
embrace all.

Be
loving

Outwardly everything is bound.
Freedom is within.

Freedom is spaciousness.

It is ease.
It is born of love.

Any uneasiness
invites a conditioned response.

Only the loving are free.
Only they can know themselves.

One can make this physical world
more convenient.
At some cost.
And the risk of believing
one is better off.

In truth,
nothing is gained there

Whatever you gain outwardly
you are already set to lose

Whatever comes
cannot stay

Effort cannot make it last

Love remains
extending itself
through every loving act

What is real
has always been

Unsupported
Eternal

Lovingly
Patiently awaiting
your return

To be humble
is to be infinite.

Littleness
is arrogance.

To be humble
is to know
one does not make oneself.

It is to recognise
the immeasurable source
from which one springs.

To be humble
is to lack for nothing,
to be one with all.

To be whole.

Distrust any voice
that tells you
you need to transform.

You can only change
what you are not.

Anyone who tells you
to transform
invites you into bondage—
into confusion about yourself.

Deny, instead,
that you are anything
subject to change.

To deny illusion
is to affirm truth.

Here lies freedom.

Coming together.
Past awkwardness.
Instantly close.

Embracing arms.
United minds.
Warm heart.

Together,
there is a way.

An ocean of openness.
Fully embraced.
Fiercely warm.

All that we are,
offered to one another.

Doubt is a split mind.

It is the perceived space
between a question and its answer.

It is the postponement of certainty.

The belief
in the impossibility
of the answer now.

Doubt arises from unclear vision.

From confusion over
what one truly wants.

It is confusion about oneself.

Only love is.
And it is all there is.

Existence is
because it is loved.

What love creates is like itself.

Being love, existence is perfect.

Sustained by love,
existence is eternal.

What seems imperfect
or to pass away
never was.

Herein lies peace.

Your experience of peace
depends on your openness.

Your willingness
to include all beings
as part of yourself.

Only the gentle
are peaceful.
Only the loving.

If only
Soon
When
then

Avoidance.

Postponing is
rejecting something that you value
at this moment
because you believe that
something necessary for it
is missing.

And so that it is impossible now.

It is
surrendering your power
to circumstances.

It is belief in limitation.

It is faithlessness.

Separation means death.

Togetherness
is the way of life.

Here lies salvation.

If there is unrest within you,
you may be sure
you are getting it wrong.

Because,
no matter the circumstances,
nothing is worth your peace.

Value comes not from competence.
Not accomplishment.
Nor usefulness.

Value comes from being.

Existence is loved.
And therefore it’s value is beyond measure.

Value is far beyond your evaluation and judgment.

It is not subject to fluctuation,
decay or destruction.
It is forever.

You cannot become more valuable.
Nor can you ever lose your value.
You can only experience it.

You are spirit.

There is no path.

Whatever comes—goes.

Nothing to become.

Changeless.

Just as you are.

Be not tempted.
Be not deceived
by the world’s promises.
By what the eyes see.

Did those promises ever hold?

Check your faith.
What you believe shapes your sight.

You have but one need.
That is always and abundantly met.
Regardless of circumstances.

Recognition of fullness comes first.
Welcome it.
Delay not your joy.

At times
it will look like
people withdraw
from communication.

Keep yourself open,
loving,
and communication flowing.

Including them.

It doesn’t need to be external.
There is no way
of shutting it down.

Love is.
Communication never ceases.