Writing Challenge: Tanka From A Grateful Soul
“If haiku is the sashimi of poetry, tanka is its heartier hand roll cousin.” Ben Huberman
Writing Challenge: Tanka From A Grateful Soul – 10 Healing Symbols
disease comes calling
Seeps through tissues, organs, bones
Hands raised in prayer…
Answers found, test-tube culture
Tanka from a grateful soul
On hospital beds
The terminal and the “well”
All one step from death…
A doctor’s smile, a grimace
Each offers a doorway home
All of life is ephemeral. We come to truly understand that statement when we or someone we love is battling a life threatening illness. It is for that reason that the sages and wise ones advice us to live our lives with grace and gratitude. Take a moment to make someone happy. Take the time to hug your loved ones and smell the fresh air around you. All around us are new and ancient symbols that lift us up or bring us down. Embrace those that lift you and heal you. Stop and take in the symbols in your space. What symbols are in your surroundings? Add some light. Find things that add joy to your space. Share and be grateful for them.
Some of us never stop to look around us or take a moment to digest things. Why the rush? What do we think would happen if we stopped for a moment and spent some time in silence, in prayer or meditation? We rush to shut others out, bring some in, secure our temporary hold on XYZ. In the end, what matters is the love and goodwill we shared with others… I’ve created a collage of healing symbols above. Stop, inhale, and take a look at them. What’s your rush?
More Below!
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared” Gautama Buddha
Writing Challenge: Tanka From A Grateful Soul – Above; Diwali Oil Lamp
Candles lit for hope
As time and strength fades away
Outside, life goes on…
Bad things invade good bodies
The outcome sometimes unknown
disease comes and goes
doctors interventions hold
Healing prayers help…
Thanks rise from a grateful heart
What’s left, a test for the soul
I chose a Diwali oil lamp to add above because it is a special celebration that symbolizes the rejuvenation of the human spirit in a festival of lights. ““Diwali also known as the “festival of lights”, is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year.[2][3] The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.”via Wikipedia. Healing comes in many forms and adding light to the mix is important.
When we recover from a challenging period in our lives, it is important to be grateful and share our thanks in whichever way we see fit; spiritual celebrations, charitable acts, honoring loved ones, and quiet or public proclamation of thanks. Our positive efforts bring more of that healing energy into our lives… Key is to keep up the fight and never give up or feel ashamed. You are not what ails you. Remember: We are all spirits in human form!
This post was inspired by a Daily Post Prompt: Write a Full Tanka. You can keep a tanka journal this week — where you’ll condense each day’s actions and thoughts into one tanka. You could publish each entry separately, or collect them all in one post which you’ll publish at the end of the week.
Another source of inspiration this month is BlogHer’s NabloPoMo blogging theme – Healing If you’d love to join in, Sign Up
Get the Healing Badge, and check out the Prompts
Positive Motivation Tip: Healing begins within, and each moment we utter a thank you or share our gratitude, the universe lights up to bless and help us.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos: Collage of healing symbols, Oil Lamp via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared” Gautama Buddha What a brilliant quote! I think we can all learn somehting from this!
Great. Any thoughts on the actual post?😐
To continue on the theme, I like family dinners, and gratitude journals for this very reason. Both force us to slow down and enjoy the present.
They sure do. Now that my kids are back at school, I miss their dinner time demands. Hahaha! 😆
Beautiful writing pieces
TY!
I know I always seem in a rush. I will have to slow down someday before it kills me. I used to meditate and should get back into doing so.
I’d second that idea. Those busy moments that never end could kill us.
You’ve got some powerful poetry here. Inspirational!
Thank you!
All experiences are good. They mold you and change you. You just have to remember which ones you do not want to repeat.
Hmm mm What are you referring to?
Your statement “Some of us never stop to look around us and take a moment to digest things.” is so true. I have been enjoying regular meditation to slow down and really take a good look at my life and the beauty around me.
Great and a terrific idea for settling into our space.
Great post. Great read. I love the written word, and you do great things with it.
Ben, you are so kind. Thank you! 🙂
Healing does come from within. Great motivational post.
Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
I really enjoyed this post.. it had a very soothing and calming effect. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you too. It felt good writing it and brought clarity to my day…
Great post. I love that part about when we recover from a challenge. It is s easy to praise and be happy when things are easy an going well. We often fail to give thanks and count the blessing during the storm.
Well said. Giving praise and thanks during a storm takes effort but we need it more in difficult times.
Greta piece. How true that in the end will look back on the people, and experiences we had in life–not the rush, rush, rush and it’s results! Greta piece produced for this prompt!
Thank you! I enjoyed the prompt as it gave me a chance to reflect on a number of issues close to my heart.
What a great post. I think we all need to stop and slow down sometimes. It can allow us time to reflect and appreciate those around us.
Exactly! I find that of late, plenty of wannabe social media gurus, advice us to do this, that and the other. There is little time for reflection.
I like that – happiness never decreases by being shared!!
Yes… and so true.
Taking more time out of my day to pray would be extremely beneficial to my overall well-being.
Ditto for all of us. Thank you!
Love this tip: Healing begins within, and each moment we utter a thank you or share our gratitude, the universe lights up to bless and help us.
Thank you Nolie. It felt so good when I wrote it.
What a beautiful and inspiring post!
It’s usually because of a loss that I remember to savor each moment.It’s much nicer to stop worrying about what’s ahead and relax in the moment.
True. We get more mileage from life when we take time to take stock of our lives and loved ones.
I learned the hard way to savor each moment. I had a massive heart attack 3 years ago. Time stops and all you can think about is what you should have did. I loved this post!
WoW! Glad to know you are doing better! Yes, we only remember what truly matters when that moment comes.
Great post. So inspiring!
Thank you! 🙂
Moving tanka and a very powerful set of symbols Eliz, thank you.
Thank you Gilly, I’ll be over to check out yours.
I am always in a rush, but that is how we are raised here in Boston.
Robin! I know my share of Bostonians who are pretty laid back… Kick back a bit girl. 😆
Great post! It is always nice to read something original like this.
I like your use of vocabulary. You express yourself very eloquently! Good job!
This was really beautiful. I know I have overcome many difficult periods of my life and each time, I become more grateful!
Inspiring post indeed. I think we all need to slow down and count our blessings. Diwali oil lamp sounds amazing and I will have to check this out. Thanks for sharing.
I have a lot of fun writing haiku, so I think I would enjoy tanka too. When I have some time, I will sit down and try a few out.
If you love Haiku, then Tanka will be fun for you too.
Great post! I love the positive motivation tip!
Sadly, something noteworthy usually has to happen before I really take time to think about and reflect on my day. Great idea to do it more regularly.
Go for it! A little each day will build up to a regular effort.
thank you for sharing this post. I really enjoyed the quote about happiness and how it will not be diminished if it is shared.
stop and seize every moments of our lives is very important. because that is the reason why we are alive today. in my family we always make sure to eat in the table and have the weekends to be just for family and have fun. Make everyone feel so love and blessed.
I love your writing. It always seems to take me to a different place, no matter what’s going on around me.
Thank you Melissa! You made my day. 😉
Very well written post. Before today I had no idea what a tanka was.
Thanks for the reminders, you write beautifully. I especially like your thoughts on going thru trials. I have had some pretty significant trials in my life but learning to learn from them, grow and change has made me appreciate the struggle:)
I think we should all take a few minutes a day to think about all the positive things in our life. It can be to easy to get lost in all the negativity that we encounter everyday.
I always have to remind myself to slow down. I am afraid that I miss important things by racing everywhere!
I take daily pictures with the same intention, looking for beauty in my daily ordinary life. The camera is my tool instead of the pen (or in this case keyboard 😉 )
Amazing writing great job.