A very great joy

Photograph: The Hudson River, sunrise June 23 2025

The moment that I sense my whole body, 
I sense a subtle undercurrent of love

a love that animates every atom and molecule in my being.

And strangely,
even though these parts are so tiny 
as to be impossible for me to see with the eyes,
I can sense them with my sensation,
alive,
active,
animated and interested,

eager to participate in the life of my consciousness 
with me here and now.

And it is at this moment
with a good attention 
and a great care and respect 
for the vibration of these tiny creatures 
that help me to exist—

it is with this great care 
that I dare to breathe in
in a more conscious way,

so that the seat of the breath 
in the lower part of the body 
becomes the anchor and the support 

for this sensation of being 

an intimate, 
gentle contact 
with this foundation of love 
upon which the entire cosmos is built.

And as I realize 
that none of the external complications 
of mankind 
and its insanities 
are present here,

I understand for a moment
that underneath 
and behind 
and above and beyond all my thoughts of the world

there lies a very great joy 
which is forever present
and entirely independent of my own emotional state 

and as I participate in this stillness here and now
I have been privileged 
to enter in 
to a more personal, physical contact 
with that joy for just a moment.

Such a great force that all I can do 
is stand in the midst of life 
on a city street 
let life flow through me 
as though I were completely transparent 
and surrender unto this great joy, 
this song of love and being, 

which surrounds us all, everywhere 
and is inviting us to be here within ourselves 
to receive its very great blessing 

to participate.