Linda Connors

Where Love Breathes

I was tending to the garden
learning what belongs
and what doesn't
which weeds to remove
what branches to cut back

the wild flowers grew
butterflies rested
and the bumble bees visited

love breathed into the garden
showered this place
with beauty and sunshine
rain and frost
the seasons delight
creation unfolding

and there in the corner
the most beautiful
red roses
came alive with the morning hush
a love like no other
that causes destruction
and aliveness

the old self becomes compost
and this new self
becomes the apprentice
to the beloved's garden
- Linda Connors

Love has many names

It is written
in the starlings’ murmuration,
in the swan’s nest
as her cygnets break free from the shell.

It is drawn
in the tides of the oceans,
the sand on the beach,
the colour of the sea
as the sun rises.

It is the sound
of rain
and wind
flowing through
the tree branches.

It is in the scent
of the beautiful rose
and freshly baked
bread.

It is in the hands
touching, caring,
giving, receiving,
and in the holding.

It dwells in the heart
and has no words,
only a simple grace

that I am the beloved.

It is in the voice
of silence.
It is in the hymns
and in prayer.

When I do not understand
the mystery of God,
or even feel worthy,

I am still
His beloved.
- Linda Connors

Photo: Wells, Somerset

Sending love and blessings during the Advent season.

As always, my poetry is part of my own personal prayers and the journey of this life.

They build a spiritual bridge between being human and the deep truth my heart longs for.

I share them exactly as the words flow through me, sometimes raw, honest, or a little messy. There is always a deep truth that gives me comfort.

I hope this poem meets you wherever you are today. Thank you for reading it.

Much love and blessings,
Linda

The Tapestry of Being Human

I spend so much time
and energy
trying to dismantle
the false self
so the true self
can be born.

I forgot
the false self
is a protector,
survivor,
and fighter.

She picked herself up
after the storms
and floods.

She's a craftswoman
building a world
based upon safety
and security,
where fear led choices
and a yearning for certainty
dominated goals.

Waiting for the day
she could finally rest
so the true self
could begin
to be reborn,

unravelling like mist
over the autumn lake,
slow and gentle,
still and silent,
movement
and growth,

where she begins
to follow the thread
of the Holy Spirit’s breath.

The mystery,
the unspoken beauty,
is that God loves
both selves,

for they are part
of the tapestry
of being human,
and also
the beloved.
- Linda Connors

Photo: Ham Wall, Somerset

What name do you call me by?

Beloved,
Your name is Sweet Innocence.
Remember your holy name.
It is not what you have endured,
or the pain or suffering you went through.

It is the echo of who you truly are
as my eyes see you,
as my heart loves you,
as my hands hold you.

This name existed before you were conceived,
and it is the name that will remain
when your body has returned to dust.

When you return home,
the Angels will celebrate your homecoming,
and the Saints will dance with joy.

My Sweet Innocence,
let this be your lullaby tonight.
- Linda Connors

Photo: Ham Wall, Somerset

I was too focused
on the beauty
and the perfection
of the flower.

I forgot about the roots,
the dirt and worms,
the seasons and cycles,
the pruning and dead heading,
the mystery of life,
the storms, winds, and rain

and the Creator of all
who brings about
the magnificence
of the flower.
- Linda Connors

I set off
Searching for more
More safety
And more security,
More freedom
And more things.

I became a collector
Of the more.
But I ended up with
More fear,
More anxiety,
And much more control.

Ah
The searching was the illusion of the ego.
The collector was the seeker
In search of more
Holidays,
More clutter,
More shoes,
More clothes.

But the more created
More yearning,
For it could not feed
My heart.

Slowly,
Gently,
I began to declutter
And started to release.

And then, as the sparrow
Fed her young,
Something awakened in my heart.

The more I was seeking
Was actually God.

So I removed all the false gold
And started to seek more of God
In the unexpected places:
In the cracks and crevices of who I am,
The sea where shame swims,
The darkest valley
That has yet to be touched by light.

The more I sought God,
The less I sought in the world.

And as the baby swallow took her first leap
Of faith and spread her wings
In the darkest of dawns,
I began to do the same.
And we both began to fly.
- Linda Connors

Photo: Glastonbury across the Somerset Levels

The Lost Innocence of Silence

Are we losing the ability
To be truly with ourselves
And others
In the sacred sound of stillness
And language of silence

A coffee without a phone
A walk without a photo
A flight without Instagram

There is a sacred innocence to silence
That knows how to celebrate each passing moment
Not by serving the ego
But by bowing to the reverence of simple ordinary moments
That if our eyes and hands were elsewhere
Our hearts would have missed the silent prayer
Of our belonging
In the moment
- Linda Connors

Friendship
Why am I a shapeshifter
a chameleon changing to fit it
an actor in a play of perfection personified?

Turning 51
I realise that a friend
doesn’t want you to change shape
just to be in their company
Doesn’t teach you about their false prophets
Doesn’t try to entice you down their path
to make it more comfortable for them

I am learning what
true friendship means
how to be myself
enjoy the companies of others
without any stage lights
actors lines
just me
and all my flaws

Turning 51
I am also learning how to be a friend to myself
as my face becomes a canvas of my life
the embedded lines of laughter, joy and sadness
losing the battle of youth to gravity
I walk off the actor’s stage
wiped away the makeup of perfection
took off the clothes of fake gold

I think I like this new age
where the invitation is to be no one
but myself
even to myself
- Linda Connors

I wrote this after a meditation. I didn't realise until the last line it was a poem about befriending myself.



❤️ ❤️

Intimacy with ourselves.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I started listening to Richard Rohr's daily meditations for Lent on Ash Wednesday. Where he shared these words:

Allow yourself to be known all the way though. Nothing to hide from ourselves or in ourselves.

There is beauty in allowing ourselves to be known all the way through. Even through the stuff we prefer to turn away from, because it is uncomfortable and it isn't all light and love.

We do not need to reject our humanness.

There is nothing we need to hide from ourselves, or in ourselves. There is nothing that we need to be afraid of.

Some things we experience have natural cycles, some intense, some just okay, some return even after we think they have finished - grief, anxiety, stress, shame, etc.

Imagine meeting these with a gentle, loving compassion. And of course, sometimes we need professional psychological support to work through things.

Discovering who we are through meeting all that we are.

One step at a time.

RESTING​​​​​​​​
I am resting on the road that ​​​​​​​​
is inbetween leaving and going​​​​​​​​
there are no signs here or anywhere to be​​​​​​​​
just a vacant space where silence ​​​​​​​​
is the holy whisper for this is the place ​​​​​​​​
my soul sent an invitation​​​​​​​​
to my heart a long time ago​​​​​​​​
I have only just had the courage​​​​​​​​
to arrive empty handed​​​​​​​​
after the dark night of the soul​​​​​​​​
where I was stripped raw and naked​​​​​​​​
and my knees landed on holy ground​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
I am resting here on the road ​​​​​​​​
of inbetween where the wind ​​​​​​​​
has carried my name to a faraway land ​​​​​​​​
and I have been emptied, undone ​​​​​​​​
and my personality stripped of her gold​​​​​​​​
It is here that I am no one, nobody or no thing​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
I am resting here on the road of inbetween​​​​​​​​
for soon it will be time to cross this road ​​​​​​​​
to continue this journey across another threshold ​​​​​​​​
of a spiritual unfolding which is not big or bold​​​​​​​​
just a new thread that is woven through my heart​​​​​​​​
with a message at the end that I am the one ​​​​​​​​
that I have been waiting for.​​​​​​​​
- Linda Connors

Embracing the In-Between​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
In the quiet whispers between an ending and beginning, is a sacred transitional space – the in-between.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
As a coach, I guide high achievers and perfectionists through huge changes in their life. Many want immediate change, driven by ego success or emotional discomfort.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
Have you ever felt that rush to leap into something new without doing the essential inner groundwork first?​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
I know I have many times! I also see this pattern in many of the people I work with.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
We live in a world that wants quick fixes and immediate change. Craving comfort over discomfort.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
So what happens is we rush forward without a map or compass. It’s an unknown territory because we haven’t built the inner foundation first.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
This is often where we get stuck or frustrated, and why we return to the old way.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
When I share this with my clients, I see them take a deep breath and relax into the journey, letting go of the need to race to the finish line, and take one gentle step at a time. Of course, it is still a challenge sometimes, we are human.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
This in-between space is for rest, integration, growth, learning, and preparation.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
Here are three things I want to share about this transitional space.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
1️⃣ Transitional Space: A cocoon for your mind, body, heart, and energy to prepare for the start of something new.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
2️⃣ Timelessness: There is no alarm clock here. You may rest here for a day, week or even months. Let your journey unfold at its own pace.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
3️⃣ Natural Flow: There is innate wisdom and intelligence in energy and beginnings. It can’t be forced for rushed.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
On Wednesday, I'll share a poem I wrote about this sacred in-between space that has guided me towards my life now.