The invitation:
Explore the felt experience of loving-kindness and compassion through free-writing and poetry, specifically the French Pantoum.
Materials:
- Your journal and a favorite pen for writing
Process:
Part I:
- Bring to mind a time when you felt a strong sense of loving-kindness in your life. Recall the circumstances of the situation, and in particular, recall the felt experience of loving-kindness.
- Once you have considered a few scenarios, free-write about those experiences in your journal. For this exercise, please continue to return to the felt sense of the experience of loving-kindness.
- Next, bring to mind a time when you felt a strong sense of compassion in your life. Recall the circumstances of the situation, and in particular, recall the felt sense of the experience of compassion.
- Now, free-write in your journal about the felt sense of compassion evoked by your memory.
- Turn your attention fully to your journal. For this exercise in particular, try to use sensual words to describe your inner world during these moments of compassion and loving-kindness. Feel free to explore in your journal until you’ve said all you need to say. This is not a time for careful editing; rather, we’re looking for a sense of openness and flow. Note that it often takes 5 or 10 minutes of simply pouring words onto the page to empty yourself of distractions and nagging thoughts until the essence of what you wish to communicate actually emerges. So if you need to take a few moments to “empty,” go ahead. No judgement. No one will read this but you.
- If you need some specific guidance for your free-writing, you may draw upon the following guiding questions:
- What does loving-kindness feel like in your body? Compassion?
- Is it easier to feel loving-kindness or compassion?
- Is it easier to feel loving-kindness and compassion for yourself, or for others?
- Once you’ve said all you wish to say, take a pause to let all that you’ve written settle.
Part II: Craft your poem within the Pantoum structure
- Revisit your writing and notice any sentences, snippets or phrases that emerge. Allow yourself to be surprised or delighted by what is calling for your attention. Underline 8 of these phrases or sentences, then number each underlined sentence between 1 and 8. These sentences can be numbered in any order you wish. Don’t think about it too hard; simply number. We’re inviting the heart to speak, so be especially attentive to subtle cues, symbols, or resonance.
- Insert your 8 phrases or sentences into the following quatrain format:
phrase 1 (new phrase)
phrase 2 (new phrase)
phrase 3 (new phrase)
phrase 4 (new phrase)
phrase 2 (repeated)
phrase 5 (new phrase)
phrase 4 (repeated)
phrase 6 (new phrase)
phrase 5 (repeated)
phrase 7 (new phrase)
phrase 6 (repeated)
phrase 8 (new phrase)
phrase 7 (repeated)
phrase 3 (repeated)
phrase 8 (repeated)
phrase 1 (repeated)
In other words…
- Finally, read over what has assembled itself. Is there anything that wishes to be changed or clarified in order to fully allow your felt sense of loving-kindness and compassion to express itself? Knowing that the structure of the poem is simply a way to give voice to synchronicity, make any changes you wish. The process is about expressing the essence of your inner experience; the pure form of the poetry becomes secondary. In fact you may find that after you’ve had time to massage the poem, your final pantoum isn’t a pantoum at all!
- If you wish to share your poem or your experience, please do so on the Discussion Board.
Pantoum Examples
A Farewell to Manzanar
(1) When I was seven
(2) My family was evacuated.
(3) We rode a bus
(4) To Manzanar.
(2) My family was evacuated.
(5) Only forty-eight hours to prepare, then
(4) To Manzanar.
(6) We rode in shock, but together.
(5) Only forty-eight hours to prepare, then
(7) Mama, stressed and frustrated, broke all the dishes.
(6) We rode in shock, but together.
(8) Together, except for Papa.
(7) Mama, stressed and frustrated, broke all the dishes.
(3) We rode a bus
(8) Together, except for Papa.
(1) When I was seven.
You and Me on State Street
(inspired by the unexpected relationship between an elderly homeless man and a young woman motorist)
We can be miracles together, you and me.
A stranger standing on the corner of State Street
looking deeply into me,
your blood in my veins.
A stranger standing on the corner of State Street
Eye to eye, we are each ageless,
your blood in my veins
unpeeling our hearts with each exchange
Eye to eye, we are each ageless,
divinity ties us together with its invisible thread
unpeeling our hearts with each exchange
You stand here with me in the truth.
Divinity tying us together with its invisible thread,
looking deeply into me,
You stand here with me in the truth.
We can be miracles together, you and me.
-Aimee Eckhardt
Sitting in the morning sun I watch and listen
Not just with my eyes and ears but also with my heart and soul
Show me ancient ways of seeing
Teach me intuitive ways of listening
Not just with my eyes and ears but also with my heart and soul
I follow my path into this new way of living
Teach me intuitive ways of listening
To hear Spirit’s whisperings in the wind
I follow my path into this new way of living
Teach me intuitive ways of listening
To hear Spirit’s whisperings in the wind
I follow my path into this new way of living
Show me ancient ways of seeing
To hear Spirit’s whisperings in the wind
Sitting in the morning sun I watch and listen
—Cathy Johnson