Brain’s Misguided Step


Brain’s misguided step

Pausing to let the storm pass

Photo by Dovydas Žilinskas on Unsplash

Time passing by — what seems to be an eternity –lifetimes of misery unfolding in a single thought. Uncertainty of the origin of this cosmic wave — left with a self-inflicted twist of collective memory — heartache, crippling pain invitation to sitting still.

Expressive words — I feel the sadness filling my universe — weighing me down — filled with gratitude as the words fill this page, returning to the earth — fertilizing future growth of sprouted wings not yet taken to flight. With every fleeting second, a choice of falling deeper into despair — witnessing wholeness — honoring the muddy waters and angelic voices lifting me alike.

Brother has fallen to cancerous iatrogenic belief
thrombosis and coagulation of tempered suffering
numb by the broken limbs, fallen tree
once standing for two hundred years.

Call to the four-directional brethren
spirits of non-tangible reality
fairy tale like endings created
by defibrillators’ shocking tone
anthropopathy grasping harvested moon.

Is this the end — fleeting thought giving birth to a new beginning — of something greater than self? Do the others dare dive deeply into the cosmic seas of disbelief — discover new planets’ existence in the outer rings of possibility?

Sit and meditate — retorting voices conflicting — contrasting vibrational toning of songs sung by hearts story waiting to be told. Still uncertain — more certain than ever — entering contrasting songs sung by the ancient wisdom keepers of fire struck believers to walking a broken road.

Thinly spread rocky roads — glassed shards cutting open the souls of our feet — deduction to induction — phase of black transforming wood into medicinal — ash trees falling to bored out infestations not treated by self-healing thought.

Breathing in
collective suffering
burdening deliberation
end resulting
rewritten storylines
of self and ancestral;
overdue books and stepping stones
waiting for our footed breath
outward healing inner circles
breathing out planetary growth.

Tall trees sung by the masters of fate — staring me down — inviting an inward journey while being present in the ancient truths deeply rooted in the heavens and earth alike.

Tripped up by the cannonballs aftermath growing intensely in hearts broken dreams — returning to the trestle board to rewrite — we sit and meditate on the birthing of a new fantasy yielded reality.

~ Ani Po


Much gratitude to Sahil Patel and lifeline for the continued prompts, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)for teasing my thoughts stemming from fantasy to reality and finally Jeff Langley for digging deeper roots into the cosmic unknown. Loop pedal activated with a song shared by Jeff.


Much gratitude for those who take time to read, ponder, and allow the inner workings of self to come forward. Grateful for the feedback, love shared, and, more importantly, the Dance with Inspiration. Deep Peace.

Joseph Lieungh

Photo by Javardh on Unsplash

Blind Spots


Blind Spots

Labels and human conditioning

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

Forbidden fruits nourishing thoughts on the eve of Adam’s awakened serpentine encounter — riding down winding roads — into the unknown labels once taught — force-fed in hopes of foie gras — regurgitating or purging all we have ever known to be true — emptying our books — thought mindless memories of ancient tongues.

Staring out into the vast emptiness of sky-filled blues — listening for inner knowing’s voice echoing songs of stillness, quietude — entering once again the void of all existence — the birthplace of knowing and unknowing. Whispered souls — fluttering and scurrying about — transmuting — breaking all barriers created by labels tune — bugs no longer — coexisting as we are.

Sharing a drink at the fountain’s giving of life — all are welcome — bathing in the ambiguous understanding of oneness — all in this together. Forever wrestling with shadows of doubt — fear-ridden belief in following what another has told — until the levee breaks.

Blinded by the light — mare’s fixation with forwarding sight — attention leading us to where wandering minds want us to go. Centered on not knowing — thyself inclusive unfolding — observing all there is without attachment to how to and should haves — rivers flow guiding us around the raging bends.

Arriving — home sweet home — knowing purpose given life at this moment — making it all up as I go — I am/we are. Playbooks burning flames reaching Gould’s Belt — emptiness filled with all there is — over-flowing spirit-filled quenching of life’s eternal elixir.

~ Ani Po


Sitting with a couple of prompts, marinating on the absence of my first love and the call of life — requiring more of my attention elsewhere and not at my keyboard. I reflect on the question of who I am.

Firstly, dissolving all labels: father, brother, leader, teacher, healer, lover, etc., I am left with an unknowing of who I am. Once again, asking myself, Is it possible to be here and of this place, without labels, just becoming who I am meant to be in this moment? Like the T.V. series, The Pretender depicts becoming who I am for a particular day. Not pretending to be something I am not but embodying a thought and becoming it as needed — eliminating scorn or judgment on self for who I’ve become. Instead, I am continuously becoming — ever-changing thoughts and being as I was meant to be.

Secondly, I am called to the question of discerning the labels of insects bugging us and creating more fear in our lives. Personally sitting with thoughts of bugs and the labels of such, dissolving them and returning to the beauty of the insects’ purpose in life, coexisting and no longer bothered by the buzzing bee or stinging of blood-sucking sorts. Deeper into my cavernous thought, understanding a greater picture unfolding so.

Thank you Ravyne Hawke, for inspiring the title of this piece and Christine Graves for subtitling my thoughts on human conditioning. Transmuting thought, emptying my cup — I am filled beyond understanding. Words fall short in explanation of a feeling I get when I am in this space. Loop pedal activating (A phrase used when I put a particular song on loop, while writing in this space).


Much gratitude to Diana C., jules, Ravyne Hawke, Spyder and the whole Know Thyself Heal Thyself family for sharing in thought, healing of self and encouraging each other on an inward dive to the Great Unknown.


Much gratitude for those who take time to read, ponder, and allow the inner workings of self to come forward. Grateful for the feedback, love shared, and, more importantly, the Dance with Inspiration. Deep Peace.

Joseph Lieungh

Photo by Javardh on Unsplash