Heart and Mind - by Atul Singh




It is harder to be still

than to run and walk

harder to be silent

than to chatter and talk


It is harder to to be here

than to be someplace else

harder to live in the now

than in past and future worlds


it is harder to taste a spoonful

than to eat away a bowl

harder to slow down some

than to be always on the go


it is harder to let go

than to hold on to our fears

harder to count our blessings

than to lick our wounds and tears


it’s hard to live a life 

that’s aligned to our core

hard to hold on to our convictions

than letting them adrift and blown


It’s harder to turn the gaze inwards

than to see outside

it’s hard to ask ourselves the questions

that we have been asking others awhile


it’s hard to reject the dogma

that’s been handed down to us

hard to change the ways we think

in which we have been trained so well


It’s hard to accept, it’s us not them

that makes life better or worse

it’s hard to not force our ways

but align with the contours of the Universe


it’s hard to stay invisible 

yet lead people to their goals

hard to not seek accolades 

but just be fulfilled in our roles


its harder to be soft and supple

than to be rigid and firm

harder to yield like water and flow

than to be rock like adamant like and stern


It gets hard because our vessel 

is filled up to the brim

with our thoughts and desires and needs and wants

that we crave to get fulfilled


we cling and hold onto everything

like with a metal clasp

in the end though, we are the ones

who are held firmly in their grasp


the tree that lays itself bare

in the fall and winter months

is the one on which nature’s splendor abounds

when spring doth finally return


So let’s loosen up the grasp a bit

let’s learn just a little to let go

making space in our hearts and minds

for the Universe to finally flow


unfurl the sails of mind a bit

let the winds of heart decide

where we go and what will be

and not be held back by our stony minds


for what is mind but some compulsions

and memories mixed up in a vat

to do such and such and have so and so

and to get to this place and that


the empty space that our hearts do hold

is where Nature frolics and plays

is where truth lies, is where Gods live

is really the Universe’s way

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