Reclamation of Holy

I’m unlocking the doors & windows of my inner cathedral,

I'm flinging them wide open;

I’m letting the birds fly in 
and out…

I’m mending the split between spirit and matter;
with a needle of mother love and a thread of humility;

I’m humming a hymn of reparation as I stitch…

I’m letting the moist earth push up in through the cracks in the floor;
inhaling the rich, fertile aroma into the depths of my being…

I’m inviting the wild forest to come inside,
the trees piercing the ceiling
as they grow skyward;

welcoming the owl and the moose
the coyote and the fox...

I'm letting the grass grow tall,
and braiding it into a verdant day bed...

I’m scattering seeds of primordial innocence,
remembrance, and indigenous connection through the aisles…

I’m letting the healing rain cascade through the holes in the ceiling;  
quenching the thirst of the sprouts and the parched hearts below…

I’m inviting the forgotten, the lost and the forlorn 
to take refuge 
and give the sermon…

I’m inviting the deer and antelope to rest in the pews,

the gentle mourning dove to roost in the rafters,

the wild hare to make a nest for her babes upon the altar…

I’m invoking a prayer in every language;
one that encourages 
walking barefoot in streams,
listening to the wind,
wearing a crown of kindness…

I’m lighting the candles in the spiring arches;
illuminating the darkness;

imbuing us with presence,
wisdom and fortitude…

I’m inviting the ocean
to fill the holy basins to overflowing;

the fish roaming the interiors of this living temple 
with salty, wild abandon…

I am sending off paper boats filled with regrets,
apologies, and visions of a healing world
into the star-strewn night…

I’m laying out a banquet table,
where all are invited to feast 
on

acceptance,
tenderness
generosity
and belonging…

and all the while,
in the alcoves of this living, breathing sanctuary,

the bees are buzzing
in their golden, honeyed hives,

making a most delicious offering 
of their sacred nectar;

may it
drip
drip
drip

into each 
and every heart...

[reclamation of holy]
model: katharine
sacred thread words & image © Heather Rhodes
all rights reserved
at studiopetronella.com