Neshni Naidoo
Experiencing Bliss
Poem by Neshni Naidoo Dark clouds hide the sun Enveloping the Earth in darkness Suddenly a gust of wind shifts the clouds Allowing the sun’s rays to peep through Rays of illumination bathe the Earth in loving warmth And remove the darkness In our minds, the dark clouds of anger, greed, lust, jealousy and desire hide our Inner Light Preventing it from shining through and Illumining our mind and our heart Every so often Divine Grace and spiritual sadhana Allow these clouds to shift To create a gap for the Atman to shine through in all its splendour Allowing the Atman to bathe our entire being in Love, in Light Allowing us to feel for a short while The bliss that is our true nature |
happiness
I closed my eyes and began to dream. I was in another world, filled with people who were happy – happy to be alive, happy to be who they were. It was the most amazing place – somewhere you would want to stay forever. All too soon, I woke from this dream, but I yearned to go back. A voice whispered to me, “You can create such a place here.” “How?” I asked. “It begins with you. All change starts with you.” I was still unsure and asked for more guidance. “Do you know what your purpose is?” “No,” I replied. “That is the first step." "When you understand your purpose, you can live your life according to this purpose. Life becomes meaningful, not a never-ending stream of tasks that you cross off your to-do list. Begin the day by asking what difference you can make today. End the day by asking what difference you made today. It does not have to be heroic or world changing. A small act that impacts another positively is sufficient. Whatever you do has a ripple effect on the world around you. When you see the effect on the receiver and feel the effect on yourself, it is like a catalyst that spurs you on. Living a life of purpose is what will make you happy. That is the reason for your existence." |
Stolen Moments
Stolen moments Fleeting moments Of silence Special moments Treasured moments Of peace Time to heal And to reveal My true purpose Time to create And meditate What bliss These moments Are my moments My life's breath |
Scattered Emotions
Fragments of paper in my cupped hands Scattered hither by the swish of wind's hands Each fragment contains a part of me Parts unwanted, that I don't want to be Destructive emotions mined from the core Concretised, they are with me no more As each fragment is scattered afar It heals the wounds and repairs old scars And as each fragment is blown away It leaves me prepared for another day |
Self-Portrait
A self-portrait created for public view Admired, critiqued beautiful reviews But like the Mona Lisa with her mystical smile This portrait is meant to beguile Clues are there for the eagled-eyed sleuth Clues that will uncover the truth Stories of tears of pain and shame The angry beast that had to be tamed Some clues uncovered by those who cared But many still have not been shared For the portrait displayed for public view Has been created for beautiful reviews |
Words Unspoken
Words unspoken on the tip of my tongue But the opportunity's lost, the moment is gone Words hastily in silence retreat To regroup, for the right moment entreat But the right moment never comes And the words, restless they become Mind and body come undone And words disjointed, outward flung Until at last, out comes paper and pen Words effusive flow, no longer penned Words now spoken, once more at peace Mind and body, once more at ease |
An Endless Dream
The mind untethered Wanders in an endless dream Whilst the body is shackled To an array of machines That monitor and medicate Moments of lucidity Faces recognised But disjointed thoughts Rooted in dreams Spew out bizarre words Body healed, mind awake But at times memories are triggered And fear returns Of losing control Of losing oneself In that endless dream |
Why do we put pressure on ourselves to be something we are not – to be what others expect us to be? Chant this affirmation - “I am enough”.
I AM ENOUGH Darkness despair No-one listens No-one cares To go or not to go Would anyone miss me I don't think so They say These are your best years But to me They are the worst No-one sees No-one understands To them I am not enough Not good enough Not smart enough Not beautiful Not handsome Too fat too thin Too tall too short Too loud too soft A joker too serious Too wild too restrained The list goes on But wait What is this I hear you say I am enough? I am enough? I AM ENOUGH There is only one of me So I can be No-one else but me Don't judge me Don't try to change me Love me accept me There is only one of me I may need to change But I will do it for me Not likes or followers Or popularity I AM ENOUGH There is only one of me So I can be No-one else but me |
This year was a challenge for all of us. While many faced hardship and loss, the pandemic reconnected us and reminded us of our place in this world – of our purpose. Even if you don’t believe in making New Year’s Resolutions, make yourself a promise not to forget what you have learnt in 2020. Let us remain connected.
We Are Connected We are connected A part of the whole But sometimes we forget Feel isolated, alone This year we fought COVID, a common foe Who strengthened old ties And helped new ones grow Isolated from each other We found a way To laugh, cry, dance together To meet, play and pray We opened our hearts Let our love shine And remembered our connection With the Divine As the year ends Let us not forget We are connected A part of the whole |
I Am Tired
I am tired Tired of fighting For my place in this world I am tired Tired of pretending That everything is OK I am tired Tired of smiling When I feel like crying I am tired Tired of accepting When I should be rejecting Your expectations of me Your perceptions of me But it must end now As I tread the road not taken I will speak out Share my story Purge the toxic patterns And negative thoughts That paralyse me I will stand tall And proclaim my worth There's no stopping me I'll reclaim my place To a new me, give birth |
Message From Beyond
I completed my mission And so it was time for this body to leave But know that I am still here in spirit Connected to you By an unwavering indestructible bond of love Celebrate the life I lived Remember me in the little things Speak to me when your heart is heavy See me in those I've left behind Feel cry mourn rage But then step into the light For that is where I dwell Watching over you Guiding you Protecting you Until it is time for this soul to begin a new journey A new adventure But remember and believe We will always be connected Through the unwavering indestructible bond of love |