What locates you?

What locates you in the anchor of now?

Is it the watery pressure

Against your shins

As the river pushes you 

To alignment?

Is it the sun shining

At your back and crown

Casting your playful outline

On the sand and ground?

Is it the density and weight

Of that rock 

The one nestled in your palm and 

Against your eyes?

Is it this in-breath now

Pushing out your lungs

To stretch and expand the

Space inside?

Or the meeting of one hand to another, firm and alive?

Our senses remind us of here and 

Our body locates us now.

There is constantly arriving life-

Release the remnants of

Yesterday's coffee

And tomorrow’s shopping trip.

Remind your branching nervous system:

I need you now

The reach of the tree gives feedback to the root.

-tracy kate broyles 2021

This poem was inspired by a creative process at the river I participated in a few weeks back led by Sarah-Lu Baker with Becky Spark. At one point as we were all sharing about an improvisation practice, and I noticed we were locating ourselves in the present through a specific aspect of our senses. You can read more about that experience and see some of Adrian’s photos through Sarah-Lu’s newsletter here.

Our bodies and our senses are wise. They provide continuous support for grounding, for becoming present, and for the pause to say: I am here, safe and grounded. I am giving and receiving with the world around me. there is room for me, and I am a part of this particular moment right here and now. And what is the “I am?” Ahhhhh- well- for now let’s leave room for a little mystery…

I hope you find some pleasure through your senses this weekend.