Mary Oliver: In Memoriam
MARY OLIVER: IN MEMORIAM
Flesh and bone may decay
Her words, all the thoughts
All the feelings they evoke
Shall remain to nourish us
Posted on January 17, 2019, in Poetry, Quatrain and tagged Death, Emotion, Memory, Poetry, Poets, Thoughts, Value, Words. Bookmark the permalink. 15 Comments.
Ben Naga 
❤
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❤
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One of my all time favorite poets…. so sad to hear this news today. Beautiful tribute, Ben. 🥀
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Thank you, Betty. One of my favourites too.
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I didn’t know she had died. I’m sorry to hear that. She was the real thing.
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As are you, I believe.
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Thank you Ben.
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Blessings.
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So true. Nice tribute.
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Thank you.
Deep Relaxation Technique:-
You probably already know the obvious things such as not eating a lot or drinking coffee or other stimulants etc. just before bedtime.
When you lie down let go of worrying about going to sleep. Mind and body are deeply interwoven, so you set your mind to the task of relaxing your body knowing that your body will then get all the rest it needs for the coming day.
Lie on your back, with your arms by your side: the yoga Corpse Pose. http://www.forteyoga.com/yoga-poses/corpse-yoga-pose/. Focus on each part of your body in turn, breathing in and out gently and slowly for as many times you need to achieve full relaxation before moving on to the next. Personally I go COMPLETE HEAD > EYES > MOUTH > THROAT > SHOULDERS > CHEST > FRONT OF UPPER ARM (LEFT) > FRONT OF UPPER ARM (RIGHT) > ABDOMEN > FOREARM (LEFT) > FOREARM (RIGHT) > LEFT HAND & FINGERS > RIGHT HAND & FINGERS > FRONT OF UPPER LEG (LEFT) > FRONT OF UPPER LEG (RIGHT) > FOOT & TOES (LEFT) > FOOT & TOES (RIGHT) > NECK > UPPER BACK > LOWER BACK (LEFT) > LOWER BACK (RIGHT) (See this diagram to get the picture: https://healthjade.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/muscles-that-move-the-arm-back-view-1.jpg) > BACK OF UPPER ARM (LEFT) > BACK OF UPPER ARM (RIGHT) > BUTTOCKS > BACK OF UPPER LEG (LEFT) > BACK OF UPPER LEG (RIGHT) > LOWER LEG (LEFT) > LOWER LEG (LEFT).
If you find that you have become distracted into a thought stream then release it and take your focus back to the last point in the relaxation process you were at.
If you find that a previous part of your body has tensed itself up again then deliberately relax it before returning to the last point in the relaxation process you were at.
Especially at first you may need to go through the process more than once. Don’t feel bad or frustrated. Be gentle with yourself.
Once you find that you are experiencing a calm relaxation throughout your whole body then focus your mind on staying in that place while your breathing continues by itself slowly and gently in the backgroud of your awareness. Allow it to slow itself even more if it wishes but don’t try to do any more than simply observe it. This focus on the whole body at rest rather than on the breath makes it easier to diminish the intrusion of fresh thoughts and emotions. When these *do* arise be aware of them and just let them be without getting involved and they will in a while dissolve. From time to time some part of your body will bring itself to your attention. Take the same approach as with the thoughts and emotions. Let them be. Quietly observe them without involvement or reaction. They too will in a while dissolve.
This discipline often results in sleep, but even if you have not dozed off before you need to be up and about again your body and mind will have had a refreshing rest.
As with many things (Think of learning to drive for example.) this deep relaxation technique is difficult in the beginning, requiring conscious effort and concentration but with patience and perseverance you can master it to the point it is almost that it becomes second nature, a skill you effortlessly call to mind whenever it is needed. It isn’t by then even necessary to lie down.
I do hope this will be of help to you.
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Thanks for taking so much trouble to explain so nicely.
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I hope you will derive some benefit from it. Insomnia is no fun.
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A loss indeed.💔
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Yes, but she will be remembered and cherished.
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Always.
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