Jewel of The Heart in The Desert

Introduction About Me

My skin is not white, my skin is not black, I am brown of mixed heritage, I am bold, I am a survivor, I am in recovery, I am enough regardless of my imperfections, scars, and illnesses. I do not let that define me.

I stand up for what I believe is right in my heart, if you have doubts search within yourself and you will find your own inner light even in darkness you can shine, always have hope. Look at all the variations of colors and all the beauty in it.

It is the experiences in our lives that shapes who we are. Like the colors of the rainbow, every unique part of ourselves should stand out, to show the world who we are. Make a change to live brighter days united, regardless of our backgrounds or religious beliefs. If there is positivity, we can overcome the darkness of the world and learn from our experiences that have left marks on us. Each experience empowers us, and we can guide others in their growth through our courage.

Hope is what drove me, hope is what drove my determination, sometimes I lost my faith but finding something you honestly believe in with all your heart and your soul keeps you going. Genuinely wanting to make a change, a difference and action upon it is when you will begin to see your work here has made an impact in this world.

I am a yoga teacher, a mentor, a mother, a friend, a survivor of abuse, brain injury, trauma, I am strong and determined,. Believe that in your mind when you write, journal, meditate, seek with in the core of your existence, pray, or say affirmations that you create, you will find the answer just like I did.

When I was at the my rock bottom of depression and anxiety filled me, my life was spinning out of balance, and I had a desire for alcohol, as a coping strategy for my mental pain, it created suffering and negativity. I had the power to change it, recover, and find the tools to let go, grow, create new memories, and erase it. You have to go through the motion of the feelings without intoxication in order to heal trauma.

Nature and yoga are truly medicine for my soul. This path has allowed me to elevate my spirituality, consciousness, and grow in every aspect of my life. Yoga and meditation are used to heal mind, body, and soul. Visual imagery techniques are immensely powerful, the focus of colors to expand the imagination, retrieve a positive thought or memory. Reframe our thoughts by using color and nature imagery as a tool.

Please read my meditation poem Jewel of the Heart in the Desert. I was inspired by traveling to New Mexico near the red rocks, the beauty of the canyons moved me, I felt the radiant energy, the vibrant force of every rock formation.

It led to me to write the poetry meditation guide book, that I have been working on for this past year. Prior to the pandemic, I was a yoga teacher, for three years. I started writing Free Your Mind a poetry meditation guide from a collection of meditations, self help knowledge, and courses.

The poem that I am submitting for the contest was used as a meditation for my Yoga classes. I added things and wanted it to fit the theme of colors and inspire others! You can read the poem and let it take you to wherever your place of serenity is, Free your Mind!!!

Jewel of The Heart in The Desert

There is a heart that sits inside a jewel, the color emits shades of green, pink, as the sun reflects our Jewel recharges, and it gives us strength. It is the core of our existence, be kind is to yourself, our heart of all hearts, we express love, acceptance, healing, imagine breathing in the gleaming green and pink into the heart center filling up your entire being with true joy, exhaling out any uncertainty.

Say in the mind I accept myself for the individual that I am, I possess love that I give myself, then extend it to others, we must be kind to ourselves and take care of our mind body and soul before caring for others.

Visualize traveling into the red rocks, far west walking along the edges of the mountain side, observing the beautiful black raven he sits upon a tree stump and eats from the heart of the tree, he nourishes himself, and guides us on our journey, as he nourishes himself, we must learn to nourish ourselves and what we need in our lives.

Embrace who we are. Embrace who I am for being an individual who chooses to stand out. Who chooses to stand up in what I truly believe even when others do not agree, when I truly believe in my rights or supporting what is true, what is good, supporting what must be done to shine and move forward, regardless of the past, or present, I choose to live in this present space, letting the things be, leaving the past behind. I want to live to the fullest potential, each day. I want to share positive outcomes to help others overcome obstacles.

I want individuals to use their voice, embrace all the gifts that they have to offer the next person, share your individuality as I share mine, I express it even if it is not what suits everyone, my style is my own I embrace it, the way I express myself poetically is my way of releasing past traumas, once I did not have a voice it was lost I have regained my strength and power by finding beauty with in the darkness, emptiness from depression and anxieties, being mysterious in certain way yet shining through the dark decade of lost hopes and dreams. I found my way through it all because of hope and never giving up, this is the key when any one is facing an extreme challenge, or an obstacle. Always have hope, let the light shine through the darkness. I can let go of the past and you can move on too. Free yourself of what no longer serves you. Release it all beginning a new day.

Remove Clouded Lens

The raven is there to make us see clearly and remove any clouded lenses. Allow him to guide you as we approach the spring, He spreads his magical wings showing us the way, not to be afraid to blossom and open ourselves up to all the possibilities as we travel, his Visualize the dark green cactuses they are scattered throughout the land follow them on a magical journey across the steep slope, you notice the layers in the canyons each represents a different era of time, the colors of yellow, brown, red , symbolize how magnificently things shifted over time, then a snake approaches , he glides slowly between the red rocks , he is there to help you focus as the sun gets hotter and the days grow longer he is the ultimate guide in your transformation, follow his wisdom and mysticism, imagine gleaming yellow color ignite your inner fire manifesting what you truly would like to change or welcome in to your life.

He keeps you grounded connected to the Earth through every terrain you encounter, giving you the courage to ignite your best version of you, say in your mind I speak my truth, I am free, I have courage and the ability to use my senses to guide me.

Never let fear hold you back, listen to the raven’s song as he expresses his love, he spreads his wings before you, he is honoring you, expressing his love that it is the truest of true form.

Seek within yourself the courage you hold in the core of your being, ignite your inner beauty letting it shine through the jewel of the heart, the desert wildflower is a deep shade of pink we find one on our walk in the picturesque terrain it is the symbol of deeply connecting to our heart, continue following the rhythm and connection of our breath during our journey in the desert.

Here we can spend our time gazing into the mountainous vast lands as the sun begins to slowly lower down, dusk is approaching, it grows darker listen to the sounds in the distance centering the mind. Pause taking a seat for a moment feeling the rocky terrain beneath you. Breathe in all the wonders that you have encountered during this time, begin to walk back to the path returning from your space, feeling lighter, calmer, continuing to immerse yourself in this feeling at any time you can return to this place visualizing it in the mind. Use it as a tool in any situation to create clarity.

BY Michelle Bedont