" Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves:

...be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matt. 10:16)
What is the wisdom of serpents? Hiding from danger. We need to be wise before we can be harmless to ourselves and others!

In ancient times there was king, who also was a spiritual guide and teacher, who required of his prospective student to tour the royal palace while carrying in the  palm of his hand an oil lamp filled to the brim with oil. To be accepted into the class, he had to observe minutely all details and report to the king every item in each palatial room without spilling one drop of oil from the lamp.

The meaning of the requirement was that the applicant had to recognize the importance to keep his attention on the Light, lest the oil of spiritual communion be spilled, while at the same time perform his duties in the world.

The teacher understood that the student couldn't divorce practical wisdom from spirituality.  That union enables us to be so discerning and practical that we cannot be fooled, and become harmless to ourselves and to others!
 

EvaMaria Hogrefe
2018

Poise---

Repose--
The self-knowledge
Revealed in self-reflection
Advocates for me!
And as I am
Composed,
The moon leaps--
A solitary thought...
Is still.
The sound of falling leaves,
Waning autumn wind--
What voices are these?
Oh, the music of running streams!
Perhaps these are times of demons,
But I'm not disturbed --
Even so, some take my smiles
And give none back--
See how free my soul really is!
I am able to do
What needs to be done, and
Once done,
Carries me along--
You and I know what that is--
Open thought to the breeze
Of fresh autumn air!
Be with the stars,
Inspired--and so
Heaven... evening clear!


Eva Maria Hogrefe
2018

Rev 2019

A dove---

A dove is born---

engulfed in light

Lifting high

Above fear and dispute

Into space---

My soul opened it's wings

Trying to fly

But a moment of a cold breeze

Freezes it into silence--

Oh fresh, shady, green hills!

Who can see so many different things?

Roses freshly picked at night---

Tears falling like rain from your eyes

Bring the roses back to life---

The moon is poised in the stillness!

Eva-Maria Hogrefe

What is and what is not!

Sea: "What are you taking about?"

Sky: "It's the eternal question."

Sea: "What's your answer?"

Sky: "It's the eternal silence."

Birds are flying low…

Sky: "I'll touch you, mighty Sea,

And thereby we start our

Wind-driven dance!"

In pouring rain

Stars are few---

Not sparkling but cold!

Gently speaks the Soul to us,

To point out what is suitable 

For living

And what is not.

But who'd have thought these things

So converge, looking at our heart

This way or that, here, there...

How rare justice is these days,

When some must take the blame

For other's faults!

2018

The closed hand

As in the schoolyard game,
He mocks
By his words,
"Guess what I have!"
Is this 

Just an attitude?
Or a devious inclination?

Alas, I go on wanting--
I'm quite unaware

What is happening

Til he shows

The closed hand--daring,

Provoking--

If it were loosened

I'd behold

Desire granted-- or so I

Think, and torment

Grows--it's surprising my hopes

Do not go up in flames!

I wonder if this

Illusion lasts?

I stare at the

Closed hand.

The evil one dictates the laugh--

Or weeps, screams, cries--
His nature erratic--

The hand opens...
Is empty!

2018

The Neapolitan Man

Love touched him,

The sea called--

And he threw himself 

With wide-open arms into

The wave and swam a mile.

And then he stood still in the 

Shallow, cold water 

Like a stature of strength.

What great force moved him!

2018

Who separated me from my friends

"...cheerfully await the certainty of ultimate perfection." (Science and Health, p. 97)-----

What separates me from
My faithful friends?
All my thoughts make life
And its own proof of harmony
Denying error's verity.
I wander along the banks of a river,
Fresh-flowing, lively and deep.
Nothing is lost and I find
A place to rest.
Little songs arouse flowers!--
In the shady meadows and the dark forests,
Sky all stars. The finite gives place
To the infinite, on earth as in heaven---
Sets oneself right!

2018