3 Poems to Read This Spiritual Wellness Month

Throughout history and across cultures, spirituality has taken different shapes and meanings. Ultimately, though, spiritual practices often involve expanding one’s awareness, developing higher states of consciousness, and deepening a connection to both internal and external forces. In honor of Spiritual Wellness Month this March, we’ve chosen a few poems to help guide you on your spiritual journey.

 

“What Do We Know” by Mary Oliver

 

Widely known for exploring nature in her work, Mary Oliver’s poems are ideal for Spiritual Wellness Month. In Oliver’s “What Do We Know,” the subject experiences a moment of spiritual connection to the natural world, realizing the innate energetic links that exist between people and nature. Oliver clearly illustrates this theme throughout the poem, specifically in the final stanza when she states, “my right hand / was holding my left hand / which was holding the tree / which was filled with stars.” The iconic poet ends the piece on a poignant note with “the long and wondrous journeys / still to be ours,” emphasizing that spirituality is a journey centered on growth. 

 

The sky cleared

I was standing

under a tree.

 

and there were stars in the sky

that were also themselves

at the moment

 

at which moment

my right hand

was holding my left hand

which was holding the tree

which was filled with stars

and the soft rain —

imagine! Imagine!

the long and wondrous journeys

still to be ours.

 

“For The Journey” by Morgan Harper Nichols

 

Multimedia artist, content creator, and poet Morgan Harper Nichols is well-known for her four books and popular Instagram account, boasting 1.9 million followers. It’s likely you’ve seen one of Nichols’ inspiring and encouraging poems while scrolling through your feed. Nichols often incorporates themes of spirituality and growth in her work, as evident in her poem “For The Journey.” At the end, Nichols alludes to a higher power present in one’s life when she states “there will also be moments in music and light / that remind you: / you are not alone.”

 

May you have moments

in the sunlight

that your soul never forgets.

May you encounter love

as strong as music,

and there’s no need to question it.

May you travel the earth trusting

that for all of the unknowns

there will also be moments in music and light

that remind you:

you are not alone.

 

“Awareness” by Yung Pueblo

 

Poet, meditator, and speaker Yung Pueblo’s poem “Awareness” is great to read at any point of your spiritual journey. The subject of the piece is experiencing a greater sense of awareness, both internally and externally, referencing “the heart of the earth and the heart of the universe.” Her ability to love helps her spirituality grow and deepen, and although she endures challenges, she’s able to remain centered and present. 

 

as her love grew, her ability to feel the

unseen and listen to the wisdom of the

eternal strengthened. the walk on the path

to freedom had changed her; though she

still experienced times of difficult release,

the feeling of unity remained ever present

in her body. now that she lived her life in

the grassy field between mortality and the

infinite, she could feel that the space in

her heart was the same as the heart of

the earth and the heart of the universe.