“I Am”

A poem inspired by existential questions.

Jim Patton

Articles\Mindful

meditation, mindful, mindfulness, poem, poetry, reflection, self exploration, self-inquiry

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I started my day with a guided meditation from a series called “Getting Unstuck” by Deepak Choprah and Oprah. I’d also been thinking about some of the topics we covered and what I had learned during a recent meditation intensive guided by Jennifer Prugh. In my head, I’ve been working through questions, such as, “What is my dharma?” and, on this particular morning, “Who am I?” While driving to work, I was inspired to stop and pull to the side of the road so that all of my attention (and intention), all of me, was for one moment in time, focused on the answer to this question.

“I Am”

I am the doctor, I am the patient.
I am the jailer, I am the prisoner.
I am the tormentor, I am the abused.
I am a compassionate giving soul, I am a compassionate receiving soul
I am capable of great love, I am capable of great harm.
I am both the giver, and the receiver.
I am a sum of my choices.

Today, I choose to be the healer, so that I may experience what it is to be healed.

Jim Patton

Jim’s journey started in Maine and eventually led him to Los Gatos, California – and through many states in between. During a three-year stretch, he spent nine months of each year camping and backpacking. Eventually he found his way to Silicon Valley and a career in tech (which ended after a two-year contract working for the DoD). Along the path, he met a fellow scuba instructor by the name of Paul Miller, who introduced him to meditation. Paul’s wife introduced Jim to crystals and his geek was on! Paul and Kate introduced Jim to Gideon and Ana Enz who opened the path to Wuji Qigong and Yang-Style Taijiquan, which led Jim to Breathe Together Yoga. Jennifer Prugh stepped in and led the way to Ladakh, India, and then to the JOY of Yoga teacher training program.