The sensation of floating, the blissful awareness of inner stillness, the absence of thinking. How can I create these feelings in a poem of three lines. My journey of yoga and meditation have led me to my present understanding, and my self imposed challenge of writing haiku to help others on the path of meditation. The tradition of writing haiku has evolved from ancient Japan, to spread throughout the western world. Along with changing times, the form and content of haiku have evolved from being strictly about nature, to the capturing of any moments of life.

I like the idea of capturing a moment within 17 syllables. It is a challenge to relate the essence of a moment in so brief a form, and I have been chasing this ideal, with varying results, over the last few years.

One of my other pursuits is photography. I like to capture the many beautiful and fascinating scenes and creatures in nature. Photography is a form of meditation, of being present in the moment. So for me, photography and haiku is a natural combination.

The Let It Go Yoga approach to yoga practice is one that encompasses all aspects of yoga, with an especially persistent emphasis on deep breathing. While practicing the poses within the series, the body is re-energized, the mind is calmed, and the breathing lengthens. The deeper aspect of the practice is the chance to go deeply within in meditation. As you breathe while meditating, letting go of all else, the breath leads one to the moment of stillness.

With these haiku, I offer glimpses of a moment that may illuminate your own meditation, your own moment of stillness.

James Louis Parsons