Healing Words: Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

As a psychologist, I believe that poetry can nourish us and ease our distress. Today, I want to introduce you to one of my favorite poems, “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver. This poem helps us tap into self-compassion by encouraging us to be mindful of our present moment experience and reminding us of our interconnectedness with other beings. It also does a great job of pointing out that worthiness is not contingent on external sources of validation. Your worth is inherent: you are worthy of love and belonging, just as you are. You are enough.

I love this poem so much that I have it hanging in my therapy office.

“Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

Ready to Give Self-Compassion a Try?

You can listen to my free self-compassion meditation recordings here.

If you want to go deeper and have me guide and support you on your self-compassion journey you can request an appointment below.