This Body in Other Forms.

I was really moved by a passage this morning; from the Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book, a Contemplation on No-Coming, No-Going by Thich Nhat Hahn.

It speaks to what is often a difficult subject, that is – the impermanence of ‘self.’

It’s a topic that is certainly close to our hearts, and hopefully one that might help us understand the true nature of our connection. In the Buddhist tradition, death is not viewed as ending to life – rather, it is viewed in the spirit of transformation.

As Thay so eloquently describes, we are ‘life without boundaries.’

“One day I took the hand of a young father who had just buried his little son,” he recalled “I invited him to walk with me to discover his son in other forms…A week later I took the hand of his father during walking meditation and showed him many manifestations of his little boy. Together, we visited the plum tree I planted for his son, and as we sat in the afternoon light, we saw his little boy waving to us from every bud and branch.”

My darlings, on this day – I am compelled to share this with you:

“This body is not me.
I am not limited by this body.
I am life without boundaries.
I have never been born,
and I have never died.

Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars,
manifestations from my wondrous true mind.

Since before time, I have been free.
Birth and death are only doors through which we pass,
sacred thresholds on our journey.
Birth and death are a game of hide-and-seek.

So laugh with me,
hold my hand,
let us say good-bye,
say good-bye,
to meet again soon.

We meet today.
We will meet again tomorrow.
We will meet at the source every moment.
We meet each other in all forms of life.”

About

Tara Lemieux is a mindful wanderer, and faithful stargazer. Although she often appears to be listening with great care, rest assured she is most certainly‘forever lost in thought. She is an ardent explorer and lover of finding things previously undiscovered or at the very least mostly not-uncovered.

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