Buddhism

To What Shall I Liken the World

A summer storm moved through the area yesterday, tearing the newly formed lilac blossoms from security of their limb.

At first, I was angry at such a loss to the garden. The fence, once replete with the lilac’s treasure – now barren. I worried for the hummingbird who seemed quite transfixed by her imminent metamorphosis.

Could she find joy without them?

As if on cue, she flew past the fence – and, never looking back, paused at petals of an English Rose. I smiled realizing her courage and the resilience carried by such tiny wings.

It reminded me of a passage from Dōgen Zenji. With your permission, I’d like to share it with you here today.

“To what shall
I liken the world?
Moonlight, reflected
In dewdrops,
Shaken from a crane’s bill.”

Impermanence is the cornerstone to the Buddha’s teachings; everything that is, can not be grasped. When we understand the truth in this fundamental simplicity – only then, can we finally know peace.

In this way, all of life becomes the garden’s ‘everlasting’.

In peace, my sweet friends..

Namaste ❤

The Lesson of the Garden Lily.

I remember one planting bulbs in the garden. A little one had been watching from afar; though, with courage, soon ventured nearer.

“What are those?” she asked, scrinching her nose. It was clear she couldn’t yet see the potential within.

“They’re Stargazer lilies – my favorite,” I said. “And, when they ‘grow up’ they’ll be as big as your head.”

The very next day, I saw her perched by the garden. “I didn’t want to miss it when it happened,” she explained.

It’s so hard to wait, when we know the reward…

When we speak of awareness, we often identify through an aspect of ego – our mind and senses exploring the tangibility of this realization. For this little one sitting alone on the chair, she had already visualized the scent of the bloom. So much so, that she was fearful to miss its ‘becoming’.

In an instant I understood the basis of my practice – that whispers of my truth could be found in these everyday moments.

“This is the real secret of life,” Alan Watts once shared. “To be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”

And with that spark of realization I did the only thing I knew I should – I pulled up a chair and sat with her as she waited.

In peace, my loves…

Namaste ❤️

A True and Lasting Bliss.

Why is it that which we ‘need most of all’ often seems furthest from view? We bend, we stretch, we strain our neck on the promise of a prospect, and that is it.

And, yet – we realize this craving is the source of our unhappiness; a thirst that simply can not be quenched. When, in reality – getting what we ‘want’ doesn’t necessarily secure our bliss. Rather, it can – in time – prove our demise.

‘I want’…’I need’…’I must’…

How often does the ‘I’ prevail? Eliciting the cause of suffering; the energy building with each chasing of tail.

“Whatever is not yours: let it go. Your letting go will serve a longer-term benefit”

Because the letting go is what grants us freedom. And, this freedom is the only source of a true and lasting bliss.

In peace, my loves…

Namaste ❤️

“As One.”

“Don’t let others lead you,” writes poet Rumi. “They may be blind, or worse – vultures.”

‘Like water’ – he likened the will to spirit; traveling blind and gracing the edges of paradise.

“Don’t insist on going where you think you want to go. Ask the way to the spring, your living pieces will form a harmony.”

When we allow ourselves this spaciousness of a single thought, undeterred – we allow ourselves to find the way; just as water through rock and winding wood. And, nourishing the roots of all that is Divine – from seedling to oak to sparrows egg.

“As one” – always is and always was.

In peace, my loves…

Namaste ❤️

Sent

Until Only the Mountain Remains.

I came across this lovely passage from the poet Ikkyu:

“Every day priests examine the dharma
And endlessly chant complicated sutras
Before doing that, they should learn
How to read the love letters sent by the wind and rain, the snow and the moon.”

In these few short words, the complexities of life are distilled. Angst, upset, willfulness and desire – silent before a near fleeting awe.

We find ourselves within this intimacy of nature; the stark contrast of White Birch against the grey of a wintered sky. And knowing, the cardinals will soon take their place within the advancing lush of the Magnolia bow.

Everything changes, my loves – a continuous unfolding of all into ‘one’. Culminating into the expansiveness of this single moment, in which the subtleties of impermanence yield a far greater value.

In this space, we are so much more than a mere passing of time. Rather, we are boldly uncommon manifestations of light.

“We sit together, the mountain and me,” writes Li Po, “Until only the mountain remains.”

In peace, my loves…

Namaste ❤️

This Moment of Awakening.

I remember once hearing the story of a wooden block which sat above the entrance to a great meditation hall. Upon which was written the following Tassajara Zen verse:

“Wake Up!
Life is transient
Swiftly passing
Be aware
The Great Matter
Don’t waste time!”

Each day, the block bore the strike of a large wooden mallet — an honored tradition to call the students ‘home.’

As the years passed, the block was worn thin through each of its ‘sufferings’ — becoming frail and weakened, until the once powerful words faded gently into memory.

Eventually, only the block, now transformed, remained; its scars now testimony to the depth of the teaching.

Nothing in this world is permanent, my loves. And as I travel this morning along the same wooded path, I see – that even the great oak must make way for new seedlings.

In this way, life and all its lessons become a gentle unfolding. And our time here – a fragment of the greater lesson to be shared.

Life is transient, my loves, and swiftly passing…Do not squander these precious moments into worry.

In peace…

Namaste ❤️

We Are What We Experience.

My darlings, this morning I am inspired by the words of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, who writes:

“An enlightened essence is present in everyone. It is present in every state, both samsara and nirvana, and in all sentient beings; there is no exception.”

His words have been present in my thoughts, as of late. In reading through messages, I sense the doubt and hesitation; the unwillingness to fully believe.

That we are already enlightened beings.

We are born into this space, unburdened by the complexities of judgment and ego. We see the world as it truly is, absent the limitations of label.

And, yet? Something holds us back, my loves – prohibiting our ability to experience our ‘Buddha nature’ within.

We see enlightenment as a goal, a destination. Though, ultimately – that which we seek is always within, waiting to be revealed.

“Awakening to enlightenment is not an ancient fable,” he shares. “It is not mythology. It actually does happen. Bring the oral instructions into your own practical experience and enlightenment is indeed possible; it is not just a fairy tale.”
Today, I invite you to explore these subtleties of self, to experience this world as a manifestation of your own Buddha nature. And, to ultimately know…that you are the world you discover.

In peace, my loves…

Namaste ❤️

Only the Good Remains.

It’s hard to practice gratitude when we’re feeling overwhelmed. Life seems to displace intention, and worry becomes our new ‘mind frame.’

Though, I promise you it is possible.

This past week has been marked by challenge. Though, my son’s injury is physically healing – there is work yet to be done at a much deeper level.

I’m speaking for myself, in this regard. As a mother, I’ve been trained at the ready for skinned knees and broken bones. However, blood transfusions – my goodness, that required a resilience with roots to a ‘higher authority.’

And, now today – I face the loss of a friend. Unexpected, certainly – though, life doesn’t wait for our acceptance of change.

So, we must find our place – in spite of everything else.

This morning, I’ve taken refuge in a back parking lot. Although yesterday was marked with fierce thunderstorms, today – only a single puddle remains.

I was immediately struck by the stillness of the water; as if a finely polished mirror reflecting its truth back into nature.

“Can you not see me,” she pleads. “After all that once was, still I remain.”

Our tender hearts are much like the puddle after the storm. That is to say, no matter what may transpire – only the good remains.

We are the water, my loves – and, we are the reflection within.

And that is the basis for my gratitude.

Only the good remains….

In peace…

Namaste ❤️

Learning to Let It All In.

When I first began my meditation practice I had difficulty concentrating. My mind would race to the day’s events, and tomorrow ‘must do’ list.

I’d shift and twist and grimace and sigh, until finally my teacher approached to whisper;

“Stop trying so hard…”

He was elderly man, well into his 80’s – however, always with the most contented of smiles. I’d watch him, wondering – how had he achieved such effortless ‘perfection’.

Each time we visited, I’d take mental notes of his impression. Still, whatever ‘it’ was that needed to be done seemed so inexplicably out of reach.

“Stop trying so hard…” he whispered again. “Just let the energy in.”

I’d been trying so hard to force myself into I presumed would be ‘perfection’. Though, in doing so, I only succeeded in keeping myself from inner peace.

In his book, Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise, Thich Nhat Hanh writes;

“The practice of mindfulness is simple. You stop, you breathe and you still your mind. You come home to yourself so that you can enjoy the here and now in every moment.

All the wonders of life are already here. They’re calling you. If you can listen to them, you will be able to stop running. What you need, what we all need, is silence. Stop the noise in your mind in order for the wondrous sounds of life to be heard.”

As I sit here this morning, I’m reminded of my old friend, my teacher. Who shared with me the simplicity of life, and encouraged me to permit my true self’s emergence.

And now, as I listen to the cardinal’s morning song or watch the kitten’s curiosity over the squirrel’s taking chase – I can better appreciate my connection to this world. I can see myself in every reflection.

When we quiet our minds, we are able to ‘tune in’. To pay attention to and finally hear the true ‘heart song’ of this world.

And, it begins with our ‘not trying so hard’ – and abandoning our need to fit.

Because when we finally let go, we can begin to let it all in.

In peace…

Namaste ❤️

The Answer Within the Reflection.

“When you first encounter mindfulness practice,” writes Thich Nhat Hanh. “you may have a million questions. But before you look to someone else for answers, sit with these questions yourself.”

His words reflect one of life’s most profound teachings. That is to say, all that we’ve ever really wanted or needed has always been right here within. It is the centermost of our spiritual being, our focal point – or divine source.

And yet, we have such a habit of always looking outside ourselves. We want to believe the answers exist within a single point of reference. Perhaps, we fear touching our heart deeply? That we might discover a vulnerability of soul?

But, it’s only through asking these questions of self – that we are finally able to break through and extend our awareness further.

“We have to learn the things that can help us to transform our own suffering,” he shares. In order to do so, we must be willing to look deeply into our own pain.

So, don’t be afraid to ask those questions, my loves. As, you may find — the answers are all right there within your reflection.

A little something to consider, my friends ~

Namaste ❤️