Zen Student:
Is there anything I can do to make myself enlightened?
Zen Master:
As little as you can do to make the sun rise in the morning.
Zen Student:
Then of what use are the spiritual exercises you prescribe?
Zen Master:
To make sure you are not asleep when the sun begins to rise.
talk to me of a place
that has known
no pain
find me a place
absent
of beauty
the wind
blows where she pleases
the ocean
settles and rages
here
is
where
we
are
here is heaven
here is hell
tell me friend
where
will you rest your heart?
~j
11.21.14
No “Other”
One People
One Love
Interdependence
Community
Sangha
a wonderful and beneficial read, this morning…
THIS…
Gate A-4 By Naomi Shihab Nye:
Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been delayed four hours, I heard an announcement: “If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.” Well— one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.
An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing. “Help,” said the flight agent. “Talk to her . What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this.”
I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke haltingly. “Shu-dow-a, shu-bid-uck, habibti? Stani schway, min fadlick, shu-bit-se-wee?” The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been cancelled entirely. She needed to be…
View original post 393 more words
there is a different kind of warriorship that we can participate in.
one that is not about being aggressive or violent.
one that is about being brave enough to not use aggression, to not succumb to fear, and to not become anxious…
choosing not to add to the fear and not to add to the aggression in the world, and choosing not to engage in cynicism…
it is a decision made moment by moment, choice by choice.
this is what it means to be a spiritual warrior, a warrior of and for peace.
this is what it is to serve Love.
~j
10.16.14
“There are people who advocate and practice compassionate listening, there are those who embrace voluntary simplicity, who remove the calluses from their hearts and keep them open to feel the pains of others. Seek them out, I urge you, and join them in their compassion.”
~ Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalom
you
wayfarer
have traveled so far
and
journeyed long
you arrived to this place
to be
you
who are you ?
~j
10.09.14
so full
so bright
she carries all of our sadness,
yet shines
Oh! to be luminous like the Moon!
~j
06.17.14
repost from 08.02.2014 🙂
whether or not
the noise fades
or the ego does
or doesn’t
lose its hold
just give Love
whether or not
the sun breaks through
or it doesn’t
and you can’t help
but fold
just give Love
as it has been freely given
freely give
as it is the Source of Life
in loving you fully live
give Love
~ j
