photography

41 Incredibly Powerful Photos That Capture The Human Condition

~ jaysen ~ Leave a comment

with a 24 hour news cycle that often puts a spotlight on what can be negative and destructive results of human choice and action, it is important to also open our eyes and draw attention to our beauty. a beauty manifest from what can be great bravery in harrowing circumstances, drawn from the compassion that lives in our hearts. these photos do show some of the ugly – but the majority bear witness to the beauty that arises from courageous souls connecting to our humanity, making a different choice, to end suffering.

~j

 

when you love, you love…

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Bug Walk medium

 

“Someone has said, ‘To be a saint is to have loved many things’ —many things —
the tree, the dog, the sky, the flowers, even the color of someone’s clothing.
You see, when you love, you love, and love extends to everything all the time and everywhere.”
~ Richard Rohr

dirt beneath these nails…

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dirty nails

Awake in the world
What is this meditation?
Dirt beneath these nails

~j

“A long time ago in China, a Zen student asked if any of the sages had ever fallen into hell.  His teacher answered that they are the first to go there!  The shocked student asked, ‘But if they are enlightened, why would they fall into hell?’  The teacher looked at the student and with a smile said, ‘If I didn’t fall into hell, how could I help you?’  Do you see what he is doing here?  He completely reverses the student’s problem, saying this is not about the student’s idea of purity, but about helping and caring.  That is what’s important.  He’s saying that you have to get your hands dirty; you have to dig right in.  Just as you are, without some special robe or degree or twenty years of meditation practice.  Just as you are, you can help.”

~ Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara
from the chapter “Living In The Suffering World”
from her book, “MOST INTIMATE: A Zen Approach To Life’s Challenges”

this life! this life!

~ jaysen ~ 2 Comments

Love Raining Down

 

we have within our hearts
the capacity to

hold all of this

the tears, the laughter
the noise, the silence
the stillness, the loss

the love

we also have the wisdom to

let it all go…

and here we are on this journey together
learning to

dance between the two

this life!
this life!

~ j

February 3, 2014

this shared Life…

~ jaysen ~ 3 Comments

flowers of gratitude

“Destiny itself is like a wonderful wide tapestry in which every thread is guided by an unspeakably tender hand, placed beside another thread, and held and carried by a hundred others.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
 
 

what have i done that i should wake with
breath filling my lungs?
what have i done that i should feel the
warm sun kiss my back,
the cool breeze tease across
my face?

what have i done that i my feet should
walk upon this earth and
feel its strong embrace,
holding each step?

what have i done to hear the
songs of birds or
see the dedicated work of
bees and ants?

to find comfort in
music?
to dream in
art?

what have i done to know friendship and
love

LOVE
in the deepest places of my heart, that
it has no choice but
to sing its song to every cell in
this body

THIS BODY
that too has been
given,
this body

THIS BODY
made of so many other little bodies in
this shared Life?

YES
this shared Life.

nothing.

it is all Gift.

~j

 

November 28, 2013
Thanksgiving & Hanukkah