Hi Satya, this comes from Brother Phap Linh of Plum Village. He did a guided meditation and put in these lines as a paean to Mother Eartha and to help us touch/glimpse a sense of Interbeing.
I am the joy of the stars on a clear winter night,
I am the laughter of a spring leaf caught in a beam of sunlight,
Many years ago a friend wrote this little blessing -- "Water flows over these hands. May I use them lovingly to preserve this precious planet." I used my printer and very rudimentary skills to print it out in a nice font and put it in a frame by my sink, and I am reminded of it every time I wash my hands. I love it.
I am learning to work with my parts and it really helps me to understand how others think about their parts in practice - I liked the part about how the fog feels and working through the feelings.
I’m sending a couple of blessings from the earth which I was given yesterday on a morning visit to the arboretum at UC Santa Cruz, up on the hill above the bay.
"I will go now into the library and take out some book, and read and look; and read again and look. Here is a poem about a hedge. I will wander down it and pick flowers, green cowbind and the moonlight-coloured May, wild roses and ivy serpentine. I will clasp them in my hands and lay them on the desk’s shiny surface. I will sit by the river’s trembling edge and look at the water-lilies, broad and bright, which lit the oak that overhung the hedge with moonlight beams of their own watery light. I will pick flowers; I will bind flowers in one garland and clasp them and present them—Oh! to whom? There is some check in the flow of my being; a deep stream presses on some obstacle; it jerks; it tugs; some knot in the centre resists. Oh, this is pain, this is anguish! I faint, I fail. Now my body thaws; I am unsealed, I am incandescent. Now the stream pours in a deep tide fertilizing, opening the shut, forcing the tight-folded, flooding free. To whom shall I give all that now flows through me, from my warm, my porous body? I will gather my flowers and present them—Oh! to whom?"
I truly love your heart felt and open writing.Your wisdom and honesty support and encourage me to continue on my journey to apply buddism toward myself and everyone I meet.
This is one of my favorite life quotes that I’m holding especially close to my chest lately, “Grace fills empty spaces, but it can only enter where there is a void to receive it, and it is grace itself which makes this void.” -Simone Weil
Thank you, Satya, and I'm sorry that you had a rubbish week. I really like your new 'offerings' - the variety, the different facets of your life that are revealed with each one. I hope that your seaside time is replenishing and gentle and nourishing. xx
Looks like you didn't see my footnote Susie where I reassure people who know me in real life - my posts are always out of synch so that post is past... I'll accept your good wishes in retrospect! And I'm glad you think so, thank you. It's nice to have the freedom.
It might be a bit uncanny, but I also had a tough week, and also had to feel the fragility and impermanence of our lives. Luckily, though, no loss. What I learnt, the epiphany that offered itself to me this week, was: I’m strong enough not to panic into precipitated, overly protective rescue reactions. I was stung by a wasp and for the first time in my life, I fainted. I was worried about the my body’s tendency in the past years to develop allergic reactions, which I see as unnecessary protective measures. As if the body feels threatened, when I know I needn’t worry. It was just a wasp!
Understandable that it was scary! Glad all was well. Sorry to hear about your rubbish week & great that the epiphany was a part of what you received. Thanks for being here!
Thank you for this Satya. You’ve reminded me of the value of pulling cards. I have several sets. Buddhist prayers. Sacred Path. Spirit Animals. Runes, to name but a few. Sometimes I pick cards because I’m
feeling joyful and curious and would like some insight. At others I feel stuck or challenged and seek clarity and direction. The cards always bring me something. Sometimes a gentle awareness or reminder. At other times a transformative perspective. It’s been a very strange week. My dad passed away at the weekend and I feel great sadness. The ‘cloud of wings’ reminds me of the beauty and miracle of nature, the cyclicality and impermanence of it. It also reminds me how much we are nature despite our delusions of ‘everness’ and immortality. We live often as if today doesn’t matter, always looking to tomorrow, to the bigger, the better, the more. And yet one of those tomorrows will be our last, at least in this earthly form. Thank you for the gift of this article and the reminder of the value of externalising inner experience with cards. Something tells me I’ll be at the cards today. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 ❤️❤️❤️
I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. Sending you lots of love.
Yes - I have the same experience - they gently jolt us out of our usual patterns, I guess, by bringing something fresh. And what you've said is very wise.
I often think to myself why aren't I asking the Buddha when I pull a tarot card. (I'm Buddhist) however I'm learning that a tarot card is like a little stepping stone towards something bigger.
I'm lucky because as well as being a devoted Buddhist I have been so inspired by teachings from other traditions that I already feel comfortable using divine wisdom from wherever I find it - I see the Tarot as a separate tradition, but trust that it brings the same values I love from Buddhism - compassion, wisdom, as you say, a stepping stone towards something bigger... I was very put off Tarot for years because of the associations I had with them (I didn't like the idea of predicting the future, and I thought they were flaky faux spirituality kind of thing) - so glad I got over that because I am now very fond of my 'Guardian of the Night' Tarot pack! And good to know that I'm not the only Buddhist using them too : )
Hi Satya, this comes from Brother Phap Linh of Plum Village. He did a guided meditation and put in these lines as a paean to Mother Eartha and to help us touch/glimpse a sense of Interbeing.
I am the joy of the stars on a clear winter night,
I am the laughter of a spring leaf caught in a beam of sunlight,
the patience of the Earth,
the freedom of Space and
the ease of the flowing, living water.
These are beautiful, thank you for sharing. I can see them...
Many years ago a friend wrote this little blessing -- "Water flows over these hands. May I use them lovingly to preserve this precious planet." I used my printer and very rudimentary skills to print it out in a nice font and put it in a frame by my sink, and I am reminded of it every time I wash my hands. I love it.
I am learning to work with my parts and it really helps me to understand how others think about their parts in practice - I liked the part about how the fog feels and working through the feelings.
Thank you! Have a great time off.
Thanks Ileana!
I’m sending a couple of blessings from the earth which I was given yesterday on a morning visit to the arboretum at UC Santa Cruz, up on the hill above the bay.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=7099690476717271&set=pcb.7099695410050111
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=7099690593383926&set=pcb.7099695410050111
And these words, which are always healing:
“Geese appear high over us,
pass, and the sky closes. Abandon,
as in love or sleep, holds
them to their way, clear
in the ancient faith: what we need
is here. And we pray, not
for new earth or heaven, but to be
quiet in heart, and in eye,
clear. What we need is here.”
All We Need Is Here, Wendell Berry
Or maybe these, which I’ve just come upon again:
"I will go now into the library and take out some book, and read and look; and read again and look. Here is a poem about a hedge. I will wander down it and pick flowers, green cowbind and the moonlight-coloured May, wild roses and ivy serpentine. I will clasp them in my hands and lay them on the desk’s shiny surface. I will sit by the river’s trembling edge and look at the water-lilies, broad and bright, which lit the oak that overhung the hedge with moonlight beams of their own watery light. I will pick flowers; I will bind flowers in one garland and clasp them and present them—Oh! to whom? There is some check in the flow of my being; a deep stream presses on some obstacle; it jerks; it tugs; some knot in the centre resists. Oh, this is pain, this is anguish! I faint, I fail. Now my body thaws; I am unsealed, I am incandescent. Now the stream pours in a deep tide fertilizing, opening the shut, forcing the tight-folded, flooding free. To whom shall I give all that now flows through me, from my warm, my porous body? I will gather my flowers and present them—Oh! to whom?"
The Waves, Virginia Woolf
With gratitude,
Christie
Beautiful - four gifts, thank you. I'm going to save those words 🙏🏻
I truly love your heart felt and open writing.Your wisdom and honesty support and encourage me to continue on my journey to apply buddism toward myself and everyone I meet.
Thank you Marianne that's lovely to hear. Great to have you here 💚
This is one of my favorite life quotes that I’m holding especially close to my chest lately, “Grace fills empty spaces, but it can only enter where there is a void to receive it, and it is grace itself which makes this void.” -Simone Weil
Ooh nice! Thank you!
Thank you, Satya, and I'm sorry that you had a rubbish week. I really like your new 'offerings' - the variety, the different facets of your life that are revealed with each one. I hope that your seaside time is replenishing and gentle and nourishing. xx
Looks like you didn't see my footnote Susie where I reassure people who know me in real life - my posts are always out of synch so that post is past... I'll accept your good wishes in retrospect! And I'm glad you think so, thank you. It's nice to have the freedom.
Thanks, Satya - I did realise, but forgot when I was posting! :)
On reflection, the time delay isn't important and so I shall just say, thank you!
Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all. Emily Dickinson.
Thank you. Such beautiful words.
It might be a bit uncanny, but I also had a tough week, and also had to feel the fragility and impermanence of our lives. Luckily, though, no loss. What I learnt, the epiphany that offered itself to me this week, was: I’m strong enough not to panic into precipitated, overly protective rescue reactions. I was stung by a wasp and for the first time in my life, I fainted. I was worried about the my body’s tendency in the past years to develop allergic reactions, which I see as unnecessary protective measures. As if the body feels threatened, when I know I needn’t worry. It was just a wasp!
Understandable that it was scary! Glad all was well. Sorry to hear about your rubbish week & great that the epiphany was a part of what you received. Thanks for being here!
Thank you for this Satya. You’ve reminded me of the value of pulling cards. I have several sets. Buddhist prayers. Sacred Path. Spirit Animals. Runes, to name but a few. Sometimes I pick cards because I’m
feeling joyful and curious and would like some insight. At others I feel stuck or challenged and seek clarity and direction. The cards always bring me something. Sometimes a gentle awareness or reminder. At other times a transformative perspective. It’s been a very strange week. My dad passed away at the weekend and I feel great sadness. The ‘cloud of wings’ reminds me of the beauty and miracle of nature, the cyclicality and impermanence of it. It also reminds me how much we are nature despite our delusions of ‘everness’ and immortality. We live often as if today doesn’t matter, always looking to tomorrow, to the bigger, the better, the more. And yet one of those tomorrows will be our last, at least in this earthly form. Thank you for the gift of this article and the reminder of the value of externalising inner experience with cards. Something tells me I’ll be at the cards today. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 ❤️❤️❤️
I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. Sending you lots of love.
Yes - I have the same experience - they gently jolt us out of our usual patterns, I guess, by bringing something fresh. And what you've said is very wise.
Go gently xxxx
I often think to myself why aren't I asking the Buddha when I pull a tarot card. (I'm Buddhist) however I'm learning that a tarot card is like a little stepping stone towards something bigger.
I'm lucky because as well as being a devoted Buddhist I have been so inspired by teachings from other traditions that I already feel comfortable using divine wisdom from wherever I find it - I see the Tarot as a separate tradition, but trust that it brings the same values I love from Buddhism - compassion, wisdom, as you say, a stepping stone towards something bigger... I was very put off Tarot for years because of the associations I had with them (I didn't like the idea of predicting the future, and I thought they were flaky faux spirituality kind of thing) - so glad I got over that because I am now very fond of my 'Guardian of the Night' Tarot pack! And good to know that I'm not the only Buddhist using them too : )