Greenway Abbey

Greenway Abbey

I stopped enchanted by a pool of trees,
A path that knew its course was false.
Our vision shifted to tree reflections
Calling to be seen, to be followed.

I stood enchanted on the pine forest floor.
A face, two eyes, a nose, looked out from
The nearest - old, chants sent upward,
Branches gone, shorter, longer, green.

I sat enchanted above the river basin.
A morning orchestra of birds bursts sudden.
A dry seat for sound and a visit to
Basho’s beaches, mountains and streams.

I turned to the temptation of nonexistence,
Corn stalk cemetery’s lines of silence.
Up! It's time to walk on in true silence,
No longer grasping for endings.
They will come.
They will go.


Genesee Abbey, April 21, 2007

Jealousy

My son recently described an experience of his to me, an intense meditation experience. I found myself feeling jealousy

(I was able to let it be, let it pass, and it was replaced with pride for him.)

Why do we feel jealous? Some teachers say it is because we are not fully in love with ourselves; that makes sense. It seems to me however that first we need to fully know ourselves, to know our full selves, and to know ourselves fully in each moment. Gods, that seems like it could be a lot of work. But better than the suffering that jealousy brings.

My jealousy yesterday was a doorway to knowing myself fully in that moment and a window to seeing myself more fully in this moment now.

Doorways opening inward
allow spring breezes to push open
doorways opening outward.