Let it Be

Everything comes and goes by itself

Let it be

Wholeness



Sunrise view of the Grand Canyon



Medicine Wheel in the Tonto National Forest



"In our yearning to be perfect, we have mistaken perfection for wholeness. We think we cannot love ourselves until we and others meet some external standard...in fact, most neuroses and compulsions are ultimately a defense against loving ourselves without conditions." Marion Woodman, Dancing in the Flames

New Moon in Leo

 "Traditionally women are taught, and instinctively we long to give where it is needed and immediately. Eternally, woman spills herself away in driblets to the thirsty, seldom being allowed the time, the quiet, the peace, to let the pitcher fill up to the brim." Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Hope you create the Sacred Space for yourself during this New Moon, and maybe every New Moon hereafter, to fill yourself up.  Take care of yourself my dear friend.

Storytelling



Go far back in time...humans have been sitting around the fire and telling stories. 

We still do.  The most wonderful stories.  I love listening to stories, and telling them.

From the book Crow and Weasel by Barry Lopez.  Crow and Weasel return home after a long journey and tell Badger what has happened to them. She knows that it is not just the journey but the story that is important and tells them why:

"The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive."



Owl symbol of wisdom



Elf Owl

A friend here in Arizona took this picture of a friendly little elf owl (about 7 inches tall) who has taken up hanging out in her backyard.
"Athena, the Greek Goddess of wisdom, had a companion Owl which sat on her shoulder. It is said that Owl revealed to Athena unseen truths. Owl lit up Athenas' blind side, enabling her to see what was not apparent on the surface.  Owl can see that which others cannot, which is the essence of true wisdom." paraphrased from Medicine Cards by Sams & Carson

Wisdom

Wisdom is "the understanding that leads to an even, peaceful, and balanced life."

from The Art of Disappearing: Buddha's Path to Lasting Joy by Ajahn Brahm

The Zen of Cats, Dogs, and Pets

CONTENTMENT

CALM EMPTY MIND

The animals around us possess certain qualities or "medicines" that they share with us.  When speaking with a patient in the hospital I always ask if they have any pets.  This simple question most often opens the door to the "Looks Within Place".  And people share from a deep space in their hearts. The connection with the animals in our lives helps us to improve our connection to the Great Mystery and to All Our Relatives. As most of you know from your own experience animals bring healing, strength and understanding.





CONCENTRATION



COMPASSION



LIVE IN THE PRESENT
(NO WORRIES)



ENJOY THE SIMPLE THINGS
IN LIFE

 

Mirror Mirror

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." John Muir

Go out for a simple walk. Let the natural world reflect back to you your own light and shadow.
The natural world is a wonderful mirror.

Heart of the path

Achaan Chah: "The heart of the path is so simple.  Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice." from A Still Forest Pool, Jack Kornfield and Paul Breiter

Planting Seeds

Each day we are able to plant seeds of love, peace,

tolerance, and understanding.

We may not be able to see the fruition of this kind of gardening in a day,

in a week, in a season, for many years or for many lifetimes.

Planting "good causes" will bring good outcomes.

It's the Universal Dharma law.

I put creative energy into this blog, for example.

I consciously sit with a dying patient and extend love.

I extend my peace to a grieving friend.

I tell a co-worker they have done a great job.

I chant the Lotus Sutra.

And its' not really "me" doing anything.

Its' actually just getting out of the way and

allowing the Universal Love to pour through this world

like an Arizona monsoon rain.

I remind myself to maintain a broad view.

I don't know how the Universe will use this energy.

That's OK.  I can let go of how I think it should all work out.

But, I do like to imagine the good causes will someday be

a lovely meadow of desert wild flowers.

Ho.

The sage's way: Tao

The sage's way.  Tao is the way of water.
There must be water for life to be,
and it can flow wherever
And water, being true in being water
is true to Tao.
Like a lake the
heart must be calm and quiet
having great depth beneath it.

The sage needs to know like water how to flow around the blocks and how to find the way through without violence  Like water, the sage should wait for the moment to ripen and be right:

Water, you know, never fights, it flows around without harm.

Earth Roots

When I go on a walk-about I look, smell, hear, feel what draws my attention. Mother Nature, Earth, is always offering a teaching if we are open and have the intention to learn.  This day, after an Arizona monsoon, the roots of this tree were exposed.  I contemplated Her teaching. I asked Her questions. I received the answers from inside the Heart Cave.

Flower Power: The Dream

There was a time that I can remember
when we brought flowers to the protest march
And offered them to the police carrying guns and clubs in their riot gear
Recognizing "they" were "us"
Just human beings wanting to be happy too
Careful not to make the other into the enemy. How could we be dreaming and creating a world without violence, if we had the intention to cause violence or harm to others?

There was real power in that.

The Buddha said:  "In this world hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law. Ancient and inexhaustible."

The Dream is still alive

in the Heart of our Earth Mother

Let Her awaken the Dream again

in the hearts of men and women

Cycles

Another Full Moon
Another Lunar Lamas
Cycles upon cyles
As the Universal Wheel continues to turn
Every full circle
Begins a new cycle
May peace prevail on Earth
and in the hearts of all humans