original tao's Blog /users/original_tao/blog original tao's Blog on Wireclub en-us Right Before My Very Eyes, a poem http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/YDCU1QSqnAos4uOD0/read Right Before My Very Eyes _ 2021 _ In a day hidden to all but me, _ I saw hate put away. It ended. _ In a night hidden to all but me, _ I saw anger put away. It ended. _ In a world hidden to all but me, _ I saw fighting put away. It ended. _ In a day hidden to all but me, _ I saw love peeking out. It began. _ In a night hidden to all but me, _ I saw joy peeking out. It began. _ In a world hidden to all but me. _ I saw peace peeking out. It began. _ Sat, 20 Feb 2021 04:49:25 GMT Walking Above the Clouds, a poem http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/YCzF1QSqnBn0kE7T0/read Walking Above the Clouds _ 2021 _ No loneliness now, only the Beauty of emptiness to see. _ My heart is clear of pain and Fear. A smile for every step. _ It’s not a miracle, nor ordinary Either. No sounds to distract. _ I’m lighter than a feather now. No baggage weighs me down. _ There’s room for all to be free. The views are something to see. _ Yes! It’s too true about us all. Walking high above the clouds. _ I’ll want for nought. Neither Will troubles follow my tread. _ All’s forgotten in wonder’s play. Look at it and see, say it, too. _ Oh! The void holds such peace. Beams of light on beauty’s way. _ Imagine for yourself, and you’ll see. How it is walking above the clouds. _ Wed, 17 Feb 2021 07:29:25 GMT A Robin in a Tree, a poem http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/YBvPwASqnBrI-iZX0/read A Robin in a Tree _ 2021 _ A small thing with a quickly beating Heart. Good to look at, at times, even Fascinating. She, like all her kind, eats Shiny little seeds and tiny pebbles. _ Until the time comes, when it must, She’ll build a small nest out of the Wind, and take wing to search for Small morsels, and flutter as she Chews and reaches down for her Own hungry, cheeping mouths. _ What she does, in her season, is a Beautiful affirmation of care and Love. But, I digress. The lessons Of care and love that go into the Raising up of the next generation, Have been copied, some say, by Instinct’s unknowing animation; _ Generations upon the uncountable, And that’s probably true, but it takes Nothing away from the lessons of Care and love that animate them. You who have young know of what I speak, I’m sure you do. _ And now we’ve come to a reality That’s hard to face, even harder To deal with and try to mitigate. Scientists call it the 6th great death, Or to be less prosaic: extinction. _ Robins will be gone from trees, in A little while. And sterility, well, We all know what that means. The weight of the plastic waste in Our seas, even now, it almost out- Weighs the fishes in all our waters. _ What to do, you ask? Very difficult, But not yet impossible: STOP all Life and business as usual, as though Our very futures depend upon it!!! _ Stop extracting and burning all forms Of carbon for energy!!! Commit to an Earth-wide change to renewable forms Of energy, without any exceptions, for Any peoples or nations. The rich north Must aid the poor south in their change To renewable forms of energy. NOW!!! _ Millions upon millions of good,, well- Paying jobs will be created, planet-wide! And soon after we’ve made the change To non-carbon energy, we can do the Same for non-nuclear energy sources. _ Ask yourselves these questions: would You rather put all you’ve got into life- Saving forms of clean energy production, Or would you rather join, as it impacts Your generations to come, a forever Extinction of life on Earth, our only Home? _ Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:43:12 GMT Unravel Your Patterns http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/YBVTVQSqnBhA7O7n0/read Unravel Your Patterns There is insight to be gained in seeing how we transfer life patterns of control, anxiety, or self-consciousness into our meditation practice. Learning to undo some of these patterns within our practice is a meaningful step in learning how to release their grip on the rest of our lives. —Christina Feldman, “Receiving the Breath: Meditation Q&A” Sat, 30 Jan 2021 12:38:45 GMT A Life Practice, a poem http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/X_lC1gSqnBXwkf9S0/read A Life Practice _ 2021 _ I’m not here to advocate for one Form of spiritual commitment Over others. There are so many. _ But I do believe that claims to A spritual life practice should be Validated through mindfulness. _ I refer, of course, to an awareness Of our compassion, generosity, Forgiveness, and lovingkindness. _ When I say that I know how hard It is to nourish the seeds of goodness, And ignore negativity, believe me. _ To ignore or suppress any of the Innumerable forms of negativity Shared by us all, is not easy to do. _ Negativity, in its many forms, never Fails to bring confusion, despair, and Fear to our frail human condition. _ However, being rooted in goodness, Never fails to raise our confidence, Which manifests as peace and calm. _ It is peace and a state of mental calm, That enable our compassion, generosity, Forgiveness, and lovingkindness. _ Sat, 09 Jan 2021 05:44:54 GMT Illusions of Be-ing http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/X6OIhgSqnAkMMFtd0/read Illusions of Be-ing _ 2020 _ Seduced by a need to be that begins When we’re small and then, despite Lack of understanding why, the need To be grows into a hunger to become More and more of a me that will be. _ And so, the stage is set for all to see, And watch, as our me morphs into a Be-ing that brings with it needs that None could have anticipated as roars Of want morph into tears of a be-ing Who’s let those needs weaken itself. _ Maybe, for some, the urges to be more Of a be-ing, are gonna be more trouble Than they’re worth, when all is tallied. _ A query then, that begs reducible results, Is this: if our be-coming a be-ing is not More than illusion’s sleight of life, why Do we permit those overweening needs To make us less of a be-ing, instead of Signaling a reduction of self that will Bring greater happiness to us, and all Those whom we love, as our illusory Needs become the strength of less? _ Thu, 05 Nov 2020 05:07:18 GMT What You Discover Through Buddhist Practice http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/Xs3E1QSqnBqgEsVA0/read What You Discover Through Buddhist Practice Practicing Buddhism is about discovering ourselves to be in a great, flowing river of continuities. —Roshi Joan Halifax,“Giving Birth to Ancestors” Wed, 27 May 2020 01:39:33 GMT Concentrate Your Effort http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/XshzIQSqnBBczWaa0/read Concentrate Your Effort Intelligence or lack of it does not matter; between the dull and the sharp-witted there is no distinction. If you concentrate your effort single-mindedly, that in itself is negotiating the Way. —Eihei Dogen Zenji,“The Principles of Zazen” Sat, 23 May 2020 00:49:37 GMT An Ever-Renewing Present http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/XsSNTgSqnBcQ91IU0/read An Ever-Renewing Present All experience arises in the present, does its dance, and disappears. Experience comes into being only tentatively, for a little time in a certain form; then that form ends and a new form replaces it moment by moment. —Jack Kornfield,“No Self or True Self?” Wed, 20 May 2020 01:52:14 GMT Correcting Your Errors http://www.wireclub.com/users/original_tao/blog/XsM1dgSqnBjkcCW10/read Correcting Your Errors The primary duty of a trustworthy friend is to point out your faults— for only when you see your faults can you correct them; only when you correct them are you benefiting from your friend’s compassion in pointing them out. —Thanissaro Bhikkhu,“The Power of Judgment” Tue, 19 May 2020 01:25:10 GMT