Hallway to Nowhere

Tag: buddhist

  • What I Can Hear (Poem)

    As a child I lived by the sea.

    I swam in its waters and played on its shores.

    I watched the birds write poetry in the skies,

    Read stories left by crabs scuttling in the sand,

    And was lulled by mingled songs of sun, waves, and wind.

    When I drifted to sleep with salt lingering on my lips,

    I was visited by sea serpents, the wisest denizens of the depths.

    Their sibilant sagacity wove through my dreams,

    Finally coming to root in my bones.

    Now in my waning, I begin to understand.

    Ancient laughter echoes through the years,

    While the very particles of existence appear and disappear,

    All joined in a dance.

  • Thus Have I Heard (Poem)

    As a child I lived by the sea.

    I swam in its waves and played on its shores.

    Once I cut my foot on a shard of glass,

    So my blood has mingled with the sand.

    But remember this:

    We all come from the ocean.

    Its salt waters run through our bodies.

    Hence if we choose to listen,

    We can hear the murmured stories of sea serpents

    To guide us on the path.

  • Heart Sutra Tea (Poem)

    I awaken and rise to make tea.

    I take my first sip and then.

    Immediately afterwards that moment expands,

    Stretched apart by unseen hands.

    I step into the opening as I swallow the tea.

    Darkness which is not darkness enfolds me.

    The taste of puer pulls the earth inside.

    We rest in knowledge of primordial ground.

    No beginning; no end; no self; no other.

    I take a second sip and smile.

  • Rocks On The Path (Poem)

    I am grateful for all I encounter in this life

    But I bow in most gratitude to the difficulties.

    Like stumbling upon a rock on a path,

    They cause me to stop and pay attention.

    Look, they say. Open your eyes and see what is here.

    Then I remember to do so.

    Oh, my walk is like this now?

    I smile, breathe, and continue on.

  • Patience On The Path (Poem)

    Thank you for teaching me patience amidst urgency.

    Yes, my time here in this body is precious and brief,

    And I wish to do as much good as possible for both myself and others.

    But I can relax into this path

    By realizing that my limitations are many and varied.

    I am a traveler like everyone,

    And my supplies and journey are affected by myriad different things.

    The way can seem daunting, with unexpected detours and deterrents.

    My progress speeds and slows and sometimes halts for awhile,

    For I am not commencing alone in a void.

    I continue step by step with a steady mind and open heart,

    With the knowledge that eventually I will reach my destination.

    While I travel, I experience pleasures and griefs on the way,

    With appreciation that they are temporary and ever-changing.

    Remember always that scenery is only scenery

    And continue to walk.

  • The Gateway (Poem)

    I stand at threshold of the path.

    The gateway stands before me.

    I look once, twice, and yet again.

    At first glance, I see a plain simple structure.

    Then it appears rich, bejeweled, and ornate.

    On third look, it transforms back to an ordinary entrance.

    Will I pass through to start the journey?

    Yes, and yes, and yes.

    All I have to do choose to begin.

    One step, one breath, one life at a time.

  • Where I Live (Poem)

    Where do I take refuge?

    If I build my happiness on external factors,

    I will lose this. Always.

    A futile task, as this brings short-term satisfaction

    Which leaves me wondering where to go next.

    My home will present problems

    So that I move to find a better place. Again and again and again.

    I think surely this time I will be content.

    But there I am, and I remain the same.

    I cannot leave myself behind

    Yet I cast my unease as resulting from the wrong circumstances.

    I want to stay in the place where I dwell

    Without adding to my own suffering.

    Just being alive can bring pain enough.

    Let me learn wisdom, practice kindness,

    Thereby to find peace.

  • How We Weave (Poem)

    Let us consider our actions with care,

    Be they verbal, behavioral, or otherwise.

    Any of these done has force in the world,

    With consequences unforeseen and unknown.

    Each gives rise to a certain tendency of repetition,

    Increasing in weight into often unconscious habit.

    Patterns can trap us in complex webs

    Which take a lifetime or more to unravel.

    Much simpler to choose with intent.

    Not easier, as we are connected with all around us.

    Start now, wherever we are.

  • Karmic Dramas (Poem)

    We often wonder why in terms of personal experience.

    A futile question to ask, for the many causes cannot be determined.

    We have never been a blank slate, to arrive at this moment sui generis.

    We come with so many stories behind us that push us where we are today.

    We are the authors of them all and continue to narrate our ongoing tales.

    These, interwoven with the chronicles of others, shape the current scene.

    All we can do is attempt to ensure our ongoing accounts are the best we can tell.

    Let us choose words more carefully that spread kindness and compassion.

  • Attentional Closet (Poem)

    I open the closet to shine a flashlight on the interior.

    What do I see? It depends upon where I focus the light.

    I can see the clothes and other items,

    To be grateful for what I have.

    I can find dirt and dust,

    To be motivated to clean.

    I can see disorganization and poor design,

    To be inspired to reorder.

    I can find empty holes and disliked objects,

    To feel suffering and lack.

    Whatever I discover, whatever I feel, whatever I do…

    All depends upon where I focus the beam and how I choose to respond.

    The closet itself is simply a space with things.