~Zen Mountain~

[Sabina_Tolchovsky]

the temple stones are cold and smooth under my feet
steam rises from my tea to dance in the early morning light
the birds are singing their timeless songs
I walk bare foot across the damp grass.


good morning to all...

 

[templeminded]

The Secrets of Heaven and Hell

The old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his legs crossed and his
hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep meditation, he sat.

Suddenly his zazen was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice of a samurai
warrior. "Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!"

At first, as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible response from the monk.
But gradually he began to open his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile playing around the
corners of his mouth as the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and
more agitated with each passing second.

"You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell?" replied the monk at last. "You who
are so unkempt. You whose hands and feet are covered with dirt. You whose hair is
uncombed, whose breath is foul, whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are
ugly and whose mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?"

The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it high above his head.
His face turned to crimson and the veins on his neck stood out in bold relief as he
prepared to sever the monk's head from its shoulders.

"That is hell," said the old monk gently, just as the sword began its descent.

In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome with amazement, awe,
compassion and love for this gentle being who had dared to risk his very life to give him
such a teaching. He stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful tears.

"And that," said the monk, "is heaven."

By Fr. John W. Groff Jr.
from A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul
Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

we each choose our own path
that we will follow on our journey
through life
nin-

 

[bluerains]

Du~

I know what ya mean..have no time to back trak at times to see my archives and stuff...



Man is not an aquatic animal, but from the time we stand in youthful wonder beside a Spring brook till we sit in old age and watch the endless roll of the sea, we feel a strong kinship with the waters of this world.

-Hal Borland (1900-1978), Sundial of the Seasons, 1964


Bloodline...
tides resound across silent dunes
pole to pole the sea washes and pulses
in retreat holding its own heartbeat
earth awakens its aquifer arteries
seeping life from tendrils
stretching beyond the boundaries
of the deep.... ~blue~

 

[templeminded]

I know what ya mean..have no time to back trak at times to see my archives and stuff...



Man is not an aquatic animal, but from the time we stand in youthful wonder beside a Spring brook till we sit in old age and watch the endless roll of the sea, we feel a strong kinship with the waters of this world.

-Hal Borland (1900-1978), Sundial of the Seasons, 1964


Bloodline...
tides resound across silent dunes
pole to pole the sea washes and pulses
in retreat holding its own heartbeat
earth awakens its aquifer arteries
seeping life from tendrils
stretching beyond the boundaries
of the deep.... ~blue~

do not allow time to dampen your spirits
instead
use it to fulfill your dreams
nin-

 

[bluerains]

time

do not allow time to dampen your spirits
instead
use it to fulfill your dreams
nin-

seems to dampen even the most fluid of souls....thanks dear heart...blue

 

[bluerains]

note of what I mean by dampen

seems to dampen even the most fluid of souls....thanks dear heart...blue

damp·en ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dmpn)
v. damp·ened, damp·en·ing, damp·ens
v. tr.

2. To deaden, restrain, or depress: “trade moves... aimed at dampening protectionist pressures in Congress” (Christian Science Monitor).
3. To soundproof.
I seem recently the need to give reason to why...and why not...

 

[templeminded]

seems to dampen even the most fluid of souls....thanks dear heart...blue

a little fluid from the soul
helps everything to grow
you know
nin-

 

[bluerains]

yes as I,

a little fluid from the soul
helps everything to grow
you know
nin-

grow...so does the need to grow indeed...be blessed/blue

 

[arctic-stranger]

grow...so does the need to grow indeed...be blessed/blue

wind blows
water rose
plant grows
mind knows
Life goes.

 

[bluerains]

so it would seem`

wind blows
water rose
plant grows
mind knows
Life goes.

and yet...
what do we know~~

 

[My Erotic Tale]

a little fluid from the soul
helps everything to grow
you know
nin-

hehehe, now that's eroticly funny <grinin>
know where my MIND was? <snicker>

hey Nin,
blue~
arctic~
sabina~
Du~

bows to you all (~_~)

 

[Du Lac]

hey Art.. bow right back babe... hey I am stuck were to go for the next Earth stanza... where do you think .... minerals and how life is all connected trees plants etc.. let me know
du
`

 

[arctic-stranger]

return bow

not the rocks and minerals, the cracks between the rocks and minerals.

 

[Du Lac]

return bow

not the rocks and minerals, the cracks between the rocks and minerals.

Thank you AS.. I will give this some thought... Art and I are co writing a series of poems on the elements.. we already did the water one.. now working on the earth... you can read them on Chasing chickens thread.. let us know what you think
du!

 

[templeminded]

hehehe, now that's eroticly funny <grinin>
know where my MIND was? <snicker>

hey Nin,
blue~
arctic~
sabina~
Du~

bows to you all (~_~)

lol
you said that like it was something new lol
love you baby,
nin-

 

[templeminded]

hehehe, now that's eroticly funny <grinin>
know where my MIND was? <snicker>

hey Nin,
blue~
arctic~
sabina~
Du~

bows to you all (~_~)

i "b" saying hey right back at you babe
love,
nin-

 

[templeminded]

grow...so does the need to grow indeed...be blessed/blue

we all grow everyday that we reach to achieve
physical & mental discipline
nin-

 

[templeminded]

bows to you all (~_~)

BOWS AND SAYS "THANK YOU"
you know what for
nin-

 

[My Erotic Tale]

If the mind is like a temple
then the body is the vessel?

could it be the body is the temple
and the mind, the worship?

 

[My Erotic Tale]

BOWS AND SAYS "THANK YOU"
you know what for
nin-

<grin>
templeminded~

a temple is a structure
that houses prayer
words built from thought
a home of the devine

sweeping spider webs
from the temples rooms
inside the mind
is the broom

For their is no light
within the skull
only enlightenment,
let no mind dull

Train the body
sharpen the mind
enrich the spirit
strong temple signs

Humble when shaking
the hand of another
your opening the door
of a sacrid temple.

Art~

 

[templeminded]

<grin>
templeminded~

a temple is a structure
that houses prayer
words built from thought
a home of the devine

sweeping spider webs
from the temples rooms
inside the mind
is the broom

For their is no light
within the skull
only enlightenment,
let no mind dull

Train the body
sharpen the mind
enrich the spirit
strong temple signs

Humble when shaking
the hand of another
your opening the door
of a sacrid temple.

Art~

bows with respect
nin-

 

[My Erotic Tale]

bows with respect
nin-

Okay I am submitting it, <grin>
yesterdays poem didn't come out today so maybe
submitting it today it will be out in two days
but reality will be two poems posting
ON THE SAME DAY!!!!! "GRRRR"
It is the little things that are frustrating
like small grains of sand,,,
caught in your underwear ...
so I quit wearing any <chuckleboned>

 

[arctic-stranger]

Today my son and i went to our first meditation session, run by the local Zen Center. He is 14, and showing interest in Buddhism, but he is also ADD and i was wondering how he would do. I was very impressed.

We only did 27 bows, not the full 108, and recited three sutras, one in English and two in a Korean type transposed Chinese. (It is a Korean based Center.)

Then three 30 minutes sesshins, with two walking shesshins in between. The first 30 minutes felt very long, but the second and third just sped by. I was very suprised when the bell rang to indicate the end of the sesshins.

Hey, French Girl, can you sew me a meditation pillow and mat?

 

[Du Lac]

Today my son and i went to our first meditation session, run by the local Zen Center. He is 14, and showing interest in Buddhism, but he is also ADD and i was wondering how he would do. I was very impressed.

We only did 27 bows, not the full 108, and recited three sutras, one in English and two in a Korean type transposed Chinese. (It is a Korean based Center.)

Then three 30 minutes sesshins, with two walking shesshins in between. The first 30 minutes felt very long, but the second and third just sped by. I was very suprised when the bell rang to indicate the end of the sesshins.

Hey, French Girl, can you sew me a meditation pillow and mat?

Hey AS.. that is outstanding! And wonderful that your son has such as open mind to this way of learning! I did a meditation myself today.. had not done so in a while I am ashamed to say... but it amazed me the power and strength I got from 45 minutes... very powerful!

I would love to learn more about this style that you have experienced.. me and google lol.. seek and you shall learn!

Anyway thank you for sharing this experience... if that french girl can't sew you what you need I can always share how to do it , so you may journey on the trail of creating with fabric yourself...
du lac!

 

[templeminded]

Okay I am submitting it, <grin>
yesterdays poem didn't come out today so maybe
submitting it today it will be out in two days
but reality will be two poems posting
ON THE SAME DAY!!!!! "GRRRR"
It is the little things that are frustrating
like small grains of sand,,,
caught in your underwear ...
so I quit wearing any <chuckleboned>

we must have patience in order to learn more about ourself
nin-