A Simple, Quiet Life

This illustrated somewhat by the haiku profusion. Today I'm feeling the simplicity quite nicely. Maybe finally having arrived at that familiar place of refuge renewal. Ahhh. Slow breath. Deep, easy breath. Also the aftermath of Mingyur Rinpoche's five day teaching on Moonbeams of Mahamudra, this title a translation, Nancy tells me, of a 15th century text. 200 devotee students, one dead Russian, Sasha, on the spot, 3 yelps and falling heart attack gone, virtually at the feet of his Guru, shock resounding throughout, prayers in the moment, Powa practice in the liminal death space, teachings carrying on. What blessed karma, to die like that. Ahhh.




Last breath in shrine room

Guru present with prayers

Death comes any time


Prayers, poems, compassionate devotion, luminous nature of mind, impermanence, non grasping, all encompassing awareness, suchness. 

Maybe Westerners mostly (?) needing more time, processing, to come back to ground/body in wake of Sasha's sudden demise. Maybe Asians already understand/relate deeper/easier with their more accurate overall world view, acceptance of what is? Still, human loss is universal. Ahhh.


The realm of pure heart

dispelling any obstacles

invoking all goodness



Early morning prayers

sounds of vast Buddha Dharma

good heart medicine



I try to listen

distracted by too much noise

monkeys on the shrine



Morning light streams in

promise of calm and ease here

birds tell this story



Prescription for love:

let the worry mind dissolve;

it just needs kindness



Old oak tree dying

I remember its strong calm

nothing stays the same



Waves of confidence

beyond endless story lines

presence with what is



No food, fuel, water

can we even imagine?

Dead worms on the road



Not choosing revenge

doesn't justify horrors

children are children





Pine forest bird songs

transmitting truth underneath

we must dig deeper



We live in end times

strange black or white points of view 

the full moon rises





Authentic goodness

and authentic illusion

your infamy, my prayer



Homage all empty

all lotus bloom from the mud

serenity prayer



The mind is TV

hard things, good things, same

Just watch, let it go



Bright garland of light

in the midst of dark shadows

it's always been this



We should be so blessed

unexpected death teaching

stay embodied; stay



Afternoon light streamed

maybe he saw this, and then...

sudden death bardo



Nature carries on

as bombs explode on children

flowers bloom, birds fly

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