One purpose of our practice is to enjoy our old age. But we can’t fool ourselves. Only sincere practice will work. Suzuki Roshi Boun's Buddhas We have been conditioned to withdraw our awareness from the unpleasant. Break that imprinting! Whatever limits the entrance of awareness limits healing. When it’s “the” pain, it has [...]
You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. Thomas Merton If we are not intentional and mindful in our work, then [...]
I became a painter because I wanted to raise painting to the level of poignancy of music and poetry. Mark Rothko I don’t want to be struck by lightning and don’t need certain slants of light in order to write. Toni Morrison The difference between a bad artist and a good one is: The bad [...]
I’ve been doing some drawing and painting lately for the first time ever, and really trying to bring my Beginner’s Mind to all of it. The quotes this month are all from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, which has been sitting on my bookshelf unread since it was published in 1989. Until [...]
“The proper response to a work of art is joy, even hilarity.” When I read this on page thirteen of Ted Kooser’s The Poetry Home Repair Manual, and saw that there was a chapter called Don’t Worry About the Rules, I knew I could not only read this book, I could write a poem or [...]
My heart is heavy with sadness today about what we humans do to each other. Here is some ancient wisdom from Buddha that I hope will inspire all of us to be kinder. TWIN VERSES Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels [...]
Deep in the process of writing my next book, all those who have come before me, all my writing teachers, inspire me daily to keep putting words on the page. Here are a few gems that I hope will inspire you, whatever your art is. We all have some endeavor that calls forth our creative [...]
I recently re-read Natalie Goldberg’s book Writing Down the Bones, in preparation for a meditation writing retreat with her at the Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe at the end of this month—a birthday present to myself. I first read it in 1996 when I spent three weeks with her at Ghost Ranch on my [...]
A Wild Goose A wild goose Passing the length of the sky Casts a shadow Into the cold water The goose has no idea Of leaving a trace, The water no consciousness Of the shadow sinking through. Zen Phrase The spring flowers, the autumn moon; Summer breezes, winter snow. [...]
Nearing the end of my five-week class at the JCC, I feel inspired to post a few gems of wisdom that I share over and over again with my meditation groups, words and inspiration from ancient and contemporary masters that I never tire of. If you’ve attended one of my classes, I’m sure you’ll recognize [...]
