The end of each year is an auspicious time to pause, reflect and renew. Which is exactly what I will be doing for the next couple weeks. I hope you are able to take some time to be with family, friends and loved ones. And to take some quiet time for yourself during the transition [...]
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 [...]
Find the Time Desire is the only requirement necessary to find the time. But find the time we must. Otherwise, all intention of finding a quiet corner will remain in our heads as just another good idea. Probably one-quarter of my memory bank was filled with such notions—creative ideas that sat idly by waiting for [...]
Seeing the Big Picture 2:1 …continued from Becoming Aware 1:8 – Centering Before you can get what you want you have to know what you want. That may sound obvious, but how many times have you been hungry and not known what you wanted to eat? Sometimes, we just don’t know. It may be easy [...]
As you search for your quiet corner, your world will begin to expand and you’ll notice things that have been around all along. The empty lot on the corner teeming with wildflowers or the morning church bells may enter your consciousness for the first time. River Sunset What is your most receptive sense? [...]
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 [...]
…continued from Becoming Aware 1:7 – Just Sitting Our intention on the Quiet Corner path is to free our inner voice and move toward spontaneity and creative expression. But first it is important to create some structure, which will help our voice and encourage and support our endeavor. Having a structure will first ground you [...]
Physical Spaces Certain places can have amazing power over us. Anyone would agree that the Grand Canyon is a perfect place to sit in rapt silence and soak up nature’s majesty. There are few places as grand as the canyon, but our environment, no matter how grand, affects us. In searching for your quiet corner, [...]
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. [...]
