Swimming as the sea.

Words divide. A word is constructed to indicate a discrete item, idea, or concept. This division leaves undefined space between words. So, we are limited by language. The only way to experience indivisible essence is non-verbally.

Petals and parts make up the whole  

When all else fails…

love

Easy practices for honoring ancestors

Lots of good, plainly described ways to honor ancestors.

”You don’t have to be an indigenous shaman or ghost whisperer to have a direct, intimate, and healthy relationship with your ancestors. We all have loving ancestors who want us to fulfill our destiny as happy and well-adjusted people, and in my experience, our ancestors are the ideal guides for family healing as they are invested in seeing their future generations thrive.”

wide mind, open heart

Once bodhicitta has been aroused in you, whatever Dharma practices that you do will lead to the attainment of perfect enlightenment. — Patrul Rinpoche

Avalokiteśvara

Blessings and light. Gratitude and thankfulness for being in the world. 

falling off

Out the Window (multiple adjustments)

As in, falling off of practice. Once upon a time it was said if your meditation becomes difficult, quit for a while. Give it up.

In my case this is dangerous as it is so easy for me to give up habits. Seems like I'm constantly starting and ending routines.

The Topeka environment is very different from Richmond in so many ways: psychologically, spiritually, politically, geographically, meteorologically. It's been a bigger adjustment than I anticipated. I may have worn out my welcome in the time it has taken me to adjust.

I once had a "This will be interesting" attitude. I have had enough of the interesting life. I now prefer the ordinary life. An ordinary spiritual life, that is. Plain, consistent, ordinary living from one day to the next.

Time to absorb all those interests.

Drifting

Some days I feel like meditating all day. Sitting at a window watching the light arc across the sky from sunrise to sunset. Or at least from the time I get up until sunset.

I wonder what this means. Am I escaping ordinary life or flying into a spiritual plane? Avoiding creative expression or connecting to a higher self? Actually, I'm doing neither because I think about it. I don't actually do it. The meditating.

Still, something calls me to a deeper practice, a more committed practice, a more active practice. I am a thinker. I tend to think a lot before doing. I like to be clear on intention and implementation before I begin. I suspect this may be a chicken-and-egg situation. I won't fully know what to do until I do it.

In the meantime, I have a sporadic practice. My standard meditation time is now 30 minutes. I journey once a month for 20-30 minutes. I consult the tarot and exercise my intuition. None of this happens in a disciplined way. It just happens.

Still thinking.