Fool Turtle

In the Tao Canon text of the Zhonghe Ji, it puts it thus: “Silence is the Word. Fundamentally in the place where the Word exists there is Silence. The world is silent; that is the secret formula of alchemy.

Ho Chih-chang

When we met the first time at Ch’ang-an
He called me the ‘Lost Immortal’.
Then he loved th…[Read more]

Congratulations on your dedication to practice!

I spent the day in the forest, in the rain, feeling the shift of the season and a sort of inward turning of my experience. There’s a beautiful depth – a sadness, a feeling of parting – that I’ve been smiling to. In that, there is also a sensation of resolve: I have practices…

Peace

.
Moses heard a shepherd on the road praying.
“God, where are you? I want to help you, to fix your shoes
and comb your hair. I want to wash your clothes
and pick the lice off. I want to bring you milk
and kiss your little hands and feet when it’s time
for you to go to bed. I want to sweep your room
and keep it neat. God, my…[Read more]

I was taught to pray as a child, but better than prayer was the immersion in the unanswerable question: how is it that any of this exists? This is not an intellectual exercise–it is a celebration of mystery. Within myself is something that never began, apparently; the room was dark until the light was switched on; what gave birth to the…[Read more]

It’s a family joke that when one accuses another of projecting, one asks, “Are you projecting?”

I think that one can guess the response.

Taoist priests have a historic reputation for being charlatans, but I suppose that’s part of the fun of being ignorant. I trust the “Inner Smile” … What can fail to be a good test of this?

Just read this and remembered this discussion:

“Last but not least are the left and right kidneys, facing the navel area and resting on the pelvis, “their color a silky, shiny purple.” The right kidney, moreover, is the loca- tion of the acupuncture point and Daoist center known as the Gate of Destiny (mingmen 命門; GV-4), where “males store th…[Read more]

Doing some research of my own, this article (concerning colors and cultivation) written by Livia Kohn reminded me of your post above:
Color and Qi

You wrote, “…That’s why it is worth considering.
Followers of this path are interested in spiritual
cultivation, and getting very clear, clearing away
the layers of emotions, traumas, and other fluff
that gets in the way of being able to live from
the core of your true self, from being able to live
centered in your being . . . The…[Read more]

“Studying texts and stiff meditation can make you lose your Original Mind.
A solitary tune by a fisherman, though, can be an invaluable treasure.
Dusk rain on the river, the moon peeking in and out of the clouds;
Elegant beyond words, he chants his songs night after night.”

―Ikkyū translated by John Stevens

A poem is nothing s…[Read more]

Thanks for the feedback, and the information about the Qigong healer that I’ll be silently thanking if my experience is good. I’ll keep in mind the advice that you gave: do it, then you get it. 😉

The first time I smiled, accepting myself, it moved me deeply; it moves me deeply now. Why? I don’t know.

What? Deeply moved by another poem for the first time:

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not how shall
I correct it?

Was I…[Read more]

Thanks, Steven.

You know, if I had trusted as I listened to myself, I would have known that “The Professor’s” retreat is not what I need at this moment (it’s actually pretty funny, I think, considering my avatar), but thanks to your suggestions, I now have some other choices. It is interesting what attracts one and what can be learned. I…[Read more]

I said to God, “Let me love you.”
And he replied, “Which part?”

“All of you, all of you.” I said.

“Dear” God spoke, “You are as a mouse wanting to impregnate
a tiger who is not even in heat. It is a feat way
beyond your courage and strength.
You would run from me
if I removed my
mask.”

I said to God again,

“Beloved I need to lo…[Read more]

“In Mayan tradition, there is a greeting that many people working with Mayan wisdom know of. It is the law of In Lak’ech Ala K’in, which means I am another yourself (A modern day interpretation). It also means I am you, and you are me (A traditional Mayan interpretation). We have come to understand that this Mayan greeting is an honoring for each…[Read more]

It’s very possible that I don’t understand, but I think I see a metaphor there. After I read your post, I was looking for a poem–something that I feel compelled to do, often, partially because it’s practice for feeling rather than thinking–and this poem appeared:

Love plays its lute behind the screen –
where is a lover to listen to its t…[Read more]

Thanks–

Of those practices, I feel most attracted to Iron Shirt. The image of roots and the idea of becoming further embodied–thinking less–is appealing. My monkey mind is quite active.

I don’t want to do too much at once. I’d rather do one thing for a while. Lacking grounding, I wonder if working on that should be my first step. In…[Read more]

that because of the wine’s pureness
and the crystal clarity of the glass
the color of glass and wine were confused.
All is glass – or, no, all is wine.
All is wine – or, no, all is glass.
When the sky is tainted
with the colors of the sun
heaven kicks away the blankets and sheets,
the shadows of nothingness. Day and Night
make peace with…[Read more]

This is what came to mind:

“1. Only you yourself can effect your salvation. It is your responsibility;
2. You cannot possibly do it alone: You need the help of others who share
the journey with you, who may often see what you do not see; 3. Without … ,
without the personal assistance of the personal aspect of … ( …), the…[Read more]

Going barefoot… That’s a good idea. Something I don’t need to learn how to do, and something that I naturally did as a child.

I’m glad that you wrote this; one of the reasons why that I have hesitated to begin a practice such as Iron Shirt (which I know nothing about) is that I want to be sure that I am doing things correctly. Knowing that…[Read more]

Whoever finds love
beneath hurt and grief
disappears into emptiness
with a thousand new disguises

~ Rumi
version by Coleman Barks
with thanks to poetry chaikhana

This poem is as real as anything, then. Thanks for the insightful response–I agree, it would be good to get into my body more. Would you recommend Iron Shirt to a…[Read more]