Buddha's compassion

Your Buddha Half, Tokyo, Japan, April 2007, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 90mm, Exposure 1/50 sec @ f5.3, ISO 200, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Compassion
is the willingness
to play
in the field of dreams
even though
you are awake.

-- Matthew Flickstein,
"Swallowing the River Ganges"

Meditation

Industrious, Chiang Saen, Tailand, November 2005, Pentax Optio 555, Exposure 1/250 sec @ f4.5, ISO 64, no flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Meditation - a poem inspired by Thoreau

by Amy Belding Brown

For starters,
lie face down in the grass
and watch the industry
of ants
as they hunt and gather
endlessly.
They are relentless
in their pursuit
of affluence
and will attach themselves
to wreckage
twice their size;
they'll spend their whole afternoon
struggling to bring it
home to their
dark tunnels.

Then think --
does this remind you
of anyone
you know?

Next,
turn over
and face the empty sky.
Let your eyes rest
in that high blue field.
Notice the thousand variations
in that color
and how one sky
can hold them all.
Imagine yourself weightless,
falling upwards
drifting with the birds.

Then think --
does this remind you
of who you want
to be?
Cloud Ripples, Amherst, NH, September 2007, Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, Exposure 1/320 sec @ f16.0, ISO 80, no flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Looking For Your Face

Sunrise, Sunset, Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, February 2002, Sony Cybershot, Exposure 1/500 sec @ f5.0, ISO 400, no flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Looking For Your Face

From the beginning of my life
I have been looking for your face
but today I have seen it.

Today I have seen
the charm, the beauty,
the unfathomable grace
of the face
that I was looking for.

Today I have found you
and those that laughed
and scorned me yesterday
are sorry that they were not looking
as I did.

I am bewildered by the magnificence
of your beauty
and wish to see you with a hundred eyes.

My heart has burned with passion
and has searched forever
for this wondrous beauty
that I now behold.

I am ashamed
to call this love human
and afraid of God
to call it divine.

Your fragrant breath
like the morning breeze
has come to the stillness of the garden
You have breathed new life into me
I have become your sunshine
and also your shadow.

My soul is screaming in ecstasy
Every fiber of my being
is in love with you

Your effulgence
has lit a fire in my heart
and you have made radiant
for me
the earth and sky.

My arrow of love
has arrived at the target
I am in the house of mercy
and my heart
is a place of prayer.

-- Rumi --

Simple as Black and White

Black and White, Jebenhausen, Germany, January 2009, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 18mm, Exposure 1/250 sec @ f8.0, ISO 200, exposure bias -2/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter, heavily post-processed in iPhoto © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

On MLK day, I thought a black and white photo was appropriate. Simply because of its integration into the whole picture. You cannot have one without the other. We are all brothers and sisters. We've learned enough in the past 40 years to reinforce the value of diversity. In our food, in our economy (and our stock portfolios), and in our species. Without diversity, you *will* die. That is just Nature's way, and our guarantee for change and growth through evolution.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. understood that. And what was most beautiful about this person -- in my mind -- was that he held the strongest of convictions along side of the notion of non-violence. Imagine where we would be today if MLK had taken the path of the Black Panthers. Does anyone really believe we would have achieved more than we, as a nation, has achieved to date?

Non-violence is such a sophisticated and powerful approach. And in the end, it is the only strategy, I believe, that can unite us. And in the end, this is what we need. A recognition that we are not alone, not isolated, but together, and united, and whole.

MLK, as so many luminaries, gave his life for his beliefs and his convictions. We certainly owe him a debt of gratitude and honor, for helping to light the candle and not curse the darkness, and for showing us the way.

Happy New Year!

Make your own fireworks, Jaffa, Israel, April 2008, Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, Exposure 1/160 sec @ f3.5, ISO 200, no flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

This photo comes from the Old Port City of Jaffa, just south of Tel Aviv, Israel. I was walking through the old alleyways, in amongst the shops, and I came upon this painting, unceremoniously hung on an outside wall.

Not for sale. Just for decoration.

Indeed, the shops had closed, and the painting remained open to the elements and to anyone's mischievous hands. What a wonderful gift.

I love all the colors, and imagine them, tonight especially, as my own personal fireworks display.

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." -- Danny Kaye

I would also like to share with you this simple list I collected somewhere along one of the alleyways in my own life.

To me, it is like one of those quick-use guides to the game of life, meant to help those who have no patience for the thick instruction manual printed in so many languages, replete with warnings and alerts, when all we want is to start playing with our new gizmo.

Very well then. By all means. Let the games begin.

Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Practice wellness.
Play with abandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Continue to learn.
Appreciate your friends.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.

-- Mary Anne Roadacher-Hershey
It is my profound wish that each of you find peace and harmony during your journey into this Happy New Year!

Vantage point

Vantage point #1, St. John's Church, Old Acre, Israel, September 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 90mm, Exposure 1/800 sec @ f7.1, ISO 200, exposure bias -4/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So how is your vantage point? Do you have a good place from which to view your surroundings?

You know, that which you see and how you see it is very much affected by where you sit. By how you were raised. By your parents ... your friends ... your culture. By your own attitudes and perspective.

For example, you might see the photo above and think -- well the sun is surely setting upon that religion. Simply a shadow of what it once was.

Or you could change your vantage point, and then you would have the view below. Maybe now it looks like the sun is rising and brightly illuminating that profound belief.

Vantage point #2, St. John's Church, Old Acre, Israel, September 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 50mm, Exposure 1/250 sec @ f8.0, ISO 200, exposure bias -4/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Either way, it's all in how you look at it. And what meaning you ascribe to it. Be careful of ascribing judgment. For it is probably just based upon your vantage point, which can very easily change, if you are willing to move around a bit.

Let him who would move the world first move himself.
-- Socrates

With eyes to see ...

Starfish, Coos Bay, Oregon, May 2008, Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, Exposure 1/250 sec @ f14.0, ISO 60, with flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Take a close look at this picture. First, can you tell what it is? Well, I guess the title gives it away -- that's right, these are different colored starfish attached to a rock jetty along the Oregon coast.

Now go ahead a look a little closer. Examine the textures, the colors, the undulations, and then, right there, in the upper left hand quadrant. Do you see it? I didn't notice it until I was looking at the picture. It's a starfish eye! I didn't even know they had eyes. And it's looking right back at you! Wow. (You may need to enlarge the photo to see it -- just click on it.)

It is amazing to me when we stop and appreciate all that we see from moment to moment. It's hard to express just how grateful I am for this present moment.

And so I wanted to share this five minute video I just came across. I think its message is right on the mark, and its imagery is excellent, and its music soothing. Please enjoy, and I hope that you are simply grateful that you have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Let yourself dissolve

Sparkling Ripples, Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming, May 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 80mm, Exposure 1/200 sec @ f18, ISO 200, exposure bias -2/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter, color and contrast adjusted in iPhoto. © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Such a simple concept. No. Such a powerful action.

Let yourself dissolve. Just let your "self" dissolve.

Not by any effort. Rather, lack of effort.

Simply be. And then you will know.

Like bubbles in the sea,
All the worlds arise in you.

Know you are the Self.
Know you are one.

Let yourself dissolve.

You see the world.
But like the snake in the rope,
It is not really there.

You are pure.

Let yourself dissolve.

-- Ashtavakra Gita 5:2-3

Sunset upon clouds

Sunset Upon Clouds, Nolin Lake State Park, Kentucky, June 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 18mm, Exposure 1/160 sec @ f5.6, ISO 200, exposure bias -1.67 stops, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Ah, there is that sunset again. And this time it's igniting those beautiful clouds in the foreground.

Trace back those rays, and perhaps you can see the cauldron of creation itself.

Squint your eyes in the brightness, and see the cloud tips being dabbed with light, and ripples being painted upon the lake.

Is there anything to do but smile? Surely such a scene will lift any spirit:

Sometimes I go about pitying myself
And all the while
I am being carried across the sky
By beautiful clouds.

-- Ojibway Indian Poem

Desperately Seeking Sunsets

Scorched Sky, Cedar Pass, Badlands National Park, South Dakota, May 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 120mm, Exposure 1/200 sec @ f5.6, ISO 200, exposure bias -3.00 stops, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So where do you go to find your sunsets? Are they just outside your kitchen window? Perhaps a few steps outside your back door? You are lucky indeed when that occurs, but what about some exploration?

Why not venture out? Follow that trail that leads to who-knows-where? Go somewhere you’ve never been before.

Watch the sun as it looms low on the horizon. Playing with the sky; dancing with the clouds. See how the canvas is brushed over and over, as if by an artist in search of that perfect color.

Be prepared, but do take the risk. After all, the sun is setting, and soon it will be dark. And you still have to find your way back home.

Vanishing Sun, Castle Trail, Badlands National Park, South Dakota, May 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 62mm, Exposure 1/1000 sec @ f8.0, ISO 200, exposure bias -3.67 stops, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

But oh, that luscious twilight. The hour or two after the sun dips below the mountain peaks. What a glorious time.

Watch the mountain bluebirds as they take flight, as if to celebrate the dusk. Enjoy the pronghorn deer as they stroll and graze into the setting sun. Listen to the spring peepers as they revel in the cool, moist fading light. A communion, as it were.

Life itself is being created. Right here, right now. Keep your eyes and your ears open; better still, keep your mind and your heart wide open.

And may you glimpse a beautiful sunset, every time the spirit moves you.

Simple Majesty

Simple Majesty, Grand Teton National Park, May 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 26mm, Exposure 1/500 sec @ f4.0, ISO 200, exposure bias -2/3 stop, with flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I'm on something of an adventure these days. Taking two months off from work to travel across country in our new-to-us RV. You can read more about that at these blogs if you are interested: Thistle Dew Too and Frito-a-Day.

We were in Yellowstone National Park, and considering heading down to Grand Teton National Park the next day. I asked a campground employee who had spent time down there what to see. One of the things she mentioned was this chapel. In her words "if you can't see God looking through its window, you won't find him anywhere."

I didn't really know what to expect. Some sort of a magnificent church built in the mountains? Spectacular stained glass windows? Ornate hand-carved pulpit and pews?

Humble Worship, Chapel of the Transfiguration, Grand Teton National Park, May 2008, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 18mm, Exposure 1/250 sec @ f8.0, ISO 200, exposure bias -2/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Nope. It was just this very simple log cabin, with its rustic pews and plain cross, set to look upon the simple majesty of the Grand Teton mountain range. And in those magnificent snow covered peaks and my imagination of the hardy pioneers that built this chapel, I was sure I could see God's handiwork.

"... in the presence of this magnificence and grandeur, some small hint of that eternal majesty is conveyed to us who pause and, in quiet, worship ..." (from a plaque at the chapel entrance)

Life in the snow

I was out for a run the other day, and came across this bucolic sight. With the sun dipping over the tree-line, a warm glow was cast upon this snowman. Look at the character in his face. His animation, his decoration, his mannerisms. He looks almost alive. Sure glad he has on those shades to protect his eyes from the setting sun. Such artistic details on a simple snowman. Mmmm, those marshallows look like they are yummy.

But wait there was more -- much more.

An entire snowfamily had been created out of that frozen white stuff. Check out these photos:


This dapper fellow is decked out in the traditional top hat and scarf.


Here's a clever father and son. Their creators are nothing if not imaginative!


Here you can see what they are all up to. They are roasting marshmallows over a snowball fire! Ha!!

I was enthralled by the display. What a gift to offer the many passers-by. And I'm sure for the family that helped bring them to life.

But it brings along another useful lesson, I think, of impermanence. Since taking that run, we've had temps reach into the 50s and received about 2 inches of rain. You can imagine that this snowfamily is no more. And you know their creators realized this inevitability. And yet they created this display anyways. For the sake of creation itself, not for the (perceived) permanence of the creation. Is that not a lesson to us all? The art, the beauty, the joy is in the moment ... in the creative act itself.

And what of this snowfamily? Where did it go once the rains came? It simply went back to its source --turned once again into water, bringing life to others downstream.

And what of their accoutrements? Packed away, I expect, for another cold snowy day. When a new family can be brought to life. And to help add the zest of life to their creators.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

[Click on the collage to enlarge the photos]
Can there be anything more beautiful than a family, together and healthy, sharing stories and laughter on Christmas? May your holidays be just a beautiful as ours.

See below if you would like to read our holiday letter.

[Click on the letter to read]

Thankful for the insight

Thankful for the foliage, Amherst, NH, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 18mm, Exposure 1/60 sec @ f3.5, ISO 200, exposure bias -4/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I received the assembled quotes below from Mitchell Ratner, a Senior Teacher at the Stillwater Mindful Practice Center. I've only been there once (they are in the DC area), but continue to receive their e-mail meditation topics. They practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, with whom I seem to resonate.

Below he describes some of his concepts of "Interbeing". A recognition of the inter-relationships that make up every thing we see (and tend to take as a separate object). It is a very different way to view the world, and once internalized, makes it so much easier to recognize our shared humanity and mutual dependency. Which of course is what nature teaches us every day if we pay attention.

I hope on this Thanksgiving Day holiday, you are able to take a moment and reflect upon not only all that for which you can be grateful, but also how that relates to so much more of the world around us. Indeed, we can be grateful for it all, for we are but a small part of this world, and this world is us.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Extracts from The Miracle of Mindfulness, by Thich Nhat Hanh
[Excerpts assembled by Rev. Susan Manker-Seale]

“I like to walk alone on country paths, rice plants and wild grasses on both sides, putting each foot down on the earth in mindfulness, knowing that I walk on the wondrous earth.  In such moments, existence is a miraculous and mysterious reality.  People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.  But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.  Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize:  a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child--our own two eyes.  All is a miracle...

"…the great body of reality is indivisible.  It cannot be cut into pieces with separate existences of their own…

“Consider the example of a table.  The table’s existence is possible due to the existence of things which we might call ‘the non-table world’:  the forest where the wood grew and was cut, the carpenter, the iron ore which became the nails and screws, and countless other things which have relation to the table, the parents and ancestors of the carpenter, the sun and rain which made it possible for the trees to grow.

“If you grasp the table’s reality then you see that in the table itself are present all those things which we normally think of as the non-table world.  If you took away any of those non-table elements and returned them to their sources--the nails back to the iron ore, the wood to the forest, the carpenter to his parents--the table would no longer exist.

“A person who looks at the table and can see the universe is a person who can see the way…

“We have to strip away all the barriers in order to live as part of the universal life.  A person isn’t some private entity traveling unaffected through time and space as if sealed off from the rest of the world by a thick shell…  In our lives are present a multitude of phenomena, just as we ourselves are present in many different phenomena.  We are life, and life is limitless.”

Why bother?

Floating leaf, Tucker Pond, Salisbury, NH, October 2007, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 200mm, Exposure 1/50 sec @ f5.6, ISO 200, exposure bias -1/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Personal transformation has a difficult time breaking through the husk of comfort. Why bother, the essence asks? You are comfortable and secure inside your shell. You are protected. Life is pretty nice, just the way it is.

Are you a gardener? A tender of plants? A planter of seeds?

Sometimes, depending on the seed, to encourage germination you are advised by the packet to soak the seeds overnight, or to scratch the seed shell to encourage root emergence. Yes, sometimes, even nature provides too much comfort to allow the essence to emerge, and to grow and develop. At least, much of the time.

So what to do? Only a fool would cast aside the safety and security developed over years of careful planning and execution, right?

Only a fool indeed. A fool that had seen glimpses of the creative energy that is life itself. A fool that rested among the rustling grasses, warmed by the setting sun, smiling at the birds overhead as they began their journey south, pulled by an unseen and unnamed force. It is that force — subtle and nondescript, at least in the language of our work-a-day world — that begs this question: ‘why bother?’

Why bother, indeed. Just who is keeping score? Will you be a success or a failure at this game called life? How big is the field, just where are the goal posts? Help, you ask, please — the rules are changing as you think. Or better, once you stop thinking. And start to listen. To that small, quiet voice — it’s a feeling, really — deep within — or maybe out there somewhere — in another dimension perhaps — hitting you with a glancing blow, from an oblique angle, orthogonal to what we call the “real world”.

You know, it’s funny. You know the answer. You absolutely know what to do. This is the revelation.

The question is — do you trust that insight? Will you follow its guidance — and take the needed risks? Put your own comfort, and the security of your family, at risk? Is this nothing more than a selfish endeavor? Why do you get to make the call? Just who says that’s OK?

You know the “right” answer. But do you have the courage and the conviction? The depth of faith? (Oh God how I’ve come to hate that word.) Will you take action?

Just a few more years, you hear yourself saying. Until you earn some more money. Build up a bigger nest egg. Then you’ll be able to do what is asked. What you ask. Be patient. You have responsibilities. You must think not only of yourself.

Oh, but what of those souls that never act — who suppress their essence. They remained ungerminated. Dead, within their soil and their soul. Contributing to our collective evolution only though their own decomposition. Compost for the next soul. May the next one have the strength and the urgency.

No, you cannot accept that fate. Sure, that will be your end, but you have so much life left to live. So much creation left within you. This is your chance to influence the flow. To dip your toe into the stream of life, and make a unique contribution to the river of dreams.

No, you will not recoil from this challenge. You will not ignore this invitation. You are one of the lucky ones. You have asked “why?” You have listened for the answer. You may have even glimpsed into the fire of the moment. Seen the cauldron of creation. Witnessed the peace of the Now. The bliss of awareness. The reflection of beauty in every thing — which we label “pretty” and “ugly”.

The real crime would be to leave that insight to fend for itself. You must water it — fertilize it — keep it warm — even transplant it if needed. You cannot let this languish, to be overtaken by the weeds of the mundane and routine. It is too precious. At least you think so.

But this spark – this essence — is everywhere. So if you ignore it, it will not matter. Life will keep offering up the opportunity the each of us.

But you don’t want to ignore it.

This is where you'll find your bliss. You must follow that, says Joseph Campbell. But you know, it is different than pursuing a goal. You do not imagine it and then create it. Instead, it finds you. I’ve had this experience, maybe two or three times. It is almost indescribable. Picture yourself with a gentle smile — not a big grin, but certainly not a frown. A contented awareness. A satisfied knowing. A pleasantly surprised insight. And a recognition of the oneness in which we exist. This is the bliss I am talking about.

Time slows down. You can almost see the flux of life as it flows around the toe you have dipped in the water. That is the difference you have made. Without you, it would be something else. You are now a part of it. Not a leaf caught on the surface in the eddy of a backwash, but the rock itself that alters the stream's meander.

This is why you bother. This is why it is worth your time, and your energy. This is why it demands your courage. This is why it requires your faith and your trust. This is why it is worth the risk. Yes, I am sure it is worth the risk. Are you?

Come with me. Hold my hand. I’ll help you, and you can help me. Together, we will take the plunge. We will put one foot in front of the other. We will walk toward the stream. And when we get to the water's edge, we will sit for a while. We will convince ourselves that we know what we are doing. Even though we cannot know.

And then we will take off our shoes, roll up our pants, and step confidently into the stream. Come. Come with me. We need each other. Now is when we need to act. This is why we bother.

Fall comes quickly

Fall comes quickly, Amherst, NH, October 2007, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 18mm (varying), Exposure 1/30 sec @ f3.5, ISO 720, exposure bias -2/3 stop, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I thank You God for most this amazing day;
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;
and for everything which is natural
which is infinite
which is yes.

-e.e. cummings

Finger of God

Finger of God, Mystery Lake, Sierra Mountains, CA, October 2007, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 18mm, Exposure 1/1600 sec @ f20, ISO 200, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

There it is again. Do you see it? The circular rainbow around the sun?

You wouldn’t have seen it if you didn’t somehow block out the sun’s intensity. But once done, the rainbow was revealed. That act allowed one to "open ones eyes" and see the inherent beauty that was present.

So why the “Finger of God”?

Well, first of all, you had the power within you to see this rainbow, or not, as you chose. Many people ascribe such wonders of nature to God, and why not? The only question, then, is just who (or what) exactly is this God?

Western cultures, born of the Abrahamic religions, presupposes that this God is “other” than Man; indeed, is outside, apart, and separate from all that we envision. He (and it is always male, isn't it) lives in Heaven, which is a place where we humans might get to go, after we die. We cannot unite with God during this life, but must wait for our Judgment Day, and the hope for Salvation, that we may once again unite with Him.

Interestingly, some Eastern traditions (e.g., Hinduism, Buddhism) recognize God very differently. That which we call God is sometimes referred to as Brahman, Buddha-nature, the Ground of Being, One without a second, and many other traditional names. Rather than the dualistic view that we are separate from God, these traditions teach that we can be one with God — that we all have this Godliness within us, and it is our challenge to “awaken” to this reality.

God lives not elsewhere, up in Heaven. But right here, right now, in this very moment. Not the concept of immortality or eternity, but rather timelessness. Not concept of everywhere or infinity but rather spacelessness.

We humans (and everything else manifest within all that is our universe) are but a expression of God itself. Not separate from a God that is watching over us, judging our behaviors, and being saddened by our sins. But a very part of Creation itself, that which we call God, or Nature, or ... (insert your traditional phrase for the ineffable).

So yes, what you see in the picture above is indeed the “Finger of God”.

We humans are on a long (think eons), inexorable path of evolution from “lesser” to “greater”, from creatures that were once unconscious, to humans who are now conscious and self-aware, and to a future state, illuminated by the leading wave of supra-conscious individuals we have called sages, saints, mystics, mahatmas, enlightened beings, Buddha, and Christ. These awakened beings illustrate the future evolutionary path of our species.

But more importantly, they help us to realize how this “Godliness” is within each of us, right now — if only we awaken to that truth. We all intuit this reality, to a lesser or greater degree. It is that “call” which drives us to look for meaning in our lives, to honor our spirituality, to become “seekers” of truth. They show us how to accept our mortal lives, and transcend both time and space in the here and now. They help us remove the primal fear of mortal death, and not replace that with mythic tales of everlasting life; but instead, realize timelessness right now, and now, and now again, in this very Moment of Life itself. That recognition brings with it a state of peacefulness and calm and wholeness, and replaces the inherent fear and anxiety of a separate self, cut off from the world and others, seeking to postpone an inevitable death.

Take a look. Squint your eyes a bit. Dare to place your hand in front of the Sun and see that Finger of God. Realize your interconnectedness with all that is. It is not our separateness that defines us, but indeed, our Oneness. It is not just your hand which contains the finger of God, but that of the saint, and that of the sinner. Not only the benevolent souls, but the street bums. Can you wrap your mind around that reality? It adds a level of beauty to all that is a part of this world we have manifest.

Namaste, my friend. We are One.

The sanctuary?

The sanctuary, Köln Cathedral, Köln, Germany, October 2001, Sony Cybershot, Exposure 1/30 sec @ f5.6, ISO 400, no flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

The concept of a sanctuary is comforting. A place one can go to avoid having to do battle, whether physical, legal, or emotional. But of course, like any other concept, it is only in our minds (singularly, or collectively). And it is true only as long as we (the royal we, or all of us) choose to believe it.

In a story that I recently read, traditional places of sanctuary actually became the nice convenient collection points for brutal killings, and the actual sanctuary for the story teller, turned out to be a tiny bathroom in a pastor's house. But that is not my point -- I just needed to explain the title and photo for this post.

So ... What have you been reading on your summer vacation?

I just finished an interesting, if somewhat unlikely, choice for some spare-time page turning. It is entitled “Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust,” by Immaculee Ilibagiza with Steve Erwin.

OK, so that might sound like a bit of a downer, and a rather poor choice. Especially with the 7th Harry Potter book recently released and all. (And, I didn't have to worry about some loudspoken fellow traveler giving away the ending ;-) But I must tell you, I really enjoyed it. I found it quite moving — both emotional and inspirational. And I would highly recommend it.

Here are a few quotes from it that caught my mind:

The world had seen the same thing happen many times before. After it happened in Nazi Germany, all the big, powerful countries swore, “Never again!” But here we were, six harmless females huddled in darkness, marked for execution because we were born Tutsi. How had history managed to repeat itself? How had this evil managed to surface once again? Why had the devil been allowed to walk among us unchalleneged, poisoning hearts and minds until it was too late?

I prayed for God to receive the child’s innocent soul, and then asked Him, How can I forgive people who would do such a thing to an infant?
I heard His answer as clearly as if we’d been sitting in the same room chatting: You are all my children ... and the baby is with Me now.
It was such a simple sentence, but it was the answer to the prayers I’d been lost in for days.

The pastor told his children to take a good look at us. “There, but for the grace of God, go any one of you,” he reminded them. “If you have the chance to help unfortunates like these ladies in times of trouble, make sure you do it — even if it means putting your own life at risk. This is how God wants us to live.”

He grabbled Felicien [Hutu gang leader that killed Immaculee’s family] by the shirt collar and hauled him to his feet. “What do you have to say to her? What do you have to say to Immaculee?”
Felicien was sobbing. I could feel his shame. He looked up at me for only a moment, but our eyes met. I reached out, touched his hands lightly, and quietly said what I’d come to say. “I forgive you.”

Now, some might be put off by the subject matter. Others might be put off by the explicit references to God and Christianity. But I urge you to look past those, if they concern you. I see a story that transcends any particular religion. Indeed, I see a story that both defines and transcends faith itself.

And this is not simply a story about man’s inhumanity toward man. Nor is it a story about mankind’s innate goodness. It is a reminder to us all. All of us caught up in our petty concerns, our busy-ness, our happiness or our sadness. The reality of our world is a complex thing. Our day-to-day lives could be turned upside down rather quickly. Things which are truly unimaginable really can happen. And that might be for good or for bad.

And to me it is a reminder of the only antidote we have to such pain, such loss, such tragedy: Compassion, forgiveness, and loving-kindness. Revenge will not work. Even justice can be misguided. We must consider the eternal wisdom from all religions and all traditions: “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” It is the only principle that scales.

Beyond that, I think this book is remarkable in its ability to remind us what evils can prevail from a “tribal” mentality. That is, anything that causes an “us versus them” mentality. Whether we are talking about race, ethnicity, religion, or even politics. If you find yourself siding with “your kind” against “those idiots,” well then, somewhere your train has left the track, and you had best put it right again.

If you see yourself listening to extreme positions, put forth by the media talking heads, religious evangelicals, or political leaders, be suspect. Their job is usually to convince you of their position, rather than inform you to let you make up your own mind. And mass hysteria can lead a group of otherwise rational individuals to act like a pack of wild dogs. It is a fascinating and dangerous trait of human nature.

I come from the East, most of you are Westerners. If I look at you superficially, we are different, and if I put my emphasis on that level, we grow more distant. If I look on you as my own kind, as human beings like myself, with one nose, two eyes, and so forth, then automatically that distance is gone. We are the same human flesh. I want happiness; you also want happiness. From that mutual recognition, we can build respect and real trust of each other. From that can come cooperation and harmony.
-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama

But once again, I come back to compassion, forgiveness, and loving-kindness. Or just Unconditional Love for short. Regardless of your spiritual background or your religious persuasion. Consider its power, and its salvation for humanity, and that most complex, and at times, disconcerting thing called "the human condition". And then smile at your insight, for you have found the path to peace and bliss.

Someone asked me, “Aren’t you worried about the state of the world?” I allowed myself to breathe and then I said, “What is most important is not to allow your anxiety about what happens in the world to fill your heart. If your heart is filled with anxiety, you will get sick, and you will not be able to help.” There are wars  big and small  in many places, and that can cause us to lose our peace. Anxiety is the illness of our age. We worry about ourselves, our family, our friends, our work, and the state of the world. If we allow worry to fill our hearts, sooner or later we will get sick.

Yes, there is tremendous suffering all over the world, but knowing this need not paralyze us. If we practice mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful sitting, and working in mindfulness, we try our best to help, and we can have peace in our heart. Worrying does not accomplish anything. Even if you worry twenty times more, it will not change the situation of the world. In fact, your anxiety will only make things worse. Even though things are not as we would like, we can still be content, knowing we are trying our best and will continue to do so. If we don’t know how to breathe, smile, and live every moment of our life deeply, we will never be able to help anyone. I am happy in the present moment. I do not ask for anything else. I do not expect any additional happiness or conditions that will bring about more happiness. The most important practice is aimlessness, not running after things, not grasping.
-- Thich Nhat Hanh, from the “Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching”

Heavenly Light

Heavenly Light, Inyo Mountains, CA, August 2007, Nikon D40 with 18-200mm VR lens, Focal length 26mm, Exposure 1/30 sec @ f22, ISO 500, no flash, circular polarizing filter © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

We completed our summer vacation this week. We visited my brother-in-law in Los Angeles, who took us camping up in the Ancient Bristle Cone Pine forest located in the White Mountains of California. It was a great trip, with many, many photos taken, and some great hiking to some very remote areas. After I go through them all, I’m sure more will show up here.

In the meantime, while driving back to LA, I noticed this pillar of light out the window and snapped a photo from his moving truck. And it made me think of this inspirational poem by the 12th century Sufi mystic, Rumi. I hope you enjoy his words along with this photo. Namaste.

Looking For Your Face, by Jelauddin Rumi

From the beginning of my life
I have been looking for your face
but today I have seen it.

Today I have seen
the charm, the beauty,
the unfathomable grace
of the face
that I was looking for.

Today I have found you
and those that laughed
and scorned me yesterday
are sorry that they were not looking
as I did.

I am bewildered by the magnificence
of your beauty
and wish to see you with a hundred eyes.

My heart has burned with passion
and has searched forever
for this wondrous beauty
that I now behold.

I am ashamed
to call this love human
and afraid of God
to call it divine.

Your fragrant breath
like the morning breeze
has come to the stillness of the garden
You have breathed new life into me
I have become your sunshine
and also your shadow.

My soul is screaming in ecstasy
Every fiber of my being
is in love with you

Your effulgence
has lit a fire in my heart
and you have made radiant
for me
the earth and sky.

My arrow of love
has arrived at the target
I am in the house of mercy
and my heart
is a place of prayer.

The Art of Drowning

Dawn clouds, Tucker Pond, Salisbury, NH, July 2003, Sony Cybershot, Exposure 1/80 sec @ f2.8, ISO 100, no flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

A good friend sent me a poem by this author (who served two terms as U.S. Poet Laureate), and as it always does, one thing led to another, and here is one of his that caught my eye.

Right now, my daughter and I are getting our scuba diving certificates -- so perhaps you see the connection ;-) Anyways, without further ado:

The Art Of Drowning, by Billy Collins

I wonder how it all got started, this business
about seeing your life flash before your eyes
while you drown, as if panic, or the act of submergence,
could startle time into such compression, crushing
decades in the vice of your desperate, final seconds.

After falling off a steamship or being swept away
in a rush of floodwaters, wouldn't you hope
for a more leisurely review, an invisible hand
turning the pages of an album of photographs-
you up on a pony or blowing out candles in a conic hat.

How about a short animated film, a slide presentation?
Your life expressed in an essay, or in one model photograph?
Wouldn't any form be better than this sudden flash?
Your whole existence going off in your face
in an eyebrow-singeing explosion of biography-
nothing like the three large volumes you envisioned.

Survivors would have us believe in a brilliance
here, some bolt of truth forking across the water,
an ultimate Light before all the lights go out,
dawning on you with all its megalithic tonnage.
But if something does flash before your eyes
as you go under, it will probably be a fish,

a quick blur of curved silver darting away,
having nothing to do with your life or your death.
The tide will take you, or the lake will accept it all
as you sink toward the weedy disarray of the bottom,
leaving behind what you have already forgotten,
the surface, now overrun with the high travel of clouds.

Yes indeed.

No visit to the pearly gate;
no judgment meted out by an over-worked apostle;
no flash of insight to help guide your baby-choosing adventure on the next merry-go-round.
Just the “high travel of clouds” overhead.

Let us not forget that while we are still breathing.