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Ways To Wisdom
Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand and melting like a snowflake. - Marie Beyon Ray
| Past Sightings |
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Haiku Steps |
Dojo Experiences
Conscious Connections
Late Summer Haiku
A fall breeze
leaves blowing across
the gravel
~ lao xian
Enjoying
sitting between clumps
of bamboo.
~ ronin
Aikido Man
In the poem that follows, ‘Uke’ (oo-kay) and ‘Nage’ (nah-gay) are Japanese martial arts terms referring to a pair of people practicing Aikido together. During Aikido technique practice the ‘Nage’ throws and the ‘Uke’ falls or rolls. Throughout this training exercise each participant gets to play the role of Uke and Nage, hence, the Golden Rule of Aikido: “Do unto others, as you would have others do unto you - because they’re going to do it to you next.”
Kneeling in solitude, ceremoniously bent
serenity and harmony, these be his intent.
Facing the master he looks for himself,
attaining enlightenment first above else.
Preliminaries done, training’s begun
Uke* and Nage* learning as one.
The crisp execution, the challenge, the thrill,
repetition and training develop the skill.
A man of loyalty, honor, respect,
through love of his Art these he’ll never reject.
Respecting all life, and all that is blessed,
doing what’s proper, calmly awaiting the death.
His is a legacy, one that tradition unfolds,
techniques and wisdom from the Fathers of Old
Steeped in Knowledge of the arts and the letters,
training the Self unloosens the fetters,
His way is ageless, timeless and now,
always unfolding, always asks how?
Those who know him, love him as such,
who’s not attracted to the mysterious?
- Ronin (1981)
Thanksgiving with Joseph Campbell
In late autumn, my consciousness turns inward, flowing with the ebb of daylight ... downward ... into the clear unknown ... glimmered by the fading glow of Apollo’s wake, reflecting on a maple leaf.
And simultaneously my senses pull outward, responding to the colors, sounds, and smells of the Harvest and Solstice (returning of the the light) celebrations.
“We cannot cure the world of sorrows,
but we can choose to live in joy.”
And between the Harvest and Returning Light is Thanksgiving: a time to appreciate the cornucopia of Life — which also brings into awareness suffering. And without knowing how to balance the two, too easily does joy get swept away by fear and sadness.
When I feel this way, I like to ‘check-in’ with Joseph Campbell, and the wise professor usually has some helpful hints. He reminds me that ...
“When we talk about settling the world’s problems
we’re barking up the wrong tree.
the world is perfect. It’s a mess.
It has always been a mess.
We are not going to change it.
Our job is to straighten out
our own lives.”
And with that reminder, I remember to breath slowly and deeply ... letting my attention shift inward ... where I can listen to the soft voice, saying: ‘Feel your existence ... enjoy your existence ...’
Then ... the harvest begins ... saying “thank you” ... I enjoy the return of the light.
(Quotations excerpted from A Joseph Campbell Companion by Diane Osbon)