Poems of Unalome

from Wisdom Beyond Words by Sangarakshita Chapter One, location 1110 of 5233 "ordinary life is Enlightenment; Enlightenment is ordinary life. Reality is to be experienced in the midst of ordinary life, because there is nowhere else to experience it. If you are to experience reality anywhere it can only be here; if you are to experience reality at any time it can only be now.  Don't let your attention be diverted to higher heavenly realms—yes, the symbolism is very beautiful, it is very meaningful, but don't misunderstand it. It is here that we have to realize; it is now that we have to see. The ordinary is wonderful as it is; to add wonders and supernormal happenings would just be gilding the lily.  It would be as if, to draw attention to the fact that you have a nose and that it is a wonderful organ, you were to paint it bright red. To someone who really understands what a wonderful organ the nose is, this sort of decoration is in no way necessary."

For Calling The Spirit Back  From Wandering The Earth  In Its Human Feet Put down that bag of potato chips, that white bread, that bottle of pop. Turn off that cellphone, computer, and remote control. Open the door, then close it behind you. Take a breath offered by friendly winds. They travel the earth gathering essences of plants to clean. Give back with gratitude. If you sing it will give your spirit lift to fly to the stars’ ears and back. Acknowledge this earth who has cared for you since you were a dream planting itself precisely within your parents’ desire. Let your moccasin feet take you to the encampment of the guardians who have known you before time, who will be there after time. They sit before the fire that has been there without time. Let the earth stabilize your postcolonial insecure jitters. Be respectful of the small insects, birds and animal people who accompany you. Ask their forgiveness for the harm we humans have brought down upon them. Don’t worry. The he...

 Ancient Language Hannah Stephenson If you stand at the edge of the forest and stare into it every tree at the edge will blow a little extra oxygen toward you It has been proven Leaves have admitted it The pines I have known have been especially candid One said that all breath in this world is roped together that breathing is the most ancient language

  Winter Grace by  Patricia Fargnoli If you have seen the snow under the lamppost piled up like a white beaver hat on the picnic table or somewhere slowly falling into the brook to be swallowed by water, then you have seen beauty and know it for its transience. And if you have gone out in the snow for only the pleasure of walking barely protected from the galaxies, the flakes settling on your parka like the dust from just-born stars, the cold waking you as if from long sleeping, then you can understand how, more often than not, truth is found in silence, how the natural world comes to you if you go out to meet it, its icy ditches filled with dead weeds, its vacant birdhouses, and dens full of the sleeping. But this is the slowed down season held fast by darkness and if no one comes to keep you company then keep watch over your own solitude. In that stillness, you will learn with your whole body the significance of cold and the night, which is otherwise always eluding you.

  Lines for Winter ~ by Mark Strand Tell yourself as it gets cold and gray falls from the air that you will go on walking, hearing the same tune no matter where you find yourself ~ inside the dome of dark or under the cracking white of the moon's gaze in a valley of snow. Tonight as it gets cold tell yourself what you know which is nothing but the tune your bones play as you keep going. And you will be able for once to lie down under the small fire of winter stars. And if it happens that you cannot go on or turn back and you find yourself where you will be at the end, tell yourself in that final flowing of cold through your limbs that you love what you are.

Puja-de-la-Gratitude-version-française-French.pdf (thebuddhistcentre.com)