For the Week that is in it, an extract from TS Elliot, Ash Wednesday:
Blessed sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separatedAnd let my cry come unto Thee.
We do not remember days,
We remember moments
Cesare Pavese 1908 – 1950 Italian poet and novelist
photo Catherine Scott
This morning dawned misty and foggy here in Kildare, restricting the view to just a few metres, making travel a bit more slow. This can be good. It is not always healthy that we move as fast or as far as we want to. There is a place for slowing down, making space and listening. Some things are only learnt that way, despite our desire to be always in command.
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow.
WB Yeats, The Lake Isle of Innisfree.
“But it isn’t easy,” said Pooh. “Poetry and Hums aren’t things which you get
They’re things which get you
And all you can do is to go where they can find you“
A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner
If you are unable to find the truth right where you are,
where else do you expect to find it?
Dōgen
The overall tenor of mindfulness practice is gentle,
appreciative and nurturing.
Another way to think of it would be heartfulness.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life
Just actualize all time as all being.
There is nothing extra
Dōgen, Uji
Mindfulbalance 