[Byzantine Bindings]

Saturday 31 March 2018

Day - 40 Silent Saturday

Numbed eyes
turning away
to see a newborn calf
blood soaked bewilderment lifeless
struggling.

Friday 30 March 2018

Day 39 - Good Friday

In death
gravity fails
a few small prayers break through
peppering the once almighty
with tears.

Thursday 29 March 2018

Day 38 - Radical Community.

Mandate
lately given
looking to the end times
washing feet serving all do this
think on.

Wednesday 28 March 2018

Day 37 - On Authenticity

Which is it easier to say
it’s true because it’s written in the bible
or
it’s true because it’s written in my heart?

Engrossed
good news indeed
allowing forgiveness
hearing the truth of my breathing
make sense. *

John 7:53 - 8:11



Engrossed
in suffering
all of my own making
nor do I don’t do it again
rings true.

shorthand
good news indeed
offering a way out
link that with psalm thirty two
new life

indeed
new life beckons
allowing forgiveness
then healing begins to take place
slowly

be still
know I am god
all life is miracle
hearing the truth of my breathing
again

stronger
because of it
able to walk again
live forward understand backwards
make sense.




*Some would say this is a contrivance, not in the original text.

Tuesday 27 March 2018

Day 36 - And in the Garden Secretly

Nearing the End
Jonah
that’s the story
learnt on his mummy’s knee
recalling it in the garden
just now.


Sometimes
what seems the least significant
catches my attention
on this of all days
we’ll walk together a while
seeing how our stories weave
and wander together
on this cold windy march morning.

Seeking
looking for an explanation of why there’s something not nothing
listening to the beat of any drum
whose beat I can march to
favouring the exotic the erotic the mundane the bizarre
testing tasting dipping in and out
never staying long enough to discover the truth
till one day

as if in a dream...

Hearing the word I ran away
what else was there to do
stand and fight against the might
no
smuggle the secret in my belly and run away to sea
I wouldn’t be the first or the last
but when security is threatened people look for a scapegoat
and sure enough even the throw of dice runs against me

Even then found out
I saw a way to wriggle out
comply with them offer to be a living sacrifice
for them
death seemed preferable
a watery welcome
but they fought against it
rowing nowhere

With a wry smile
overboard I went into the cold ocean
and oblivion
came to in the slimy stench of big bellied fish
three days in this living hell
how had this come to pass
how my ordinances worked against me
time to ask the seekers question why are things the way they are

Like a bolt from the blue
like a prodigal dream
words half remembered from days in the synagogue
this poor man called and the Lord heard
in the shadow of the valley
no evil befalls the tree by the river
deliverance comes to those who pay their vows
or something like that

No escaping it then
ill tell it like it is
and wouldn’t you know they repented
seemingly I went through it for nothing
sulking I sat under a tree it gave me shelter from the heat of the sun
but even that withered and died
fairness is not measured in human quantity that’s what I learned
as I was lead from the garden to destiny.


Monday 26 March 2018

Day 35 - John 4-5



There is something 
different about it
just the phrasing 
the hide and seek 
language of it

as if saying
catch me if you can
nothing to catch
ha! ha!
whose the fool now

born again
going to the well 
with no bucket
she said
of course I called him fool

then he suggested 
we do this little dance thing only
after I fetched my husband
the dance had already started 
little did I know

looking back though
perhaps I did
something in the eye
knew everything I ever did
and still twinkled

teased 
saw beyond
said dance
I was caught up 
in a whirlwind

said who are you
said I am he
and I knew 
slipped his grip
ran to tell them all

that was the start of it really.

Sunday 25 March 2018

Just saying...

Welcome
smiling faces
warm stones and history
possibilities for the week
unfold.


Saturday 24 March 2018

Day 34 - That's the way to do it...


Punch and Judy


Breathing
water good seeds
combat unconscious stream
wisdom and compassion flowing
softly. 

Friday 23 March 2018

Day 33 - The Secret.

The Secret of Life

To see
what Jesus saw
do the things Jesus did
journey with the unprovable
humbly

to see
what Buddha saw
do the things buddha did
journey with the unprovable
humbly

to see
the Prophet’s way
do the things he did
journey with the unprovable
humbly

to see
your own pathway
do the things you do
journey with the unprovable
humbly


Walk in the land of the unprovable.

Thursday 22 March 2018

Day 32 - They said to him,

“Who are you?” *

Speaking
understanding
looking beyond the crowds
hearing the voice of the father
tearful

sitting
cold light of day
the winter almost gone
calm breathing gardening the soul
sunlight

whispered
through Abraham
across the beams of time
lightly tripping down the ages
I am.



* RSV John 8.25

Wednesday 21 March 2018

Day 31 - Simple

Small bird
early morning
trying to find myself
show me the hand with suffering
sun shines.



Today I am warmed by the rays of the spring sun.

Tuesday 20 March 2018

Day 30 - Fire Arms

Fire Arms

Fire arms
we all have them
what will you use them for
everyone a super hero
healing.

Today I am aware of the positive potential of all human beings in every situation, in every time and in all places.

Monday 19 March 2018

Day 29 - When Wolves Come

Breathing
rising falling
only the breath is left
when wolves come in early morning
no fear.

Today I am breath.

Sunday 18 March 2018

The Three Winged Bird


Catching Fragments

☸︎

Thinking Talking Doing 

☸︎

Thinking
is not doing
stating the obvious
making the move from head to heart
doing.

☸︎

Can a
three winged bird
fly any better than
a bird which only has one wing
koan.

☸︎

Meditation Upon


Wisdom
&
Compassion

☸︎
Acting accordingly





Saturday 17 March 2018

Day 28 - Too late?

Night time
other things first
learning to touch the breath
looking deeply into the bread
and wine.

Friday 16 March 2018

Forgotten Three

[Alive
precious moment
aware of breath flowing
river continues its journey
homeward.

Walking
beneath white clouds
bowing to the river
observing manifestation
gently.

No-self
impermanence
following the life force
happiness is overrated
nowness.]



Alive
walking
no-self

precious moment
beneath white clouds
impermanence

aware of breath flowing
bowing to the river
following the life force

river continues its journey
observing manifestation
happiness is overrated

homeward
gently
nowness




Day 27 - Uncertainty

Attending to the Present
Today
I am unsure
confidence in the past
holds out no hope for the future
really.

Letting Go
Holding on to something
afraid to let go
knowing that dust
forms the core.

Why
would I want there
to be more
than there is.

All life is a miracle
breathing in and out
aware of the life force
present in this body.

One
precious moment
rises and falls
within.

Thursday 15 March 2018

Day 26 - Empty

Empty
focus elsewhere
concentration pays off
ever closer to the ending
fulfilled.



Wednesday 14 March 2018

Day 25 - Humble Dawn



Past Echo


Turn back
reflect on life
understand it backwards
begin to see how to live now
repent.

Today I am repentant in a way which seeks to give me and others dignity.

Tuesday 13 March 2018

Day 24 - New Day, New Dawn




First Time Identification


Sunshine
whispers through clouds
come out to play with me
the fool sets out on his journey
smiling.




Today I am led forth.

Monday 12 March 2018

Day 23 - Relaxing

Breathing
yielding gently
accepting everything
universe rising and falling
within.

Today I am breathed.

Sunday 11 March 2018

Negative Capability


Dream
Dreaming
reality
like two different people
hard pressed to tell the difference
asleep.


What happens to mind
when the brain is asleep
or is it the other way round
how can I know for sure
awake isn’t dreaming
asleep isn’t dreaming
or
are both the same illusion
today I am unsure
of anything
all is misty
autumn in springtime
senses
confused
mind alert.

Saturday 10 March 2018

Day 22 - Thankfully, Change Is Inevitable

Reading the Signs

Thrownness
stirred all about 
aware of otherness
loosing a sense of belonging
awake.




Grandad’s wisdoms
granny’s laugh
milk spilt
good things ending
their sitting in silence
seeming saintly 
gentle as a lamb
I can still hear the tiny frogs
and smell the rotting grass
hear the peas rattle in the tin
see the gasometer
feel the love
touch the gate
of my learnings.

Friday 9 March 2018

Day 21 - Benediction

Living Sounds
Sitting
early morning
watching my reflection
considering the universe
in me.



Strange music in the air
living sounds in the darkness
said I am the way
walk in me
said I am the truth
live in me
said I am the dance
dance in me
said I am the life
die in me
said I am the resurrection
live in me.


Today I am uncertain.

Thursday 8 March 2018

Day 20 - Angel Forte

Entertaining Angels
Snowdrops
every atom
containing it and me
observable differences
vanish.



Who Knew…

About snowdrops
waking with a solution so many times
it has to be more than coincidence
can’t prove it
entertaining angels maybe
about cutting paper making assumptions about size
the implications for measuring and cutting
about the snowdrop and the universe at the quantum level
not me that’s for sure


Today I am amazed and amazing.

Wednesday 7 March 2018

Day 19 - Theory and Practice

Making
readjustments
crossing ancient thresholds
awakening to the moment
simply.





Crossing the Rubicon

Taking stock
things were not
as they should be
confusion arose
about defining should
the captain said
full steam ahead
but we sensed icebergs
looming in the deep dark places
what were we to say
perhaps defining authority
would have saved us
that or taking our chances
in open water.

Tuesday 6 March 2018

Day 18 - Some Little Misunderstanding

The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree

Seasons
green and bare times
some misunderstanding
let go of all expectation
freedom.

Monday 5 March 2018

Day 17 - Recognition

In the Wilderness of Opinions





Often
speculation
arrows missing the point
wilderness of opinions
let go.




“The Buddha was not interested in discussing unnecessary metaphysical questions which are purely speculative and which create imaginary problems. He considered them as a ‘wilderness of opinions’.*














*Rahula, W. (1959). What the Buddha Taught. Gordon Fraser, Bedford, 2nd ed 1967 edition. p 12.

Sunday 4 March 2018

Let's Face It

Going forth


Facing
old enemies
playing with the others
or going it alone again
simple.



Universal Alliance

I cannot go alone
being wonderfully tainted
enabled even empowered some would say
by the meetings and contacts with the others
simplicity comes in knowing
being thankful
for all whose paths have crossed mine
whose paths I have crossed
ebbing and flowing in a universal alliance
we go forth together.

Saturday 3 March 2018

Day 16 - Seeking John on Jordan's Banks



Derwent



Coldness
feeling alive
sensing the mystery
gently walking along the way
river.

Friday 2 March 2018

Day 15 - With the Wild Beasts

Ministering Angels


Something
about each day
seems the same to me now
perhaps I am making a deal
with death.

Thursday 1 March 2018

Day -14 We all live in story





Buying the Potter’s Field.

Had a bad name anyway
scabby dogs
burning rubbish
place of destruction
fiery desolation


but 30 pieces of silver
cheap at the price
shred the evidence
leave our hands free
able to get on

necessary evil
for the good of all
ends and means
keep it tidy
he knew the references

strange though
how names stick
deeds come back to haunt
lovers kill the thing they love.