Detachment is not the same as aversion.

detachment leads to wisdom and right perception 

whereas aversion leads to attachment and suffering.

come in take off your robe 

make a heap of your clothes

shave your body make a pile of your hair.

flay your skin make a heap of that

strip all your muscles from their bones 

sinew cartilage and tendon 

make a pile of them

stack up your bones in a pile

grind them to dust

look closely at the piles

watch them fade to dust

blown by the wind 

carried into the clouds

out to the ocean to be rained on the earth once more

were is the independent I

gather the grape

fruit of the vine

work of hands

crush in the press 

reduce to liquid

pour out for all

gather the wheat 

grind

bake

tear

share

with all

where is the grape

where is the wheat

how sweet

this one moment

nothing could be simpler

sipping water watching it flow

through me

no birth

all one in time

no death no otherness

only part of the rolling tide

rhythm 

Golden Cinquain

lost dream

gone in a flash

nothing left but feelings

there is nothing left but ashes

ever

ever

waking moment

dreaming of a lost life

in some parallel universe

resting

resting

calm engulfs me

every cell is smiling

waves come crashing on the shoreline

silence

silence

in the morning

birdsong breaking the spell

restlessness comes with the morning

calling

calling

over the hills

listening for echoes

longing for the distant whisper

comfort

(i) lost dream

waking moment

every cell is smiling

restlessness comes with the morning

comfort

miracle

everyday life

living for every day

focusing on the needful things

gently

gently

learning to sit

calmness is everything

manifestation of heaven

present

present

in the moment

long enough to savour

music behind the promises

singing

singing

songs of morning

blissfully awaken

resting in peaceful between states

music

music

noting silence

finding the harmony

joyfully running together

as one

(ii) miracle

learning to sit

long enough to savour

resting ion peaceful between states

as one

moving

out of the dream

into the wakefulness

senses awakening slowly

movement

movement

into the day

gently start unfolding

wings that have never been opened

promise

promise

new day dawning

what will you do today

with this one precious life given

jump in

jump in

every moment

lived to the maximum

spent in the service of others

loving

loving

spending it all

giving it all away

never stopping to count the cost

gladly

(iii) moving

into the day

what will you do today

spent in the service of others

gladly

garden

haven of peace

constantly challenging

dreaming of life in the moment

dying

dying

being reborn

endless cycles of life

constantly looking for freedom

elsewhere

elsewhere

awakening

across the universe

stirring some life into being

water

water

trapped in the land

looking for its mother

cutting through the tallest mountain

easy

easy

coming back home

rejoicing in the dawn

coveting the precious moment

smiling

(iv) garden

being reborn

across the universe

cutting through the tallest mountain

smiling

endings

unmasked mornings

stirring up potential

showing the way to go forward

by chance

by chance

reality

opens the way forward

sitting in the cool of the day

waiting

waiting

for nothing else

everything is in me

seedlings of the universal

watered

watered

sprouting to life

needing only nurture

growing in the silent darkness

movement

movement

towards the light

coming to the surface

manifesting endless glory

brightly

(v) endings

reality

everything is in me

growing in the silent darkness

brightly

lost dream

learning to sit

what will you do today

cutting through the tallest mountain

brightly

This morning at least...

stillness

ocean of calm

daily practice sustains

nothing in the mind of no one

empty

Return

back home
all in the mind
generous offering
caught in the sense of the moment
subtle

The Most High God

here I am
ready and willing to be a servant
of the most high God

and all the 
most high God wants
is to hide away
in full view

but that’s ok

I know the most high God is here

in the same way I know I am here
which is tenuous
to say the least

so we’re quits

the most high God can get on with whatever

and I will get on with whatever
knitting reality from fog

it’s a start anyway

starting

always as hard

thinking it’s something else

often just a little whisper 

calling

calling

in the morning

tapping on my window

some little bird to let me know

something

something

rattles around 

niggling at my conscience

inviting me to make a start

daily

daily

coming closer

is it in the sunshine

or the universal murmur 

calling

calling

loved and wanted

on the doorstep daily

coming closer every moment

welcome

starting

in the morning

niggling at my conscience 

or the universal murmur 

welcome

thankful

it never leaves

universal murmur 

always loving in the background

humming

Perhaps

looking sideways
at
constant vigilance
being the price of freedom

over your shoulder
through a mirror
read
mindfulness brings freedom

perhaps
freedom sets you free
to be enslaved
by its pursuance

breathing in
I breathe in
breathing out
I breathe out

well at least I try

Commentary:
Too much I.

River end...

Completed a  River booklet - 11 more to go.

   

       

 

The structure is a Dos a Dos with Psalm 46 (RSV) as the first section and two further sections containing five cinquains each. The cuff and cover are made from 200gsm cold pressed watercolour paper and the text block is inkjet printed on 80gsm copy paper.

Here are the cinquains:

Cinquain(i) Rising old memories threatening the present letting go of all attachments falling falling all to easy into ways of thinking listen to the tender silence rising rising inner tensions future looming larger only in the present moment falling falling seeking progress walking quite awkwardly always hold on to the vision rising rising glimmering light that of love within me present in the presence of God falling

Cinquain(ii) Rising all to easy future looming larger always hold on to the vision falling river swelled with rail fall up and down stream the same only in this precious moment presence stillness carved from water freely given wonder only everything demanded whisper mercy whispered come now unaware it caught me (I was seeking something other) hiding slowly in the garden children of soil play innocent of any knowing graceful