Today’s senryu: Our Life Is Our Path
How did I get here?
Where am I going today?
I pause, breathe and smile.
If I had to label my spiritual path, Zen Christian comes close to describing it. This Summer I’m scheduled to be “ordained,” first as an Interspecies, Interspiritual Animal Chaplain through Compassion Consortium and later as a lay brother in the Order of Interbeing, Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Tradition.
Below are two quotes which explain how I see my Zen Christian practice today.
First, “to be a human being is to be a knower and a lover of nature and spirit, because to be human is to be both.” Dr. Christopher Baglow (https://strangenotions.com/two-paths/)
The second quote comes from Thich Nhat Hanh:
“We enter the path of practice through the door of knowledge, perhaps from a Dharma talk or a book. We continue along the path, and our suffering lessens, little by little. But at some point, all of our concepts and ideas must yield to our actual experience. Words and ideas are only useful if they are put into practice. When we stop discussing things and begin to realize the teachings in our own life, a moment comes when we realize that our life is the path, and we no longer rely merely on the forms of practice. Our action becomes ‘non-action,’ and our practice becomes ‘non-practice.‘” from The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh (c) Broadway Books, p.122
“Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen monastery at the age of 16 and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209574.The_Heart_of_the_Buddha_s_Teaching
Life Matters 
I haven’t settled or should I say chosen, …(settled seems the totally wrong word and attitude) a path or religion, …it’s intrigued me throughout my life, how the various religions and beliefs shuch guide you on your path, giving you sense of worth and goals, contain so many similarities, …Peace, love, happiness, and knowledge, …know thyself before you can understand the path you’re travelling ,..Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful blog….✨👏✨
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Shuch = which….( I really, really should add patience to my repertoire, …too quick to press that [send] button);…✨
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🙂 been there, done that 🙂
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Thank you, Penn. I appreciate your thoughts and your feedback. Please note that I am not recruiting for anyone to make the choice(s) I have made and I fully support your guidance to know yourself to better understand the path you’re already traveling. Peace, love and understanding _/\_
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Wonderful progression in the haiku! Plenty of works will get us to the first line or even the second, but tend to leave us completely unresolved with regard to our response. I wish a huge number of people could read this mighty little poem.
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Thank you, Ana! I’m grateful for your continued support. Your comments remind me of the second verse of one of the brief songs often used in the Plum Village Tradition: “Happiness is here and now, I have dropped my worries. Somewhere to go, something to do, but I don’t need to hurry.” 🙂
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👌🌅
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