I am the luckiest man in the universe and this week I walked three new dogs and one lovable repeater. Pictured below are Elmers, Manifest, Fury (all new to me) and The Supreme (a personal BFFF).
Today’s puppyru: 3 + 1 = JOY
how lucky am i
to meet and breathe air with you
truly JOY divine
All pictures taken by Stray Rescue of STL
Today’s pupryu: Waiting for You
rescued and ready
to love you if you want me –
I’m waiting for you
I love walking dogs; especially the beautiful animals at Stray Rescue of STL. Yet, I confess, there’s a sadness at times when you realize you’re walking some of the same animals, week after week, who would love to become someone’s best friend.
Sure, no dog is a perfect for everyone just like no human is a perfect fit for everyone. Maybe, just maybe, your perfect fit is at your local rescue shelter.
Here are three of the four dogs I walked yesterday.
The Supreme, nearly 5-yr-old 50lb+ female Terrier Mix who prefers to be an only dog.
Tic Tac, 7-yr-old, 50lb+ female Terrier – OK with kids and other mellow dogs; not cats.
L.O.T.I. (Luck of the Irish), 3-yr-old, 50lb+ female Terrier. Gorgeous dog with a pleasant personality.
A fourth dog, Skidmore, is a young Plott Hound/Shepherd mix. I will collect a picture next week if he’s still there. Fingers crossed he’s not because he’s been adopted.
Today’s senryu: Time as a Sacrament
one moment with you
relative and ultimate
love in an eye blink
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Two references inform today’s love poem, Sister Joan Chittister and Thich Nhat Hanh:
https://monasteriesoftheheart.org/
Definition of contemplative – a person who seeks to remove distractions to focus on essentials, fond of silence and solitude, thoughtful and prudent, suspicious of ego, and full of praise for the feeling of divine presence (https://catholicstand.com/five-traits-for-a-contemplative-life/)
Definition of time – the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time)
Definition of sacrament – the sacred nature of things (https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-a-sacrament)
Definition of God – the supreme or ultimate reality (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god)
Thich Nhat Hanh speaks of relative and ultimate truth which elaborates on a moment of time and eternity:
“When we look at the ocean, we see that each wave has a beginning and an end. A wave can be compared with other waves, and we can call it more or less beautiful, higher or lower, longer lasting or less long lasting. But if we look more deeply, we see that a wave is made of water. While living the life of a wave, it also lives the life of water. It would be sad if the wave did not know that it is water. It would think, “Someday, I will have to die. This period of time is my life span, and when I arrive at the shore, I will return to nonbeing.” These notions will cause the wave fear and anguish. We have to help it remove the notions of self, person, living being, and life span if we want the wave to be free and happy.
A wave can be recognized by signs—high or low, beginning or ending, beautiful or ugly. But in the world of the water, there are no signs. In the world of relative truth, the wave feels happy as she swells, and she feels sad when she falls. She may think, “I am high,” or “I am low,” and develop a superiority or inferiority complex. But when the wave touches her true nature—which is water—all her complexes will cease, and she will transcend birth and death.
We become arrogant when things go well, and we are afraid of falling, or being low or inadequate. But these are relative ideas, and when they end, a feeling of completeness and satisfaction arises. Liberation is the ability to go from the world of signs to the world of true nature. We need the relative world of the wave [emphasis mine], but we also need to touch the water, the ground of our being, to have real peace and joy [and this is what so many contemporary people lack]. We shouldn’t allow relative truth to imprison us and keep us from touching absolute truth. Looking deeply into relative truth, we penetrate the absolute. Relative and absolute truths inter-embrace. Both truths, relative and absolute, have a value.” from Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching (Broadway Books: 1998), 124-125.
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
Today’s pupryu: One Beauty, Three Buddies
thank you grass and tree
for your shaded comfort on
this hot Spring morning
I was fortunate to walk four dogs yesterday in downtown St. Louis: Tic Tac, Mr. Pants, Nectarine and Revolver. What a joy on this mid-80-degree (F) day.
Tic Tac – a gorgeous lady – 7yr. old 55lb. female Terrier
Mr. Pants – a Pit Bull on a Corgi body
Nectarine – a joyful tripod – 3yrs. old 42lbs. male Terrier
Revolver – an energetic playmate – 2yr. old 48lbs. male Terrier
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In the right home, each of these dogs would be a furever fur friend.
If you cannot adopt a dog, please adopt an animal rescue shelter.
What does unconditional love look like? Below are two of the four fur friends I walked yesterday in downtown St. Louis.
Aeshma – 2yr old female Terrier 51lbs.
Tic Tac – 7yr old female Terrier 55 lbs.
I also walked two males, Orville and Skidmore, but forgot to take pictures. Next time.
All four dogs are beautiful creatures and I feel so lucky to walk with them. My greatest wish is that they are adopted soon so that they can be with a loving human seven days a week.
Today’s pupryu: Fur Friends
greeted so warmly
trusted so quickly – I’m awed
by the love you give
Check with your local animal rescue facility for some unconditional love opportunities.
Today’s senryu: Bowing
bowing together
our hearts and minds connected
love and respect shared
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Below is a repost of a Lion’s Roar article written by Br. Phap Hai. It’s a great introduction to the basics of bowing. May this bring you comfort and peace today.
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BY BROTHER PHAP HAI| AUGUST 29, 2021
In the famed Lotus Sutra, there is a wonderful chapter in which we meet a bodhisattva named Never Despising. His practice was not doing long hours of sitting meditation, chanting the sutras, or reciting mantras. Upon seeing another person, he would put his palms together, bow, and say, “You will become a buddha one day!” This was bodhisattva Never Despising’s only practice.
One of the first things that made an impression on me when I visited a traditional Buddhist temple was seeing practitioners join their palms in front of their heart when they met each other. I immediately felt a sense of respect and sacredness, not only toward the shrine but toward each other.
The practice of bowing, whether as a physical or mental practice, helps us connect with others as human beings who are just like us in their search for happiness and peace. For me, bowing to another person is a practice of touching what is real and alive—within me and within them. Doesn’t that sound like the heart of meditation?
Recently, a practitioner asked me about the benefits of meditation. I knew that she was hoping I would talk about dazzling lights, profound insights, or psychic powers. Perhaps to her disappointment, I shared with her my growing sense of appreciation for the ordinary moments of my life—a cup of tea in the morning, warm sunshine, laughter. Before, I had taken these things as a given rather than a gift. Now as I practice more, my experience of them has become richer, deeper, and more meaningful.
When I reflect in this way, even inanimate objects become dear, dear friends on the path. Whenever I sit down in the meditation hall, I bow to my cushion because it is a very kind friend to my buttocks and lower back. Practicing in this way, I experience a lot of joy and gratitude.
Within the confines of a monastery or practice center, I will physically bow to others, but sometimes I find myself in situations where that might be thought strange. In that case, rather than focusing on the physical act of joining my palms, I do a mental bowing practice. I simply open myself to the other person and touch the realness within both of us.
Perhaps the greatest advice I ever received in my spiritual life was when a senior meditation teacher told me that as Buddhists we should always avoid “covering things over with a whole lot of bells and incense. Just be yourself, truly yourself.”
The act of joining our palms and bowing is first of all a physical practice, but most importantly it is a moment of mental stopping and recognition. Here are some different ways that you can practice bowing:
On the most basic level, one practice of bowing is to look into the eyes of another person and gently bring your palms together in front of your heart. You might bend slightly at the waist or bow your head in respect.
When we join our palms in front of another person, we are recognizing the essential quality of goodness in ourselves and in them. That is truly a moment of celebration. When somebody joins their palms in front of me, I feel as if a mirror is being held up to me. In it, I see who I truly am. It is always a powerful moment.
Another practice is to visualize your hands as a lotus flower. As you join your palms together in front of your heart, make an offering to the buddha in front of you. You might find it helpful to recite silently the following gatha: “A lotus for you, a buddha-to-be.”
Bowing can also be a mental practice. Too often we fail to appreciate the ordinary moments of our life. Bring your awareness to encounters with people whom you might normally overlook—the person at the checkout counter, the people in line with you at the airport. Stop and take a moment to recognize the person in front of you. With soft eyes and an open heart, send them your respect and appreciation. Mentally bow to the true nature of goodness you share.
Originally from Australia, Brother Phap Hai is a senior student of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. Prior to becoming a monk, he trained as a chef. Brother Phap Hai is known for his ability to convey complex teachings in an accessible and humorous manner and leads retreats and workshops throughout the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, and Asia. He currently resides at Deer Park Monastery, in California, where he breathes, walks, and smiles on a regular basis. He is the author of Nothing to It: Ten Ways to Be at Home with Yourself.
Love takes work from both parties in a relationship. Making dreams come true for the two of you keeps passion alive. Be – Do – Have.
Today’s senryu: Keep Putting Things into Your Future
making memories
creating joy together
keep the dream alive
“Everybody wants to have great relationships. But unfortunately, when it comes to relationships, we spend so much time rooted in the past that we hardly notice that joy is possible in the present moment. Many of us are addicted to courtship, because when you’re in the courtship phase, you’re all lit up about the future. We’re going to be together, we’re going to have a great relationship, it’s going to be awesome. That sense of what’s “going to be” fuels your joy and excitement in the present moment. So you’re making plans, you’re doing all kinds of fun things, you’re all pumped up. Then you get married, and it all stops.
What stopped? The idea that your future could be more exciting than your present. The future is the fuel for the joy in the present moment, and once you’ve “arrived” – you’ve got the wedding ring on your finger, you’ve got the money in the bank, or whatever other future you were shooting for – all of a sudden the air goes out of the balloon. Why? Because you’re no longer creating from the future. You’ve achieved your goal and you start to coast. I hate to say it, but you can only coast one way – downhill.
In a relationship, if the future is the fuel because you’re so excited about what you’re going to do, then keep on putting things into your future that light both of you up.” Raise Your HDL: Healthy Deserve Level by Gary Kadi, (c) 2009, p.35
“The ads for “The Sterile Cuckoo” remind us that you can fall in love for the first time only once in your life. True enough, but that begs the question of whether Pookie and Jerry are really in love. I doubt it. Their relationship is based more on need: her need to be loved, and his need to make love.” Thus begins the critical movie review by Roger Ebert, the late Pulitzer-Prize winning movie critic who died in 2013. See the full review here: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-sterile-cuckoo-1969
I was a movie reviewer for both my high school and college newspapers. I still enjoy watching movies, especially classics, but stopped writing movie reviews long ago. I was more of a promoter than a critic and definitely not as talented a writer as Roger Ebert. Alas.
Liza Minnelli and the song, Come Saturday Morning, were nominated for Oscars, although neither won. Alas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nIdGutgymY
Today’s senryu: Come Saturday Morning
Alas, life is short
and timing is ev’rything.
What time is it now?
It’s said that “America has a loneliness epidemic” (see NPR‘s recent piece at https://www.npr.org/2023/05/02/1173418268/loneliness-connection-mental-health-dementia-surgeon-general
So what? Well, here are the consequences of loneliness according to a recent advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy :
Today’s senryu: Lookin’ for Love in All the Wrong Places
we all need to love
giving and receiving love
look for love wisely
Life Matters 