• Beth Chapman
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Book
  • Blog
  • Media

13 Dec

From the Cushion into the World

Beth Blog 2 0

054 (2)

Compassion is the ability to see clearly into the nature of suffering…
The enemies of genuine compassion: pity, moral outrage, and fear. 
—Roshi Joan Halifax

Practice with infinite gratitude to
the past,
Infinite service to the present,
And infinite responsibility to the
future. 
-Old Zen admonition

A tale of so many different scriches that I could leave. The presence of metta this morning and heart eyes that see the oneness of all. No difference between all else and my own heart, thoughts, needs, and actions. The scrich of Maxwell Wildlife Refuge’s sanctuary and the serenity gifted. The scrich of confusion for one who treasures gifted single feathers found. To find so many hawk feathers scattered in one area. How could the predator become the hunted? The scrich of walking beside the lake and finding feathers of a duck, even a partial wing. To kneel and ponder how dangerous the journey. Then the scrich of getting in my car as a truck of young men, hunters, parked and they began surveying the lake of geese and ducks. Hunting is forbidden. It is a refuge. Remote from houses and no rangers on duty.

The journey from the cushion of metta and oneness to confusion over a hunted hunter and sadness over a fallen sojourner answering the call to come home. Then to end with outrage, anger, and fear. To ponder such emotions on the drive home. How do they fit? Where is the metta? Yes, little one, where is the metta. Compassion has no boundary. There is not my heart and yours. I who felt such gratitude and oneness with the fallen had judged those who I truly do not know if they ever took their guns out of the truck. And though I would never intentionally harm another, am I blameless? Without a gun, how do my actions harm the earth and others? How quickly I can judge and is not that the most powerful weapon?

No difference between all else and my own heart,
thoughts, needs, and actions.
Hawk feathers repel tears
but accept grace prayed.
Soft eyes hidden gaze without fear.
All is one. All is One.
Metta. Metta. Metta.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related


grace judgement metta
Twitter Facebook

2 Responses to From the Cushion into the World

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Walking the Earth

  • IMG_2262
  • IMG_2263
  • IMG_2251
  • IMG_2258
  • IMG_2252
  • IMG_2259
  • IMG_2255
  • IMG_2254
  • IMG_2256

Recent Posts

  • Celebrating Mama’s Day
  • Whispered Trilogy
  • Spring Equinox
  • Polarities
  • Silence Broken

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

  • Blog
  • Media

Archives

  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2020
  • August 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • May 2017
  • January 2017
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014

Recent Comments

  • Deborah Mars on Celebrating Mama’s Day
  • Deborah Mars on Spring Equinox
  • Beth on Spring Equinox
  • Deborah Mars on Spring Equinox
  • Deborah Mars on Polarities


  • Home
  • Bio
  • Book
  • Blog
  • Media

Copyright © 2014. Beth Chapman. All rights reserved.
 
 

Loading Comments...