Dharma is Displayed

Dharma is displayed: 

the story is that St. Francis spoke to an almond tree on one harsh winter day, asking the barren tree to speak to him of God - and instantly there was flowering of leaves, a show of spring amidst the coldest season. I've always loved this story, reading of it once long ago and then long being fascinated by the power of being transformed, that a tree would reveal the presence of God through its bloom by simple request and the belief that spring was eternal to the tree. Yet I'm no longer sure of this lesson, that perhaps the real summons wasn't for God to show through the blossoming of the tree out of season, but for its dharma to be displayed, and that this too shows the presence of God, the harshness of winter, branches devoid of leaves and not yet ready for spring's bloom - dharma is displayed through every possibility, each season serves for the purpose of the tree's continuation. 

everything belongs as it is, even as it's already changing.

what St. Francis truly wished to see was the dharma of the tree, the purpose of a barren branches, and perhaps even his own purpose revealed during a harsh season of his soul. It certainly wasn't a casual request. There must have been a reason that Francis needed the tree to show it's dharma, a crisis of faith, maybe a winter filled by the cold touch of doubt. 

St. Francis need to see some reason and purpose to his own barren days.

and with his request - dharma is displayed,

yet not by transformation, the lesson here isn't in the bloom, but shown through the barrenness of branches and the cold touch of a winter's day, that the dharma of tree and season are inseparable, indeed being the very same display. Had St. Francis made this same request during spring's full blossom, perhaps autumn's fallen leaves would have been revealed - as dharma is displayed through every possibility of branch and season. The story of the almond tree is a beautiful example of dharma, how the present moment holds what's necessary for its own fulfillment, the exactness of all that's found right now, and that life is continuously changing even in the midst of what a season shows.

what St. Francis issued was a prayer, speak to me of God he asked the almond tree...

and with that, dharma through its infinite motion,

is displayed. 

~

Peace, Eric