In The Bareness of This Viewing

not always is our practice formal, lotus bound to mat, our minds anchored to a mantra or forced mindfully to the breath. Life itself presents to us all we need to reach a new perspective, relaxing into the present moment without a shift of mind. To be in nature, truly, as a participant of unfolding life - this is our true belonging. We see this is in observation of earth, sky, and all that lives upon and within. At no point does there come a separation of a tree branch reached through air, or a bird once landed on its limb, there is no existence seen apart from it all. This too is traced back to our own observation, our practice now is only seeing our essential belonging, on how we truly on witness from a silent mind, with a story falling always after. In the bareness of this viewing we now find ourselves as a witness removed, simply life itself joined whole in its unfolding. Our practice than - is always, only, seeing. 

Pursuit of Beauty

and so, for me, it comes to a pursuit of beauty, an attempt to capture this ephemeral moment with words given through some spontaneous fashion. There is only the intent to arrange what's received, patience awarded by a glimpse of something not quite yet told, and then my role to relay it to the page. It's all just a momentary truth, any art here is simply my translation of a wordless reality, never lasting past its reveal, and each word a mere souvenir of past beauty. In this sense, the beauty I speak of is not the flash of false notions, nothing that can be defined by tradition, nor given boundaries of a pleasing sign - no, this beauty is beyond compare, free of judgement, it's the depth of a reality that gives rise for comparisons to be. In truth, I don't pursue beauty, it's constant through every guise of what seems other - my only role is seeing, and letting beauty reveal itself completely in its own. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Aware - And Choiceless

aware - and to this we find ourselves choiceless in view of self and world. It's always a subtle moment afterwards that we bring the thought of our control, so quickly that we believe our demands met, and choices made by will alone. Yet everything can be traced to a spontaneous appearance, an absolute first becoming from what seems apparently nowhere at all. Of course there is an argument against this - and where too did this argument first arise? In the end it doesn't really matter, at least for me, and at least for now. I find myself aware, and life occurs in a play of events that call for my participation. 

I do my best to play along.

~

Peace,

Eric 

Seekers

and if we find ourselves seekers, even again after once leaving the search behind - it's just a distinction made in our natural inquiry of existence. a label similar to every other name assigned to actions we find ourselves pursuing. It simply doesn't matter. Without urgency, a seeker is than only an explorer of what the present moment holds. Is there truth here? Our inquiry is simply a means of seeing what remains after asking - the truth of a flower is as much told by earth, and reach of sunlight, the visit of bees to spread its pollen, seasonal shifts and changes that follow. We're not seeking answers to a final truth, but allowing what's true to reveal itself in the flowing story of a flower, or any other object that we view. Or even ourselves. Our own story is only true from moment to any given moment, as shifting and seasonal as any flower. Being a seeker is just a story we tell ourselves, a false distinction. Yet perhaps for just this momentary season - it's exactly where we are, and so we seek not answers, but simply for the sake of seeing. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

The Dance Alone

it's improvisational - life is one thing in full response to itself, an interaction of singular nature played through seemingly separate appearances. We could liken it to a dance performed by an artist who understands the importance of silence to notes heard, a dancer who is at once giving themselves to motion yet completely still at the same time. Or perhaps, better still, just a dance alone without the role of a dancer even needed. 

Simply life.

Motion.

And the spontaneous appearance of it all.

We are indeed, the dance

alone. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

It's Never, Not, Right Now

there is this moment, unique, and filled with distinctions only it may hold - and yet too, this moment flows eternal in that there is no point of separation, no break from now to any other thought of now, continuous in what it offers. There is no escape from the present, as even our recollections of yesterday and dreams into tomorrow are taking place only in this instant. Our role is not to keep the thoughts from wandering, but in being mindful of their return, or more exact, the always present moment of their return. 

It's never, not, right now. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

One and Only Moment of Awakening

just appreciate this, this sense of being, a moment where we recognize that yes, we exist, and more so we are aware of this existence. To know this - is our only moment of awakening, the simplicity of being alive, without effort to do more than draw breath, life functioning completely on its own, and that somehow we belong to this perfect order. Indeed, it's all a gift, and one received without request and given with a grace that needs no earning. Now, extending this, completely seeing that it all belongs together, that we are whole only because it's one existence - that's our one and only awakening. 

No matter how often it's repeated. 

~

Peace,

Eric