It is so 

tantalizingly close

this mystery

I can feel it inside,

It is in my mind

And my heart.

I can feel it in 

the air.

Death brings it

even closer.

Birth sings its praises.

It is

Everywhere.

And I know

If I can only

touch it,

I will be saved.

What a puzzle;

It already touches me;

But  I can’t touch it.

Maybe,if I let go 

of my desire,

It will take 

me in.

I’m finding there’s

 a difference between

 sleep and torpor

Sleep comes when

the body and mind

are truly tired.

Torpor says,”I’m here

Don’t you feel tired,

Take a nap.”

It’s like a false fuel guage

That tells you

You’re empty.

But if you knock it hard

The needle bounces

To full.

It takes a lot of 

faith and determination

To reject torpor.

We’ve been brought up

To feel well rested,

It is our right.

What am I to do

With this imposter?

Time to get up.

No one can know the state of another’s heart. We may think we can, but that knowledge is limited to God alone. As the Buddhists say “The mind is, by its nature, restless – but you are not the mind”. As long as we stay in that surf of the mind constantly tossed and turned we are beholden to the mind and our actions and thoughts and words flow out of that area. But at deeper levels the mind is quiet and we behave and think very differently and our persona becomes more understanding and compassionate. Every person has this potential. So to judge another when he/she may be in the restless mode is an error and one that perpetuates our illusion of separateness and also our dark side. To learn to “see only good” is a wonder and a great blessing.

 I noticed,today,that the birds are really hungry- especially because of the 8″ of snow on the ground. And a strange thing happens- they don’t fight each other so much while they are eating. When survival is at stake the ‘personality’ issues fall away. Blue Jays eat happily alongside Cardinals and Chickadees and Snowbirds. Each bird has a focus on one thing and does not concern itself with lesser issues. Wouldn’t it be something if we could do the same – if we could focus on the one important common factor – our common humanity- then we could exist happily together and not waste so much time squabbling over this and that – for indeed the snow is on the ground and understanding  of our common unity is all too present.