Reaching Again and Again

#1 - I learned today that Stephen Levine died a couple months ago. I was reminded of a moment in my car, maybe 15 years ago, when I was listening to an audio tape of his. A woman asked him a question and it was through his response that I experienced both the depth of my judgements and a well of compassion.

I had never heard anyone respond to another human being in such a caring manner.

I didn't even know such things were possible.



#2 -"Are you ready to do the puzzle Gampa?"



#3-  I asked my niece how she knew how to do a rather complicated origami.  She said she learned from the instructions.

 "But the instructions aren't here," I replied.

"I remember," she said pointing to her head, "like you when you are driving." 



#4 - Not only the letter but getting clearance to share these lines-







As I contemplated what I'm displaying here it doesn't quite match how I'm feeling. Today I feel pretty ho hum.

So there is how it feels and what I'm reaching towards, again and again, with practice.


#5 - A Rilke quote I came across on Krishna Das's website -

EMBRACE THE SHADOW

“Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.
So don’t be frightened, dear friend, if sadness or anxiety casts a shadow over your life. Something is happening within you. Remember that life has not forgotten you. It holds you in its hand and will not let you go. And after all, why would you want to live without pain and unease? You don’t yet know what mysterious work these feelings are accomplishing inside you.”
– Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke