I don’t often take naps. When I do, it feels like a luxury. And I definitely felt like one today after a very long few months, and took it. A cue from Neptune direct (see also) perhaps, to give the psyche a break, a rest, and a chance to recuperate. Dreams were strange too.
Sleep [...]
Archive for the ‘Poetry’ Category
Poll: Neptune direct — sleep, and perchance to dream?
Posted in Astrology, Poetry, Wonder on 5 November 2009 | 5 Comments »
Doing nothing: When and where
Posted in Poetry, Thinking, Wonder on 24 August 2009 | 1 Comment »
I spent most of a three-day weekend at a friend’s place (two hours away from me) not doing very much… It depends on what you mean by ‘doing’ anything, of course.
It occurred to me that doing ‘nothing’ at home is not quite the same experience as ‘doing’ nothing someplace else.
Break up songs: the Zen pick
Posted in Blogging, Poetry, tagged breakup songs on 18 July 2009 | 1 Comment »
Annie of CafeAstrology Relationships posted a list of break up songs. All great choices.
It might date me a bit, but personally, ABBA works for me, weirdly enough; especially the late-career songs mirroring the group members’ own failing relationships.
Anyway, here’s one that speaks to the Zen approach to break-ups, I think. Lyrics below the break.
[...]
Down the (rabbit) hole
Posted in Death, Poetry, tagged book, repetition compulsion on 13 June 2009 | Leave a Comment »
I came across this poem in Sogyal Rinpoche’s The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (1992) (Will say more about the book another time).
‘Peace is this moment without judgement’
Posted in Astrology, Blogging, Poetry, Suffering, tagged moon in capricorn, peace, Pluto in Capricorn, Pluto-Moon on 10 June 2009 | 1 Comment »
As the Moon conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn and buried emotions rise to the surface, I was originally intending to blog about a heartbreaking experience that happened to me recently. My natal moon is in Capricorn (trine Pluto = Hades Moon!) and Eric Francis writes about how Capricorn moons often have their hearts shattered; well, [...]
Grateful for zazen
Posted in Anxiety, Gratefulness, Meditation, Poetry, Practice, Zen on 14 May 2009 | 2 Comments »
The past few months have been rather trying, and while I can easily point to Pluto (see past few posts), ‘blaming’ the transits is missing the point. Life happens. Learning about Pluto is a means of understanding what’s happening. A means of coping with it is practice.
Rainbow connections
Posted in Gratefulness, Poetry, Wonder, tagged Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, over the rainbow on 15 September 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The mood of the times is such that we need to be reminded of rainbows from time to time.
Here’s a cloud-chasing, funk-busting, happy-making video for all. I bow in gratitude to those dedicated to making us smile.
The rough beast slouches, or Pluto on the move II
Posted in Astrology, Poetry, tagged Pluto, Sphinx, Yeats on 11 September 2008 | 1 Comment »
Part I.
In honour of the ‘rough beast’ that is Pluto, I offer you W.B. Yeats’ powerful poem, ‘The Second Coming’ (1920).
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The [...]
Wholesome Matt-ness
Posted in Poetry, Wonder, tagged dancing, Where the Hell is Matt? on 25 July 2008 | Leave a Comment »
This is one of those life-affirming things that deserves as much publicity as it gets.
I first read of it on Robert Wilkinson’s site, then found the homepage.
It’s one of those things that makes me feel like the world is in fact less crazy than it appears.
Thank you, Matt, and keep dancing.
Trial by fire
Posted in Blogging, Buddhism, Poetry, Practice, Zen, tagged fire, Fire Sermon, Osho Zen tarot, Tassajara on 16 July 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I am reading, with much admiration, the blog recounting the efforts of the members of the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, a Soto Zen monastery in California, to cope with the wildfires currently ravaging the countryside. The blog is aptly called ‘Sitting with Fire’, and I am much struck by how calm and circumspect the reporting [...]
Mirror, mirror, on the wall…
Posted in Ego, Perception, Poetry, Practice, Zen, tagged mirror, projection on 6 July 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I finally bought a mirror yesterday after three months of moving into my new flat. I remarked to a friend that living without a mirror has been a good exercise in ego reflection, and although I’d meant it as a joke, it made me think about mirrors, and ego reflections.
Mirrors are funny things, [...]
Spring bop
Posted in Awareness, Poetry on 28 April 2008 | 1 Comment »
Come out to view
the truth of flowers blooming
in poverty
— Basho (1644—1694)
Finally it feels like spring has come to the UK. After a dismal April of wintry showers and freezing temperatures, we’ve had some sunshine for the past two days. What struck me is how the tree blossoms seem to have taken full advantage of [...]
