When I was in my young twenties I received a used Nikon with all paraphernalia as a gift. It was love at first sight, I've never recovered from the photography bug. There were 5 different lenses and other mysterious gadgets, and a big learning curve. I loved it. I think it weighed about 3 pounds, and went all over the world with me until the light meter died once and for all and I went to a newer model. It had been frozen, wet, dropped, lost and recovered, cooked in the summer heat, and took thousands of entirely unique pictures. That camera did have a life and personality of its own. I was particularly fascinated with filters. Of course now we have marvelous smart phones that do all of that
I actually said that once, when I was getting rolling on learning how to stay in a chanting practice in a continuous way. There was some person, a sales person of some kind, trying to give me some negative feedback about something. I was so involved in staying in a chanting mind space that I did say that, “Don’t bother me, I’m chanting.” I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I liked where I was and didn’t want to be bumped out of it. I don’t think I ever said it out loud again to anyone, but I certainly have said it silently. If you truly come to place of constant chanting, there isn’t much that can shake you from it. It all started before I even became a student of Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha, I
I am not much given to poetry, but this morning a poem popped into my head, almost fully formed. It was pretty darn cool. I will write it down as I remember it. The Master's voice said, What is your vision? And came into view, in my sleeping mind, a great ship. Lighted in every aspect, masts and sails uplifted to the glory of stars, body floating on the dark mystery below. In the hold, a fantastic bounty of treasure. Great chests of illuminated jewels, Gold, radiance, and overflowing beauty. I stand on her shining deck, happy at the wheel, wind tearing through my hair, hands glittering with this glamorous light. It is precious. Breathtaking. In time, I say into the vibrating night, May I sle
I often ask my unseen guides and teachers, light beings that walk with me, “Do you have any word, guidance, or vision for me today?” at the end of a practice or meditation. Two days ago I asked, and up came this vision of a beanstalk, and a voice clear as day that said, “Stop being the bean.” Sometimes spirit has a sense of humor. I used to think it was me, projecting, but I don’t think that anymore. I understand that some imagery and messages that come to me are to be shared, and this is one. I was digging around in research looking at Jack and his beanstalk, and came upon a pretty piece of writing by a lady named Jessica Soward. She was writing about an episode of “Storyteller” by the Jim
