mai 2010
Einstein, Chaplin and many hands clapping
One day, Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein were standing together before a crowd that was applauding them. "Do you know why they are applauding us?" Einstein asked Chaplin. "You, it's because everyone understands you. Me, [...]
Everything in open hands
Yawning now at the end of the day. What went on during all these hours, from morning until night? I suppose it was what is often called "a day like any other." And yet, a [...]
Tribe of white plums
I come upon a headline in the morning newspaper indicating that Facebook is a closed circuit, unlike the vast openness of the greater Web. Not being a Facebook "member" (or should I say "friend"?), I [...]
Summer retreats 2010
As summer approaches, "let me respectfully remind you..." ...about the Wild Flower Sangha's two annual summer retreats, in Portugal and in France. Now is the time to sign up, as attendance is limited in both. [...]
So much of the moment and then it’s gone
Tonight there is so much I'd like to add here. So much of the day, so much of the night. So much of the rounding about in the world, Paris, underground and above, in the [...]
Retreat notes (Malakoff)
We sat asking under a glass roof, "Everyone has a birth place; where is yours?" Outside, we went step by step halfway down a narrow alley and back. A neighbor entered, and, given pause, quickly [...]
Anne Waldman and Nathaniel Dorsky
For those in Paris, two exceptional events not to miss for anyone interested in Buddhism, art, poetry, cinema, light, darkness, form, emptiness, beauty, presence, absence, phenomena, ephemera, expressions of the ungraspable world of here and [...]
avril 2010
Truly, greatly vacating
Back again after more travels. By train, not plane, so was not directly subject to the ashes phenomenon. Appreciated greatly having nothing in particular to do, truly vacating. In the sunny streets of Amsterdam and [...]
I don’t know a thing about it
All this volcanic frenzy over being grounded! And all that time we sat in Normandy under a cloudless sky by night and day, aware that "unseen" causes and effects were stirring up "disruptions" of unfathomable [...]
Rounding a corner of April
Off to retreat in Normandy. The news is in the details, wider and wider every moment. April is rounding a corner, turning away from a sort of stutter, from something fragile, toward something strongly fragile, [...]
Much ado about
There has been so much ado since Saturday about the plane crashing in a Russian forest with an array of Polish leaders, including the president, on board. There were, the news reports said, no survivors. [...]
A necessity, spoonful to spoonful
I come across a phrase as I flip through a text that I've read over and over, entitled, "La nécessité de Giacometti" (The Necessity of Giacometti), by Yves Bonnefoy: Giacometti's intention in his art, Bonnefoy [...]
Of all the possible words
Of all the possible words (worlds?) to grab and type here, a few are chosen: Several talks from last Portugal retreat and a conference at the Fnac in Coimbra are now posted on the Wild [...]
Essentially mystery and splendor
Another full-schedule week of multiple activities having now come to this, a rainy, chilly, sometimes sunny, sometimes not Easter Sunday. After newspaper work, I'm home again. I think I have now done everything that I [...]
mars 2010
(Fleeting) In deep peace
A bit more information today about the accident and my friend: He is conscious, can speak and move. His injuries are serious, but not what we might have imagined. Sounds like some sort of miracle. [...]
Fleeting
Tonight I receive news that a friend has had a serious accident. The information is sketchy --- how? why? So much is unknown. Yet he is alive. There are waves of emotion, then I forget, [...]
After Portugal: Leaving nothing behind
It's Wednesday, late afternoon, a balmy day in the city easing to its end. Ran some errands and then had lunch in the neighborhood with an old dharma sister/friend. The grilled salmon was nice and [...]
Stand and go
Off to Portugal on a fine, spring-like morning. The cat is sick; I don't like leaving her. Bag is packed. Can't think of any book to take except a very old translation and commentary of [...]
Never, never know (amazing grace)
Haven't seen the days go by. Haven't seen myself go by. Surprised by the light lingering longer tonight as evening settled in. Curious about the words that I typed out all day. And also the [...]
To not-know it
...After a day of newspaper work, I come home full of so much bureaucracy, theory, policy-making, applied tactical warfare... More NATO troops heading for Afghanistan so that they can all come home. Imposed "democratic" elections [...]
Alexis says:
Alexis says:
Alexis says: