A travel day today.  The next two weeks are going to be hectic with retreats, mini-vacation, and the Chaplaincy.  I’ve lined up the 108buddhas and some pictures of the gardens.  If there is time, I’ll share reflections as I can or even upload some pictures from Upaya.

In the meantime, as I sit through airports and cramped planes, trying to manage the anxieties of leaving home, being receptively attentive, and letting go of old stories, I will be reminding myself that buds open to blossom with the purpose of dying to fruit.

Thank you for practicing,

Genju

I thought this was an interesting picture.  The squash vine has wildly taken over its box and overflowed into the pathways.  It’s actually quite lovely.  The curly tendrils allow it to climb and secure itself to various surfaces so that it isn’t dislodged by driving rain and wind.  But here, the springy wire has attached itself around a bud that will grow into a squash.

It draws up memories of times I’ve tried to steady myself by latching onto some aspect of what I thought was solid about Me.  But it isn’t possible to grow and be locked down at the same time.  Nor is it possible to hold onto myself and hope to have a strong foothold.  So inevitably, I have found myself without the anchor I counted on.

Thank you for practicing,

Genju