Rapture in Letting Go and Living in the Now

Rapture
by Richard Jones

In the desert, a traveler
returning to his family
is surprised
by a wild beast.

To save himself
from the fierce animal,
he leaps into a deep well
empty of water.

But at the bottom
is a dragon, waiting
with open mouth
to devour him.

The unhappy man,
not daring to go out
lest he should be
the prey of the beast,

not daring to jump
to the bottom
lest he should be
devoured by the dragon,

clings to the branch
of a bush growing
in the cracks of the well.
Hanging upon the bough,

he feels his hands
weaken, yet still
he clings, afraid
of his certain fate.

Then he sees two mice,
one white, the other black,
moving about the bush,
gnawing the roots.

The traveler sees this
and knows that he must
inevitably perish, that he will
never see his sons again.

But while thus hanging
he looks about and sees
on the leaves of the bush
some drops of honey.

These leaves
he reaches with his tongue
and licks the honey off,
with rapture.


"Rapture" by Richard Jones, from The Blessing: New and Selected Poems. © Copper Canyon Press, 2000. Reprinted with permission by The Writers' Almanac, June 26, 2009.

This poem parallels the classic Zen tale - there are several versions - about a monk who walked to the edge of a high sheer cliff to observe the magnificent vista of the valley below. A few minutes later the ground on which he was standing unexpectedly crumbled below him. In his fall he grabbed the branch of a small tree growing out of the side of the cliff. But a rodent above him was gnawing away at the roots of the branch. When the branch broke and the monk again began falling, he spotted a large red strawberry on a plant growing out of the cliff. He quickly picked it and plucked it into his mouth.

The poem and the Zen story both illustrate letting go of the fears associated with negative events, expectations regarding positive outcomes, and the fear of death itself — namely, letting go of the past and future in order to be mindfully aware of and fully experience the moment-to-moment rapture of living in the infinite now. Peace, Charlie

All Day Meditation Retreat

If you'll be in or around Des Moines on June 27th, I hope you'll spend the day with the Des Moines Meditation and Mindfulness Group in an all day meditation. It will consist of alternating sitting and walking meditation, as well as a vegetarian lunch and an afternoon dharma talk. The day is held in noble silence. There is no charge, but donations (dana) are accepted. Here are all the details. Hope to see you then.

When: Saturday, June 27, 2009 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Where: 4211 Grand Ave., Des Moines - Des Moines Valley Friends Meeting House on NW corner 42nd and Grand. Park in lot off 42nd or on Ingersoll Ave.

Teachers: Charlie Day is a retired psychologist who has studied meditation and Buddhism for over 40 years in the US, India, and Thailand. He teaches meditation as a self-help and spiritual growth technique and Buddhism as a way of living and philosophy compatible with all religions. Charlie teaches classes, sitting groups, retreats, and guides individuals in their practice. Paul Lambakis, a social worker in private practice, will lead a lovingkindness meditation and give instructions for sitting on cushions.

Retreat: Sponsored by the Des Moines Meditation & Mindfulness Group, this retreat is open to new and experienced meditators. It includes instructions for the sitting, walking, and eating meditations, handouts, and a talk. Lunch is provided. Bring a cushion, mat, or meditation bench if you have them. Chairs and a few floor cushions are available. Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes. Please do not wear scented lotions or perfumes because some persons may be allergic to them.

Donation: Teachers express their generosity by leading retreats at no cost. They consider Buddha's teachings priceless. Instead, they gratefully accept donations or Dana, the Pali word for generosity. Dana is a voluntary way of expressing your generosity to the teacher and supporting the continuation of the teachings.

Register: Leave your name, phone number, and email at charlesday1@mchsi.com or (515) 255-8398. Register only if you can attend the entire day. Call or email for more information. Feel free to share and post this flier.

Kelp - Poem by Jeffrey Yang

How easy it is to lose oneself

in a kelp forest. Between
canopy leaves, sunlight filters thru
the water surface; nutrients
bring life where there'd other-
wise be barren sea; a vast eco-
system breathes. Each
being being
being's link.

An exquisite poetic reflection of the interconnectedness and interdependency of all physical and mental phenomena, of the oneness of all existence, of the Buddhist concept of selflessness, that nothing - no thing - exists independently of everything else. I thank meditator Adele ver Steeg for sending it and Jeffrey Yang for writing it.

[Thanks to Poets.org]