“The Facts of Life” by Pádraig Ó Tuama + YouTube Reading
That you were bornand you will die.
That you will sometimes love enoughand sometimes not.
That you will lieif only to yourself.
That you will get tired.
SOURCE: https://verse.press/poem/the-facts-of-life-3458767880319667618
“Horses” by Lieh Tzu
Duke Mu of Ch’in said to Po-lo:
‘You are getting on in years. Is there anyone in your family whom I can send to find me horses?’
‘A good horse can be identified by its shape and look, its bone and muscle. But the great horses of the world might be extinct, vanished, perished, lost; such horses raise no dust and leave no tracks…
“Crazy Tuan-mu Shu” from Lieh-tzu (this rendition) by Solala Towler
Tuanmu Shu had inherited his family fortune, said to be worth ten thousand pieces of gold. He never had to work and lived in a fabulous mansion, surrounded with gardens, lakes, terraces, and pavilions. His food and clothing, as well as that of his various wives and concubines, were of the finest quality. He went wherever he wished, traveling far and wide, collecting treasures and exploring anything that he became interested in.
“Where the Light Begins - A Blessing for Christmas” by Jan Richardson
Perhaps it does not begin.
Perhaps it is always.
Perhaps it takes
a lifetime
to open our eyes,
to learn to see
what has forever
shimmered in front of us—
“The Old Violin - The Touch of the Masters Hand” by - Myra Brooks Welch
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"
Lakota Prayers - ‘Great Mystery Prayer’ and ‘Great Spirit Prayer’
“Wakan Tanka” — Great Mystery
Teach me how to trust
my heart,
my mind,
my intuition,
my inner knowing…
“Driving Toward the Lac Qui Parle River” by Robert Bly
I
I am driving; it is dusk; Minnesota.
The stubble field catches the last growth of sun.
The soybeans are breathing on all sides.
Old men are sitting before their houses on car seats
In the small towns. I am happy,
The moon rising above the turkey sheds.
“To Be A Slave Of Intensity” by Kabir (translated by Robert Bly)
Friend, hope for the Guest while you are alive.
Jump into experience while you are alive!
Think... and think... while you are alive.
What you call "salvation" belongs to the time before death.
“Spiritual Conspiracy” by Anonymous Blogger
On the surface of the world right now there is war and violence and things seem darkBut calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening undergroundAn inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher lightIt is a silent revolutionFrom the inside outFrom the ground up…
“Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address Greetings to the Natural World”
The People
Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people.
Now our minds are one.
The Earth Mother
We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks.
Now our minds are one.
SOURCE: https://americanindian.si.edu/environment/pdf/01_02_Thanksgiving_Address.pdf