a zen dog moon

It's the zen dog moon.
The thunder moon to some,
The buck moon to others.
Still more people have other names
For the full moon of July.
Yellow light on the pines,
People in the park watching,
Their faces aimed up at the light.
These are my neighbors.
An old black dog wanders by,
Unconcerned, not looking up at all.
Far away, the master asked the student,
"Why does the dog have perfect Buddha nature?"
It’s because the dog doesn't care
If he has Buddha nature or not.

-

The bike is loaded,
library books, groceries -
riding slow, cool breeze.

-

Those things that we hid from the rest of the world, the shame of it. And those other things, the ones we felt we should have been proud of, even though we weren’t, that we showed to anyone who would look. Things neither beautiful nor repulsive. The things that were soft enough to eat with a spoon, but we used a knife and fork anyway. No one was watching, of course. The things that the paramedics used to stop the bleeding, or the things we used to make a tail for our kite. I’m not sure which anymore, it has been a long time. The kite is gone but no one bled to death. The things we say to ourselves when the night is frightening and empty. Say them quickly. Say them now.

-

Good things, like a sunny day.
A dog that can smile, and often does.
Hearing children laughing at a playground
as you walk past on the broken sidewalk,
on a day that was quite heavy
and now it is lighter, just a bit.
Someone giving you love just because
you're you, and no other reason.
That feeling when you know
that you like your life, just as it is,
and you are not the least ashamed
of being the person that you are.
Good things, like a sunny day.
Like joy. Being alive, here, now.

-

james lee jobe 

The spiritual journey is not about acquiring something outside yourself, rather, you are penetrating deep layers and veils to return to the deepest truth of your own being.

Ram Dass

True change is within; leave the outside as it is. 

Dalai Lama XIV

When you get to the top of the mountain, keep climbing. 

Zen Proverb

Start a huge, foolish project, like noah. it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.

Rumi

Poems about the Sacramento Valley

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jlj