Closing and storing

The three months of Winter are called the period of closing and storing.
Water freezes and the Earth cracks open.
One should not disturb one's Yang.
People should retire early at night and rise late in the morning and they should wait for the rising of the sun.
They should suppress and conceal their wishes, as though they had no internal purpose, as though they had been fulfilled.
People should try to escape the cold and they should seek warmth, they should not perspire upon the skin, they should let themselves be deprived of breath of the cold.
All this is in harmony with the atmosphere of Winter and all this is the method for the protection of one's storing.

From The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, translated by Ilza Veith (Berkeley, 1966).

Another oral composition for Pei Ti

How can we escape from these earthy toils
Shake off the dust and leave the noise of the world
And gently swinging a thorn stick
Get home to the Peach Blossom Stream?

From Poems of Wang Wei, translated by G.W. Robinson (London, 1973).

North West Passage

1

Escaping

through the cracks

putting your

body and

mind in a

position

“beyond”

then the way

of life to

sustain that

will emerge

around you.

2

My teacher

used to say

“Don’t think I

know

everything …

I’m just a

bit further

along the way …

and we’re not

going anywhere!”

down

in/out

to

ordinary

mind.

3

He stepped through the curtain

and was     gone

no longer held by

guilt, shame,

envy and fame

stepping into the land of

direct perception.

4

Keep it

going ...

again ...

again ...

Tranquility of one's conduct

The three months of Autumn are called the period of tranquillity of one’s conduct.

The atmosphere of Heaven is quick and the atmosphere of the Earth is clear.

People should retire early at night and rise early in the morning with the crowing of the rooster.

They should have their minds at peace in order to lessen the punishment of Autumn.

Soul and spirit should be gathered together in order to make the breath of Autumn tranquil; and to keep their lungs pure they should not give vent to their desires.

All this is in harmony with the atmosphere of Autumn and all this is the method for the protection of one’s harvest.

From The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, translated by Ilza Veith (Berkeley, 1966).

The object of writing

The object of writing is to grow a personality which in the end enables man to transcend art.
                         
Ludwig Pursewarden

30 Days Wild-ish

01

Pausing to look on the way back home
the freedoms of breeze, light rain and clouds overhead.

02

Enjoying the nettles and some cow parsley
on a walk through a wild corner.

03

Looking round a friend’s wild garden
to me it seemed quite cultivated.

04

Inhaling lovely scent of white plate blossoms
stunned there are so many more to come.

05

A female blackbird perched on a log pile
the male winging through the darker trees beyond.

06

Sketching a garden rose
good to pay such close attention to a flower
but oh how hard to get the colours right!

07

08

Looking up to gauge the weather
damp air, clouds overhead
a pigeon on the chimney pot next door.

09

Smelling the flowers of peonies
not a wild plant now but still profuse with leaves.

10

Down in my wild garden
face to face with a cat in a lilac tree.

11

Walking round and round the old folks’ garden
smelling roses
some of them wild.

12

This cloudy dry time suits the wilder roses
so spent an afternoon cutting them back.

13

Walking in the garden on a misty day
like being in my own mountain retreat.

14

Everyone shut in by a cold throwback
but warming by a wood stove feels like nature.

15

Picking wild flowers out the back
wild sights, wild smells
and one beautiful rose.

16

Out on the north side of town
only children playing
but felt like anything might happen.

17

18

Reclaiming the garden paths
taming the Wild
but only a little.

19

Surprised by tall grasses in a graveyard
somewhat outside time and space.

20

Stillness of midnight after rain
scents of sweet wild rose and astringent elder.

21

Summer solstice at Willow Tree Studio
lone birds calling in the dusk.

22

From the river straight overhead
a silent pigeon confirms thoughts of retirement.

23

Two racketing gulls overhead
fly beneath a strong new moon.

24

Plump pigeons bouncing branches opposite
then joined by a blackbird after something good.

25

Two little cats romping on a humid day
so good to see them spending time together.

26

Watching TV animals with my two wild girls
sheltering from the rain by the glowing wood stove.

27

28

Snatching a moment with a big bright moon
not quite full but blazing through gauzy clouds.

29

Plants I might consider to be weeds or waste
turn out to be quite pretty placed together in a vase.

30

In a churchyard feeling the comfort of the Wild
both dense and unexpected.

My abode

If someone asks
My abode
I reply:
"The east edge of
The Milky Way."

Like a drifting cloud,
Bound by nothing:
I just let go
Giving myself up
To the whim of the wind.

From Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf. Zen Poems of Ryokan, translated by John Stevens (Boston, 2004).

The country in the town

 

 

 

 

I built my house

I built my house near where others dwell,
And yet there is no clamour of carriages and horses.
You ask of me 'How can this be so?'
'When the heart is far the place of itself is distant.'
I pluck chrysanthemums under the eastern hedge,
And gaze afar towards the southern mountains.
The mountain air is fine at evening of the day
And flying birds return together homewards.
Within these things there is a hint of Truth,
But when I start to tell it, I cannot find the words.

From T'ao the Hermit. Sixty Poems by T'ao Ch'ien (365-427), translated by William Acker (London, 1952).