Located on the upper Yangtze river, the village of Baishuitai is known for its mineral elements and traces formed from calcium built up as the river flows over them. Sitting and meditating on the nature of water allows us to…
Monthly Archives: June 2013
The Vinegar Tasters
There is a traditional Taoist parable called the Vinegar Tasters. It has been repeated and retold hundreds of times as well as being the basis for numerous paining. The parable (see below) details the philosophical differences between the three big…
Tagged with: Buddhism, Confucianism, ethics, parable, paradigm, pathway, philosophey, taoism, The Vinegar Tasters
Posted in Informaitional, Musings
Posted in Informaitional, Musings
Haibun
In explanation of the entry Spring becomes Summer, I am attempting something known as Haibun, a Japanese form of writing that combines short (usually) prose and Haiku. As with all Haiku, the symbology used is very important. In the case…
Spring becomes Summer
I am sitting in a desert auditorium, watching as young adults walk through the last ceremony of their current scholarly pursuit. Is this a journey’s end for them or simply another hill to observe the future? What of those who look back…
Tagged with: children, community, Haibun, individual, journey, life, reflection, spring, summer
Posted in Poetry
Posted in Poetry
Sea of Antiquity
Ripples like water Falling to the heavens high Sea of dust flows broad
Community Religion
At the outset of humanities recorded history, there was a sense of community and clan. This was due primarily to the need for survival. When the community shifted from a hunter/gather paradigm to an agrarian society, the reason was work…
Tagged with: community, Engaged Buddhism, Engaged Spirituality, fellowship, good works, growth, individual, Liberaition Theology, moving forward, pathway, self
Posted in Informaitional, Musings
Posted in Informaitional, Musings
Engaged Spirituality
The following is copied from Wikipedia as an informational. The writing is done by a author outside of the Retreat: “Engaged Spirituality refers to religious or spiritual people who actively engage in the world in order to transform it in…
Tagged with: civil rights, community, Engaged Buddhism, Engaged Spirituality, ethics, growth, human rights, individual, Liberaition Theology, peace activism, reflection
Posted in Informaitional
Posted in Informaitional
Journey Crossroads
This week, a regular visitor to the Retreat will be finishing one leg of her journey in life and moving to another by graduating from both high school as well as junior college. Academics are a healthy pursuit as are…
Potala Palace
The Retreat this week takes us to Potala Palace. Traditional summer home of the Dalai Lama, it is situated in the city of Lhasa in Tibet. Built and opened in the mid 17th century. Considered a Holy Landmark, the Palace…