Here is a poem that comes from the funeral ceremony of the Zen tradition of which I am a part. It is called The Human Route Coming empty-handed, going empty-handed – that is human.When you are born, where do you come from?When you die, where do you go?Life is like a floating cloud which appears.Death […]
Yes, I’m a quitter
If you want a life of meaning and purpose, you have to be willing to quit what feels meaningless and purposeless. But if you quit things that are meaningless and purposeless, you leave room for things that have meaning and purpose. Do you think it’s wrong to quit? I used to. I stayed in relationships […]
After Mom’s Death
So when my mom was dying, I’d go and visit her in the morning and then take a break and then go visit her in the afternoon again. One day, I was listening to Bonnie Raitt I Can’t Make You Love Me in the car on the way back to her hospital bed. I got […]
Conversation With My Dying Mom
Visiting my mom, she didn’t say much when I arrived. She seemed to want to doze. I got my computer out to pay her bills while she napped. Then I thought twice. I thought, before I go to bill paying, I’d ask if there was anything she needed to discuss. “Yes,” she said, suddenly alert. […]
The Purpose Of Life–Part 2
The purpose of life is to find the seed of your own compassion and then to help grow that seed in others, says Zen Master Soeng Hyang. My daughter agrees…
The Purpose And Responsibility Of Life
What is the purpose of life? That may change from moment to moment. But helping others to be able to live out their purpose, too, is probably a big part of it.
Dealing With So Much Conflict In Life And Society
What if, in conflict, we thought as no person is our enemy? What if it is misunderstanding, extreme desire and anger that cause poor behavior? Then, are not misunderstanding, extreme desire and anger are our only enemies? So if we want to stop conflict, shouldnt we reduce misunderstanding, extreme desire and anger?
A Thought On Becoming
This is the principle I believe should underlie all enterprise, from personal to commercial to educational to religious to governmental: Becoming and helping others to become.