Praying for Rain (Again)
I turn myself in-
to a rainstick; shake myself
at the white hot sky.
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Airport Delay (and “Unreasonable Happiness”)
I am sitting in Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International airport waiting for the plane that should already be carrying me home to finish being repaired. After having done a full hour of practice this morning in my room, having a last delicious breakfast at the retreat center, and enjoyed the two-hour ride with friends to the airport, I find myself perfectly happy to sit in the airport. I am warm and well-fed. I have bought a novel to read on the plane — Lev Grossman’s “The Magicians” — and put aside a philosophy handout to write. The handout, a translation of the beginning of Abhinavagupta’s “Tantrasara” that was given to us by Paul Muller-Ortega to support our meditation practices, teaches us to seek the power of bliss through the practices, this bliss being true knowledge and true freedom. The more we practice, the more we can draw on this power and abide in a state of true happiness. Paul Muller-Ortega sometimes says that we want to be “unreasonably happy.” As I sit here feeling perfectly content after my weekend of practice and community and watching others in the airport get progressively grumpier with the delay, I feel unreasonably happy. I also feel fully motivated to practice and study ever more deeply so that I can abide ever more steadily and this glorious unreason.
Blooming Unseasonably Early
I was busy enough with work today, that I was able to just concentrate. Later, when I had a chance to read the latest political news and to take a walk in the May-like day with flowers blooming as if it were weeks later in the year and the ground dry from lack of rain while others are being flooded, I found myself anxious and a welter of other emotions besides. I reminded myself to enjoy the beautiful day for what it was and asked myself what more now ought I to do?
Too Many Cucumbers? Make Cool, Green Cucumber Soup
Have too many cucumbers? Perhaps some of them have grown to enormous, beyond salad-eating proportions? It’s time for cucumber soup.
Per person proportions for a generous serving (multiply accordingly):
1 cup peeled, seeded, diced cucumber
1/2 ripe avocado
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine (more or less depending on taste or omit for a non-spicy soup)
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk, nut milk, organic milk, water, or chilled vegetable broth
small clove of crushed fresh garlic (optional)
salt to taste
Greek style yoghurt, chopped scallions or chives, and minced cilantro or parley for garnish
In blender or food processor, puree cucumber, avocado, liquid, jalapeno, and crushed garlic until pureed. Chill for 1/2 to 1 hour. Pour into bowls. Put spoonful of yoghurt or sour cream or non-dairy sour cream in center of soup. Sprinkle scallions and herbs. I only added the jalapeno because in addition to a superabundance of cucumbers, I had a number of not particularly spicy jalapenos from the garden.
After Long Drought
After long drought, commotion in the sky;
After dead silence, thunder. Then it comes,
The rain. It slashes leaves, and doubly drums
On tin and shingle; beats and bends awry
The flower heads; puddles dust, and with a sigh
Like love sinks into grasses, where it hums
As bees did once, among chrysanthemums
And asters when the summer thought to die.
The whole world dreamed of this, and has it now.
Nor was the waking easy. The dull root
Is jealous of its death; the sleepy brow
Smiles in its slumber; and a heart can fear
The very flood it longed for, roaring near.
The spirit best remembers being mute.
-Mark van Doren