More words from Kabir

I said to the wanting-creature inside me:
What is this river you want to cross?
There are no travelers on the river-road, and no road.
Do you see anyone moving about on the bank, or resting?
There is no river at all, and no boat, and no boatman.
There is no tow rope either, and no one to pull it.
There is no ground, no sky, no time to bank, no ford!

And there is no body, and no mind!
Do you believe there is some place that will make the soul less thirsty?
In that great absence you will find nothing.

Be strong then, and enter into your own body;
There you have a solid place for your feet.
Think about it carefully!
Don’t go off somewhere else!

Just throw away all thoughts of imaginary things,
And stand firm in that which you are.

Kabir

There is only one YOU! Find yourself, find your Bliss.

Shoes and Wings

A long time ago, my son remarked "it's OK, Mom likes the chicken wings". Perhaps, in that same space of time, his father said "well, I know that you wouldn't buy shoes that cost that much". Two messages sent out inadvertently that told my public, that I was OK with not having what I deserved. 

In thinking about these incidents, I realized that each moment of every day of our lives, we tell the world and those around us, what we will accept. Do you have someone in your life that is constantly changing the plans you made together? Who is late? Someone who “has a better idea”?

There is always someone in the crowd, who will make the pot of morning coffee in the staffroom, or the one who stays late to help clean up after the party. No, I’m not speaking of acts of human kindness, don’t be confused by that, but by our habitual ways in which we accept the sufficient.

I didn’t really like the chicken wings, it just happened that by the time the other family members had served themselves, the bony pieces (which require a lot of work), are often what was left! Being thrifty is one thing, but wearing inexpensive shoes that don’t really fit is quite another. Today many of us, because of frugality or fashion, are now forced to wear an orthotic in our shoes.

See the lovely poem below from Kabir. It speaks of our duty to honour ourself, and that the need to look outside starts with the journey of looking within.

                                                           Trongsa Prayer Flags, Bhutan

 Courtesy Dan Bowman Producer

Having Crossed the River

Having crossed the river,
where will you go, O friend?

There's no road to tread,
No traveler ahead,
Neither a beginning, nor an end.

There's no water, no boat, no boatman, no cord;
No earth is there, no sky, no time, no bank, no ford.

You have forgotten the Self within,
Your search in the void will be in vain;
In a moment the life will ebb
And in this body you won't remain.

Be ever conscious of this, O friend,
You've to immerse within your Self;
Kabir says, salvation you won't then need,
For what you are, you would be indeed.

Kabir