[Challenging Times] -(22)- Birth and Death - Sarah Dojin Emerson

[Alina]

I discovered, at least for myself, that equanimity is a state full of feeling...
I have made peace with my human heart and the pain and joy it feels.

A beautiful essay on acceptance.

Thank you solenziz for your reflection on it, it made me appreciate this essay even more.

Merry Christmas!

Gassho

Alina
ST+LAH

[Tairin]

Another good essay. It reminded me of the words written on the Han

May I respectfully remind you: Great is the matter of birth and death.
All is impermanent, quickly passing. Be awake each moment.
Don’t waste this life

Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Houzan]

Despite this being another powerful and heartbreaking story, I come out of it with an immense sense of awe of life.
Amazing.

In this cosmic ballet of existence,
what is the likelihood of you being born you?
1 in 10^2 685 000.
Unbelievable cosmic happenings have not yet been factored in.
Unfathomably low.
Zero.
Still, there is experiencing.
This truly fantastic and miraculous stream,
running through sunlit bliss and tempestuous storms,
what else can we do than to fully flow with it, facing it fearlessly and willingly?

Gassho, Michael
satlah

[Jundo]

Dear All,

We are going to skip over, for now, the chapter by Rev. Shodo Spring because Rev. Spring will be coming as a Guest Teacher to Treeleaf on January 6th!

Instead, this week we will read an essay that is among the most moving in this book ... Birth and Death by Rev. Sarah Dojin Emerson ... from page 253 in the book ...

... a story of the death of her mother, birth of a first child, death of her second child ... the cycle goes round and round, with Zen Wisdom interlacing round and round ...

Even if you have not joined in our book readings previously, this one is highly recommended to all.

For those who do not yet have a copy, I have made a PDF version available here for those waiting for their ordered book, or those unable to afford or obtain the book (second half of the book):https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yQV...usp=share_link

Feel free to jump into the readings and discussion even if you have not read other chapters.

Gassho, Jundo

stlah