When I was a young boy I was a walker. Even if none of my friends were around I would go outside just simply walking. Not with a goal in mind of playing or going to a destination, just simply walking. Walking out and around the neighborhood and then home thousands of times.
I remember one day walking in the woods next to my neighborhood. I remember crawling out onto a Tree's branch that stretched out over a river. The smell of winter was in the air. Fall was dying and giving birth to the new season. I sat on that big branch leaning against one of this Tree's many other branches. I sank deeper and deeper into the moment. For the first time in my life...stillness...silence...space. The "I" fell away...thus.
I sit on the branch, the sound of water below me, gentle breeze fill my ears. A single snowflake dancing in front of my eyes. I followed the snowflake....followed the snowflake...the snowflake...snowflake...____________________...
I shivered as the air grew cold...The cold air shivered.
I sat upon the branch...The branch sat upon me.
The sky opened up, thousands of snowflakes fell...and only one snowflake fell.
Emptiness...
And though I could have sat there, always sitting, forever. I stood up, and walked home for the first time after so many times.
Let go of the "snowflake"...
I don't think I could ever really put into words, but I wrote the best I could...
In the many moments that came and passed after that moment, I found Buddhism, I found zen, I found our practice.
I remember one day walking in the woods next to my neighborhood. I remember crawling out onto a Tree's branch that stretched out over a river. The smell of winter was in the air. Fall was dying and giving birth to the new season. I sat on that big branch leaning against one of this Tree's many other branches. I sank deeper and deeper into the moment. For the first time in my life...stillness...silence...space. The "I" fell away...thus.
I sit on the branch, the sound of water below me, gentle breeze fill my ears. A single snowflake dancing in front of my eyes. I followed the snowflake....followed the snowflake...the snowflake...snowflake...____________________...
I shivered as the air grew cold...The cold air shivered.
I sat upon the branch...The branch sat upon me.
The sky opened up, thousands of snowflakes fell...and only one snowflake fell.
Emptiness...
And though I could have sat there, always sitting, forever. I stood up, and walked home for the first time after so many times.
Let go of the "snowflake"...
I don't think I could ever really put into words, but I wrote the best I could...
In the many moments that came and passed after that moment, I found Buddhism, I found zen, I found our practice.
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