Watching the moon
~ Izumi Shikibu
at dawn,
solitary, mid-sky,
I knew myself completely:
no part left out.
It is not unusual to take up meditation practice out of a longing to know ourselves, to be more authentic, to see and be who we truly are.
What might that be? What is it to ‘know myself completely’? What if ‘no part left out’ means ALL – whole world included? Mustn’t it then also mean ONE – no border, no boundary, no possibility of separation.
There’s a line from an early Chan/Zen verse, Shodoka (“Song of Liberation”): “One is all, all is one.” Another rendering elaborates: “One nature pervades all natures. One thing holds all things.”
How can we discover this thoroughgoing oneness, intrinsic to who we are, our original nature or native ground? Koans offer a path.
Koans are pointers to the oneness world – empty of any border or hindrance, and they are expressions of that world. A path of practice and a kernel of awakening. Koans invite us to taste and see who we truly are, not with the discursive mind but by experience.
Curious to explore? Join us for the online Wild World of Koans course at Mountain Cloud, July 23-August 6.
All are welcome!
With gratitude and love,
Valerie
Photo by Bryan Goff on Unsplash
Message from Valerie is from our July 11, 2023 Newsletter.