My dear friend Pooh has left the earthly plane today. He had become very skinny and almost didn’t eat and drink any longer. 2 years ago we were in a similar situation, but back then i had the feeling that his life was not over yet. This time it felt different. It felt that he was ready to leave. So when i came home from the vet yesterday, i thought about what he said. He told me it was better for him to go to sleep. I could not decide immediately but after a few hours i realized that he was right and that i was ok with Pooh having to go.
So this afternoon the vet came and gave Pooh the injections which caused his death. Pooh was calm and died within no time. I’ve been doing a lot of Buddhist practice the last few days and playing a lot of Vajrasattva mantras for him. Pooh was to me a true Bodhisattva, a big hearted lovely creature who taught me patience, being calm and how to rest when turmoil is trying to take over the mind. I am thankful of the many years we have shared together and i wish him a safe journey to the other side.
Once you start to notice, it’s intriguing to see everything which goes on inside our body and mind system. Various parts call out for our attention, while other parts try to take the house down and yet other parts try to be the ruler of the inner universe.
Yet all of this happens within one system. Parts may not like the feelings which accompany other parts, or choose to ignore, but there’s always an overview available. The sum is greater than all of its parts. This field of awareness is the ground for all of the parts to play their games.
If one can learn to stay in contact with the field of awareness, integration becomes a possibility. Mindfulness, simply being with all the various parts, not being overwhelmed by the accompanying and often conflicting emotions. This helps to create a compassionate attitude to whatever arises from within.
All the inner riches await us. They may be covered in dark layers of soil, but they’re there. As so often in life, to reach these places within requires hard work, effort and resilience. One needs to learn to deal with conflicting emotions instead of fighting them. Being with emotions, allowing them to show what they’re hiding from us, is a process which can be aided by it curiosity. Curiosity is the key to unlock the treasures within.
If one can befriend one’s inner demons, the inner riches can be uncovered. All the beautiful traits of our childhood can be integrated. Not in one attempt, but as one progresses, each time it becomes increasingly easy to deal with everything which arises within.
Oh flower of the heart Shine your light over us Open up and show your beauty The guiding force
You know what it is like To be vulnerable Naked and alone You know there is no need To be afraid of our tears
You grow so easily As you are inherent within us On the good soil of pure intent Our wish for all to be happy Stems from your seeds
Oh flower of compassion Love is your guiding light Teach us to be human Help us to accept The basic uncertainty of life
This poem was inspired by the documentary Crazy Wisdom (2011) about the late Tibetan Buddhist Master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Rinpoche taught people how to become warriors of Shambhala, how to become genuine human beings. A beautiful and encouraging message worth contemplating.
The nature of mind
Empty full of compassion
Heartwarming presence
Touching moving gently
Subtly carrying the winds
Everything changes
Everything connected
Death like life like dream
Wake up the heart
Invitation to see
Naked openness
Fearless loving
As we walk through our existence
Life changes come and go
Sometimes we struggle
Sometimes we fight
As the pain from deep inside haunts us
As with all things impermanent
Life too can change for the good
Pain can turn into pleasure
Sharing friendship and laughter
As the love from deep within shines on
As we try to express the inexpressible
Words fail us whenever we might try
To speak out what matters most to us
Leaving us speechless with too much to say
As the moment of insight glides from our reach
And yet it is our power to be
Expressing our human nature
Vulnerable and whole
Leave out all distinctions
And express who you want to be
I was lucky yesterday with the sunset. While i was waiting for the sun to slowly set behind the horizon, a couple of Great Crested Grebes came swimming pretty close and right into the sunlight. And shortly after i took these pictures my battery was dead. And now i know that these Grebes live there, i’ll go back soon. Nice way to test my telelens skills again 🙂
I really love the Canon Powershot series. It’s small, handy and the one my parents lend me back in 2010 has an amazing zoom! This is one of the pictures i took with the Powershot 720 IS. A lizard somewhere in beautiful Australia. I could get really close and i’m really amazed by the sharpness of the pictures this camera takes. DSLR is a whole different level of sport 😉
