Dear Friends,
To close our month, a poem from Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, who gives us six words to consider our path going forward:
The Question
for Jude Jordan Kalush, who asked the questionAll day, I replay these words:
https://ahundredfallingveils.com/2019/12/23/after-she-told-me-the-question-she-asks-herself/
Is this the path of love?
I think of them as I rise, as
I wake my children, as I wash dishes,
as I drive too close behind the slow
blue Subaru, Is this the path of love?
Think of these words as I stand in line
at the grocery store,
think of them as I sit on the couch
with my daughter. Amazing how
quickly six words become compass,
the new lens through which to see myself
in the world. I notice what the question is not.
Not, “Is this right?” Not,
“Is this wrong?” It just longs to know
how the action of existence
links us to the path of love.
And is it this? Is it this? All day,
I let myself be led by the question.
All day I let myself not be too certain
of the answer. Is it this?
Is this the path of love? I ask
as I wait for the next word to come.
Thank you for being part of this month-long exploration of the eightfold path. I enjoyed this opportunity to study, reflect, and practice with you, and I hope you found it of benefit as well.
Special thanks to the teachers and poets who generously post their materials related to their teachings online for us to follow along at our own pace.
I wish to extend my gratitude in particular to the following. If you have appreciated this month of offerings, I encourage you to support these teachers and resources.
- Gil Fronsdal with the Insight Meditation Center (IMC).
https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/donate/ - Audio Dharma, which has recordings of talks by Gil and other teachers at IMC and Insight Retreat Center (IRC).
https://www.audiodharma.org/donate/ - Dharma Seed, which has recorded talks and meditations from teachers at many other centers.
https://www.dharmaseed.org/about/donation/ - Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, whose poems shine a light on so many of these teachings
https://ahundredfallingveils.com/ - Jeanne Corrigal, guiding teacher for the Saskatoon Insight Meditation Community, who provided guidance, advice, and encouragement when I needed direction.
https://saskatooninsight.com/wp/about/dana/ - My dog Pixie, who is a great teacher, support, and patient friend. She was adopted from New Hope Dog Rescue and benefited from their “Guardians of Hope” program.
https://www.newhoperescue.org/online-donation-2/
While many people have contributed towards this month’s posts, any errors are strictly my own. For whatever harm I may have done, in thought, word, or deed, by way of greed, hatred and delusion, intentionally or unintentionally, I humbly ask your forgiveness.
May the goodness we have cultivated this month be for the benefit of all beings.
I also want to offer a special dedication of merit in the loving memory of my dad, Andrew, who passed away in November. Donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in his memory are also appreciated.
https://leaderpost.remembering.ca/obituary/andrew-grzesina-1089062385
With good wishes and great appreciation,
Andrea