Meditation in Ten Movements

[TheFifthElement]

I
The forest breeds
out of control,
vine-choked.
No light reaches
the interior
only ants, ants
and spiders
wriggling through
the rotting
undergrowth.

II
Indecision bars the way.
On either side
a door,
in each door
a key.
Choose a door,
turn the key,
go
where it leads.

III
Listen to the water
running
over pebbles,
over weeds,
over the fishes,
into the seas.

IV
Ache,
ache and
emptiness inside.
A grumbling stomach
disturbs the peace,
the body
clamours for
attention.

V
In the vacuum
of space
we exist
only
in our own
space.

VI
Behind the wall
a secret.

VII
The oneness of being
is breath
and breathlessness,
sense
and absence,
awareness
in the vacancy of
thought.

VIII
A veiled moment slips
into dusk.
There are no stars
where you are.

IX
The sun splits
land from sky,
rising
with violence.
A wound is opened.
The bird’s cry at the pain
of existence,
at this light
and its rending.

X
This is the way of things.
The way it is,
the way it has been,
and the way
it always
will be.

[PrinceMyshkin]

These, I think




VII
The oneness of being
is breath
and breathlessness,
sense
and absence,
awareness
in the vacancy of
thought.

X
This is the way of things.
The way it is,
the way it has been,
and the way
it always
will be.

are especially fine, but there is a delicacy throughout the whole of this that is very compelling.

[Lote-Tree]

I liked it. Though it is the imagery of chattering monkeys that normally used in the first stage. But crawling ants and spiders is apt enough...and in Buddhims there are Eight Levels of Jhana...

[TheFifthElement]

Thank you Prince Myshkin :)



I liked it. Though it is the imagery of chattering monkeys that normally used in the first stage. But crawling ants and spiders is apt enough...and in Buddhims there are Eight Levels of Jhana...

Lote, thanks for this. This is more my own take on the process, rather than something based on any kind of teachings, so if there is any kind of similarity at all to any formal teachings then that is just coincidence. As you know, I know next to nothing about meditation (I'm very rubbish at it, in fact I am one of the chattering monkeys I think!).

[Lote-Tree]

Lote, thanks for this. This is more my own take on the process, rather than something based on any kind of teachings, so if there is any kind of similarity at all to any formal teachings then that is just coincidence. As you know, I know next to nothing about meditation (I'm very rubbish at it, in fact I am one of the chattering monkeys I think!).

Ah OK...but you almost got it right I think...:D

[TheFifthElement]

Ah OK...but you almost got it right I think...:D

Thank you Lote. To the uninitiated this means a lot :D

[Virgil]

Fifth, you are the one poet I make a point to check out when I see you post a poem. I used to call Riesa the poet laureate of it net, but I think you may be approaching taking that title. ;) :p This is another fine poem. I really dig it. I'm not sure I understand it, but you pull it together with your last stanza. I was instantly captivated with your opening: "The forest breeds/out of control." What a great use of the verb. It just is pregnant with imagery and significance. I can't say I could offer any places to change. Here are stanzas i particularly liked:

Ache,
ache and
emptiness inside.
A grumbling stomach
disturbs the peace,
the body
clamours for
attention.


A veiled moment slips
into dusk.
There are no stars
where you are.


The sun splits
land from sky,
rising
with violence.
A wound is opened.
The bird’s cry at the pain
of existence,
at this light
and its rending.

These strike me as very original.

[blazeofglory]

[QUOTE=TheFifthElement;459742][CENTER][B]I[/B

A quiver in space
something that emerged through a sudden contact of one form of existence with another in the infinity of time,
Some tremor
Some vibration
broke the infinity of space and time and we are here on a sudden

We are not different at the base

The seeming me is not simply the ego me
this is indeed the amalgam of many me-s
in the endless creative activities

We all are simply specks swirling in the whirlpool of space
Yet we are as great as any big star

Indeed in the make we are stars.

[TheFifthElement]

Fifth, you are the one poet I make a point to check out when I see you post a poem. I used to call Riesa the poet laureate of it net, but I think you may be approaching taking that title. ;) :p This is another fine poem. I really dig it. I'm not sure I understand it, but you pull it together with your last stanza. I was instantly captivated with your opening: "The forest breeds/out of control." What a great use of the verb. It just is pregnant with imagery and significance. I can't say I could offer any places to change.

Wow, thank you Virgil, I'm very humbled by your comments :blush:

The poem was my interpretation of my experience of meditation - have you ever tried it? I find it very difficult, but I believe it is at first.

Thank you blaze - I love that you always comment in poetry :)


Indeed in the make we are stars.

^^^I love this