Frederick Franck
Any day now, I will pass by these walnut trees, and they will be bare; for now they contribute to the thick, yellow light that fills the valley.
Today was filled with hope and enthusiasm. Most likely yesterday was as well, don't you suppose? Was. What brings it down? Was. How does a certain grouping of words, with a certain tone of voice, and a certain frown, empty my day? Was.
Any day now, I will pass by these walnut trees, and they will be bare; for now they contribute to the thick, yellow light that fills the valley.
Today was filled with hope and enthusiasm. Most likely yesterday was as well, don't you suppose? Was. What brings it down? Was. How does a certain grouping of words, with a certain tone of voice, and a certain frown, empty my day? Was.From "The Zen of Seeing," by Frederick Franck (1973):
The ninth-century Irish mystic John Erigena, for instance, knew that "Every visible and invisible creature is an appearance of God. ...seventeenth century Angelus Silesius rhymed:
"In good time we shall see
God and his light, you say.
Fool you shall never see
What you do not see today!"
And Meister Eckhart in thirteenth-century Europe said: "The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me."
Was. Change the 'tense;' grab the breath for all I am worth, notice! Take note of the inhale, the turn, the exhale. In this moment... all is well.
I love bright colors. Bright yellow, or red, or orange, oh yes; the warm colors! My little mother used to say, "Brazen!" of my color choices, of my word choices. Right now, I feel the corners of my mouth curving into a smile at the sound of her verdict in my ear. Just look at those brazen pomegranates, the yellow walnut leaves, and tomorrow the persimmons! Oh we do love these colors (she did too, her fuchsia-house filled to over-flowing with bright color)!
Franck's book is written in long-hand with delicate and powerful line drawings. He suggests that we gather ourselves together and crawl into this moment... and in this moment, simply notice. Right now, take nothing for granted. I suppose this is a definition of Meditation. I find that in holding this concept lightly, I have already started to feel better. I notice that the yellow finds its way into my whirling thoughts of injustice, betrayal, (blah blah blah!), and I am calm. Outside the window a few moments ago, I watched wave after wave of robins headed south. Now the sky holds remnants of this colorful day, bats are doing aerial acrobatics(!), stars are blinking into night.
Yeah! I love brazen!
xoxoLC
4 comments:
Brazen? I'd say quite lovely!
Are you sure she didn't put brazen together with hussy? Not that you are, it just would seem characteristic, from what I've heard...But here's an interesting twist from the dictionary: "brazen it (or something) out endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame".
I'm loving the orange to crimson to red to maroon turns that the leaves are taking around town with this colder weather. Crimson kisses to you! N2
Brazen is such a fun word!
And I love unadulterated bold colors of nature!
it makes my heart sizzle!
~laughing~
Brazen.
Great word.
Lovely photos.
And your writing is divine.
The quotes too. Thank you.
"Crawl into the moment" LOVE that line. Will try to do that today, when I am barely crawling through my life.
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