On
one side of me is the ocean, just out my bedroom
window. On the other side, about fifty yards away,
is an estuary where the fishermen from this small
village catch shrimp |
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I've been
reading two books on my journey, both about journeys of
their own. The first is a journal of an expedition into
the Himalayas. An American biologist and his friend, the
author, a student of Zen Buddism. There is an inner quest
happening for the author along with the search for certain
wildlife. (The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen)
"Just
as a white summer cloud, in harmony with heaven and earth
freely floats in the blue sky from horizon to horizon
following the breath of the atmosphere-in the same way
the pilgrim abandons himself to the breath of the greater
life thatSleads beyond the farthest horizons to an aim
which is already present within him, though yet hidden
from his sight."
The Way
of the White Clouds- Lama Govinda
The second
book is about a journey that took the author from his
medical practice into the realm of metaphysics. (Joy's
Way, by W. Brugh Joy, M..D.) He returned from his expedition
to become a teacher of spirituality and healing with body
energies. In the book he describes exercises that he uses
in his teachings, some of which piqued my interest. He
explained an exercise that involves isolation and searching
for an inanimate "teacher" in the desert. I
was not consciously thinking about the exercise, as I
walked along an isolated stretch of beach. A large seashell
appeared in the surf and "spoke" to me. As I
reached to pick it up, I recalled the exercise and thought,
"My Teacher!" |
aaaaaa |
As
I walked along I felt that I had found something
special in addition to a pretty souvenir from this
part of my trip. It had feminine quality to it as
if a representation of one of the many pretty women
I've met on my trip, or in my life, for that matter.
Very soon thereafter, I encountered yet another
shell in the surf. The same size and shape, but
very different in color, texure, composition and
age. Rippling undulations partially filled with
coral growth made it fascinating to study more closely.
As I walked along with one in each hand, they spoke
volumes to me. I plan to spend more time with my
two new friends to see what else they have to say. |
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