(photo by Michi Lauke)

Greetings,

I am sharing this talk given November 7, 2012 at the San Francisco Zen Center.  I hope you find some treasure in it and if not as they say in Zen “wash your ears out.”

Click on this link: http://www.sfzc.org/zc/display.asp?catid=1,10&pageid=3472

Here is a copy of the poem I wrote and then shared during the talk:

Human Race

Life is no endurance test

in which we must race,

like wild horses being chased from behind,

barely hearing the sound of creeks running over small stones.

Rushing forward, we fall over jetted cliffs,

in an earth-pounding gallop to claim the gifts,

thought to be scarce.

At the bottom of the canyon,

the serenity we thought was lost,

crawls out from inside and presents itself,

while we are on the ground.

No need to compete for the inherent gifts,

exhausting ourselves in fierce competition,

making less or more of our lives,

blinded by the beauty of another’s cloak.

There is no more admirable work than to breathe,

to turn back in the middle of the race,

Avoiding crumbled edges along the way,

you return to the creek where water rolls over stones,

and then ever so lightly you make footprints in the direction of home,

where your heart lives,

where tea is ready,

And you are invited.