Caught while waiting

Image from Emergent Voyageurs

Every now and again, I 'chance' upon something that just holds my attention and within seconds I am transported to a new consciousness. It happened to me this morning. It was an 'unusual' morning to start with.

My washing machine had once again decided it wasn't going to spin. In fact, so determined was it to make its point, it wouldn't drain while I wasn't looking and when I next looked, I saw a flood!

That was yesterday and after the mop-up and clean-up (how kind of it to prompt me thus), I called Fisher & Paykel who told me a technician would come round before noon today. Little did I expect him to turn up at 7am. But how thankful I was that he did.

It didn't take long for him to check the likely trouble spots and then conclude that it needed a new motherboard and he was out of the place before I could even offer him a coffee. Ah, such efficiency! Thus sorted, I got on with one of the most important activities of my day - meditation practice, following which I dipped into one of my many favorite books. This one is called 'Learn to pray' by Marcus Braybrooke. It contains a collection of prayers from a number of spiritual traditions. The one that seized my mind and heart today was this one:

Waiting on God

In the centre of my heart I have a mystic shrine for you.
The candles of my joys are dimly lighted in the hope of your coming.
They will burn brighter when you appear. Whether you come or not,
I will wait for you until my tears melt away all material grossness.
To please you my love-perfumed tears will wash your feet of silence.
The altar of my soul will be kept empty. Until you come I will talk not.
I will ask nothing of you. I will realize that you know the pangs of my
heart while I wait for you.
You know that I am praying. You know that I love no other.
Yet whether you come to me or not, I will wait for you, though it be for eternity.

Paramahansa Yogananda

A debt I cannot repay!

Increasingly, one of the highlights of my day is taking Bonnie, my Tibetan Spaniel, for a walk. I tend to do this once the afternoon glare has given way to the subtle, interplay of sun and moon light.

It is the most enchanting time of day for me as I feel drawn once more into the mystery of the womb of the universe, from which I was born. I feel as if, no matter how much work I have done and no matter how much I may have enjoyed it, I belong ultimately to that place, that land, that kingdom where work is neither needed nor has much meaning.

In that vanishing light, I shall retire to my kingdom grateful for the 'loan of unlimited daylight'!

Once you gave me
as a loan to my eyes
unlimited daylight.
Now, my king, you are staking your claim
to take that back.
I am aware I have to let go of what I owe,
you still announce your shadow
through the evening lamp.
I came only as a guest
to this creation you have fashioned
with your light.
If here and there are left unclaimed
a few pieces, incomplete,
in some unnoticed gaps, let them be,
leave them alone uncared for.
Where your chariot
leaves its last mark
in the finality of dust,
there, let me build my world,
amidst a little light, a little shadow,
some illusion.
Chasing after light,
that is vanishing in the path of shadow,
it may pick up something,
the tiniest fragment that is left,
when my debt to you is finally paid.

By Rabindranath Tagore @ Seagulls Way