Thought for the Day (Dec 2)

Subject: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: Peter T.
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 09:28 AM

(dec 2) - The woods are like a department store the day after the final close-out sale. Everything is quiet and unmoving, except for stray leaves and the occasional procrastinating squirrel. The silence of the woods in early winter is strange, moving: one feels a mood of a year well spent, a pause before the real cold comes, and that elusive silence. I have tried to describe it for years, with not much luck. It has something to do with our narrow sense of what it means to be alive: life is an on-off switch for most of us, and that is linked to things that move and things that don't. The trees are alive, but slowed and unmoving; hushed, and that puzzles. But what if there were flavours of life and non-life? -- to speak of the opposite: at the moment when the fish struggles over the rapids and cataracts, does it not have more in common with the roaring waters than with anything else that simply has a beating heart?
I grope for an example of something alive, and powerful, and yet hushed and unmoving, and it comes to me. A roomful of meditating monks. And I suddenly see the woods as a forest of meditators, tree beings in deep thought, clothed in their bark, poised, full of silence. Which explains something: why I too calm down, and feel something of the strength and quiet that pervades these grey December woods.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 09:47 AM

Peter that is a truly great thought and I wanted to say so before my mind embarked on one of its tangents into the absurd.

Through a circuitous multiple thought pattern, I am now wondering which monks would have the best taptone and should you go with quartersawn monk exclusively or would the slab cut be usable. Wouldn't Gregorian monk make better soundboard material?

Sorry.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: Peter T.
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 10:00 AM

Er, CP, exactly how long was it before your mind embarked? in nanoseconds, please....yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 10:14 AM

Beautiful, Peter, as ever. And, classic, if somewhat subtle, Spaw!

Peter, it reminds me of the time Tibetan monks were visiting here and I was fortunate enough to be able to help host them at teh local Episcopal church. I went ot help my friend serve them breakfast and tasted hot butter tea for the first time. How does one say politely, no thanks to seconds of that!

Anyway, they were invited into the large and stone built sanctuary for their morning prayer/chants. As we stood there, facing the east, sunlight streaming through the stined glass, they began their glorious multi-tone throat chanting, first the low register drone, then other's added in succession, until it felt a glorious upliftment was takign place, as though the very roof would be raised to the heavens and us with it. It felt so reverent and joyous, I thought my ehart would burst with emotion.

This was on the day after their concert, so they were leaving right after breakfast. We enjoyed each otehr as much as possible wiht little common spoken language, but plenty in the way of their gentle smiles, easy laughter and deep kindness.

As they prepared to leave they motioned to us to come into their sleeping room. There, one of them, opened up a backpack and began pulling out gifts. One by one they called us up front. I had tears streaming down my face for the gratitude and joy as he draped a kata(sp) (white scarf) around my neck, gave me a prayer pouch, and a postcard with their picture on it. In halting English he said, "Don't cry. It's okay We'll be back." As I am sure you know, Peter, that is what the scarf was a symbol of; that we really weren't parting, never to see each other again, but that we would greet one another again, someday. I floated on air for the rest of the day. Today, five years later, the kata hangs in my altar, along with the prayer pouch, and their picture, as well as the Dalai Lama's look back at me with beatific radiance.

Whenever I feel a deep need for restfulnes or depth of meditation, I always put on their tape. You have captured the best image of all for the trees, Peter, thanks for reminding me of this incredible experience. kat

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 11:47 AM

Well Peter, its kind of like sonar. The shallower the depth, the faster the signal return. Mine is kind of like the BAy of Fundy with the tide out.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: MMario
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 11:50 AM

Peter - lovely thought, as usual...

'Spaw - Gregorian quarter cut gives better resonance, but for a livelier, brighter sound try Fransician...

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: Micca
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 12:39 PM

Great thought, Peter,Theres a place near Luton and Whipsnade, here in the UK that produced just this kind of sensation. The trunks are very straight,like the columns in a Gothic cathedral and the tranquility is very similar. mind you you get a similar sensation among the stones at Avebury by moonlight, but that is very strong magic indeed.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: Terry
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 01:45 PM

Beautiful, Peter. Many poets have used the image of a "cathedral of trees," but I like your image of trees as worshipful people even better.

When my favorite lovely, huge walnut tree was toppled during the recent Hurricane Floyd, my neighbors gathered to survey the damage to my house and commiserate. Some brought thermoses of coffee, others flowers. And one of them brought me a poem he'd written and illustrated some 20 years before -- about my tree! I wish I could share the wonderful illustration, too, along with the poem which also includes a worshipful image:

Moon Sign by Russ McKinney

The paper had said something about an eclipse,

But looking out my window, over my neighbors'

Roof, and through the familiar silhouettes

Of their trees -- toward the all too eartly glow

Of the refineries of Marcus Hook

And the dreary slums of Chester -- what I saw was

More breath-taking than the predicted event,

For as it rose the ruddy moon was wafered

In the branching chalice of the walnut tree.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 03:38 PM

Terry, that is beautiful and stunning! I am sorry you lost your old treeperson, but what great neighbours you must have. Thank you for sharing it with us.

BTW, phoaks, I am not, nor have I ever been, dyslexic...my fingers are, but only when at the keyboard! Doctors say there is no hope for them, as covering one in order to make the other stronger; slowing down to the speed of a snail; or fitting them with special glasses or whatever just won't help. But, I guess you all had already figured that one out, eh?**BG**

tak...er that's kat

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 02 Dec 99 - 03:45 PM

Beautiful analogy Peter.
Under all our chatter and activity we too are hushed, unmoving and at the same time alive and powerful.
Unfortunately, most of the time we don't realize this. I am thankful to have the forest or monks to remind me.

BB

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Dec 2)
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Dec 99 - 04:07 AM

Cathedral of trees struck me....

In Durham, County Durham, UK, there is a huge and famous cathedral. Just down the hill, on the way to the river (where you get one of the best views of the cathedral looming over the cliff....) is a group of elms. These are felled elms, victims of the Dutch Elm disease. They are placed in a rough rectangle, with a large seat carved into one at the head of the rectangle. Sit in it. As you look up, you see a table, with bread, fruit, wine and cloths on it. There is a window, with a view of the surrounding country side, and the roof is green with leaves, or grey with skeleton twigs, depending on the season. This is a sculpture called 'The Upper Room' and represents the view from the table depicted in Leonardo's 'Last Supper'. The whole is open to the sky, and a great feeling of peace. All you hear is the wind in the trees or the water below. The city is less than 3 minutes walk away, but it could be another country.

LTS