Saying Goodbye: from Surya Little
This morning, as my feet trod the dirt and rocks in the arroyo along the back side of our home—our dog Haro trotted ahead. We were surrounded by tall trees and the peace of silence. As my prayers echo through me, saying my last goodbyes to my beloved mother-in-law, Suz. …
Read More
A Kind of Vision Quest: Bedside with My Mother
Sitting with my dying mother is possibly the hardest thing I have ever done. The only thing that comes closest is the 4 days I spent without food or water in the Arizona desert on a vision quest. This passage is equally grueling and exhausting, a test of faith and …
Read More
Wow: Bedside With My Mother
My mother labors to speak. Given the ravages of advanced dementia coupled with the paralyzing effects of “long Covid”, her words are weak and warbled. Yet I am struck by her determination to make language work. As I sit by her side on the small stool by her bedside, I …
Read More
Being with my Dying Mom: Bedside with My Mother
It is amazing how death brings such clarity to life. Bedside by my mother, the hustle and bustle of the world collapses. There is no urgency here, no insistence, no need now to go from point A to point B. My mother has entered a kind of underground tunnel full …
Read More
Ultimate Solace
It is peculiar how from a young age we seek fulfillment outside of ourselves. Lured by the promise of satisfaction, people assume that some material thing, someone, or some experience will provide happiness and freedom. And in a world full of instant gratification—online gaming, notification of likes, impulse shopping, sports …
Read More
Being Everything and Nothing
Some today advocate for flying spaceships to outer space to set up shop on Mars. The belief goes that the resources on this planet have been gobbled up and now it is time to build a whole new way of life. How absurd! The realm we live in is pure …
Read More
Be Enduring Peace
In the topsy turvy world we live in today, lawyers, influencers and politicians bicker and quarrel. They point fingers at one another as fear spreads throughout the land. In the midst of discord, it is best to lie down under a big tree and learn from the ground below. On …
Read More
Take Time to Pause
Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, you have to take time to pause, to be silent inside and not move around so much. With the state of the world topsy-turvy, and everything moving so fast, stay low to the ground, reflect, read a bit, stare off into space. …
Read More
Becoming Immortal
Today there are reams of podcasts, best-selling books and influencer posts on how to become immortal. Popular titles such as Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity and Young Forever: The Secrets to Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life are evidence of the longevity trend. To duck the dreaded decrepitude of …
Read More
One With Buddha
One day as Manjusri stood outside the temple gate, the Buddha called to him, “Manjusri, Manjusri, why do you not enter?” Manjusri replied, “I do not see myself as outside, why enter?” This is a wonderful teaching, one that I personally return to again and again. It tells of a …
Read More