It is too clear

 

It is too clear and so it is hard to see.
A dunce once searched for a fire with a lighted lantern.
Had he known what fire was,
He could have cooked his rice much sooner.

- Zen Saying

All hiding places reveal God.
If you want to escape God,
He runs into your lap.

For,
God is at home.
It is we who have gone out for a walk.

~Meister Eckhart

The Hunter and the Bird

A hunter once caught a small bird. "Master," said the bird, "you have eaten so many animals bigger than I without assuaging your appetite. How can the flesh of my tiny body satisfy you? If you let me go, I will give you three counsels: one while I am still in your hand, the second when I am on your roof, and the third from the top of a tree. When you have heard all three, you will consider yourself the most fortunate of men.

The hunter agreed. "The first counsel is this," said the bird. "Do not believe the foolish pronouncements of others." The bird then flew onto the roof, from where it gave the second counsel, "Have no regrets for what is past."

"Concealed in my body is a precious pearl weighing 5 ounces. It was yours by right, and now it is gone." Hearing this, the man began to bewail his misfortune.

"Why are you so upset?" asked the bird. "Did I not say, Have no regrets for what is past? Are you deaf, or did you not understand what I told you? I also said, Do not believe the foolish pronouncements of others. I weigh less than two ounces, so how could I possibly conceal a pearl weighing five? "

Coming to his senses, the hunter asked for the third counsel. "Seeing how much you heeded the first two, why should I waste the third?" replied the bird.

~Rumi
image by Gina Mikel

Hold out if you think you can
Hide if you'd like
Love will eat hiding and holding
Love will eat anything to have you

~Grace Gibson

... more mandala art and inspiration can be found at my new website, Mandala Madness, hosted at shirleytwofeathers.com

Discovery

Have you seen a rabbit when the lynx is hunting?
Dodging and dashing this way and that
Feinting and veering all over the place!

I made rabbit so you could see yourself!
All panic and fur, warm and wild beating heart
Stand your ground and let me snag you with my claws

Oh! You will say, laughing –
I’m not a rabbit after all!

~Grace Gibson