Right Thinking: Teeming Life

This weekend was a getaway to the ocean, discovered quite accidentally through a tunnel that ran under the highway, on the property where my husband was playing tennis for the weekend. After receiving the go-ahead to scurry across the attached golf course, I popped out on a majestic lookout:

The golf course shared a property line with Fort Funston Public Beach and a quick maneuver around the hanging fence (!) had me sinking my toes into wet sand in no time:

Teeming life was everywhere ~ the bright urge for continuation shone! I walked the beach, breathing in sea breeze and sunshine. Romping, grinning dogs greeted me like a long lost friend. There were more dogs than people (my kind of place!) and the four leggeds were practically delirious with their good fortune. Embedded in the sand were the most amazing creatures, shedding what looked to be a pliable plastic skin....

Smooth stones also adorned the soft grained, open expanse of beach.

I marveled at the tide’s pull on the stone’s rough edges ~ gentle constant and relentless, smoothing them to colorful gems. “I am that,” I thought, “Good to see you again, Mama Sea.”

Breathing, walking, feeling the tide round out every rough edge, my mind became free to see ~ everything just wants to survive...and was doing it beautifully. Contentment had embedded itself deep when I finally turned to go, scrambling back up sea cliffs, across the meticulously kept green grass and back to my own version of teeming life.

Right Concentration: Contentment

Recently I was touched by a young man, 15 years old, who lives in Syria and is recording his region of Eastern Ghouta under siege, posting every few days to Facebook and Twitter. Muhammad Najem is a person I'm now able to check on regularly, and my heart lifts when I see he's still alive and active in his very real desire to be a photo journalist. There's many things about this young man that have impact: his open gaze, staccato voice, languid walk as he maneuvers over piles of rubble, his straight forward persistence. Him and his people are now more than ever in the heart of my daily practice.

Yesterday I had a break in a busy day and turned into Camp Galilee by the shores of Tahoe home. Waters were calm and placid, and as I slowly walked the shoreline, I thought of my young friend, Muhammad Najem. Eyes were downcast to the black Tahoe sand and the flat, colorful rocks adorning the shore....

I studied the stones as I walked, enamored by the colors, shapes and textures of the precious offerings, many etched in constellations reminding me of stars in night sky. I held the two realities of Syria and the peaceful shore of Lake Tahoe as I walked.

Having arrived at the end of the sun-melted beach, I turned around, realizing in my concentration, I hadn't looked out at the calm waters ringed in snow-capped peaks. I had neglected the Pureland in the distance!

My walk on the beach seemed a perfect metaphor for life. How often do I get caught in this event, or that person, this place and that news and forget to open to the larger whole? I was reminded of Right Concentration and our March IC theme of, "Contentment." Where is my energy, my point of focus? Is it possible in the intrigue of rocks and pebbles to look up and remember serenity? To come back to my foundation: body, breath, steps, equals peace, calm and ease in any situation.

As I turned to go, I dedicated insights on an undisturbed Tahoe homeland to my friend and comrade, Muhammad Najem and the people of Syria.


(For further reflections on related content: Right View, Right Speech, Right Livelihood, Right Mindfulness)