This Christmas morning Susan, dog Bailey, and I opened a few presents “Santa-Dog” left under the tree for one of us…
I had a wonderful thought about how opening presents is creating a memory for the young to be remembered as they age. And furthermore that more things happening directly to me, and others for that matter, remind me of similar events of the past. This process of aging is something as I approach 78 years.
So I offer two views: Buddhist and Scottish that seem at this time to offer my experience. For it is at this time of year we are in the crack between the world of light and darkness. The harvest is in preparation for the dark has begun and we do our version of semi-hibernation. So part of this cycle is to remember. Imagine if you will, a demarcation line when one’s view of the future is superseded by memories of the past.
Here we are in auld lang syne. Rejoicing in memory of friends here and beyond. It is loving- kindness that Robert Burns refrain grace punctuated in my memory with the musical addition of Guy Lombardo’s Band that wells-up. We are in the movement of nostalgia. I suggest it is an in-between. Both are present relational in a manner, that to over experience one aspect, is missing the whole. When are captured in similar experiences and are processing=life!
A Japanese term that captures this and links to our Buddhist practice is horoniga. The word is translated as bittersweet and is a state of being that usually has a short half-life. Yet, its is most useful in our practice of awareness and sitting of the experience.
The article on aging below I see as Beginner’s Mind. A slogan I’ve seen around the Internet is when someone asks me about my age the answer is how should I know…never experience it before. I appreciate Lewis Richmond’s take on the cultivation of inner life. I am spending more time there and it is interesting and sometimes Spock-Like = fascinating!’ Aging as a Spiritual Practice - Tricycle: The Buddhist Review
So please look into the offers above and join us Tuesday night December 27, 2022 as we spend our last service of the old year. We will be ONLY on ZOOM, so no in person meeting at the zendo.
https://zoom.us/j/7096899032?status=success#success Password: FSZS
108 Bows of appreciation,
Sangaku
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