Reflecting back over the years of my life now has taken on a wholly different character and sense of urgency. Each time I sit down to write these days, I am reminded by all of the objects surrounding me that the accumulation of years has also resulted in an enormous accumulation of memories and souvenirs … Continue reading A Writer’s Journey
View of the lake in the Pennsylvania mountains Several times during the year, I have recently been able to enjoy the exceptional privilege to be invited to my sister's lakehouse in Pennsylvania, occasionally for family gatherings, and sometimes simply for the pleasure of a visit. As someone who savors opportunities for communing with the natural … Continue reading Enriched Beyond Measure
Once again, as the year winds down and the fullness of the winter season begins to take hold, we are presented with a whole range of considerations and expectations, which seem to appear typically at this time. For me, this year has been as tumultuous as they come, and there is a flood of concerns … Continue reading Finding Meaning in the Winter Season
Just after the tree company demolished the front yard tree, I somberly examined the remaining stump and photographed it for posterity, sadly contemplating the loss as a necessary but unfortunate development. I even stood upon the stump in a defiant expression of frustration at the total destruction of a long term relationship with a lovely … Continue reading After A Tree Falls…Nature Responds
We do not always choose to arrive on the path of destiny. We may avoid it at times it if we are determined to do so, but at some point, no matter how desperate we become or how clever we are, one way or another, the path will find us. Occasionally, if we are truly … Continue reading When The Path of Destiny Calls
Last Gasp of Summer Sitting out in the backyard on a November morning with brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures approaching 75 degrees F, sipping on my morning coffee, it seems almost surreal given the circumstances. Perhaps it is the last gasp of summer, or simply a consequence of a random twist or turn in … Continue reading A Cascade of Autumn Leaves
When we finally arrive in October, Our feelings are usually … Continue reading Hello October!
To hear me recite the poem click on the video link below: When A Tree Falls Video When A Tree Falls—An Unexpected Reprieve https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=DE7BF189930200B0&id=DE7BF189930200B0%214659&parId=DE7BF189930200B0%21206&o=OneUp Already a bit on edge anticipating the arrival of the tree removal people, I decided to sit outside after a quick breakfast and drink my … Continue reading When A Tree Falls
Each moment, as we nearer drew to each, A stern respect withheld us farther yet, … Continue reading Contradiction and Truth
“The Buddha taught that our true nature is emptiness- a lack of a permanent Self- and when this true nature is realized, the divine states of the Brahma-viharas - loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity- emerge.” “In the teachings of the great yoga masters, our true nature is Brahman, the universal soul, of which the … Continue reading Our True Nature
John's Consciousness 