“The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.”
― Joanne Greenberg, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
Photography by Ka Malana ©2017
Category: Meditation
Stop
even if i wanted to
i couldn’t stop falling
hopelessly in love
with
each sound that i
hear
or the texture of your
fingertips
as they make a point,
acting as a second face
annotating
their contours, and giving away
who you are
when you elevate a thought
in your mind
or quickly
or slowly
move on to the part
where you enjoy laughing
in the story.
even if i wanted to
i couldn’t become unallergic
to the fluffiest cutest most self-complete
creatures on earth.
but i strangely and unapologetically
relish the event where i’m invited to
suffer this love at someone’s house,
with their cat/s.
I can vicariously enjoy
the gift of pictures.
even if i wanted to
i couldn’t not be afraid.
of each thing i say or do,
how will it effect things, people, butterflies,
or will my actions do nothing at all?
If you only knew what momentum’s
edge has, you’d know that even
if I wanted to, i couldn’t do so
many things, unless they are
‘right’ they felt ‘right’ they
are, me, bringing –> you some “flowers,”
in some way.
i want to help deliver
these moments that make you
go ‘Oh’ and ‘Yeahhhh’
or, ‘i see,’ ‘hmmm.’
even if i wanted to, i couldn’t not
live, just a little bit more
every day.
to live outside this bubble,
is where exactly i am,
and it’s a difficult place to describe,
it’s pointless, literally, figuratively…
i couldn’t not read the news today.
this land, the earth, our home,
i couldn’t help loving even if you
told me, everything is boloney
and all the talking heads are all really
extemporaneous and perhaps
slightly more honest and candid
because of that.
Because if all this is prepared, who did
the script writing, created the scenery,
set the extremes to ‘high’ ?
even if i wanted to,
i couldn’t fast-forward to the part
of the story where everything is perfect
and everyone sees eye-to-eye –
and all the sickness in the world has been
cured, but if i wanted to,
i can stop everything – and look
at where there are no problems, nothing to
sort, no mission to achieve, not a single angle
to behold.
if i wanted to, i could work on this ‘place’
and widen it, and see what its got to share with
me.
i could return to the sounds that i
couldn’t stop falling in love with,
even if i wanted to, silence…
it contains all of this.
Afternoon Exercise
every face today has a smile
eye contact and a
story telling.
“today is my birthday,” he
says. “I’m 24.” I can hear
It in his voice – he is
grateful to be alive.
each year gets more precious
This dog named Ranger, who reminds me of Venus, both black labs, both friendly. One has passed on. Ranger is
panting happily, here and now.
All with a meet and greet – and just now I loOk up and deeply into a woman’s eyes.
Hello! We say It at the same time. Her visor is a good idea. I replace my sunglasses and see more dogs.
They are as happy as I for California rain and shine.
Two more dogs go by, and soon I’m back to my work.
The women who pass me say,
“Recess is sacred”
I add: thank you for sharing your dogs 🐶
Excitement! Art for Art: Free Verses!
Cover Art by Debbie Graul, Cover Design by Ka Malana
Praise for Art for Art
Hello dear friends & welcome new followers!
I am delighted to share with you that my 1st book of poetry is published and available. It’s available immediately at the CreateSpace eStore. It’ll be able at Amazon.com in 3-5 business days (now available!), and to a wider audience in 6-8 weeks! The thing is, to me, this was everything: I finished!
May you all have a Happy New Year – Chinese Lunar New Year is coming up – let the festivities continue while we work! I hope. I can breathe now… well, sort of… I’ll sign and autograph as you request. I had one or two of those already. It may take some time as I am just adjusting to my new schedule, but we’ll work stuff out on a case by case basis. Please use my contact form, and just allow me 24-48 hours to get some thoughts together, and of course, to be in front of a computer again.
Ps. I have taken note that every time I write, there are crickets! Right now! Bright daylight, and I hear crickets near the screen door. So grateful!! Remembering this.
In a new era: one leader shows ‘A’ way hOMe
Wishing everyone a fine Sunday. This video moves me deeply.
Perhaps you might enjoy this short video where Morgan Freeman interviews His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, as much I have. This man is one of my leaders (Karmapa – but Morgan Freeman is pretty standup, too), my ‘wayshowers,’ and I’m so proud to say it. He’s very ordinary. That’s what I adore about him. He’s also very extraordinary. Keep your eyes out for him. Though he is young, at 31, he embodies the transmissions from the former 16 Karmapas. He is a walking lineage and he is, I believe, a vast “energy holder” for our new era.
Mooji’s Gratitude Journey
Mooji sets out with questions to his teacher, Papaji
Finds his Master in Papaji
Shiva Shambo and moving on…
Mooji visits his master’s home for the first time since 1997
How can I read this poem
without it stirring my insides?
How can I look at you without
weeping?
You handed flowers to the
man in front of us,
but witnessing this moment
and what i Felt
Who is to Say, when Darshan
really occurred?
We stood before you, then,
with your peacock feather in hand.
Touched my forehead and chest and I thanked you
as I would any beloved friend.
How can ‘I be’ and not
be moved?
Who are we to stop some tears
or suggest this is the illusion
of sugar-drenched thoughts,
~~~
When I saw you give us flowers…
and I read your voice written
directly into my mind.
Creating a *daily* “DONE LIST”
When building a new schedule, and accessing “just what is it that I need to do during my day?” I create a “done” list. I started doing this a little while back, and it’s offered me:
- A sense for my own accomplishments
- A sense of peace about my vision for the future (& the present)
- A sketch into the real-world of my life in terms of my values
Today as I created my morning “done list” which consisted of meditations of various types, as well as fixing the bed, making breakfast, eating, dishes, cleaning, reading/writing, taking care of my plants, visualizing, stretching, communing with my self, and then others. I was able to see that there are sets of actions and values that I’d need to prioritize and sort out. Without my daily “done-list,” I’d be thinking I accomplished nothing – which while good in certain contexts, is not so good in others.
Wishing everyone a happy, smooth, peaceful, productive, enjoyable, pleasant day – filled with the sweet breeze of accomplishment and a self-renewing sense of peace. _/1\_
How to Train for a Marathon…
Many people embark on the journey/goal of running a marathon. More and more are interested in pushing themselves to states of peak performance. Yet, how do we train for a marathon other than running a longer distance, over time; in effect, we run further and longer than the marathon itself. That’s how we train! That’s how we get ready for something that can seem so long, and like such a tremendous feat: We aim even higher than the actual goal. Boy, that’s got me thinking…
There’s got to be some kind of distraction while our muscles are working so hard; and while, in the beginning it’s so challenging, before we realize it, we’ve just keep going, and we keep going. Kind of like my last sentence. The whole movement itself becomes sort of like a sitting meditation. We might not be able to wrap our minds are each and every step, but at some point – we trust our steps.
Of course, not everyone can run a marathon. But, I guess that’s up to the runner and the runner’s body to decide. What do we risk? What are the costs involved? Why do we do such things? What is self-development all about? Can we really improve the lives of others, just by being and becoming our best selves?
Mindfulness Meditation Track – 5 minutes
Hello Today!
One of the newest features of Fiesta Estrellas has been in the making for some time. Only recently, however, have I created the space in order to get it started. I am starting a new series of mindfulness meditations. This particular one I used with my graduate class a couple of semesters ago, and I received positive feedback. This recording is a little bit on the quiet-side; I do hope to make adjustments with the next one. In the meantime, I hope you are able to make the necessary adjustments with your headphones; and I wish you all the very best with your meditations!
Any future meditations that I record will be loaded under the ‘meditations’ section of Fiesta Estrellas. This way you will know where to go when you want to join me in meditation – at any time.
Have a beautiful day.
Love, Ka
Meditations at Night
Last night, I found Ishwar Puri. It was an evening while I wasn’t sleeping very well. So, I like to make the best use of my time, without over-working. I have a lot on my plate right now; and sometimes, when this happens, I listen to various podcasts. Last night, I choose to listen to this video after meditating a bit. In this case, I found another co-traveler. What I say here is not a promotion of Ishwar Puri as anyone’s guru, his beliefs nor any of his, nor my ideas. I just met him; and I follow a lot of different Spiritual teachers that I’m not going to list here because there are too many to name. Plus, who knows what tomorrow might bring.
I just wanted to share how un-alone and connected I felt.
The Play of Existence
This video is about the importance of embodying knowledge and practice, in particular, the practice of Vipassana. How does Mooji manage to explain this through the story of a vampire movie? He speaks of scent – the ways we can detect what is true, or resonant with what is being said with the ‘mind.’
I think he’s actually talking about Fright Night here, a movie which had me clawing at my face in fright as a child, and recently had me laughing out loud as adult. I have so much empathy for her. “It is not to blame, it is something that is the play of existence,” says Mooji. ❤ “The buddha is in you, but you are keeping it in the closet.” ❤
Evening Aspirations – The Eve of night and cleansing
This was handed down to me from my dear friend and one of my many teachers. I offer these aspirations as I have received them. This Hallowed Eve I choose to celebrate with Buddha 🙂
Last year I attended classes at the Medicine Buddha, and meditated upon my own death. I am reflecting on that now, as well as further into the past when I met with my regular Sangha for a period time. Sangha is a precious gift, and those who are in it remain Buddha friends for all time. Without further ado:
“May my actions reflect the love, compassion and wisdom shown by the Buddha.
May I overcome my difficulties.
If I have carelessly hurt someone today by word or deed, may I be more mindful next time.
I shall strive to live in harmony with nature, and I shall strive to cleanse my heart from hate and envy and live in harmony with all beings.
I shall strive to be close to the Dharma in good as well as in difficult times.
I know that when the moment comes for me to leave this world. I will do so without fear or regret. I leave this world a better person than when I came into it.
Whatever wrong someone may do to me, may I be compassionate and forgive with no hatred in my heart.
I shall be grateful for the acts of love and consideration shown to me, no matter how small they may appear to be.
May this life be a blessing and source of happiness to all beings.”
Om Mani Padme Hum
Fiesta Estrellas 
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