Nothing

is

worth

this

?

what do you see?

The Jewish man explained the beginning.

In Hebrew the word בְּרֵאשִׁית, Bereʾšyt, is translated as “In the beginning”.  

He was impassioned and eloquent.

The group of us listened.

Then it was time to return to their cells, lock in, wait for count, then lunch.

I walked through eleven doors, seven of them secure and locked.

We wished each other”shana tova,” eyes unlocked.

If we return to source, where does source return to?

Panta the cat climbs to nestling spot on steel shelving.

Rokpa the dog will be up on sofa by now.

I sneeze twice.

Rosh Hashanah, Hebrew: רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה‎

Remembering

Returning

Rejoicing

Teshuvah

Carrying and stacking old wood in new place by barn and kitchen.

Rowing harbor.

Sitting zazen and reading Thich Nhat Hanh.

The day goes on.

Returning and returning.

autumn

a

fall

from

summer

i’m twice as strong wearing gloves and boots

The inmate once said you can tell about a man by the condition of his work gloves and boots.

Work Boots: Still Life

work boots dry in the sun.
Salt lines map the leather
and laces drool
like the arms of a new-hire
waiting to punch out.
The shoe hangs open like the sigh
of someone too tired to speak
a mouth that can almost breathe.
A tear in the leather reveals
a shiny steel toe
a glimpse of the promise of safety
the promise of steel and the years to come. 

(--Poem by Jim Daniels)

Them, and the willingness to laugh.

Original word: repositioning ‘autos’ and ‘allos’, a student makes his mark

A student writes:

Original word: 

“Autodidallocism” - the educational process of self-teaching through interaction with others.  

Mr. Halpin favored an autodidallic method of teaching in which his students entered into dialogue with one another and educated each other via their contributions.  

(Otto-dye-DAllo-sizm; Otto-dye-DAllick) 

Happy Frindling!  

-Justin

To Mr. Snow, my response did go:

Well composed; well played! 

Compliments

(I had to look up Frindling. Of course, then, having to order Andrew Clements’ book Frindle.)

Penultimate equi-nox

           (haiku at season change)

entering last day

of summer, hiking ragged 

step by tiring step

αυτός/άλλος--διδακτικ: self learning through another

Faith is intuition of deep,reality.

Belief is intellectual and rational formulation of that intuition.

Religion is the structural dogma and requirements of the practice of particular belief.

Church, mosque, synagogue, or temple is the emboldened housing of a specific religion.

Spirituality is the term some use to explain the urge to practice intuition, thought, and service to others.

If anyone asks, say I practiced faith.

Deep reality is the mystery of faith.

Trust in self through another.

Autos/allos--didacticism: self learning through another.

αυτός/άλλος--διδακτικ.

Bow not for something—to get something for yourself. Bow to empty yourself, to repent and clean out your mind. With no thought of self, all benefit. With a thought of self, all suffer.

-- Heng Sure, "Bowing"

Auto-allos-didacticism (self-teaching through another or others)

Tonight is a good night to die.

Temperature falls.

Wood in two weeks.

again; refresh

Quickly, before update restarts.

Those who awaken never rest in one place.
Like swans, they rise and leave the lake.
On the air they rise and fly an invisible course.
They live on emptiness.
They have seen how to break free.
Who can follow them?  
                - Buddha in the Dhammapada

And we have to begin again.

errata

On at least two occasions over the 13 years of meetingbrook’s blog I have misquoted Elie Wiesel’s line from p.93 of “The Wandering Jew” from his book Legends of Our Time (1967).

Here is the accurate quote:

"Man defines himself by what disturbs him and not by what reassures him. When will you understand that you are living and searching in error, because God means movement and not explanation.”

My error was the word “is” instead of “means” and the comma between “movement” and “not” in final line.

Here are two of the culprits from 2003 and 2006:

Meetingbrook Hermitage Update

www.meetingbrook.org/updates/03JulyUpdate.htm

As Elie Wiesel said in one of his books, "God is movement, not explanation." Seeing God is not as vital as moving through what (God) is moving through, what  ...

Today at Meetingbrook: 08/06/2006 - 08/13/2006

meetingbrook.blogspot.com/2006_08_06_archive.html

Aug 6, 2006 - 'God is movement, not explanation,' wrote the novelist Elie Wiesel. Let's move through reality with grace and wholeness. We are not separate ...

           erratum 

[ih-rah-tuh m, ih-rey-, ih-rat-uh m] Spell Syllablesnoun, plural errata 
 [ih-rah-tuh, ih-rey-, ih-rat-uh] (  [ih-rah-tuh, ih-rey-, ih-rat-uh] (Show IPA)
1.
an error in writing or printing.
2.
a statement of an error and its correction inserted, usually on aseparate page or slip of paper, in a book or other publication;corrigendum.  1. an error in writing or printing. 2. a statement of an error and its correction inserted, usually on aseparate page or slip of paper, in a book or other publication;corrigendum. Origin1580-90; < Latin, noun use of errātum wandered, erred, strayed (neuterpast participle of errāre). See err, -ate1 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/errata

Apologies!

Haiku, (in passing)

                 “...God means movement and not explanation.” (Elie Wiesel) 

Profound faith in this

mere looking, nothing in mind 

arrives then departs

Ad vitam aeternam

Faith is the trust we have that nothing 

will not be what it is

in itself.

The holy, cross

Interconnection and transformation

no matter

what else.

Dropped off mind and body

It seems simple.

If you do not fear death, you are free.

To be what you are and do what you want.

His brothers and sisters said that about Jim Laurita today.

With humor, affection, and a little bit of awe.

from Late Latin, condolere -- "to suffer together"

Condolence From: meetingbrook hermitage for James L. Laurita

           Haiku,

          (for Dr Jim)  

here is what is known 

          you were kind here, now we know 

          september sorrow

It was 11:11pm on 9/11 about 11 minutes ago

I remember less fear.

A good memory.

Starting when?

Here is what we know about 9/11/2001:

Many people died; buildings were destroyed; wars were begun; many people continued to die.

Whoever planned and executed the terrible event and its follow up were very successful.

And what have we learned?

Success isn't always desired.

Killing is easy.

There's something else we have to consider -- some different way of living we might wish to contemplate.

It's worth a look.

A long look.

Starting now.

Dwelling now.