Tassajara

Listening…….
The drums, the bells
The wind, rain and hail
The birds and oh…..those frogs
The silence and the chanting
The river

Smelling….
The flowers, the food, the incense, the bodies, the offerings

Seeing….
The road going in, the shadows left behind by the practitioners before me …here
The abundance of stars on a clear night, the view from the ridge
The lights ….. and the absence of lights after fire watch
The robes flowing in the dark…beautiful bodhisattvas….sages in the mountains

Feeling….
Waves of emotion
Fears of uncertainty giving way to unlimited joy, unlimited space, unlimited love, unlimited freedom within restriction, unlimited acceptance, unlimited beauty
Emptiness
Cold crisp mountain air, silky hot springs water

Remembering….
The gate upon entering
Morning wake up bell, work circle, meal chant and offering, the shoe racks,  the flashlights, back door to the kitchen, the springs, the mountains, awakening the spirits, ceremonies, the hugs goodbye
The gate upon leaving
My last bow

— Lysa Allen