Both Minds

There is the mind
that tells me I am not
anyone else but myself.

There is the mind
that tells me I am not
anything else but One.

Both minds chatter.
Both minds prosper.
Both minds hinder.

No mind is true mind.

(But what mind would
ever find its way to that?)

Our Deeper Roots

When the ground
shifts beneath us,
our deeper roots
are often laid bare.

What God Allows

Why does God
allow darkness?

So we can rest.
So we can hide
our own darkness.

Why does God
allow light?

So we can play.
So we can see
our own light.

Reclaimed

Every place we reclaim
from fear and doubt
becomes a sacred place.

Community Health

A healthy community
nurtures its many voices
and celebrates its diversity.

A sick community
nurtures its prejudices
and celebrates its piety.

The first draws prosperity.
The second draws anxiety.

Doubtful Turn

Doubt turns me away from Tao
and toward my own reflection.

I see how frail I am.
I see how small and fragile.

And that's the way I remain
until I turn around again.

Leader

Enlightenment
doesn't lead
to compassion.

Compassion
lights the way
to enlightenment.

This is why
compassion
scatters darkness.

Every Voice Matters

Every voice matters
whether it's heard or not.

Turning a deaf ear
doesn't silence anyone.

Listening is a better path
whether we agree or not.

Vote Money

If you let
money buy
your vote,
you have
no voice.

The Light We Need

The light we need
comes when we need it,
but not always from
the direction we expect.

Another reason to pay attention.

Changing Times

Changing times
call for cooperation,
but scatter us instead.

Life becomes unpredictable,
and we feel the fears
of our own separateness.

Rebuilding community
is the way back to sanity.

Already Home

I whirl like a dervish,
but where does it get me?

I turn and turn and turn,
but where do I end up?

There is nowhere to go.
I'm already home.