Dividing Line

Before,
my truth had to come
from outside to be true.

After,
the only truth that matters
is the wisdom that rises within.

Before,
I never knew where to turn
to save me from my fears.

After,
my fears fade whenever
I turn my mind to Tao.

Before,
heaven always came later.

After,
heaven has always been now.

Eye of the Storm

A minute of silence
is like a full night's rest.

A sudden stillness
is like a deep, full breath.

A few seconds of quiet
are like a world at peace.

A moment of calm
is like the eye of the storm.

Nourishments

Rain nourishes the land.
Runoff carves the land.

Water follows its own way
and returns to where it started.

Tao flows through my life,
nourishing and carving as it goes.

Just Because

Just because something is beautiful
doesn't mean it isn't poisonous.

Just because my prejudice feels right
doesn't mean it isn't rotting me from inside.

Bones of Winter

The bones of winter
have their own beauty.

The hard cold of winter,
not so much.

Forward or Back

When I discover I have
the power to open my own mind,
do I run forward or do I turn back?

The power to open my mind
offers the power to change myself.

The power to change myself
offers the power to change others.

The power to change others
should give me pause,
before deciding forward or back.

Yin and Yang

Growing up.
Growing down.

The yin and yang
of my spiritual journey.

Heartfelt

I can see the hearts
of those I agree with,
but not necessarily
the hearts of those
on the other side.

But everybody has one.
A heart.

Mine grows when
I remember this.

Trails in Water

Do fish leave trails in water?
Do birds leave tracks across the sky?

My own footprints through life
leave clues of my journey,
give heart to those still on their way,
guide me back when I take a wrong turn.

Partly Seen

I see the image of a dog
in a tangle of tree vines.

Is the dog in the vines?
Or is the dog in my mind?

When I look at the world,
what I see is only partly seen.

The rest comes from inside.

Where Meaning Comes From

Where does
meaning
come from?

Does it come
from what I see
with my eyes?

Or what I see
with my mind?

Or what I see
with my heart?

None of these.

Meaning comes
from how I see,
not what I see.

Eye Level

The horizon always
remains at eye level,
even when hidden.

Inner sight is the same.

Darkness and light
are forever in balance,
even when unseen.