awake.

January 3, 2008

One day Siddhartha Gautama was out taking a walk.  Another person walking approached him

and asked “Are you God?”

Siddhartha replied, No

Are you a celestial being?

Again, Siddhartha said no.

You must be a wizard! The man proclaimed, sure of himself.

Once again, Siddhartha said shook his head and said No.

Well, then what are you? The man had to know.

I am awake.

 

***

I have everything I need.  What needs to be changed in me will happen in time.  I have no resolutions.  No lists of wishes or insights.  No clever thoughts on this past year.  I have nothing but a  prayer for this next cycle, a practice that I take on.

To be awake in each and every moment.  To be truly awake when I lift my head up at dawn, when I hold my child’s hand, or listen to a friend tell a story.  I want to be awake while I breath this new baby down into my canal and out into my opening and look upon it’s face  I want to be awake when I make love to my man and while I stir the kale and chicken soup on the stove. When I wash my dishes, I want to be wide awake. I want to be awake when I breath out my short morning chants and when I walk down to the espresso kiosk.  I want to be awake when I write.  I want to be awake in my sleep. I want to be awake even in the most mundane moments of my life; I am sure they wil be the most beautiful and profound.

 

My new year practice is:  I am awake.

7 Comments »

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  1. Beautifully simple. My intention for this year is to “slow down” and yet I think what I really mean is what you said. Slow down enough to notice that I am awake. Or as Ben Lee sings “Awake is the new sleep”.
    xoxo
    Leigh

    Comment by Leigh — January 3, 2008 @ 4:03 pm

  2. Awakening. Beautiful.

    Comment by Jane — January 3, 2008 @ 4:04 pm

  3. I love that your new year practice is present tense. I AM awake.
    And you are.
    thinking of you and sending you love.

    Comment by bella — January 3, 2008 @ 4:08 pm

  4. Thank you and blessed be-ing.

    Comment by Karyn — January 3, 2008 @ 10:52 pm

  5. oh how i for wonder why my format is so wacked out in this post. is it that way for all?

    love.

    Comment by misplacedmama — January 4, 2008 @ 2:19 am

  6. The eternal practice. Buddha himself is still perfecting it.

    Comment by Karen Maezen Miller — January 4, 2008 @ 4:03 am

  7. so true…there’s nothing like good Siddhartha Gautama

    Comment by flower — January 4, 2008 @ 7:45 am

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