Being a Refuge

Light snow falls gently throughout my practice.... Not heavy or wet like the snow that pounded the eastern seaboard this past weekend leaving--according to my sister who lives in Baltimore--at least two feet in its wake. Not prolific and wind-blown like the snow predicted for the Chicago area over the next several days. No, light, gentle, easy ... similar to a soft, relaxed t'ai chi chih practice.

I watch dashing, dancing grey squirrels flit across acres of snow and up and down trees while I move. Truly, these small gleeful rodents fully exhibit the meaning of joy thru movement. There is incredible grace, flow, effortlessness, and beauty in their movements.

I continue to refine individual movements as I glide through my practice. Always, always I keep my focus on t'an t'ien and my gradual weight shift forward and back, side-to-side.

This is so good for me to return to the beginning once again. Observing everything. Noticing. Changing. Feeling. Experiencing.

At the end of practice I sit quietly and allow myself to receive. I feel grateful to have one thing only to focus upon; being in this moment, welcoming it into me. For these few minutes I abandon my efforts of doing, judging, or achieving. I simply am and ... it's wonderfully freeing.

... be ye lamps unto yourselves, be ye a refuge to yourselves. Betake yourselves to no external refuge. Hold fast to the Truth as a lamp; hold fast to the Truth as a refuge. Look not for a refuge in anyone beside yourselves.
                         The Buddha
                         From: The Mystic Vision, p. 30