Designation: Bags of Salt

I didn’t know that I knew “this,”
But even that which I now know I knew
Is unknown, meaning, I don’t know that either!
And how could this possibly be taught?

I always knew “this,” but what is this, “this”
That I’ve always known? —I have no idea!
The “this,” that I know that I don’t know,
How could this be learned?

Luckily for me, I’m not a Dharma teacher!
But every now and then
There is this powerful desire
To try to help,

But I think this desire,
This most dangerous longing
To help
Just gets in the way,

I think maybe we help
In ways we don’t know,
Without knowing it
And that perhaps this is the best helping of all;

Our desire to know we’re helping,
Maybe is just ego—whatever that is!
So maybe metta just fulfills this desire
And gets it out of the way,

So that we can just get on with doing
Whatever it is we are really doing,
Whatever role we truly play in “this,”
Whatever “this” is,

And, in fact, my teacher has likely helped best
In the ways she doesn’t even know,
Which if I tried to explain
She probably would not understand,
Because it’s got nothing to do with her.

Descriptive: Stirring Things Up

Entering into a marathon of work,
That should occupy the mind,
As have to keep pace
For quite a long time,

Few opportunities for pondering,
Or capricious mind wandering
Or for getting stuck on
The inner world’s ramblings,

Have to stay concentrated
On what needs to be done,
On the job and at home
Regardless of the mood,

Keeping attention on the tasks
With few moments to rest
But how to stay relaxed
Within the busyness, that’s the challenge!

Seeking the balance
Between too tight and too loose,
Too dispersed and too focused
Takes effort to notice

But still I get caught
On surging negative thoughts,
‘What’s this about?’
No, no, not that question

But instead, ‘what’s the skillful response?’
Amidst cooking oatmeal
Immediately, the answer flashed,
‘Just make oatmeal;’

Stirring the oatmeal,
I am stirred
And I stir everything,
Watching everything stirring,
‘I’ dissolves into the pot.

Derangement: Agitated Mindfulness

The aftermath spins,
Breathing in
Breathing out
Noticing what’s happening,

Practicing with metta,
Stretching and exercising,
Trying to keep the mind
Away from the frying pan,

Woke up too early
In a sweat,
Couldn’t get back to sleep
And tossed and turned instead;

Sleepily got up
And stumbled to the kitchen,
Prepared the coffee
And popped a patty in the toaster oven,

Pacing up and down,
Bemusement abounds,
Still not sure what to do,
Contemplating the rumination stew,

Eating very slowly,
Almost forgetting the second course,
Waiting for the oatmeal
And considering the best course;

All to quickly
The day wore on
And so little got done
As the mind churned on;

Very repetitive
These distracting thoughts
But I can’t get ahead of them
Nor let these notions drop.