All Posts Tagged ‘fireflies’

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The Story of Lo Zu and the Young Firefly

July 13, 2018
32 comments

 

A young student asked Lo Zu, “When a firefly is full of light, does that mean that it is undergoing satori or full enlightenment?”

“No,” the sage answered, “Fireflies groom themselves often, making themselves orderly and spotless, but that is not enough for them — insects who live with separateness and competition — to receive immeasurable enlightenment.”

“What will happen if I receive such enlightenment?” the lad asked.

Lo Zu then answered, “If the limitless, unadulterated energy of the cosmos visits you and flows through you,  you will look slightly physically different but you will not physically glow and, additionally, the fingers of the hands may contract (making it difficult to move), but usually that visitation occurs when one is alone and not among others.”

“I see,” said the student.

“After the visitation,” said Lo Zu, “you will look just like everyone else and, of course, the hands will easily move again; however, your mind will be much different.  You will be glowing on the inside and will have seen.”

“Seen what?” the young lad enquired.

“Seen what is unseeable; met what is indescribable,” said Lo Zu.

“Is it the sacred?” the young boy asked.

With a tear in his eye and a concomitant smile on his face, Lo Zu answered, “Perhaps!”

Then Lo Zu graciously remarked, “Listen, Firefly, surpass fireflyness.”

 

 

Firefly Grooming Itself… Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2018

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Being and Becoming…

July 3, 2016
17 comments

 

In talking or writing about mindfulness and meditation, many will give you techniques and things to practice to get to a certain point.  However, real mindfulness, wisdom, and meditation may not (by any means whatsoever) be what can be attained through practicing or through following methods laid out by others.  Wholeness is not at some point; it is everywhere and nowhere.  Taking a route to it is like following a road to the totally pathless, which is ludicrous.   (It’s like trying to measure the immeasurable, like so many so-called scientists are trying to do!)  Related to this is that being and becoming are essentially the same thing.  “Being,” as does “becoming,” reinforces the self, the center, with its dependence on sensations, pleasure, and time.  The intelligent mind does not try to be in a state of being, try to be what is non-becoming, nor try to be in a state of non-being.  Such trying would be a further extension of becoming and would reinforce the self and its dependence upon time.  In not trying to be or not be… the mind may naturally blossom as what is beyond dependence and measurement.  The measureless is timeless; a point in time is always limited.  A natural mind can intelligently use experience when necessary and may go beyond it without striving to become or be anything.

 

[Firefly on window, checking us out!]

Firefly on window, checking us out! It's that time of year here! Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

Firefly on window, checking us out! It’s that time of year here! Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016