Author Archives: John Swinburn

Zen in its essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one’s being, and it points the way from bondage to freedom. ~ D. T. Zuzuki ~ +++ Yesterday’s post here weakly advocated for minimalism. The quotation with … Continue reading →

The world is full of good people. If you can’t find one, be one. ~ Anonymous ~ +++ I could find all sorts of faults with the structure of—or even the content delivered by—that anonymous quotation, but I think the … Continue reading →

Yesterday was a scramble, beginning in earnest the process of relocating household goods and finding places to put them. But we did not spend the entire day on that undertaking. Instead, around 3:00 p.m., we stopped for a visit with … Continue reading →

If our nature is permitted to guide our life, we grow healthy, fruitful, and happy. ~ Araham Maslow ~ I think Maslow was right, though our natures sometimes hide beneath layers of solid granite formed from cooling volcanic magma. We … Continue reading →

The mind is very difficult to see, Very delicate and subtle; It moves and lands wherever it pleases. The wise one should guard his mind, For a guarded mind brings happiness. ~ Dhammapada ~ +++ When she writes her rare … Continue reading →

I found the following quotation in my little black companion, The Essence of Zen: An Anthology of Quotations, only after I wrote this morning’s post but before I posted it. The quotation seemed so apropos that I could not leave … Continue reading →

Generally, when I consider the stresses of everyday life, I think of matters that put a person on edge; things that cause noticeable changes in one’s frame of mind. I think of those changes easily traceable to mental burdens which … Continue reading →

Le mieux est le mortel ennemi du bien. ~ Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron of La Brède ~ French is one of dozens of languages I wish I had studied and mastered. But I did not. So I could not … Continue reading →

It is not the body, not the personality that is the true self. The true self is eternal. Even on the point of death we can say to ourselves, ‘My true self is free. I cannot be contained.’ ~ Marcus … Continue reading →

My sister-in-law,  my intimate companion (IC), and I sat around the dining table yesterday morning, talking about the accumulated stresses we individually and collectively have experienced during the past year. The conversation led us to explore one of those simple … Continue reading →

Mistakes, impossibly deep and costly, alter the course of the future and bring an end to the illusion that joy is within reach. Nothing can stop the errant, fast-flowing river of time from flooding its own channel, scouring its banks … Continue reading →

Before I try to find sleep again, I must relieve the shaman in my head of his responsibilities. I have to explain to him that he is not real, he is only an idea born of fantasy and fiction; a … Continue reading →

Several years ago—three or four, I think—I experienced an increasing level of debilitating pain on the top of my hand and lower right arm. The pain migrated to my upper arm and shoulder and then to the area around my … Continue reading →

I did not wake up thinking I wanted to write about the horrors of war, nor about how much I abhor the concept of officially-endorsed killing. I did not get out of bed with the intent of thinking about the … Continue reading →

The stresses caused by fierce winds can build up over time. A huge, thick, powerful, mesquite tree might survive monstrous hurricane force winds in successive storms. The tree may lose a few limbs but stand resolute against the forces of … Continue reading →

I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. … Continue reading →

The nature of humanity, its essence, is to feel another’s pain as one’s own, and to act to take that pain away. There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness. ~ John Connolly ~ I … Continue reading →

I awaken early and steal into the kitchen, careful to minimize any sounds that might jolt the world around me out of its slumber. Mornings should be quiet, peaceful, serene. For the forty-some-odd years I spent with my late wife, … Continue reading →

A a small squadron of brown pelicans glides inches above the water, their reflected images so close to touching their bodies that their movements seem perfectly choreographed. As the birds seek their early morning breakfast, an occasional splash of a … Continue reading →

Nothing is impossible. The planet on which we live could split in half, hemorrhaging molten lava from its open wound and wrecking the stability we’ve come to expect from Earth’s chaotic behavior. The Perseid Meteor Shower might surprise us during … Continue reading →

My IC convinced me to return to watching Schitt’s Creek last night. She has seen the entire series multiple times; I have only seen season 1. But, last night, we watched part of season 2. I feel confident that, one … Continue reading →

It is not only possible, but advisable, to begin each day with at least a modest appreciation for awaking from sleep. Acknowledging that good fortune (and it is good fortune) can trigger an ability to withstand the slings and arrows … Continue reading →

Our choices are limited. We can accept our lot in life as it is, work to change it for the better if there’s room for improvement, or reject it outright and refuse to attempt to do anything to change it, … Continue reading →

I learned last night that the procedure to give my brother a pacemaker on an emergency basis has been delayed due to a low platelet count, which could cause uncontrollable bleeding during the procedure. He is in ICU, where he … Continue reading →

Reminders about life’s fragility poured into my consciousness yesterday. First, I learned that one of my brothers was advised to have a heart pacemaker installed on an emergency basis. Next, I was stunned and saddened to learn that the younger … Continue reading →