Listening to Trees
Kyoto, 2019
As I sit among these ancient trees in Kyoto’s Imperial Garden I am reminded of the transience of all things and at the same time the never ending life of all things. Life as we know it is but the blink of an eye and yet so often we allow our very life energies to be absorbed by so many trivial concerns that cry out for immediate attention in these modern times we live in.
A year ago I asked myself the question, “What would I do if I had only a year left to live?” The answer to that question did not cause me to go out and mindlessly spend a bunch of money or accumulate more of what I didn’t need. It did help me to get very clear about my life and also get clear about some things and prioties. It got me to Kyoto, Japan for this year of solitude and reflection. It also allowed me to be generous with some others before I left in a a way I might have never been otherwise.
I think of the beautiful old tea master whom I recently discovered tucked away in my neighborhood who has been in his little shop quietly pouring tea with his wife over his entire lifetime. Something about his way, his energy. It was if I knew him from the day we met and we had always been friends for a very long time. His tea shop is 90 years old and was run by his father before him.
If you stop by his shop to purchase tea, be prepared to let go of all time and preoccupation with being anywhere else, as he slowly and mindfully pours cup after cup of tea with nowhere to be, each pour growing deeper and richer than the last. He knows not a moment of hurry or rush, as he has been doing this daily, long before cars ever began passing his tiny shop in this old neighborhood of Kyoto. I don’t think he is making a lot of money. At the end, when ordering your bag of tea, he will tally the bill on his abacus while his wife carefully gift wraps it for you.
These trees, like the old tea master, have been here and watched over generation after generation, lifetime after lifetime. They graciously move through each season, quietly bearing the winter snow, blossoming with colorful energy in the spring, enduring the unbearable heat of summer, displaying their beauty again in the fall.
How many seasons I can now look back on my life and see that all have led me here today, enjoying the beauty of this day in Kyoto, Japan. Where do I think I am headed? What is the urgency? What is most significant and meaningful today?
I live in a tiny, simple house. My outdoor shower and ice cold toilet during winter remind me of the gratitude of simplicity every day. I have food. I have a warm coat that cost me only $17 and is made of wool from the second hand store near my house. I am greeted with smiles each day as I walk down the street and I know the gift of those in my life who have loved and supported me year after year after year.
To worry about my life months down the road, to worry about an arbitrary number in my bank account, to worry today about what my life will look like in 6 months or a year, where I will be, is to dishonor the gift and beauty of today and rob me of this beautiful moment I am fortunate enough to be living in. Just listening.
I must listen to the message these trees are here to teach me. These trees have something important to say.
I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes.......
"A hundred years from now? All new people."
Zen and Ink Journals represents hundreds of hours of writing over the past decade, sometimes from a train in remote China or a coffee shop in Kyoto, a hammock in Costa Rica or a simple cabin on a mountain in Boquete, Panama.
Zen and Ink Journals is a simple offering of words in the hope of inspiring others to a simpler, more mindful way of life in these chaotic times. I invite you join me each month on the journey for a glimpse of the larger world, reflections on living more simply and quietly amidst the chaos of our modern world.
Please consider foregoing a cup of coffee each month and becoming a monthly subscriber.
If you would like to support Zen and Ink as a Founding Member or prefer a one-time Donation you may select the Founding Member option and enter any amount you choose. Please know your gift carries a ripple effect in the world and helps sustain the journey.
For more information and ways to connect with me, visit my website at Zen and Ink
Zen and Ink was born over a decade ago out of my own personal journey to find peace and tranquility amidst the ever-increasing chaos of our modern world. In the last ten years, the pace of our modern world has only accelerated and we have moved further out of sync with nature and the rhythm of our souls. Zen and Ink offers a quiet space for anyone along their journey seeking more balance and Zen in their daily lives.
Zen and Ink provides an oasis for those who are drawn to a slower and simpler way of life; to provide a portal for awakening, tools and resources that many will find useful in their own quest to find the Zen which is already there and always within and around each of us.