Poems from a Parallel World
You find this book with 343 poems at Amazon (see menu), just published.
In them lies a personal appreciation of meditation and Zen.
Please savor them carefully.
They speak of a meditative way of living. They are also meant to be insights for life. Zen literally means ‘meditation.’ It may be a pure source of inspiration — nothing more, nothing less.
Buddhism
I use terms and insights from Buddhism in these poems. Buddhism in general is to me a lifestyle tradition. Also, it is a broad universe of viewpoints. My take on it is personal and my errors in representation are only my responsibility.
I like Buddhism mainly when it’s fierce and daring, while at the same time gentle and bent on doing good for everybody. Striving for the impossible, undeterred.
With no-striving upfront, the total-striving is the grandest. This is a paradox, not a contradiction.
The term ‘parallel’
has a specific meaning. [see: “What is ‘Parallel’?”] This is related to the functioning of our brain. The poems also hint at a ‘parallel world’ that one can discern from a specific mindset.
It is, of course, the same world, but seen from a different viewpoint. Or should I say, with a different viewpoint? Broad patterns become more discernible. Associations that are usually invisible become apparent.
To me, this is an important asset one can get from meditation.
Some meditative traditions talk about non-dualistic. If dualistic means conceptual – with conceptually distinct entities – then non-dualistic is the subconceptual domain. In the extreme, this becomes empty of concepts. One can eventually also see in this the realm of poetry in general. It doesn’t surprise me that I came to the domain of poetry as a medium of expression for these deep ideas that, at the same time, can get fairly emotional.
Quite an adventure.
I hope this doesn’t confuse you. I hope it clarifies.
We don’t need to leave behind the scientific endeavor. We don’t need to blow up common sense.
On the contrary!
[see: “Poetry is Not the Absence of Rationality”]
Also, poetry should not be analyzed. Not even this kind of poetry.
It should be felt.
It should be lived.
It should be meditated.
Related Posts
Are You Your Thoughts?
This may be the question on which the answer depends most upon the question itself. Who is asking? Conceptual / subconceptual Time and again, what reaches consciousness is pretty crystallized (conceptualized). Therefore, we have the continual illusion that the concepts start as such where they come from. In reality, it’s a very different world. So, Read the full article…
AureliZEN: A Journey into Deep Growth and Open Leadership
AureliZEN is a living experience designed to cultivate insight, embodiment, and deep motivation in a way that unfolds naturally from within ― not a workshop where participants receive pre-packaged solutions or listen passively to expert advice. This is an invitation to mental growth rooted in principles of openness, depth, freedom, respect, and trustworthiness. Participants are Read the full article…
30. Meditation is NOT a therapy
Laughing as therapy. Crying as therapy. Moving as therapy. Not moving as therapy. It seems as if people are looking for ‘therapy’ everywhere. We live in a therapy-based society. Probably because society itself makes therapy so much needed. ◊◊◊ Many people in the West look at meditation as a therapy. This is not quite right. Read the full article…