A gallery of spiritual poetry and resonant imagery from Oleg Yuzefpolsky
human condition
Talking to Strangers Who Start Fires
What do the burning woodlands of California tell us about insight?
Garden Haikus
Haiku #1 Plant the seeds in dirtWait calmly for them to growWhat if they do not Haiku #2 Plant fruit trees for foodTheir roots cut through the soilTheir fruit tastes like dirt Haiku #3 Water the gardenThe plants are hot and thirsty I am thirsty too Support Our Dharma Work
Simple and Direct
A simple solution was the right solution to my meditation problem. But the principle of simplicity when applied on its own can lead to reductionism that ironically makes finding the solution to a problem even more difficult and complex. That’s because following a basic principle cannot provide a complete picture of reality. Simplicity must be […]
Getting a Kick Out of Life
I’ve never been fond of horses. They’re beautiful animals, but riding on them is an uncomfortable experience. They can also be dangerous. My karate teacher was knocked unconscious when he was violently kicked by his horse. When he eventually regained consciousness, that experience led him to reflect on the precarious nature of life. It’s what […]
Atammayata
Birth and death, love and hate, the burnt scent of cloves on fingers and campfire on jeans, nothing is attached for long. In the butter soft leather light of purple fog, a royal procession of swans announce themselves.Not made of that, the lake is restless for now George Cassidy Payne is a poet from Rochester, […]