from a personal poetical exploration of
thich nhat hanh's 14 precepts
seventh precept: mindful & joyful living
Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you. Plant seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in yourself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of your consciousness.
in the midst of this change couraging exploration the sixth precept reminds me to transform myself the seventh to look for beauty often muddled forgotten or shortchanged like this assignment becomes drudgery I shift windows to something mindless entertaining as I cast disparaging thoughts on my 14 hours remaining til compelled completion and then I am struck to recall that I am writing a poem about my life my friends these buddhist boons have been buzzing my brain for weeks now I integrate them here what a joy! so am I "in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around" me. this assignment is meaning that I am "plant seeds of joy, peace, and understanding in myself in order to facilitate the work of transformation in the depths of my consciousness." this buddhism these personal parables this is only the synthesis the loving reflection has been long
sixth | interbeing | eighth