Who I Am

[Guest guest]

This is an expression of gratitude to people who came to the

retreat.

 

I am Andrew, the planetary native, effortlessly taking us to

places of power.

I am Christiana moving beyond understanding and into free

knowing.

I am Andrew and Christiana looking into each other's eyes as

though they are the first and last man and woman. I am most

certainly that.

I am Gloria collecting us carefully like bits of shattered

mercury, doing whatever it takes to bring us together. I am

truly her tears of joy at seeing us all together.

I am Mark Otter's silver bliss pushing upward on the roof of

struggle. I am Mark the spiritual man. I am Mark in retreat

forever. I am the lines of Mark's poetry. I am every member

of Mark's family.

I am the prasad of OH's smile. I am the food she gives and

gives and gives. I am the layers of meaning in every word

she utters.

I am Harsha's goodness, warmth, respect, and I am the bond

that formed at the kitchen table lit only by two candles

while others enjoyed times in the Zendo.

Yes, I sat at the kitchen table from 10am to 1am on

Saturday.

I am Nora, who sat with me much of that time and told me of

my other selves in the forms of her beautiful and gifted

children. I am Nora planning t-shirt creations.

I am Nora reading the varieties of books upon the kitchen

table. I am Nora taking pleasure in the company.

I am Victor's victorious laugh and perfect wisdom in the

Zendo.

I am Mary's natural wisdom and quiet nature.

I am Michael/Mu's muscular nothingness, his clear eyes and

head, his stabilized knowing, the finished and polished

stone that He is.

I am Biff Lee, a clear considerer of reality. I am a husband

again. I love Biff who understands all that I am.

I am Greg who seems to be in all places at once. Greg the

leader and teacher, Greg the warm and humorous man. I am

Greg getting people to see and do and understand. I am the

passion-for-life of Greg. I am Advaita enjoying the

masterful and playful hands of Greg Goode.

I am most certainly Petros joyously scoping out all

opportunities to keep the company of the Sage. I am Petros

eating life because it is there to be eaten.

I am everyone, the dog that ran around the pond, the bold

frogs, the fireflies, the young monk who cooked for us and

smiled like a future world teacher, the chip'monk' that ran

into the woods and paused to pose on a rock, mostly I am

David Hodges whose hard and ongoing attentional work found

him waking up thankful to be alive, I am every instant

waking up thankful to be alive.

 

Thank you for an extraordinary weekend and, like the I Am

list in its first days, for the start of something that is

going God-knows-where. All I know is that I want to be there

at the kitchen table with some Ritz crackers and Devil Dogs

when it happens.

 

--Jerry