leave no trace

 

water birds 

go and come back

without leaving any trace behind.

even so, they do not forget

the path.

               ~ dogen zenji 

alexander khimushin wanders the world..

photographing indigenous people whose 

lifestyles and settlements may be on the 

edge of extinction.. saving the memory 

of these vanishing cultures..

cheque out : the world in faces..

his stated mission is to capture the faces of 

these last vestiges of ancient culture..

here at home sweet home, 

feeling the weight of stuff and such, 

knowing in my cells and bones 

the wisdom of impermanence 

i have been rummaging through files and papers

that i have been saving/collecting

pictures, newspapers clips, letters of gratitude

(even a psychedelic letter to my mama from the 60's  - o my o!)

and wonder.. as i wander through this past..

am i documenting my history and last

vestiges of some ancient karma?

and wonder further..

who cares?

not in some self-deprecating way

nor in any poor me mode..

simply..who will care?

i am not a prominent stateswoman..

nor a celebrated yogini or a legendary actress,

certainly not an illustrious politician..!

there is no progeny.. 

to pass along the modest history of me..

we know life is fleeting..

the 8th decade is unfolding for me..

rather, it is folding up around me..

the fetters of this incarnation are receding ..

there is now a boxload to purge and burn and liberate..

my past will not follow me to the grave..  **

no youthful pictures nor sentimental poetry

will weave my stories of love and loss

sketching me back into existence 

... like the flight of birds in the sky, 

the path of the selfless is hard to follow. 

they have no possessions, 

but live on alms in a world of freedom.

like the flight of birds in the sky, 

their path is hard to follow...

...freed from illusion and from personal ties,

they have renounced the world of appearance

to find reality.

                      ~ the dhammapada

REQUEST:

I AM LOOKING FOR A BURN RECEPTACLE

TO SET AFLAME TO THESE ENCUMBRANCES..

~ ANY FIREPIT OR FIREPLACE OR BURN CAN

WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED ~

** this blog..

when i get closer to the veil..

what to do?

pictures and epistles that are floating about..

what to do?

it will come to me..