Great Blue Heron

–

First, bring awareness to the forehead.
Sitting quietly, try to feel any sensation there, perhaps heat, or vibration.
Bring your hand up to your head and keep the palm side about a quarter inch from your forehead, not
touching. 
Feel the heat coming from the inside, a tingling.

Lord. God. Majesty. 
Spirit Mother.
Great heron.

Elude me not
Watch me watch you watch me
With no time no direction no judgement. 
Show me a way I didn’t know was a way.
Let me gaze upon you as fully as I may,
This fool.

The slide of your inner lids, 
Eyes flash fast as a spear.

God realm. Hell realm. Half realm and hungry ghost.
I offer prostrations, I make no sudden moves.

Now, bring your hand down and return awareness to your forehead. 
Move your attention to the top of the head. 
Connect with any sensation at all.
Your mind hovers above the head, twitching between past and future.

Lord. God. Majesty.
Spirit mother.
Great heron.

Elude me not.
Be still in repose.
Let me rest with you, be one in the weave of mind.
Let me feel the slosh of the just-swallowed fish in your belly.

Something watching, something watched.
To not know to want happiness.
Ideation nil.
Perfect state of still.
Perfect mind of infinite seed. 

–

You bring your mind back into your head, 
Try to feel the sensation. 
You try to stay with the awareness of no sensation. 
You cannot feel the sensation.
There is no sensation.

And no.

No. 

No.

It’s gone.

–

This poem became a two-song single, in collaboration with Nathan Anspaugh, Sheonator Pseak and Mark R. Heath. Listen here!

(Italicized sections are based on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s book, In Love with the World.)