The match scratched sharply, scattering particles of sulfur before bursting into flame. She held the brilliant flame to a stick of incense and waited until it too caught fire, then blew out the match. Within her own self, she felt the sudden heart-burst of inner heat that magically enveloped her awareness in the deep bliss to which she was becoming more and more accustomed. This was a good sign, boding well for her morning’s practice.

As the pungent incense fragrance of sandalwood and roses wafted upward, she bowed at the waist and took refuge in the three precious gems and in her teacher, inner and outer, and she vowed to never abandon sentient beings. She vowed to practice the six perfections. Then, she stepped back from the small table and sat down on a plain wooden stool.

Hi,

This week, I wrote a sketch (see below) inspired by my meditation experiences in Danny B's little round house by the creek. The sketch is fiction, as are all characters in it. (and it is copyrighted, fyi). Needless to say, I had some really good meditations in that little house. Thank you Danny B.!!!!

The Round House

At the western edge of North America, the round house perches, quiet, above Murmuring Hot Springs creek. The creek flows rapidly to the nearby Pacific, bubbling, gurgling, sometimes spitting. Always moving, always singing.

According to Greek mythology, whenever we hear an echo ..it is the spirit of a woodland nymph named Echo calling back to us. When Echo was alive, the Greek goddess Hera cast a spell on her for committing the crime of talking too much. Her punishment ..she could no longer speak for herself ..instead, she could only repeat the last few words that someone else said. I had not heard this story before ..not until the other day when my niece Karla read it aloud for me. I thought it demonstrated the value of being a good listener ..and told Karla that I liked it very much. Today her mother tells me that she is having trouble convincing Karla where echoes really come from. Sound waves bouncing back. It has become like a major battle. Apparently Karla is having difficulty believing the real reason for echoes because she got the story version, first, out of a ‘text book’. I had no idea that I reinforced a misconception.