Today a quote from Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood by Karen Maezen Miller:
Motherhood is a spiritual practice. It is a crash course in wisdom. It is your spiritual legacy lying in wait for the taking. How else do you suppose mothers always end up knowing best? You do not have to mount a formal spiritual quest to uncover spiritual truths. I have, and it helps me. But you might not. As a mother, you have many priorities. Those priorities are nothing but your practice. If you allow it, being a mother is one of the most amazing, miraculous, mysterious, dignifying, and illuminating things you will ever do.
[...from pg. 6]
Haju Sunim tells a story often about how her teacher, Ven. Samu Sunim, once was discussing her practice with her. I think she felt distracted because her daughter, Karima, was young and required supervision at times when she felt she should be doing other practice. "Karima IS your practice," he told her.
Posted by: Sudo | Thursday, 26 March 2009 at 09:16 PM
i've had this book for a few months but haven't cracked it open yet. sometimes there are just too many good books all at once, and i've recently decided to read only one at a time. i am looking forward to it, though...
Posted by: andree | Friday, 10 April 2009 at 03:12 AM
Ah... another Haju story. Thanks for sharing that Sudo. P'arang had an arsenol of them... every now and then she'd sneak one into her dharma talks.
"Ksanti IS my practice."
Indeed.
andree I have a habit of just picking up books and finding what I need in them... especially with books on Buddhism/Zen... very rarely do I read them in the traditional/linear fashion... but I'm coming to the point where I think your approach (one at a time) would be helpful.
Posted by: chalip | Tuesday, 14 April 2009 at 09:54 PM
I would love to meet P'arang. Does she ever come around?
Posted by: Sudo | Tuesday, 14 April 2009 at 09:58 PM
Hey Sudo...
I haven't seen P'arang since she hung up her robes and moved out West. If she has been back, I've missed her.
If I hear that she will be around, I'll give you the heads up. P'arang is great. Ksanti and I miss her a lot.
Posted by: chalip | Tuesday, 14 April 2009 at 10:14 PM
Very enlightening post, as a man i will unfortunatley never completley understand the joys of being a mother.
Posted by: Meditation mike | Thursday, 24 September 2009 at 06:51 AM
Hi,
Really interesting and informative article. Keep posting. Nice work, thanks for such information.
Posted by: A level coursework | Saturday, 09 January 2010 at 08:17 AM
I just ran across your blog today! Wonderful to meet you! Looking forward to more.
Bows, Jomon
Posted by: Jomon | Thursday, 29 April 2010 at 12:43 AM