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Dharmadonder

Dharmadonder De Dharma dondert je van boven tot onder wonder boven wonder als bij heldere hemel En hoe meer je je verwondert, vraag je: Is gewoon dan zo bijzonder? Hoe heb ik mezelf zo bedonderd? De Dharma keert je ondersteboven en binnenste buiten Haalt je innerste uit en naar je verstand kan je fluiten Breekt al je ruiten is schuldig en gaat altijd vrijuit De Dharma overdondert je oorverdovend stil als het klappen van één hand - Boem, paukenslag - een klop van de Zenstok je krijgt een slag van de molen Alle gekheid op een stokje! De Dharma verkondigt je volmondig de werkelijkheid Praat je niet naar de mond Breek haar de bek maar open! Je kan het niet meer ontlopen Het gouden kalf is al lang verzopen Heb je het gesnopen? De Dharma verkapt vakkundig je vakjes naar de vaantjes En verklapt uitbundig waarom je in de waan was Na het feest komt de vaatwas ‘t Is tijd dat het gedaan was En je slechte bui van de baan was  
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Breath of Peace

Please call me by my true names So I can see that my joy and pain are one - Thich Nhat Hanh    For a while i struggled with this thought: How can i practice mindfulness and meditation and find peace and happiness, while there is so much peace and injustice in the world? This poem came out of that contemplation. It is dedicated to my brother in the Dharma and activist friend Tom. When i breathe, let me breathe for Eric Garner and all those suffocating under discrimination and oppression And when i breathe, let me breathe for the officer who only knows how to react to challenge with violence When i walk, let me walk for the child in Gaza who can no longer walk home as he lost both his legs in a bomb explosion And when i walk, let me walk for the soldier who does not know  how to walk in peace but sees enemies everywhere When i eat let me eat for the mother in Darfur going hungry to save the last scraps of food for her starving children And when i eat let me eat for the mult...
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The Pine Gate

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This poem is inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh's story about  the warrior and the pine gate . Dear old pine gate Please let me come inside I have slayed all my demons and traveled far and wide I want to return home and sit by my master’s side Dear old warrior To enter through my door you must have a pure intention and stop running after more delusion, greed and hatred can pervert you at your core Oh petty pine gate Why don’t you open for me? So hard have i fought for all beings to be free Why do you hold me back from celebrating victory? Oh hard-headed warrior I cannot let you in Go sit by the river Did you really win? Take out your looking glass Do you see virtue or sin? Oh pitiless pine gate Am i at the gate of heaven or the gate of hell? I don’t know where I’m headed Please can you tell Was I really so glorious Or did my soul I sell? Oh weary warrior You have nothing left to hide Where else for you to go then to look deep inside Did you really slay your demons or was your demon pride?...
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Sweet Home Present Moment

Here's a little song i wrote. I heard someone singing 'Sweet Home Alabama', and though the melody is catchy, i couldn't really resonate with the lyrics. My spiritual teacher taught me that our true home is the present moment, so i decided to change the lyrics. So this is my blues rock tribute to Thay and Plum Village. It was fun to try and combine the language of these two traditions. Here is how it goes, hope you like it.   Sweet Home Present Moment Melody: Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd I was feeling down and out in life Without a place to call my own Wanted to let go of my struggle and strife And find my way back home I heard about a teacher they called Thay Wanted to go and ask him how To find that pie up in the sky But he said: ‘It’s here and now’ CHORUS Sweet home present moment Where the skies are clear and true Sweet home present moment Oh, i'm coming home to you On i went to Plum Village for retreat To go and lay my burden down Time to rest my weary fe...
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Sea of Love

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 This is a new song i wrote, inspired by Plum Village and the mystical poetry of old. In Plum Village, we have this saying: 'to be a drop in the Sangha (community) river' and to 'flow with the Sangha'. This led me to writing this song:       Lyrics   Into You i want to flow and of my self to let go To be one with the waves Any peril i can brave    I will stand through the storm Here i will die and be reborn Won’t you join hands with me as we dive into the sea        CHORUS Sea of love, take me Sea of love, wake me Sea of love   To be a drop in Your ocean Letting go of every notion Swaying only with Your motion Is the most profound emotion   To find the greatest love Far below is high above In these waters i will drown Deeper deeper i go down        CHORUS   To go beyond birth and death from my first to my last breath Sea you are my womb and sea you’ll be my tomb        CHORUS ...
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Peace

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Compassion grows as mindfulness slows A warm embrace brings a tear to my face A deep look, the words from the book As together we transform we bring calm into the storm We grow peace by peace to ease the raging seas See the new spring bud coming out after the flood Set free the white dove the answer remains love  
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A life in 2025

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It’s great to be alive In 2025 Bombs keep falling taking children’s lives Keep hoping for peace through our struggle and our strife It’s great to be alive In 2025 It’s great to be alive In 2025 Did we elect leaders who won’t fool us and connive? Who is gonna take on Injustice that is rife? It’s great to be alive In 2025 It’s great to be alive In 2025 AI and algorithms what do they contrive? Who knows where we’re going with cars in self-drive? It’s great to be alive In 2025 It’s great to be alive In 2025 The richest in the world are making us deprived Will it be possible for equality to revive? It’s great to be alive In 2025 It’s great to be alive In 2025 A dictator’s regime takes a crash dive Let us keep on pushing for freedom to thrive It’s great to be alive In 2025 It’s great to be alive In 2025 What’s happening to our climate and wildlife It will be a great year if we all manage to survive It’s great to be alive In 2025 It’s great to be alive In 2025 May there be a way for us to arr...
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