We have a snow day today in Albuquerque so I'm taking the time to post my first of 52 Haiku. It's not much by East Coast standards but there's not a snow plow or a salt pile in this city and so the drive in is treacherous with even a half inch.
That's my front pinon tree and Mexican feather grass hunkering down outside my office. I've always loved Mexican feather grass from my days of working at Marina Del Rey in the left white tower. The corner there, bordering Ralphs grocery store, is lined with it and I loved to watch it blowing in the wind.
The Prompt: Calmness
Anyway, this week's prompt comes from the Zen by the Brush book by Myoshi Nancy O'Hara.
Calm yourself with breath-
Dip the brush, hold gently, draw.
Whatever comes, comes.
– Myochi
So the first task is to meditation that for 5-10 minutes or however long you feel is good.
The Drawing
I did a drawing on a sumi-e board, which is just water as ink that fades within a minute or two. This is supposed to teach you about letting go and impermanence. But I'm struggling with that so I took photos with my phone. 🙂
Right after drawing it and after propping it up on its stand (which made the ink run as it faded away).
My Haiku
Then I wrote a haiku inspired by the drawings.
River rising fear
Turtles drying in the sun
Then swimming away
The Reflection
It was a day of anxiety at work when I did this exercise. We have new leadership and old wounds. And I still feel sad for all that happened last year. Hopefully the kus will help me work through it.
Now you try it.
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