Last short run before Palo Duro today. It’s still raining here, in earnest imitation of The Great Flood.
Speaking of the Book of Genesis, I’m a cradle Methodist who converted to Catholicism in college, then switched to the Christian version of the Middle Way (Episcopalian) after getting married. Now? When you add Zen Buddhism into the mix, I suppose I’m what some people would see as something of a spiritual mongrel. I don’t go to Christian services very often or read the Bible daily any longer, but I do find that when I return to the Bible, my experiences in my Zen Buddhist practice are capable of bringing an entirely different perspective to what I read.
Koans are not really part of the Christian tradition, but Jesus was, ignoring all other claims for the time being, undoubtedly one of the great wisdom teachers of history. And I recently found a couple of sentences from the Gospel of Luke which resonated with me in a very koan-like way:
“Who is this man, who even forgives sins?”
Well, who is he? If you say Jesus, you are still miles from the real truth!
“Be cunning as serpents, and innocent as doves.”
How to be both at once?
Looks like it’s time for my run.
