Swimming

"It is easy to keep things at a distance. It is harder to be aloof of them."-Bunan
From "The Pocket Zen Reader," edited by Thomas Cleary, 1999. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Boston, http://www.shambhala.com/.

Today's quote reminds me of the ancient Jewish list of what parents are obligated to teach their children. It is a long list. One of the most important things on that list is swimming. Now considering the list was written when the Jews lived in the desert, it may seem strange that swimming was so important. I believe it was a practice of how to teach faith when events start to crowd and drown the spirit. Swimming is all about trusting the water to hold you up. Life is all about trusting the almighty to hold you up even though the Red Sea threatens to crash around you as you walk through tremendous tribution and fear. Aloof-ness is a tough quality to learn and impossible to achieve without trust and faith.

That being said, May all beings know peace today.
Namaste