A Wonderful Poem (That Surprisingly Fits)

     Do you remember a few weeks ago I mentioned a great book on mindfulness?  It's called Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening by Joseph Goldstein.  (If you don't remember the post, you can read it here.)  I'm still working through the book; I'm finding it's not a fast read, but it's a worthwhile one.

     I was really struck the other day when I read this poem by a nineteenth century wandering Tibetan monk named Patrul Rinpoche.  If you get the book, you'll find it on page 310-311:

     For ages now you've been 
     Beguiled, entranced, and fooled by appearances.
     Are you aware of that?  Are you?
     Right this very instant, when you're
     Under the spell of mistaken perception
     You've got to watch out.
     Don't let yourself get carried away by this fake and empty life.

     Your mind is spinning around
     About carrying out a lot of useless projects:
     It's a waste!  Give it up!
     Thinking about the hundred plans you want to accomplish,
     With never enough time to finish them,
     Just weighs down the mind.
     You're completely distracted
     By all these projects, which never come to an end,
     But keep spreading out more, like ripples in water.
     Don't be a fool: for once, just sit tight . . .

     If you let go of everything --
     Everything, everything --
     That's the real point!