Articles in the personal examples Category
personal examples »
Post by Chintana Ahlund
Below are haikus penned during my recent walks at Lake Lily and Lake Baldwin.
red and newborn
the Florida Maple
……………………………………
walk
pause
poke
what the ibis
knows
……………………………………
shadowy figure
behind bright red mask
- the moorhen
……………………………………
the bald eagle
leaves me breathless…
……………………………………
many shadows
casts one anhinga
……………………………………
fat turtle
sunning alone
- happiness
……………………………………
an african iris
waits with
pursed lips
for its time
to speak
……………………………………
two kites
tango
indifferent
to falling
leaves
Read a related post on haiku mind
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personal examples »
Jotting practice by Chintana Ahlund
Below are random jots pulled from random pages of my current notebook. Captured in quick writing are some small things that have momentarily or will forever matter to me. They are whole moments and fragments of my life. Real, reflective pieces to the larger puzzle of my existence.
small lizard, big world
………………..
a concrete mix: hot pavement, cool mind
………………..
Tall, still-green, pines keep silent about being peaceful.
………………..
Walking barefoot in November is a big blessing.
………………..
I like books because they are trees in a different form, breathing wisdom in my life.
………………..
Books …
personal examples »
Writing practice by Chintana Ahlund
Writing prompt: list 3 things. Go. 10 minutes.
Three things: a cup, a car, a plane.
In the calm of my room, my toes curl to feel the crunch of thick carpet. An empty coffee mug sits on my writing desk. I sit, surrounded by softness and pale sunshine. From my second story office, I see and hear many mundane things.
The constant throbbing of an AC unit. The start of a car engine sounds as if someone is suddenly clearing their throat. I stare out two closed French …
personal examples »
Post by Chintana Ahlund
Praise for the Golden Rain Tree
praise for the Golden Rain Tree
for the glimpse of fall
in Florida
it gives me
Praise to the October God
who grants me
gold and maroon
lantern trees
praise for the late afternoon
intersection of speed bumps and colorful spires
expressing perfectly my Fall desires
praise for this New England revery
this magical southern spill
that makes my heart fill
of a cool and warm hand holding
of a festive season unfolding
praise for the Golden Rain Tree
By Chintana Ahlund
(written briefly after a drive down Lakemont …
personal examples, Writing Prompts »
Post by Chintana Ahlund
The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. ~ Marcus Aurelius
In brush painting, I often prefer to use only black ink. New to sumi-e, I find that colors add a complexity that I am not ready for.
Watercolor painting is a practice of losing control. Water cannot be controlled. It flows and demands that you go along. You don’t experience this with oil or acrylic paints. They are well mannered and stay where you put them. Watercolor painting can be a wild ride.
This can be …
personal examples, Writing Prompts »
Post by Chintana Ahlund
One of my recurring writing prompts is writing whatever comes to mind when reflecting on a particular month. For example, It’s September or It’s October.
This helps you take note of what’s happening during a particular time of year and track how seasons arrive and end. It connects your life occurrences to what flowers and fruits are in bloom. You tune into the texture of your life.
So, try it.
It’s September… Ten minutes. Go. No crossing out.
Here’s what I wrote:
It’s September… Six years ago, on September 25th, I made …
personal examples, Writing Prompts »
Post by Chintana Ahlund
Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage. ~Catherine Douzel
During a recent tea meditation, I read the following from the side of a box of Tazo tea:
“For a tea as relaxed as Tazo Calm, there’ s a surprising amount of stuff going on behind that wonderful apple-like aroma. It’s a blend of soothing chamomile blossoms, fragrant lemon balm leaf, pink rose petals, spearmint and sarsaparilla. There’s also a bit of magic involved, but it’s really nothing we can talk about.”
Under the directions for making “a splendid …
personal examples »
Posted by Chintana Ahlund
On the anniversary of John’s death, I turn to the poem, Gratitude, by Mary Oliver to guide my writing practice. His death served as my spiritual awakening. I am grateful for my brother’s peaceful existence and passing.
Gratitude for John
What did you notice?
One hundred swans gathered at your last sunset;
My hands clenched when reaching and re-reaching for a can of sliced mandarin oranges;
The beige walls closed down like clam shells;
The half moon hung in a night sky devoid of stars;
Your lips faded from cherry to plum;
Your skin …
personal examples, Writing Prompts »
Posted by Chintana Ahlund
Last September, I launched a personal blog called I Like Zen … the purpose of the site was to have a repository for some of my writing meditations.
In 365 days since this blog was launched. I’ve written over 150 posts. I can’t believe how much I’ve written and processed in a year!
So, how can this help you?
With a soft heart, I re-read my 1-year old writings and highlighted 25 entries that best summarized my year long journey.
Here’s 25 prompts from my first year of blogging. …
personal examples »
posted by Chintana Ahlund
my heart has a lullaby
it sings like ocean
and roosts as butterfly
soft, fluttering space
a gentle flow of grace
tucking in spine
traveling through center
spreading to mind
this in and out breath
a slow swinging
inner door
I sit breathing
on hardwood floor
(written on break from a Long Sit with the Orlando Zen Group)
Read what a Tibetan Master says about the technology of the heart
Try sitting and writing with the heart
Read insights from my heart meditation
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