Humanity builds their cellblock from within.
Years of fear, doubt, & worry.
Obsessed with control & power.
False sense of security.
Let’s plan a prison break.
Rip the shackles off tonight.
Let go of fear, worry, & doubt.
Embrace the path unknown.
Oh, how beautiful true freedom is!
One day worth more than a thousand in my cell.
A wave breaks at the shore.
Never to be seen again.
One wave allows room for the next.
It accepts its impermanence.
It allows for its transformation.
The wave is both impermanent & infinite.
Each drop of water is interconnected.
Within the vastness of the ocean.
So are you.
Throw away the unessential.
Remove the superfluous.
Let go the distractions & pacifiers.
Delete the clutter.
Take charge of your life.
Minimalism.
Intentional living.
It’s a way of life.
A life of simplicity.
Not chaos.
Minimalism allows us to live mindfully.
To touch freedom, joy, and calmness.
To focus on what truly matters.
So let go of the junk.
Whether that be material, digital, or mental.
Let go of the trinkets, trophies, and trivial.
Embrace your new found freedom.
Your new life can be filled with meaning, not stuff.
Wander.
No destination.
The path unknown.
Today I will choose excitement, not worry.
Love over fear.
Freedom over security.
Freedom or security.
Love or fear.
Let go or cling.
Impermanence surrounds every moment.
Keep moving forward.
This post is part of an ongoing series I created about a young French Captain named Pascal. To learn more check out these posts.
https://zenhoff.blog/2018/05/22/the-awakening-of-pascal/
https://zenhoff.blog/2018/05/07/the-life-of-pascal/
Sins of the past now present.
Pascal’s mind like a school of fish pacing in the deep blue sea.
Many mistakes.
Many lessons learned.
Pascal can not change his past.
Only his perception of it.
Pascal is only human.
Folly as the rest.
There will be mistakes on this voyage.
Hearts broken.
Ships sunk.
Forgiveness will let Pascal enjoy this moment.
Compassion will set him free.
I’m not your Zen Master.
Not your guru.
Not your leader.
I only share my life experiences.
Not yours.
Pave your own path.
Question me.
Question everything.
All flawed.
Perfectly imperfect.
There are no idols.
No holy men or women.
No saints.
No sinners.
Only human.
Born of love & fear.
Learning & growing.
There are no enlightened beings.
Only activities.
Worship no idols.
Become your own.
Bon Voyage Young Pascal!
Good luck on your journey!
The sea is calm.
But not your mind.
Anticipation gleaming from your eyes.
Butterflies fluttering in your stomach.
What wonders lie ahead?
What dangers will you have to overcome?
True strength comes from adversity.
True love from pain.
Keep going.
Even if you drown in the deep darkness of the sea.
You will have lived.
Lived with every breath.
Every beat of your heart.
With risk, comes reward.
With letting go, comes freedom.
Bon Voyage Young Pascal.
Into the great unknown.
Lungs exhausted.
I’m barely breathing.
Pain deep in my bones.
Heart aching with loneliness.
Stomach twisted into origami.
It’s the coldest at the bottom.
Harsh winds.
Thunderous nights.
Misery in every moment.
All I want is to feel the cool breeze on a warm spring day.
To smile deeply.
To laugh.
Feel joy once more.
“Don’t worry!” my mind tells me.
You have survived all that has come so far.
Darkness will become light.
Thanks to impermanence.
We will laugh, smile, and feel joy once more.
The Narrow Path 