Seven Days Before Christmas (7) – meditations – December 24, 2015

Haiku Meditation

in the night
a siren passes
this Christmas eve

flashing lights glare
Christmas trees line the streets
and homeless beggars

shops full of goods
credit cards over-drawn
it’s Christmas time

preparations made
news of the world is of war
inside people’s homes

no peace nor goodwill
brighten the world on this day
and death takes its toll

§§§§

Choka Meditation

wonderful ideal
denies dark reality
mankind seeking peace
a seed planted long ago
we are all one race
religion – a link to God
our planet our home

to overcome finite thought
a difficult task
to love who is different
outside our closed minds
takes so much work – so much time
no sweet sentiments
though they give us some hope
will change our cold hearts

illumination
strips off these darkened veils
allows the warm light
to penetrate in our souls
and makes the ideal – our life

§§§§§§§§

Tanka Meditation

sitting in this room
surrounded by light and love
Christmas glows this morn
this splendid ideal of hope
a gift yet unopened

Haibun

The last episode of Carpe Diem Seven Days Before Christmas is “meditation” don’t be afraid. I’m sure that many know the history of the world, including the creation of our modern Christmas. Nor can we deny that in humanity’s long history there has ever been a time of true peace, nor are we so blind not to see inequality, poverty created by the rich or fanaticism born of narrow minds. One could fill volumes of what is wrong with this world and indeed there are people who do just that and become very popular creating movements of hatred and destruction. Our hearts sing the loudest when we sing for vengeance. That’s how we are made.

The only hope for true peace is to understand who we are. We must understand that our hearts are more swayed by hatred and fear than love and hope, because that’s the easiest road; It was woven into our DNA in a time when we lived in a savanna and our survival depended on fighting to save our lives. However, in these millennium, humanity itself has changed. Our creations help many enjoy a life which is carefree and without want and we could extend this to all if we realized that now that instinct for hatred is not only demode, but terribly dangerous to our very survival.

Sweet dreams of sugar plums won’t dance in my head tonight. My dreams are turned towards a vision of one world, one people and one holy thought – peace, with or without belief in a religion.

the path is thorny
the goal just beyond our reach
don’t be afraid – love

Carpe Diem Seven Days Before Christmas 2015 #7 don’t be afraid (meditation)