"A cultural critic, Hideo Kobayashi, says that a leaf from a tree can hide the moon.
He says that if we place a leaf over our eyes, it is so close that we cannot see the moon as it is.
That same leaf can also make the world around us difficult to see, or perhaps even impossible. If that leaf is held further from us, however, we see the leaf as it is."
"So it is with other things," Aoyama goes on to say.
Mountains, rivers, trees, clouds and the moon - all are visible if we remove the leaf from our eyes.
The Priestess goes on to reflect that when it comes to things in our own lives, they can also be too close, covering our perspective and skewing our sight.
"We easily get caught up in situations, carried away, eventually losing our perspective. We can be easily puffed up with pride over a trifle, or become prey to melancholy. But if we see things in perspective, we can appreciate the wonderful scenery around us" (page 49).
This book of reflections reminds me very much of Thich Nhat Hanh's writing. And the timing of these reflections are keeping me above pits of desperation the current political atmosphere seems to be excavating every which way - Not that these negative feelings are to be ignored or passively brushed off, though I find that there are healthier ways to expend the energy inflamed by the situation than to react mindlessly to the headlines, video clips, memes and articles floating around.
It's a reminder that everything we experience can be altered through shifting perspective. And to remember about impermanence (the notion that nothing is permanent). Nothing lasts forever on this Earth and in this human body experience. The intensity of the pain and struggles we live with are a reflection of how closely we are holding the leaf to our eyes, how limited of a space we provide ourselves to see the situation for what it is; Truly is, here and now.
May this reflection bring you peace.
May it inspire you to expand the space between the leaf and your own eyes.
May it allow the moon to shine brilliantly on your present moment and life situation.
Whatever it may be, be still and see.
