The Little Bird, my teacher

23 Days of Yoga TT 3/29-4/20

For every five days there was a day of rest, all together 4 Cycles
On the Day11 which was the rest day after Cycle 2 ended
it was exactly middle way in training, the Midway Interval

That afternoon I was on my way out to teach art
as I walked along the road to take the MRT
I discovered a little bird laying on the gravel
looked like it just passed away, still soft with luster,
so peaceful as if asleep
when I saw it I felt soft sorrow in heart
I walked forth several steps to find myself retrack
I felt I ought to do something
so the little bird would not be fetched by wandering dogs or cats
or be run over by cars

I took out a napkin and picked the little bird up
and put it in the near by big pot of bonsai
there the little body can rest under the shade
still getting a little sunshine
able to absorb dew and be close to soil
at that moment, I felt the weight of life in my left palm
so real, beautiul and fragile
I held in my hand, this little bird's entire existence
it has died and returned to nature

For brief seconds I felt a little fear
I caught myself with surprise with this little fear
and it brought me to comtemplate on life
the meaning of living and dying
and I grew this sense of respect in face of death

I felt trembles in this light of awakening
the little bird's coming into my life, even for that little while
reminded me the value of life

to cherish what exists in the now
to respect the realness in living

This was just a little incident
yet it has set ripples in my heart
on that day, the little bird became my teacher

It has taught me a lesson: to be gentle and kind in respecting life
from the beginning, the in between, to the end

Life is but compassion and so beautiful.

The Little Bird, my teacher

23天的培訓 3/29-4/20 每五天便休息一天 all together 4 Cycles
在第11天 也就是 Cycle 2 結束隔天的休息日 剛好是培訓一半的時候 Midway Interval
那天下午 我出門去教美術課
在住家附近往捷運的路上 發現一隻小鳥躺在路邊
看起來像剛死去 仍然柔軟有光澤 安詳的好像睡著一般
when I saw it I felt soft sorrow in heart
往前走了幾步後 又折了回去
我覺得我應該作什麼
所以它不會被狗貓叼走 或被車子碾過

我拿出衛生紙 將小鳥捧起 擺放在鄰近的一個大盆栽裡面
還是可以在綠蔭下照到陽光 吸收露水 親近土壤
在那當下我感受到生命的重量在我手裡
真實 美麗 又脆弱 在我手裡是這隻小鳥的一生
它逝去 回歸了大自然

當下我有小小的恐懼 這讓我省思生命 活著和死去的意義
and I grew this sense of respect in face of death

小鳥的出現
提醒了我生命的價值
更加珍惜存在當下 用心看待活著的真實

雖是小小的事件
卻在我心裡起了漣漪
這一天 小鳥是我的老師

它教了我一課: 溫柔 仁慈的尊重生命

從開始 過程 到結束
生命是如此慈悲 如此的美