Huritgruten Day 7 Part B: Flowers and lichen and moss and rocks!

"When you are eternal time, you are not the ordinary you that you usually belived yorself to be, you are the big you that exists in the entire world. You have to depend on the big you. If you do that, you have spiritual security. If you ignore this, you are always depending on something else." Katagiri, p. 106

"Only humans become great laughter through suffering." Katagiri, p. 111

"Eternity is leaping and alive, constantly changing. We cannot pin down exactly what it is, but we are alive because something supports our life and helps us live---something that exists always. This is called eternity of the absolute." Katagiri, p. 114

"To 'just be there' means to completely open your heart. Then, in a moment, you can see something. Everyting turnsover and the whole situation becomes beautiful." Katagiri, p. 120

Hurtigruten Day 7 Part A

Getting ready to get on the ship
An Icon of Mary and the Baby Jesus in the front of the ship!

Yellow post: Norway; Red post: Russia

"Yesterday we took a river boat along the Pasvik River which at one point has the border between Norway and Russia. A very beautifuol landscape with stunning birch forests along with some of the best and strongest pine in the world because of its slow growth. Culturally very, very interesting: Saami, Russian, Norwegian. Orthodox Christianity has a heavy role with Holy Trifon's Cave and the Boris Gleb chapel off in the distance. http://www.pasvikelva.no/index.php?page_id=4&article_id=64&lang_id=2 OH! And what wonderful wildflowers, everywhere! Some even surviviing under the river's water---bright yellow daisy like flowers. Lichen and moss covered rocks---and then suddenly reindeer grazing and galloping along the river!"

Hurtigruten Day 6

"Yesterday we stopped at Nordkapp (English: North Cape) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Cape%2C_Norway and took a tour---lovely arctic land with summer grazing grounds for reindeer---even a few young calves, very cute. The landscape was filled with beautifully formed rockds and covered with many hued lichens and mosses. I also saw a spectacular crowd of poppies---in all shades of yellow from light butter to deep mustard. There were also very dainty pink flowers. Fagile but strong! Wonderful! Right now we just entered the Varangerfjord and have HUGE waves! " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangerfjord

***

"...your life must be swimming on the surface, and simultaneously it must be rooted, walking on the bottom of the ocean. That is living whole heartedly."

-Katagiri, p. 81-

***

"If we swim just on the surface, we are tiny. But if we touch the bottom, we are huge---we are Buddha."

-Katagiri, p. 88-

***

"You just sit, blooming your life."

-Katagiri, p. 96-

Hurtigruten Day 5

"The idea of vastness---and how it can be felt on this ship---water and sky going on in every direction---filled with islands and clouds---but only momentarily and then they drift and disappear from view---and new ones appear and again disappear...rising and falling...fading...coming into view...time...being...

...flow...

We are not separate, we are full of All and Other...the fullness of Nothing, the emptiness of Everything...BRIGHT AND SHINING!

***

"...so your human consciousness creates an idea of time that connects the past, present and future. Then you believe that time is passing quickly and is characterized by the continuous existence of separate beings. But that is narrow understanding of time which creates lots of suffering, because when you think about time that way, you become egoistice, you believe that another person's time is separate from yours and that you only have to take care of your own time. Then you feel isolated and cold. You don't feel a warm relationship with other people or beings and you can easily hurt them."

-Katagiri, p. 70-

***

"The source of time is the place where you can see your human life from a broad view."

-Katagiri, p. 76

***

"There is no gap where you feel separate from time, because your life is the whole dynamic world of time, and all sentient beings are the contents of your life. This is called egolessness."

-Katagiri, p. 78-

Huritgruten Day 4 part 2

"...in the evening we entered the majestically splendid and beautiful Trollfjord---just to be there and floating on the water was so wonderful and it was still light out at 11.30 p.m.! Then as we slowly sailed out of the fjord we entered the midnight sun---how can this be described? The colors in the sky and on land were nothing I had seen before and to have the sun floating effortlessly above the horizon at 12.45 a.m.! We will have this sun for the next few days...in summer never night, only light and water, ever floating and floating on...."

***

"Mokurai, 'moku' means 'silence' amd 'rai' means 'thunder'. So silence is quiet, but there is an enormous voice like thunder there."

-Katagiri, p. 63-

***

"Silence is a great space where you can accept everything."

-Katagiri, p. 64

***

"Silence is full devotion---your self-centered life is thrown away to wholeness. A whole life is characterized by commitment in love, wisdom and prayer."

-Katagiri, p. 65-

***

"Vastness is a character of Buddhism. It's vast and it's deep---there's nothing to pin down."

-Katagiri, p. 66-

Hurtigruten Day 4 Part One

"Yesterday at BodÖ, it was wonderful to go out in the small boat and see the Maelstrom---Saltstraumen---one of the world's most powerful currents: 'where 372 million cubic meters (13 billion cubic feet) of water is forced in and out through a 150 m (500f) wide and 31m (100 foot) deep passage four times a day.' It was really amazing and we also saw sea eagles---one was even sitting in its nest...

***

"Demonstrate full commitment to life, and just be there."

-Kitagiri, p. 52-

***

"To experience this refreshing emptiness, accept your life and then face it. Make your body and mind be fully present, and practice living with full devotion. Instead of trying to get something for yourself, totally offer, your whole body and mind to whatever you are doing; surrender your life. To surrender means to let go of the idea that you have a completely separate existence and accept that your life is going on beyond your usual understanding. Then demonstrate full commitment from moment to moment and just be there. That's it! That's all you have to do. At that time you are right on the flow of impermanence."

-Katagiri, p. 53-54-

Hurtigruten Day 3

Monument showing where the Arctic Circle begins
Just having crossed the Arctic Circle

Svartisen Glacier in the background

"This morning at 7:27 we passed the Arctic Circle---bright blue sunny morning with a temperature of 16°C---the water was sparkling and then as we went further along, the land-and-seascape was so majestically beautiful---a sigh of incredible. In the background of water and tiny islands and larger islands with forests and then rocky land rising up and then the glaciers then the blue then the sun...one layer after another and another. We were close to Svartisen http://www.gonorway.com/norway/sidevisning.php?id=87&tekst=87

*****magical*****"

***

"Touch the moment and bounce! Keep moving!"

-Katagiri, p. 50-

****

The Flow is what keeps thing from falling apart, stay togehter, carries on...

***

Hurtigruten Day Two

Geirangerfjord

Seven Sisters Waterfall

Geirangerfjord

Trondheim Bryggene

Nidaros Cathederal

"Today we made landfall in Trondheim---we separated ourselves from the masses and walked up to the old fortress---beautiful and calm view of everything below. There was even a very short walk through the woods. Then we went to the cathederal, Nidaros, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidaros_Cathedral---masses and masses of people---pushing and trying to get ahead of others to buy tickets and souvenirs. I felt a bit of sadness for a place that should be sacred. Instead of going in, we walked away. We knew that on our return down the coast we could visit early in the morning. Hopefully before the tidal wave of tourists."

***

Water bright

with light

reflecting each to

each

Not two---

Not one---

each to

each

Light bright

with water

Reflecting

***

"...accept every moment as an opportunity presented to you to practice facing reality as it really is. When a moment arises, you don't know the reason why it exists, but you have to accept it and face it, whatever happens."

-Katagiri, p. 24-

"Do it like a turtle: clamly walking, step-by-step, moment after moment, without expecting anything."

-Katagiri, p. 25-

"To live in peace and harmony, become yourself as you really are in the present moment as it really is. This is very beautiful."

-Katagiri, p. 26-

Hurtigruten Day One

"From wind and water to rising and falling waves---it was the first night of my life spent on a ship, such a big piece of welded together metal, held ever so lightly on the water and ever so lightly tilting to and fro and up and down. As if I had been placed in a giant cradle for sleep, being rocked to sleep, ever so lightly. At first, though, there was a moment of uneasiness as the stability of the Earth seemed to be lost. However, I let go to the waves and suddenly I found the holding power of Water, fluid but strong. Then in the morning, on opening the portal window---shining water holding and giving back the light from itself.

Sitting on deck with a cup of tea, memories rising---falling up---a boat long, long ago on a reservoir, a place much drier than here. My grandpa, fisherman; I, beloved grandson. A bright sumemr day to fish, to be held together on top of the water by sun and sky. I remember after catching my first few fish, how I hated to watch how they gulped for air, their sparkling beauty brought out of their element, gasping---both of us---for air. He always knew after that that I never put bait on my hook. He was just happy that I was by his side, and I that he was by mine. On the water, supported, fluid and strong."

***

Ship's wake---

then---

water returning unto

itself.

***

Norway

Land forced down by ice,

Heaviness retreated,

Rising again above water,

Washing away again

In wind and waterfall.

***

"Then Dogen asked, 'What is practice?' The old monk said, 'Nothing is closed in the Universe."

-Katagiri, p. 9-

***

"One aspect of time is to separate; the other is to connect. The aspect of time that separates you from others is the human world. The aspect of time that connects you to others is universal truth. You are connected with all beings in time, which permeates into every inch of the cosmic universe, and space, where everyone and everything exist togethe in peace and harmony."

-Katagiri, p. 11

***

"Be still, and know that I am God."

The Bible

***

"Stare at reality face-to-face, without blinking, and become yourself with open eyes. This is Buddha practice."

-Katagiri, p.15

Hurtigruten Journey

The oldest part of the city, a UNESCO heritage sight

A view from up above the city
An 11th century Stave church on the outskirts of the city

For the next week or so I thought I would post pictures from our journey along the Norwegian coast with excerpts from my daily journal as well as quotes from the books I was reading along the way. How wonderful to sit on deck, drinking tea and looking at such spectacular vistas. Spending a lot of time reading Dogen this year http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%8Dgen, I brought along a book entitled "Each Moment is the Universe: Zen and the Way of Being Time" by Dainin Katagiri. I read a bit each morning and the thoughts there also 'colored' my sight.



We flew from Frankfurt to Bergen and were in the city for a day and a half before we boarded our Hurtigruten ship, the Polarlys, meaing "Polar Light" in Norwegian. Here were my thoughts on that day and a few pictures of Bergen and a link to info about the city: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergen .



"How time moves---how thing change. Arriving in Bergen---flying above clouds---seeing expanses of water, all hues of blue, a blue reainbow, blue light prisimed into more blue and blue. Suddenly small swirls of islands and then a fjord opening up and out and then the city. Clouds rise and roll and give away of themselves with water and water and water---wind---and sun---an 11th century church---stones slowly washing away---wind blown, rain beaten. This church seven times burnt down to the ground and then raised again. Stone upon stone. Everything changing---falling apart---rising again and again...time:

flow..."