60 Comments

"Life is getting into a boat that is just about to set out to sail and sink." Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

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my new mantra...

"my existence is fragile, my fragility sits within an infinite mystery."

thanks for sharing, Chloe 🙏🏼

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Aug 20Liked by Chloe Hope

That riflebird video...

I know you warned me, but I was not prepared!!!

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This is my first introduction to Japanese Death Poems, what a beautiful practice.

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Aug 20Liked by Chloe Hope

Wonderful, Chloe! So diverse and at the same time so beautifully interweaving.

Japanese artists seem to have a special dimension, a certain way with expression. I found my artistic home in an ancient Japanese silk painting technique with its unique dimensional subtleties. These poems sing to their own different note, and find their home so powerfully.

And, David’s voice is so unique unto itself. I am grateful to read Magic Carpet again. His ‘fragility mantra’ has been a teacher and a friend for some time now, immediately altering my perspective, grounding and expanding as one. His words are stunningly relevant to my life today «joyously, nothing can ever be taken for granted again, least of all those closest to us with whom we share a path...»

Take good care, dear Chloe, during your intermission, while you take a breath.

I am grateful for your Grace and Beauty, your willingness to be powerful in your authenticity.

It has been a comfort to enjoin my own reflections, thank you for this moment.

And yes! I cannot leave him out, the Riflebird!

Impossible not to return to his shimmering seductions.

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Loved the riflebirds. Japanese death poems: intriguing and beautiful

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Aug 20·edited Aug 20Liked by Chloe Hope

"Thus, I return to the source."

Sits in stunned early-Monday-morning silence after reading this.

*THEN WATCHES RIFLE BIRDS AGAIN! OMG.*

(Plus also sending this to my father, who adores birds.)

Beautiful, across all the parts of the post. I shall shortly be swept away for the carpet ride over to David's stack.

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Chloe thank you for this. The arrows one is my favourite too. Have you read A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki? Japanese zen nunnery and kamikaze pilotry... I think you would enjoy. ❤️

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While reading this piece my cockatiel is sitting on me fluffing her feathers. I played the video of the rifle birds and she stopped fluffing and paid attention to them!

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Lovely offering Chloe.

I really enjoyed your opening words about each of us experiencing two days that are not 24 hours long, and grabbing of breaths.

I also really liked David’s words about death, and fragility - they were woven together so well.

And, once again, you taught me something new about death - I had never heard of Japanese Death poems.

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Thank you for including me in this, Chloe. I love your writing.

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Thank you for such a thoughtful way to start my Sunday!

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Phew you had my heart with the first line Chloe. And those Japanese 💀 poems, glorious, thank you for introducing me to them 🖤

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Hahah. Wow. Birds in heat is sexy indeed.

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Lovely vignettes, Chloe - kudos to David, very delicate and beautiful.

RE: the riflebird - my Halloween costume is now chosen, I have the cape, I only need an iridescent blue halter top and lots of practice. 💙

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That bird! I'm having a word with my husband later. What has he done to impress me????

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