turning to Thich Nhat Hanh: "touch the deathless"

What is the best thing that can happen?

Bhumisparsha

By Thich Nhat Hanh

Death comes
with his impressive scythe
and says,
“You should be afraid of me.”
I look up and ask,
“Why should I be afraid of you?”
“Because I will make you dead.
I will make you nonexistent.”
“How can you make me nonexistent?”

Death does not answer.
He swings his impressive scythe.

I say, “I come and I go. Then I come again. And I go again.
I always come back. You can neither make me exist nor nonexist.”
“How do you know that you will come again?” Death asks.
“I know because I have done that countless times,” I say.
“How do I know that you are telling the truth?
Who can be the witness?” Death frowns.

I touch the Earth and say,
“Earth is the witness. She is my mother.”

Suddenly, Death hears the music.
Suddenly, Death hears the birds singing from all directions.
Suddenly, Death sees the trees blossoming.
Earth makes herself apparent to Death
and smiles lovingly to him.
Death melts in the loving gaze of Earth.

O my beloved,
touch Earth every time you get scared.
Touch her deeply,
and your sorrow will melt away.
Touch her deeply,
and you will touch the Deathless.

Published in Thich Nhat Hanh, Call Me by My True Names (1993)

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We will take care of Us. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is the only way.

Have faith, take heart, touch Earth when you get scared. New worlds come into being through the breaking.

There is no breakthrough without breakdown.

Let us keep our eyes, hands, feet & hearts moving toward the world without power-over. A world of repair, relationship with Earth, where each sentient being is born with a sacred right to live in safety.

We are together in the work of liberation, which is everywhere & always.

We have lived it before. Now there are no surprises. That allows a higher level of transformative intervention, soul engagement, and intentional strategic action.

Write, draw, paint, talk and do not let the current conditions and the inner response to build up within in the form of sorrow, anxiety, anger or hopelessness that can become stuck and block life force. Don’t let it turn into physical symptoms. Express, move into community, and create.

Thank you for being here. You are needed. We will take care of Us.