Eternity Draws Near

Whether through billowing clouds, rushing rivers, or softly falling snow, eternity uncloaks itself as the mind grows still. We come to recognize each and every bit of things as alive and unfolding, and discover that we, too, are inextricable from the great magic trick of existence.

Shitou Xiquan, one of Zen’s great founding ancestors, tells us in Taking Part in the Gathering:

Each thing by nature has worth,
but we notice it is shaped by its circumstances.
Things fit together like boxes and lids,
while the absolute is like arrows meeting in mid-air.
When you let these words in, you encounter the ancestors;
Don’t limit yourself to your own small story.

In these last days of the year, all that’s been and all that’s to come find each other in the dark for a cuddle and a dance. Nothing is certain, and with any luck, we just might have a dream.

Sunday Zen with Tess Beasley & Friends, December 28, 2025