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The Waterfall Track
or
Vajrasattva Nonetheless
 by Jane Marenghi
25 March 2006
Wangapeka School of Living Dharma
Leander says, "Let go, no clinging, put Vajrasattva practice away for some days."
Wise woman. OK.
"Focus on body/breath, body/mind."
Good! OK.
For those who don't know, Vajrasattva practice creates clear spacious openness and centeredness, compassion and wisdom, removing old blocks along the way. There is a form meditation and it can seem quite tight. And by the end of the day, I was to discover that form, like the finger pointing, is to be used as a guide that helps to look beyond.
Now during exploration on the floor, body moving oh so slow, awareness tuned to follow. Arm bends overhead, body rolls, hand slides further under shoulder, exquisite stretch, moving bones, stretching muscles telling tales as they go. Shifting seems like mountains displaced, currents like wire run from hand to elbow to arm to shoulder.
Shoulder comes down slowly, pushing blade up, wrist extended. An image arises, Chinese ink lines along my arm and back meander. A question! Might there be a connection?
Intestine, lung, triple heater. Mind be quiet!!! But body cuts in and inner gurglings reply ... maybe! A trip to the women's bathroom confirms. Letting Go!!!
Dana today at the whare consists of a slow meditative removal of black sooty tar. Vajrasattva hangs on the wall watching. So, slowly with breath, one bit at a time, the tar that rose to the surface gets disposed of. The floor quietly clears. Peaceful, present, easeful!
Energy to spare, a bit of time to explore body/breath body/mind in slow motion I walk. Waterfall Track opens up, water tanks at the start, pine needles crackle under foot, sap perfumes the air.
Path opens wide and clear, bramble-free, no bracken near ... thanks to Sangha Power. A fencepost, a sign, warning "No guns allowed ? Wangapeka Trust". Pig sanctuary within, pig playground without. Track narrows, leaves rustle, musky smell of fresh turned earth abounds. Walking, I sense presence. Lightly call out. "It's just me, passing through, don't mean any harm! Going to visit the falls is all." No sound, no rustling. Moving forward, totally present. A loud grunt from above. An instant body/mind reaction ... my spine completely lit up like a beacon. If I could see it, I'd bet on fire alarm red. No possible doubt, "flight or fight" is on. A pause, a breath. "Now, now, Jane, it's OK. He's likely got his own spine tingling and translated from pig tongue says, "Go ahead, pass on by ... FAST."
My meditation pace perks up, alertness full on. Then, breathing, relax again admiring under foot the wooden bridge crossing. The work involved, the aspiration, dedication. Powerful will of all in action.
Breathing, moving, a bit of a turn and who's there to greet me but Buddha himself. Nestled within a hollow, smile shining, he accepts the offering of a feather found earlier along the way, symbol of my spirit looking to fly free. I look at him looking out on the vastness of the valley. E MA HO! Wonderful!
A little further to go, sound like music is quite clear. Smell in the air of tropical moistness nearby. The path gets precarious, pig's action is heavy by the look of things here. Steep trails wiped clear, ferns crushed to the ground. An image of these potbellied creatures sliding full steam downhill. Is that how they do this? Mudsurfers?
And then there it is, past a long fallen log, down into a hollow, beautiful magical sound-smell-sight space. A tree grown crooked offers a meditating bench which I gratefully use. Breathing, sitting, watching thousands of crystal droplets, like diamonds, stream out of green moss, rock shining. Droplets like so many pure beings dancing in the light, joyfully singing as they trickle down in delight. Fern plants, dense foliage, creates a mood of mystery, of timeless time as Bellbirds echo their ageless notes in a cascade of sound. And I look in wonder at all this joyous energy that waters Wangapeka! Pure nectar dripping from the earth our mother, pure and purifying.
Steadying, gladdening, enriching, loving.
Joy! Openness! Heart wanting to share this with the whole of the universe. Sitting, breathing. I will return and when I do, I and all of this will be different and new.
I turn and climb, nod greetings to the Buddha.
A fantail finds me, flies under my nose, flits, dives, cartwheels around. Plays hide and seek in the branches as I move along. We chat, share a story or two, keeping each other company for a stretch of the way. Playful companion, knows no fear. Teacher of the moment! Others join and all fly back to their paradise world.
I return to my breath and the path, pass the sign of “peace for our pigs”, thanking the pigs for the peace offered me. And return to Wangapeka.
I thank you Leander for this gift of presence. May you be happy, may your travels be safe and may you spread your teachings as vast as the sky!
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