Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

She sends me an email "January clarity"
with greetings "blessings are to be shared"
and photos of two halves of a grapefruit

Pair of Grapefruit Eyes Photo © Nancy Dean Mercury

On January 27, 2013, Nancy Dean Mercury sends me an email titled "January clarity" with a simple message: "The blessings are to be shared!". Since Nancy is an artist and yoga teacher, she adds "The drawings progress as my yoga is perfected. / A sadhana of space. / The drawings progress as my yoga is perfected. / A sadhana of time." Attached were photos of two halves of a grapefruit. Photo Source: "Grapefruite Eyes" (wisdomportal.com)

titled "So open visually as to be clear".
Four days later, she sends another photo
showing a massive rock at end of the road.

Road to Rifted Rock Photo © Nancy Dean Mercury

Above the grapefruit photo was the caption "So open visually as to be clear." On January 31, Nancy sends an email— "All is well here in the desert" in her tiny village of Palo Verde on the Colorado River. She includes a photo of a massive rock on the horizon of a "vanishing point" road. Since Nancy mentioned "sadhana" of space and time in relation to her art drawings and yoga practice, I visualized the road as a spiritual path or the Taoist way. In Sanskrit, Sadhana is an ego-transcending spiritual practice. It is a discipline undertaken in pursuit of a goal performed with observation and reflection. Sadhana molds the mind that develops non-attachment, whereby bondage becomes liberation. On my first visit to Anthony Damiani's American Brahmin Bookshop (April 5, 1968), I bought Rabindranath Tagore's Sadhana (1914). During the next two and half years, I visited Anthony's bookshop for his Wednesday's seminar on the perennial philosophy. Looking back now, I realized it was my first steps on the spiritual journey. Photo Source: "Road to Rifted Rock" (wisdomportal.com)

Some ten years ago her photo of Found Eyes
in the hardened lava ground of Hawaii
inspired a poem "Two Eyes in the Earth"

Found Eyes between Kona & Kamuela, Hawaii Photo © Nancy Dean Mercury

When she was in Hawaii in 1993, Nancy sent me a curious photo of "Found Eyes" from hardened lava among scattering of loose rocks. It inspired the poem "Two Eyes in the Earth" (9-18-2003) ending with:         O Earth Man— a masked god dancing         on coals of fire, a shaman inducing         me to trance— my body shattered in         the spirit world— my eyes now         ten thousand— and everywhere I turn—         birds, flowers, and trees— all I see is me! Photo Source: "Found Eyes" (wisdomportal.com)

and now these grapefruit eyes stare at me challenging my mind to be more attentive and see clearly the things close at hand. Chu Hsi (1130-1200) Reflections on Things at Hand (Chin-ssu lu) is a Neo-Confucian Anthology (1175) compiled by Chu Hsi (1130-1200). This work was translated by Wing-tsit Chan (Columbia University Press, 1967). The term comes from the Analects 19.6 where Confucius' disciple Tzu-hsia (507-420 B.C.) said: "To study extensively, to be steadfast in one's purpose, to inquire earnestly, and to reflect on what is at hand— humanity consists in these." The words chin ssu lu mean "near-thought-record". What is near at hand means what can be of immediate application, that is, things of daily concern. The Neo-Confucian philosophers of the Sung dynasty (960-1279) opposed the Buddhists in escaping from life, and the Taoists for prolonging life in search for immortality. They followed the Confucian philosophy of living life here and now in the present moment. I bought Reflections on Things at Hand in 1970 at Anthony Damiani's American Brahmin Bookshop in downtown Ithaca while studying at Cornell. At the time of my purchase, Anthony confided "I placed this book in the back bottom shelf in 1968 and wonder who will buy this treasure. I'm glad you found it!" Chu Hsi wrote commentaries on the Four Books— The Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Analects of Confucius, and Book of Mencius, that became the basis of China's civil examination for 700 years. I liked the story of Chu Hsi finding a seashell on a mountaintop, and concluded it was once under the sea. He is regarded as the "Chinese Aristotle", emphasizing investigation of things. Mary Oliver ends her poem "Upstream" from Blue Iris (2004) with "Attention is the beginning of devotion." In Chapter 13 of Merging with Siva (2002), Subramuniyaswami outlines the five steps to enlightenment: "Attention, concentration, meditation, contemplation, and Self-Realization." Being attentive to our daily task is the first step to enlightenment. The "grapefruit eyes" made me more attentive. Photo Sources: Chu Hsi (schillerinstitute.org); Reflections on Things at Hand (amazon.com) Chin-ssu lu (1175) I focus on the Road to Rifted Rock photo with its vanishing point to the horizon showing a massive rock blocking the way. Road to Rifted Rock (Eagletail Mountains, 60 miles west of Phoenix on Interstate 10) Photo © Nancy Dean Mercury When I focused on the massive rock at the end of the road, it appears like the map of Australia. Since Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, I wonder on the meaning of the southern path. The Oglala Sioux holy man Black Elk prays to the Four Directions and assigns "yellow for the south, whence come the summer and the power to grow." After writing this poem, I asked Nancy about the photo. She replied on Feb. 1, saying she took it while driving towards Phoenix on Interstate 10— "I was able to drive close for a more intimate view but was only able to approach at a distance due to the sandy road. It was like a mirage of beauty beckoning me powerfully forward. The power of this rifted rock hold a promise of a return." She includes a map showing Eagletail Mountains and location of Rifted Rock on Interstate 10. Photo Source: "Road to Rifted Rock" (wisdomportal.com); Map of Australia (dfat.gov.au) The mountain peaks and vanishing point in this photo depict the Platonic Lambda symbolizing "Soul of the Universe" but Platonic Lambda "Soul of the Universe" The Platonic Lambda or Soul of the Universe (Timaeus 35b) is shaped like the Greek letter Λ consisting of the even series 1, 2, 4, 8 and odd series 1, 3, 9, 27. From this emerged the four elements air, fire, water, earth. In my poem "Vanishing Point" (3-2-2011), references were made to Λ-shaped mountain peaks— Matterhorn, K2, and Mt. Everest. Other Λ images linking to the Soul includes the steps we make, shape of the nose "God breathed into his nostrils and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2.7), flight of geese, Pyramid of Giza, and in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake 2.2.293. (Benjamin Jowett's translation Timaeus, 35b, F.M. Cornford, Plato's Cosmology, 1937, pp. 66-67). Photo Source: Platonic Lambda (wisdomportal.com) where have I seen this "Rifted Rock" before? Suddenly it dawns upon me— it's Doré's engraving for Dante's Purgatorio's Canto 4— Road to Rifted Rock Photo © Nancy Dean Mercury Dante's Purgatorio 4.31-33 Engraving by Gustave Doré (1867) While writing Notes to "Feminine Street Names" (1-23-2013), I found Gustave Doré's engravings showing Virgil guiding Dante through Hell and Purgatory. In his engraving of Dante's Purgatorio 4.31-33, the rifted rock resembled Nancy's photo of "Road to Rifted Rock". Dante got tired of the laborious climb and cried he can go no further. Virgil urged him to keep going higher until, in the Perfection of Grace, the climb becomes effortless. Photo Sources: "Road to Rifted Rock" (wisdomportal.com); Doré's engraving (dante.ilt.columbia.edu) We made our upward way through rifted rock; along each side the edges pressed on us; the ground beneath required feet and hands. Dante's Purgatorio 4.31-33 Engraving by Gustave Doré (1867) This stanza is an exact quote from Allen Mandelbaum's translation of Dante's Purgatorio 4.31-33. Seated on the ledge, Virgil explains that in the nature of the mountain, the beginning of the ascent (first turning from sin to true repentance) is always hardest. Charles Singleton's commentary on the narrow cleft in the rifted rock refers to Matthew 7.13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Charles Singleton, Dante's Divine Comedy: Purgatorio: Text & Commentary, 1973, p. 77). Images of the narrow path in spirituality may be found in Matthew 19.24: "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God." Also in Katha Upanishad 1.3.14: "The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard.". Somerset Maugham used this quote as his epigraph in The Razor's Edge (1944) on Larry Darrell's spiritual pilgrimage (Sadhana). Baruch Spinoza concludes his Ethics (1677) with "If the way I have shown to lead to these things now seems very difficult, still, it can be found. Indeed, what is so rarely discovered must be hard. For if salvation were ready at hand, and could be found without great effort, how could nearly everyone neglect it? But all things noble are as difficult as they are rare." Photo source: Doré's engraving (dante.ilt.columbia.edu) Virgil leads Dante up the steep slope to the summit as they watched a chariot of light passing the north where Phaethon Phaethon & Chariot of the Sun Athenian krater (5th century B.C.) British Museum, London, UK Phaethon was the son of Apollo and Clymene. Venus was enamoured by his lively disposition and handsome figure, and entrusted him with the care of one of her temples. This made Phaethon vain, and Epaphus taunted him that his father was not the sun god Apollo, but Merops, a mortal king. Phaethon begged Apollo, that, if he really were his father, he would give his paternal tenderness, and convince the world of his legitimacy. Phaethon wished to drive Apollo's chariot of the sun. Apollo's directions were forgotten, and Phaethon could not rein the horses and guide the chariot. The flying horses departed from their usual track. Phaethon repented too late of his rashness, with the earth threatened with conflagration. Zeus saw the disorder of the sun chariot and struck Phaethon with his thunderbolt, hurling him into the river Po, his body consumed with fire. Due to Phaethon's mishap, Africa became parched up, and became a sandy country and uncultivated waste. The African people's skin became black in the torrid zone. (Lemprière's Classical Dictionary, 3rd Edition, 1984, p. 470) Photo source: Phaethon & Sun Chariot (theoi.com) had passed on his way to the Sun before being struck by the thunderbolt of Zeus— may Saint Barbara protect me from harm Edward Cooper (1682-1725) Phaethon & Apollo Antonio Fantuzzi (1445-1510) Fall of Phaethon Sarah Young, Greek Myths Phaethon's Sun Chariot Saint Barbara Holy Card Phaethon in Dante's Purgatorio 4.58-60 & 4.73-75—     And when the poet saw that I was struck     with wonder as I watched the chariot     of light passing between the north and us,     how that same path which Phaethon drove so poorly     must pass this mountain on the north, whereas     it skirts Mount Zion on the southern side. Phaethon in Dante's Inferno 17.106-108 & Paradiso 17.1-3—     I do not think that there was greater fear     in Phaethon when he let his reins go free—     for which the sky, as one still sees, was scorched—     Like Phaethon (one who still makes fathers wary     of sons) when he had heard insinuations,     and he, to be assured, came to Clymene, Allen Mandelbaum's translation of Dante's Divine Comedy are cited above to show Dante referring to Phaethon four times in his epic journey (Sadhana) from Inferno to Purgatory to Paradise. Charles Singleton's commentary— In classical mythology, Phaethon ws the son of Helios (Apollo), Sun god, and Clymene. He persuaded Apollo to let him drive the Sun chariot for one day. Phaethon was too weak to hold the horses, and they rushed out of their usual course and scorched the earth. Zeus then killed Phaethon with a thunderbolt. Dante alludes to the story from Ovid's Metamorphosis II. 1-328 more than once in his Commedia. (Charles Singleton, Dante's Divine Comedy: Inferno: Commentary, 1970, pp. 306-307). Charles Singleton's commentary on Paradiso 17.1-3— Dante compares himself to Phaethon, who, having been told by a comrade that the Sun god was not really his father, went to his mother Clymene, to find out the truth. Clymene swore to Phaethon that he was truly Apollo's son, and urged him to ask his father in person. The result was Phaethon induced Apollo to let him drive his chariot, and it proved fatal to him. Dante got the story from Ovid's Metamorphosis I. 750-761. (Charles Singleton, Dante's Divine Comedy: Paradiso: Commentary, 1975, p. 285). When Dante begins his heavenly ascent, he invokes the blessings of Minerva (Athena), Apollo (Helios) and nine Muses to guide him (Paradiso 2.1-9)—     The waves I take were never sailed before;     Minerva breathes, Apollo pilots me,     and the nine Muses show to me the Bears. Because Dante was aware of Phaethon's rashness, he is more cautious ascending Paradise so he would not be led astray. Peter Paul Rubens has painted Fall of Phaethon (1608), but this work at the National Gallery of Art appears too cluttered (jumble of horses, wheels, and people tumbling all over). So I've found two engravings in the British Museum instead. Edward Cooper's Phaethon & Apollo show Phaethon appealing to his Sun god father to let him drive his chariot. Fantuzzi's Fall of Phaethon shows Zeus with his eagle up in the clouds hurling his thunderbolt at Phaethon so his Sun chariot would not cause more harm in scorching the earth. Since the Bears (Big Dipper) are mentioned in Purgatorio 4.65 and Paradiso 2.9, I've included Sarah Young's painting of Phaethon's chariot under the Bears heading for Scorpio's claws, foreboding his demise. As Saint Barbara is the patron saint of thunder and lightning, I invoke her blessings protecting me from the wrath of Zeus in my sadhana. Photo Sources: Phaethon & Apollo (britishmuseum.org); Fall of Phaethon (britishmuseum.org); Phaethon's Sun Chariot (madeuk.blogspot.com); Saint Barbara holy card (wikipedia) so Krishna's chariot may take me upward beyond the rifted rock and vanishing point to see the real light of ten thousand suns. Krishna & Arjuna Charioteer Krishna "Light of a thousand suns" My first draft of this poem ended with "may Saint Barbara protect me from harm"— not so uplifting for a spiritual journey. I recalled Tagore's Sadhana (1914) and Paul Brunton's Secret Path (1935) were inspiring books launching my spiritual quest. On my visit to Paul Brunton in September 1979, he reserved a room for me at a motel in Corseaux sur Vevey. That night, I dreamt of a car ride down a road about to crash into the Matterhorn. At the last minute, the car flew upward soaring over the Matterhorn. When I told PB about this dream, he said that I was making spiritual progress. Now I realized Krishna's chariot in the Bhagavad Gita had a better plot than Phaethon's chariot in Greek mythology. When Krishna tells Arjuna "I revealed this everlasting Yoga to Vivasvan, the sun, the father of light." (Bhagavad Gita 4.1), he was doubtful— "The sun was born before you." Arjuna was not aware that his charioteer Krishna is a god. "See now the whole universe with all things that move and move not, and whatever thy soul may yearn to see. See it all as One in me. But thou never can see me with these thy mortal eyes: I will give thee divine sight. Behold my wonder and glory. When Krishna had thus spoken, he appeared to Arjuna in his supreme divine form. And Arjuna saw in that form countless visions of wonder. If the light of a thousand suns were to appear in the sky, its splendour would not excel the radiance of the Supreme Spirit! And Arjuna saw in that radiance the whole universe in its variety, standing in a vast unity in the body of the God of gods." — Vyasa (c. 500 B.C.), Bhagavad Gita 11.7-13 (translated by Juan Mascaró, Penguin Books, 1962, pp. 89-90). This harkens back to Plato's Republic VII.527e: "there is in every soul an organ or instrument of knowledge that is purified and kindled afresh by philosophic studies when it has been destroyed and blinded by our ordinary pursuits, a faculty whose preservation outweighs ten thousand eyes, for by it alone is reality beheld." Plato's organ in the soul that outweighs 10,000 eyes may be awakened if we are less attentive to material gains and focus more on spiritual awakening. Ralph Waldo Emerson refers to this organ of perception as from God: “Hard as it is to describe God, it is harder to describe the Individual. A certain wandering light comes to me which I instantly perceive to be the Cause of Causes. It transcends all proving. It is itself the ground of being; and I see that it is not one & I another, but this is the life of my life. That is one fact, then; that in certain moments I have known that I existed directly from God, and am, as it were, his organ. And in my ultimate consciousness Am He.” — Emerson's Journal, May 26, 1837 This Divine Eye within us is also alluded by Christ (Luke 11.34): "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light." This "singleness of eye" is single mindedness attention needed for awakening. William Stafford says "Poetry is invitation to attention, an alertness about life right at the time of living it, a dizzying struggle with the Now-ness of experience." This Wisdom Eye outweighs 10,000 physical eyes (Plato), and seeing the Light brighter than a thousand suns (Bhagavad Gita) is a refreshing rebirth. Finding the "Sun Yolk" image (unknown artist) with Sun emerging out of a giant egg symbolizes this spiritual awakening. This is the joy of sadhana. Photo Sources: Krishna & Arjuna (dial1411.blogspot.com); Charioteer Krishna (csd4.wordpress.com); "Light of a thousand suns" (wisdomportal.com) — Peter Y. Chou     Mountain View, 2-7-2013 | Top of Page | Road to Rifted Rock | Poems 2013 | Poems 2012 | Poems 2011 | Poems 2010 | | Haikus 2013 | Haikus 2012 | Haikus 2011 | Platonic Lambda | CPITS | Books | A-Z Portals | Home | © Peter Y. Chou, Wisdom Portal P.O. Box 390707, Mountain View, CA 94039 email: (2-7-2013)