welcome to day 8 of a season of peace and what an 8 day, an alpha and omega day, a be all/end all day, a day of silencio and stillness, a day of feeling the kindness of rhythm on the pilgrimage…. a day of hearing the cries of the world rising in frequency and intensity, a day of feeling the quickening of collective birth pangs, a day of gathering with midwives to co-llaborate on empowering space for dreams, encouraging strength to take one more step, celebrating the new/old song gestating, trusting in the call of soul…

and, so, i turn to kuan yin, goddess of compassion, protector of women, children, sailors, fishermen, anyone in trouble, and the sick, disabled, and poor… she who walks the boddhisattva path foregoing enlightenment until all sentient beings are liberated and free from suffering…

according to legend, kwan yin tried so strenuously to alleviate the suffering of all beings that her head split into eleven pieces… buddha awarded her eleven heads with which to hear the cries of the world and when she heard all the cries and reached out to address the needs of so many, her two arms shattered… now, buddha gives her a thousand arms to offer her compassion to all…

may our one heart remain always open being lovingkindness to all and may we all reside in the peace passing all understanding real-i-sing the beauty of our true nature of joy…