Reflection on Dawn at Swayambhu Stupa
There are places that remain with us long after we have left them. For me, dawn at Swayambhu Stupa is one of those places. The sound of monks chanting, the steady rhythm of temple drums, the fragrance of incense and the first light spreading across the Kathmandu Valley combine to create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else I have experienced. Even years later, simply recalling that morning is enough to return me there in memory and in spirit.
Haiku
“Dawn sweeps through the valley,
The rhythmic beat of the drum,
Monks chanting sutras.
Incense drifts on morning air—
Exhilarating calm.”
From “Stillness | Moments of Buddhist Practice in Verse” written February 2023
Stillness is a collection of haiku, senryu and short reflective poems inspired by my Buddhist practice, meditation, pilgrimage and the quiet moments of everyday life. Sometimes a few carefully chosen words can express what a much longer article cannot.
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