The Venerable Master Sheng Yen died yesterday at Dharma Drum Mountain complex in Taiwan.

Busy with nothing, growing old.
Within emptiness, weeping, laughing.
Intrinsically, there is no "I."
Life and death, thus cast aside.

by Venerable Master Sheng Yen

Several years ago the venerable one came to Throssel and talked with the monks. Sadly I was away at the time. I admire him and his teaching greatly and offer my thoughts for those in East Asia and in the West who continue his lineage.

The snow is losing it's wonderment, and with more on the way tonight and more shovelling tomorrow, it's becoming an activity and less something to point a camera at.

Yes and still is how it is amidst the activity. Still snow? An almost hallowed stillness. A blue peacefulness. There's just something about snow which overtakes everything else. Shovelling or not I love the stuff.

Above in the sky, Saturn is ablaze. It is SO bright in the night sky at the moment and apparently we'll not be seeing it quite like this for another seventeen years!

Looking around for an inspiring verse to offer and I spot this one above my computer monitor:

Adoration to all the Buddhas,
Adoration to the limitless Teaching.
Peace! Speak! Blaze! Up! Open!
To the glorious peaceful One,
For Whom there is no disaster.
Hail!
Some will recognize this verse as the Invocation for the Removal of Disasters. A verse of uplift. It is sometimes recited for those who are about to undertake a journey. Even a journey along an icy path.