Takuin sat upstairs at the house in Toyama. Just sitting…looking. In those moments, he was the center of the unfolding universe. Every facet of life was contained within that small space.
It was all very simple…sitting and sitting, seeing shoji windows, moving outward in all directions, touching everything that has been, or ever will be.
But in sitting, one must be careful…
Takuin heard a loud thump on the window, shaking the shoji panes. He opened them to find a small bird on the sill. It had smashed into the window and landed on its back. Its head was twisted to one side; its breathing labored. He sat with this bird, watching its little chest move quickly up and down and its little eyes blinking.
A great deal of time passed. Eventually, its breathing slowed but did not stop. Still on its back, the bird moved its head into a forward position.
Suddenly, the bird sprang upright, but did not attempt to fly away. It looked at Takuin, and he looked at it.
They sat together for some time.
Occasionally, the bird would test its wings, curl its little toes, and give a little chirp attracting others of its own kind. But they did not stay for very long. Takuin and the little bird were alone together, watching and breathing.
It took a few small steps, each time looking back at Takuin. It took another step, then hopped onto the shingles of the roof below the window sill. It hopped again and looked back. Hopped again and looked back. Then it was gone.
Later that day, as Takuin went about his business in Toyama, he saw a small group of birds like the one on the window sill. They seemed very loud, and more excited than usual…
After returning to Tokyo, and just as Takuin was about to open his front door, he looked down and saw the bent feather of a crow in front of the door. It looked as if someone placed it there on purpose, at a precise angle.
Akiko said it was a message from the little bird…
{ 19 comments }
Oh Takuin! The bird loved you!
Thank you, Anjali.
I hope so. It may have been my own fault that it happened in the first place. I am grateful the bird was able to forgive…
It may have been my own fault that it happened in the first place
Hi Takuin, this is a beautiful story. Is it your fault, or did it happen so you and the bird (and the flock, and anyone reading it) could share in an expansion in awareness of what is possible if we allow “what is” to unfold? Then there’d be nothing to forgive? How perfect!
Today i’ve been “sitting”, as you say, with how it feels to allow something to unfold on its own, and how it feels to be moved into action. The boundaries get blurred at times for me – mainly when it involves my children.
Thank you, Vicki.
Certainly, things can only unfold in the way they unfold. It is not a permissiveness nor an exercise in control. If one needs to act for whatever reason, they’ll do it. It is not complicated, as you’ve pointed out yourself.
How do the boundaries blur for you? How does that appear?
Thanks for the pointers, Takuin. … i’ve been watching, and breathing. When i catch my-self returning, i go back watching and breathing.
My-self misses many “broken feathers” i think. Your story is a beautiful one to relate to.
Thank you very much, Vicki. I am very glad you’ve taken this time for your’self’.
I really like “Takuin and the little bird were alone together, watching and breathing.” I wonder how often I have sat with anyone, just watching and breathing!
And when you say, “It looked at Takuin, and he looked at it”, it reminded me of another story, that of a saint in India.. Some people from the circus had got an ailing tiger for him to cure. The tiger looked at the saint, the saint looked at the tiger – their gazes locked. Then, the tiger fell dead.
Watch and breathe. It is always available, and never something you have to prepare for…
Takuin sat and a bird became immortal.
one must be careful indeed
I felt bad…I had to do something
Perhaps the crow wanted that too…
That feather was almost too perfect. The placement, the circumstances…it was all very suspicious, haha.
Beautiful story, and very well-told. Captivating. Thanks.
Thank you very much, Kaushik…
Hi Takuin, what a captivating story . .As though u took us into the moment with the bird.
Thank you, Uzma. And very nice to see you again…
Always a pleasure to be here Takuin. Life’s been a lil roller coaster for me. Trying to find balance in the dizziness of outside.
This was beautiful. I look for moments like this.
Thank you, Brendyn…I appreciate it very much.
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