Journey Forward with Care

Buddha’s final words to his few remaining disciples (most had fled or denounced him as an inconsistent teacher) were ‘Journey forward with care.’ It wasn’t about being loyal or never forgetting. No promises extracted from them or pledged by him. Just ‘Journey forward with care.’

I imagine walking into a dark forest. With no moon everything is dark. Without me seeing, the trees wiggle their branches in silent greeting. The forest animals and insects know exactly who is here. I alone am blind. Without plan or destination. I simply find myself walking. Slowly. Slowly.

I am nearly overwhelmed by the weight of the darkness. I feel like falling to my knees in despair. But one more step. And then another. The terror passes and I keep moving. No destination is evident, only this boundless darkness.

Slowly, my feet learn to follow the path and the sounds of the night forest reflect shape and distance to my dim eyes. Shapes and sense appear even without light. Even as I learn the darkness, the faintest light reveals itself. My body eases into itself.

Morning comes and my feet follow the path that guides me. Now the world is bathed in light. The tall trees continue to preside over the dedicated inter-twinkling of the many forest beings. They sing and call to each other—sending favors and receiving gifts. Each one precisely related to each other.

And with each step I glimpse again my belonging. I am a tree that walks—the patterned insect with soft exoskeleton—the complex microbe who moves toward ease and away from discomfort. I am part of the darkness and the light. Lost and found are simply the unique weather patterns of my being.

‘Journey forward with care.’ I begin again to sense what this might mean.