Gavril 
One of the most influential Japanese poets of all time, Matsuo Basho (1644–1694) elevated haiku from a mere literary pastime into an exquisite poetic craft. Leaving his hometown of Ueno behind, he moved to Kyoto, where he studied poetry and Zen as a young man and later became a Buddhist monk. This, perhaps, is why … Read more
Some poets have this power. They can help us stop and discover moments of spaciousness free of mundane troubles, free of our mind with its automatic reactions and obsessive self-concerns. One such poet is Mary Oliver (September 10, 1935–January 17, 2019), winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, who is known for … Read more
How do we read a haiku? A surprising primer on this art comes from a slim volume by Yoel Hoffmann titled Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death. In the introductory part of the book, we learn that a haiku consists of seventeen syllables written in three … Read more
Just watching a dog or a cat can be a deeply healing experience. It takes us out of our mind and brings us into the now — the only place free of chains of the past and unknown void of the future. That’s where an animal lives all the time, surrendered to life, enjoying it … Read more