free spiral seminar 1 hour lesson
On growing slowly
The tree stands after two thousand years
collecting carbon and light and
weaving cellulose in concentric rings.
Two thousand years standing
one mile into Sierra air
as autumn’s burning quiets into
winter’s blanket melting into
spring water and solstice heat.
New growth,
And death,
And death, again -
Constellations gliding slowly in silence.
The carousel of life -
Karmic wheel churning,
blue rock spinning around pin hole.
I imagine Sequoia standing in brush fire,
year layering year,
heating phloem and xylem
as silver silk
or ghost
or spirit billows up body, arms
stretched out in worship.
All at once, I receive the lesson of the Tree:
Everything exists
as concentric circles
and vertical lines.
Pick a direction.
Build a trunk that is thick
with branches close to the sky
So, when fire burns
(as it always will)
you will still catch the light
and the thin mountain air
And make something holy
from the smoke.