True Magnificence

Back in 2006, my wife and I were evicted from our apartment on Saint Mark's Place. Scrambling to find another domicile, we settled in Washington Heights. As lousy as the whole eviction process was, the compensation is that we get to live near Fort Tryon Park, one of the jewels of the city.
Today I took advantage of my day off from St. Ann's to practice Yang style taijiquan in the park. Notwithstanding that the weather isn't very Spring-like (darn you, Punxsutawney Phil!) it is a gorgeous day to practice.
Which brings me to the title of this little article. Just after finishing my form, a bird of prey (what kind, I'm not exactly sure. Could have been a hawk or juvenile eagle) landed on the volleyball net, glared balefully at me for a few moments, and then took off into the trees again. I could still see him (her?) since the leaves haven't sprouted yet. The stateliness of its bearing, its beauty, were just indescribable. At that moment, I had a bit of a realization: All the works of mankind, the monuments, the structures, the cities, cannot equal the magnificence that nature was able to exemplify in this one bird. Knowing this, people kill such creatures out of envy, fear, and all sorts of negative emotions.
I am reminded of a passage from the Bodhisattva's Vow, regarding such creatures:

"When I, a student of the Way, look at the real form of the Universe, all is the never-failing manifestation of the mysterious truth of the Awakened Life.
In any event, in any moment, and in any place, none can be other than the marvelous Revelation of its Glorious Light.
This realization made our ancestors and teachers extend tender care, with respectful hearts, even to such beings as birds and beasts."

I studied acupuncture in part to help ease suffering for my fellow sentient beings. But such creatures as this amazing raptor are also sentient beings. They too are deserving of compassion. Magnificence should be honored.

Needles in the Heights

Well, interesting day at the Washington Heights Corner Project. Not that there were scads of patients or tons of addicts clamoring to get their ears needled, but there was a delegation of Russians visiting to check us out. It seems that the group is rather skeptical about the harm reduction approach (they share this much in common with American conservatives), but were willing enough to keep an open mind to see how it works and what it is we do (totally not in common with American conservatives!). Jamie, our fearless leader, gave them the tour. I was able to answer questions they had when they got to my humble acupuncture room (which, the rest of the time, is a conference room), and had the opportunity to educate them regarding acupuncture and NADA protocol. They were very curious as to how acupuncture fits in with harm reduction, and were surprised, I think, to find that it wasn't solely about throwing clean needles at some guy jonesing for a fix. They may also be surprised to find that, in fact, these are people also. Not criminals who have a hard-on to break the law, but actual people who are suffering, and who might do themselves even more harm. Here's hoping they come around to adopting the model.