Monthly Archives: March 2021

Books Read in 2021 (So Far)

Posted on March 31, 2021 by liamvolke

Alright, so we’re 1/4 of the way through 2021. Hallelujah? Anyway, because I like to pretend to be “cultured”, here’s a list of the books I’ve read so far, this year. Not a long list; I’m a slow reader at … Continue reading →

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After a walk through my neighbourhood, March 28

Posted on March 28, 2021 by liamvolke

Ah, spring time in Calgary.When we see what secrets we tried to bury beneath the snowWhat detritus aboundsa big mac wrapper at the base of a shruba used condom near the sewer gratea discarded surgical maska mummified squirrelan unlucky lottery … Continue reading →

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Learning To Bow Part 4: Touching the Heart-Mind

Posted on March 21, 2021 by liamvolke

The month culminated in a week-long silent intensive called sesshin, its characters written as 接心. This Japanese compound word means “touching the mind” or “touching the heart”. The second part, shin, doesn’t have an exact translation in English, and it encompasses … Continue reading →

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Learning to Bow, Part 3: The Schedule

Posted on March 5, 2021 by liamvolke

We wake up around 4:50 a.m. and we would crawl out of our bunk beds, in the cabins uphill from the monastery. For me it took a lot of effort, never in my life being naturally inclined to wake up … Continue reading →

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