Back when I was still writing for Jedi Creed, there was a piece I wrote that was inspired by something that happened while I was meditating. Here is that text:
One day, when I was meditating outside, I noticed a small bird that had landed not far from where I sat. I watched as it hopped around looking for food. It got closer and closer, and I remained still so that I did not scare it. A thought crossed my mind, that life creates the Force, or vice versa, and the bird embodied that Force.
Suddenly the bird took off and I was left staring at the ground where the bird had been, when I realized something important: the Force is everywhere. It is the bird, the air on which it flies, and the ground on which it stood.
So why was I looking at the bird?
I'm posting this because I read a Zen koan that reminded me of this experience:
Once Ma-tsu and Pai-chang were walking along and they saw some wild ducks fly by.
"What is that?" the Master asked.
"Wild ducks," Pai-chang replied.
"Where have they gone?"
"They've flown away," Pai-chang said.
The Master then twisted Pai-chang's nose and when Pai-chang cried out in pain, Ma-tsu said, "When have they ever flown away?"
