Whee!

Where there is play, there is the life force.

(James Hollis)

This photo leapt out at me from one of my favourite blogs, Kiko's House (http://kikoshouse.blogspot.com/). A surfing pup embodies, for me, the essence of Hexagram 16, ENTHUSIASM. Such bounding joy, so full an immersion in the moment!

I recently found a quotation in a magical book -- Jeffrey Paine's Re-enchantment: Tibetan Buddhism Comes to the West -- that had me doubled over with laughter. This passage regales us with the sometimes hilarious curiosity of another wonder-surfer, the Dalai Lama ... Imagine being in this moment:

...When the Dalai Lama toured the National Air and Space Administration, some NASA astronauts were on hand to answer his questions. "Since there's no gravity in space," the Dalai Lama asked, "what happens to your eggs at breakfast?" The astronauts told how they sometimes grabbed their scrambled eggs as they floated off into midair. "In that case," the Dalai Lama asked, "what happens to your poop?"

That's when I nearly fell out of my chair. Can you imagine any other religious leader or head of state asking such a question?

The Dalai Lama's generous, inclusive curiosity is the mark of a person who studies intently, engages avidly with all moments, and relishes stimulating conversation. It seems to me that this man wonders about everything. In this respect, he comes across like a child, utterly captivating and charming. His mind is an organ of non-stop enquiry, always open to being dazzled.

O amazement of things -- even the least particle!

(Walt Whitman, from "Song at Sunset")


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