This post was originally written on day 1 of Bhante Sumano’s limited-run, daily, January newsletter, Anicca. It’s reposted here with minimal edits.
anicca #01
Hello! I’m Bhante Sumano, and this is Anicca. Welcome to day one. (Also, happy new year!)
seaside
By some stroke of luck, I woke up before sunrise this morning. I was surprised because I’d stayed up past midnight—not so much to ring in the new year, but rather to talk to a friend. (Turns out having a meandering late-night conversation is actually a great thing to do on New Year’s Eve).
In any case, my early rise gave me time to walk over to the beach of the Long Island Sound and watch the pre-dawn waves and sky. In the end there wasn’t much sky to see; a thick mist had settled in. But the water at twilight left me awe-struck.
It was eerie, not being able to see the horizon. The water, both vast and obscure, faded quickly into the mist. And my inability to see not only beneath but also above the water made me uneasy. Talk about feeling the wonder of nature.
Calm came by way of the water lapping against the sand-and-stone mix and some early morning birdsong: sparrows, maybe, tucked into the bush; a squawking crow, and the hoots of an owl. Still, goosebumps.
(Below you’ll find a short video clip I took next to the shore.)
new year, new ______
I’ve been contemplating attention a lot lately. What I pay attention to, what I don’t, and how that impacts my thoughts and actions. I’m no fan of resolutions, but this year I’d like to spend more time attending to the “ordinary,” right where I am, wherever that may be.
2020 was a year of upheaval after upheaval, and it left me pretty disjointed and disembodied. I could use some reconnecting, and attention has a huge part to play in that. Who knows!
have a listen
I recorded some audio while at the beach:
P.S. Many thanks to Craig Mod, for the idea of a “pop-up” newsletter. Years ago, I stumbled upon one of his intriguing podcasts about walking through Japan, and—since I’ve now embraced the wandering life—he came to mind once more.
P.P.S. For those of you into reading, I highly recommend two books, which you may be able to borrow from your local library:
- The Way of Tenderness by Zenju Earthly Manuel, an African-American Zen priest.
- How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell, a multidisciplinary artist.
Until tomorrow—
Bhante Sumano