Sing to me, Muse, of that endlessly cunning man
Who was blown off course to the ends of the earth…
~Homer’s Odyssey, Translated by Stephen Mitchell
What initially draws us to Zen fades. That’s the nature of Muses: they pull us towards the path and then abandon us. That’s OK, they did their work.
What comes next?
“Clouds gather over the South Mountain, rain falls on the North Mountain.” ~ Yunmen
In the long term, the initial focus of practice (ending our suffering and awakening) fades and disappears.
Now, we just live our life, helping out where we can and giving attention and care to all the beings of the world. There’s freedom and virtuosity in our moves, kindness in our hearts, and intense intimacy with everyone and everything.
When clouds of sadness, heavy with rain, move through us, we cry. But this too is sweet, as is the freshness that follows.