Views of the Moon

Some years ago I worked for a computer company forced for economic reasons to close its doors. The owner decided to use the last of the company's funds to have a farewell party. He sent invitations to each employee and added a haiku: Now that my storehouse Has burned down, nothing obscures My view of the moon.In many of the world's wisdom traditions, teaching passes from master to students in the form of short tales, stories that offer, if you will, various views of the moon and the light it sheds on Truth seekers.Aesop had his fables. Jesus spoke in parables, as have Hindu gurus, Sufis, Hasidic Jews, North American elders and a host of other guides. The tales grouped here are collected from various sources, from the crazy wisdom of Mullah Nasruddin and the eccentric behavior of highly-evolved sages to more straightforward and obvious narratives. Some I've heard at the feet of teachers, some come from readings and some are my own invention.These stories are not the moon itself. They are merely fingers pointing at the sky, encouraging the reader to turn to its light. And all wisdom traditions teach that among the various spiritual practices meant to remove obstacles to this vision, the most favorable are meditation (reflections on specific words or images) and contemplation (which might be viewed as thought-less meditation).The focus of this book is on thought-full meditation and to aid the reader's visualizations, each story is followed by suggestions for further reflection. These are but my own thoughts, of course, and may be set aside in favor of the reader's own insights and inner guidance.