Carpe Diem #276, A Journey to India

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

This month through all the wonderful music of Karunesh is a journey right to the heart. Yesterday we had Silent Heart for prompt and I have read wonderful haiku inspired on Silent Heart by Karunesh. Today we are going on a trip to India, in which culture the music of Karunesh is rooted. A Journey to India is not on my list however, I hope one day to visit Japan in which haiku, our beloved haiku, is rooted, but 'till then I just dream on to be in Japan ... A few years ago I dreamed very strongly about Japan and I had the feeling that I was outside myself and had an encounter with Basho, the master himself. As the day followed on that dream I wrote a few new haiku ... at least I thought that they were new, but as I read them again and again I realized that the haiku were all written by Basho himself. I hadn't read those haiku, but then I read an essay by Jane Reichhold in which she all the wonderful haiku by Basho mentioned I read the haiku I thought I had written ... but no I hadn't written them ... they were written by Basho and I didn't know those haiku by him. Is it possible that I really was with Basho in my dream and that he whispered those haiku into my ears?

India ... the land of the great Guru's ... the land where spirituality is part of the culture is part of the people themselves. How I wished that I could be there, but ... it's not a country that I would visit. I am a great admirer of Mahatma Gandhi and I once have written an essay about him ... That essay was about acceptation of all kinds of love ... it was published in a magazine for Christian Youth. I think this will one day ... I don't know when ... will be happening.
What has this to do with our episode of today? Everything I think ... Gandhi was an Indian advocate and with his 'non-violence' way of protesting he has done a lot of good. How sad it is that he, nevertheless of his non-violence policy, was assassinated.

What a wonderful music ... lean back and enjoy the music, let it become part of you, go with the flow and let it be an inspiration for you to write the most gorgeous haiku ever.

dreamworld far away
longing for the spirit of India -
seagulls cry

seagulls cry
overwhelming me with emotions
a journey to India

What a joy ... another haiku written right from my heart. As I was writing these haiku seagulls cried above my head ... so I had to include them. Don't ask me why ... I don't know.

This prompt will stay on 'till August 21th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post, Magic Fields, our new episode later on today around 7.00 PM (CET). !! A Journey to India is open for submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #275, Longing for the Unknown

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

What a wonderful month ... all those wonderful musical pieces by Karunesh it's an every day joy to prepare these episodes and share his music for your (and mine) inspiration. Today another wonderful composition I love to share with you all. It's a nice piece of music, I only can't remember that there were lyrics to this piece of music, but well ... it doesn't matter ... it's really a nice piece of music.
I was meditating and contemplating on the title of this composition "Longing for the Unknown". It brought back sad memories to the time I was in the occult 'longing for the unknown', maybe to be a mighty guy or a guy with magical powers? Were was I longing for? Nowadays I am longing for unconditional love spreaded all over the world to make our world a better place. I am longing for next year. I will become a granddad again in early spring next year, my youngest daughter (21 yr) is pregnant of her first child.
There was a time that I only longed for children, but that I wouldn't become a dad myself. Now ... I am a dad of four children and the granddad of six grandchildren (and number 7 on it's way). Life is a mystery and as my father always said: "God's Ways are Inscrutable". And my dad was right ... I never could have dreamed about myself becoming a haiku poet with an international name, I never could have dreamed that I have become who I wanted to be ... just a guy who lives out of unconditional love and seeing God in everyone and everything around me. (Video by Frank Verdonck)

So now with this music-video I love to ask you all "What are you Longing for?" Don't feel shy, I think that this kind of questions can help you to become inspired to write a new haiku ... and I hope that you all feel save enough in our haiku-community to share those thoughts.

drizzling summerday
longing for the autumn weather -
harvesting apples

A nice way of longing to the fresh new harvest of the apple trees in the backyard.
This prompt will stay on 'till August 20th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, A Journey to India, later on today around 7.00 PM (CET). !! Longing for the Unknown is open for submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #274, Silent Heart

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Today I have prepared (and published) our new prompt-list for September. As you all know I have prompt lists made about the classical kigo for the seasons and this month I do that also. I have chosen all classical Japanese kigo (seasonwords) for autumn as prompts this new month. And I have found a wonderful haiku-poet, a modern one, for the Carpe Diem Specials for September. I have chosen for O. Mabson Southard (1911-2000) an American haiku-poet. More about him you can find HERE and at the website I refer to on the prompt-list page.

Today another nice New Age musical piece by Karunesh it's titled "Silent Heart" and I don't know the name of the album were on you can find this piece of music. I think it's from the album "Silent Heart" (2001), but I don't know that for sure. But ... it's a wonderful piece of music ... so lean back and listen, go with the flow, become one with the music and be inspired to compose your haiku. (This video is made by Draccun)

I hope you did enjoy this wonderful music and that it inspired you to write your haiku for sharing here on Carpe Diem. I couldn't adjust immediately to this musical piece, maybe that's of the words which are shown in the video. It inspired me however to the following haiku/senryu ...

deep inside your heart
collective consciousness
waits to be awaken

let your light shine
sprinkle your love energy
around the world

silent heart
as strong as a lion -
unconditional love

Not a strong set of haiku, but I loved trying this, it's not my way of writing haiku/senryu I think ...

This prompt will stay on 'till August 19th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Longing for the Unknown, later on today around 7.00 PM (CET). !! Silent Heart is open for submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem #273, Sapphire

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Yesterday I have started preparing our new prompt-list for September and as you all know that will be another feast, because that month we have all classical Japanese kigo (seasonwords) for autumn. So next month we are going back to our roots ... ancient Japan. I am looking forward to that new month, but now ... let's go on with August.
Today I have had a nice email from Oreade Music's Kevin Couch he wrote the following:

Hi Kristjaan,

I just wanted to say that I think that you are doing a fantastic job using Karunesh’s music with the videos that you are creating every day.

Best regards,

Kevin Couch

Oreade Music

So ... I feel proud that I may use the wonderful music of Karunesh for our daily haiku meme. Today the track is called Sapphire and it's from the album 'Nirvana Café' (2002). I think this is a really beautiful piece of music and I hope it will inspire you all to write new haiku, but first I love to tell a little bit more about the meaning of Sapphire.

Historically a star sapphire was used as protection from the evil eye In Europe it was used to reflect harmful or evil spells back to the sender. Magicians were known to utilize the gemstones to enhance and direct their magical powers. Alchemists long ago associated the sapphire with the element of air, and India considered it to be the stone of Saturn, and believed it to be a portal to the heavenly realms.

Sapphires can be used to open yourself up to receive heavenly messages, and aid you in clarifying just what the information you receive means to you.

This gemstone used during meditation can help you find your hidden potential, and sharpen the vision of your life's work, it will help you to clear a mental path so you can begin your journey.

This video is made by Christel 2846 so lean back, listen to the music, become one with the music and let it inspire you to write new haiku. Have fun, be inspired and share with Carpe Diem.

This prompt will stay on 'till August 18th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Silent Heart, later on today around 7.00 PM (CET). !! Sapphire is open for submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem Special #52, Kikaku's "a white crane from Fukei"

!! I post this episode for August 16th already now, because I am in the nightshift and I don't know if I am on time publishing later on today. This Special is open for submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!

Dear Haijin, visitors and trvaelers,

Today we have another Special haiku written by Kikaku, our haiku poet for this month of Carpe Diem. I love to share a piece of literature written by Kikaku while his master Matsuo Basho was in the last days of his life. I haven’t copied the whole piece but I love to share here a part of this piece of literature by Kikaku. (Chèvrefeuille)

Kikaku

An Account of Our Master Basho's Last Days

By Takarai Kikaku

Translated by Nobuyuki Yuas

(Source: simply haiku)

Our master spent October the ninth and tenth in a serious condition, but he inquired after me, and hearing from Otokuni that I was in the vicinity of Tannowa in the province of Izumi, sent me a letter, saying that he yearned to see me. The letter, however, failed to reach me in time. I boarded a boat together with Gano and Kio and enjoyed the sights along the coast of Fukei, spending the night at Sakai. I reached Osaka on the evening of the eleventh, and inquiring after my master, I was told that he was in a bad condition. So I went at once to see him in his sick bed. We spoke our inexpressible thoughts in weak voices, feeling that it was the god of Sumiyoshi that had brought us together, appreciating our devotion over the years. I had also prayed at Wakanoura for the health of our master, and had asked the gracious god of Aridoshi to refrain from inflicting misfortune on him. So I had had no premonition of his illness, but now seeing him in bed, I could not help melting into tears. I was crouched at my master's bedside, but Kyorai and Shiko signaled with their hands to come away. I left my master and tried to regain my composure. Sitting somewhat at ease, I looked at my master’s ailing face. It seemed almost dead, and the rain that fell constantly only aggravated my grief. So I wrote:

How I wish to call

A white crane from Fukei,

But for this cold rain.

I tried to comfort my master with this poem of prayer for his long life.

Our master said jokingly, "Genjuan, where I found my first prop in a pasania tree, is too far from any human abode, I would rather have my grave by the side of Lord Kiso." These words later became a legacy among his disciples. Our master was of the same mind as Saigyo, who wished to die under the full moon in the second month of spring. He constantly thought about his end and wrote poems expressing his premonitions of death. Therefore, he did not have to write any poem of farewell on his death bed

About four o’clock on the afternoon of the twelfth, our master passed away. His dead face was beautiful, like a face asleep. We covered his body and placed it in a large coffer. We then dressed ourselves like traders carrying their merchandise, and, putting the coffer on a river boat, we sailed, ten of us together; Kyorai, Otokuni, Jyoso, Shiko, Izen Masahide, Bokusetsu, Donshu, Jutei's son called Jirobei, and myself. Under drops of night dew, similar to those that came down from the rush roof of our boat, our master must have slept many times with cold sleeves. We did not know how many, we said to ourselves, and talked in small voices about the miraculous connection we had with him. We all sat like priests in meditation and said prayers for him, remembering the precious words and gentle admonitions with which he had taught us over the years. Now that we had lost him, this great light in the art of haikai, we thought that we should remember his teachings as if they were his relics, and repeated old tales about him, yearning after him in our hearts.

+++++++++++++++

The haiku which I love to share here for your inspiration and to write (or try to write) a haiku in the same tone, sense and Spirit as Kikaku is the one which is to read in the above piece of literature.

Credits: Cranes

The Crane is in Japanese spirituality a symbol for a long life, so it's a very strong imagery for the eternal existence of Matsuo Basho. And I think with that image he is honored.

how I wish to call

a white crane from Fukei,

but for this cold rain

(c) Kikaku

I think this is one of the most beautiful haiku written by Kikaku, so it's a real challenge to write a haiku in the same sense, tone and Spirit. So good luck, be inspired and share your haiku with us here on Carpe Diem.

a white crane
visits the graveyard of the temple -
peach blossoms bloom

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Credits: Peach (means longevity)

What a wonderful haiku, I know it's a bit immodest, but this haiku feels good and the deeper thoughts in this one are so strong present. So I think this one is in tune with the haiku by Kikaku.

This prompt will stay on 'till August 17th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Sapphire, later on today around 7.00 PM (CET). Have fun, be inspired and share. !! Kikaku's third haiku is open for submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Challenge #10,

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Time flies when you have fun. So a new Tan Renga Challenge is at hand. The last Tan Renga Challenge was really a joy to read all your wonderful completions of the Tan Renga. For this week I have chosen a haiku written by Shirao (1735-1792), a not so wellknown haiku poet. R.H. Blyth comments on this haiku in his Haiku Vol. 3 (summer and partlaly autumn) the following:

[...] On either side of the road are ranged temples of various sects. Rain falls slowly through the dusk, dripping down from the long, leafy branches of the willow trees that stand in the courtyards and along the street. The leafy willow trees have some deep relation to the temples round them. Not only the rain and the gloom are in accord with them but the green leaves also. It is the rain that brings and refreshes the greenness. It is the grief and woe of life that makes us live. In the gloom of the temples there are lights here and there. [...]

Credits: Rokkakudo Temple Kyoto

OK ... this is the haiku written by Shirao:

passing under the leafy willows
of a street of temples
an evening of rain                                                     (Shirao)

???????????????
???????????????

What was the goal of this challenge? Copy and paste the first stanza (the haiku by Shirao) into your post and write your second stanza (7-7) to complete the Tan Renga.


My attempt:

first stanza (5-7-5):

passing under the leafy willows
of a street of temples
an evening of rain                                                 (Shirao)


second stanza (7-7):

monks rush to the temple hall
to honor Buddha with their mantra                       (Chèvrefeuille)


Well ... enjoy this new Tan Renga Challenge and share your Tan Renga with us all here on Carpe Diem. This Carpe Diem Tan Renga Challenge will stay on 'till August 21th 11.59 AM (CET).

Carpe Diem #272, Blessings Rain

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Another day in Carpe Diem's daily haiku meme paradise is on. Today another wonderful piece of music by Karunesh "Blessings Rain". It sounds great this title, but to me this piece of music was very unknown ... in the way of I have never listened to this one. So to me it's also a new experience.

xEgale has made this video. Lean back enjoy the video and become one with the music by Karunesh. This is a wonderfully composed piece of music and it was on the Buddha Bar CD, I don't know the date when it was published.

My haiku inspired by this music was the following:

dry desert world
black clouds at the horizon
finally rain?

finally rain?
the desert would be blessed -
No ... a sandstorm

Well ... not as strong as I would have like it to be, but I enjoyed writing these for you all. This prompt will stay on 'till August 16th 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new episode, a nice haiku by Kikaku, later on today around 7.00 PM (CET). I don't have chosen already a new haiku by Kikaku for the Special, so you all have to be patient ... sorry. !! Blessings Rain is open for submissions at 7.00 PM (CET) !!