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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

Reports of powerful solar flares started a seven-hour quest north to capture modern monuments against an aurora-filled sky. The peaks of iconic Arctic Henge in Raufarhöfn in northern Iceland were already aligned with the stars: some are lined up toward the exact north from one side and toward exact south from the other. The featured image, taken after sunset late last month, looks directly south, but since the composite image covers so much of the sky, the north star Polaris is actually visible at the very top of the frame. Also visible are familiar constellations including the Great Bear (Ursa Major) on the left, and the Hunter (Orion) on the lower right. The quest was successful. The sky lit up dramatically with bright and memorable auroras that shimmered with amazing colors including red, pink, yellow, and green -- sometimes several at once.

Photo by Cari Letelier

Thich Nhat Hanh (1921 - 2022) was a Vietnamese Zen Master, teacher, author, poet and peace activist. He was an influential figure in the development of mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism. He wrote many books on mindfulness and meditation, including "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching" and "Peace is Every Step." He was also the founder of the Plum Village Community, a mindfulness practice center in France. Thich Nhat Hanh is known for his teachings on mindfulness, compassion, and peace and was a strong advocate for nonviolence and social change. He was exiled from South Vietnam in 1966 after expressing opposition to the war and refusing to take sides. After a 39-year exile, Nhất Hạnh was permitted to visit Vietnam in 2005. In 2018, he returned to Vietnam to his "root temple", Từ Hiếu Temple, near Huế  where he lived until his death in 2022, at the age of 95.

Quote Source: Understanding Our Mind: 50 Verses on Buddhist Psychology - Thich Nhat Hanh

I haven't written,
for you in a while.
When I do write,
I hope you will smile.

Just a little smile,
when my words say.
In the meantime,
please have a great day.

From darkest night,
at last, it came,
a Spring breeze,
with warming rain.

Will you stay with me,
when I sigh,
awaiting the day,
I say goodbye?

Throughout the day,
into the night,
we risk our lives,
without a fight.

She wore a yellow scarf,
not a bandana, as they say.
Listening to her voice,
you won't leave, you'll stay.

When looking into her eyes,
I am struck, with a blank stare.
Understanding now,
she is no longer aware

NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day:

How far out will humanity explore? If this video's fusion of real space imagery and fictional space visualizations is on the right track, then at least the Solar System. Some of the video's wondrous sequences depict future humans drifting through the rings of Saturn, exploring Jupiter from a nearby spacecraft, and jumping off a high cliff in the low gravity of a moon of Uranus. Although no one can know the future, wandering and exploring beyond boundaries -- both physical and intellectual -- is part of the human spirit and has frequently served humanity well in the past.

I cringe when I hear the word,
absurd.
Absurdity,
will be the death of me.

Should words collide,
when we try to write
and words mean nothing,
if they're not right?

If you spell,
words this way,
remembering letter silence,
especially the letter "J".

I hope to see you,
on the morrow,
sparing you,
my pitiful sorrow.

I miss you,
in the morning,
when you are away,
and pray to see you,
again, when you smile.

Where are you, my friend?
Did you run away,
to where it began?
If you return, please stay.

When you choose
to live life, this way,
remember it is a choice,
you make every day.

Sitting here, for meditation,
with a few others and me.
I have been called a loner,
reviewing my thoughts of thee.