Cloud Shadows

Thoughts are cloud-like in that they cannot be grasped and held in place. But, like clouds, they can cast a shadow on the landscape of the mind. I am gazing out the window of an airliner and can see the dark patches cast upon the ground by fluffy masses of water vapor above. Those shadows mirror the dark corners of my mind—unresolved patterns that seem to appear whenever clouds of thought preoccupy my awareness. It is a cosmic joke that we humans not only reify the clouds of thought but also the shadows. More precisely, when we make our thoughts seem solid, they always cast a shadow.

A paradox arises in that silhouettes on the land are only visible because of the sun high above the overcast sky. In the same way, shadows in the mind are actually made possible by the sun of our pure awareness. If we become preoccupied with cloud shadows, we live an illusory existence. We are blind to the radiance of our wisdom mind that allows us to experience the ineffable beauty of life.

So, it is best to notice the thought as a cloud before getting distracted by the shadow. With practice, we can observe thought energy arise and immediately morph into any number of infinite possibilities before evaporating in the light of awareness. This is as natural as breathing, arising and liberating in every moment. 

Now, notice the light behind your eyes. See that this light allows you to read and make sense of this mass of syllables on the page. These words do not, can not, appear without the luminous mind. Let the words be—and remember the radiance. Always remember the luminosity, always remember who you are—a momentary apparition illuminated by the radiance of rigpa, pure and total presence.