The Dance of Light and Shadow (Sandokai)

 Photo by kazuend on Unsplash

The Dance of Light and Shadow

(A Modern Rendering of The Sandokai)

The way is vast, beyond right and wrong,

Not distant, yet not held too close.

Step too far, and you miss it—

Grasp too tightly, and it fades like mist.

Sunlight and moonlight share the sky,

Yet each casts its own reflection.

The river runs through the valley,

But does not own the mountain, yet it cuts through.

The wise ones of old spoke of harmony—

Not a union, not a split,

But a rhythm where all things move as one

While keeping their own form.

If you cling to light, you fear the dark.

If you flee the dark, you never see the dawn.

But walk between, eyes open,

And you will find the heart of stillness.

Each sound, each thought, each falling leaf—

None stands alone, none is lost.

The bird’s cry, the temple bell,

Both ring true in their own voice.

So do not fear the changing tide,

Nor the rise and fall of time.

Meet the world with an open hand,

And the way will greet you in return.

Edited by Chatgpt