Ordinary Mind Zen School Mountains and Rivers and the Death of a friend
Mar 18, 2026
A reflective recounting of learning about a friend's death and the calm acceptance that followed. A camping trip in a rainforest brings rich sensory detail of river, light, and birds. The Taoist mountains-and-rivers practice and digital disconnection deepen presence. Interconnectedness and life’s transience are explored through nature’s rhythms.
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Friend's Quiet Acceptance Of Dying
- Geoff Dawson describes attending the funeral of his friend Anne who accepted her terminal cancer without drama or bravado.
- Anne's warm, joyful presence and quiet acceptance illustrated living fully and dying naturally within a loving Irish community.
Immersion In Barrington Rainforest
- Geoff Dawson recounts camping in Barrington National Park beside the Gloucester River with no mobile or internet coverage.
- Being in a semi-rainforest with tall trees, ferns and an ancient river forced him to fully attend to birds, light and the stream for days.
Nature As Direct Practice Of Interconnectedness
- Geoff links Taoist mountains-and-rivers practice to Zen: being in nature is a form of experiential practice that reveals interconnectedness and impermanence.
- He explains the river's endless flow and the forest's interdependence embody Thich Nhat Hanh's two marks of existence.