“If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day.” – Leonard Cohen
- Insights Into Practices: Quotes From Leonard Cohen
- Films About Leonard Cohen
- What I’m Watching
- A Poem by Hafez, “I have a thousand brilliant lies…”
- Half Day Sitting, Oct. 13
- Weekend Retreat, Nov. 1 – 3
There is so much to appreciate about the wisdom in Leonard Cohen’s music, poetry, and writing. His career was launched in 1967 when his poem Suzanne was recorded by Judy Collins. He performed live in world tours when he was in his 70s, and his 14th album was released by his son shortly after his death in 2016. He died the day before Trump was elected. The following day Hallelujah was tearfully performed on Saturday Night Live by Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton:
“I did my best, it wasn’t much
I couldn’t feel, so I tried to touch
I’ve told the truth, I didn’t come to fool you
And even though it all went wrong
I’ll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah”
I’ve always enjoyed and learned from quotes, and consider myself to be a professional quote collector; ever since I founded and ran Brush Dance, a greeting card and calendar company (for 15 years.)
Here are a few Leonard Cohen quotes with a bit of my commentary; ways to take his insights into practices.
“If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day.”
Practice: This reminds me of the Zen koan, when you are hot, be hot, when cold be cold. Notice your resistance to what is (especially things that you deem as unwelcome) and let it go, as much as possible. Step into your life fully, and “become the ocean.”
“I found that things became a lot easier when I no longer expected to win. You abandon your masterpiece and sink into the real masterpiece.”
Practice: Notice how often you measure yourself by winning and losing or by success or failure. I love his suggestion of letting go of expecting to win, letting go of an image or idea, and instead allowing your real creativity.
“The older I get, the surer I am that I’m not running the show.”
Practice: An important and powerful question, that is worth asking regularly: Who is running the show? A useful question, especially as we get older (and we are always getting older.)
“Everybody knows that the boat is leaking. Everybody knows the captain lied. Everybody got this broken feeling, like their father or their dog just died. Everybody talking to their pockets. Everybody wants a box of chocolates and a long-stem rose. Everybody knows.”
Practice: Sometimes it’s good to doubt, to be skeptical, and look directly at the shadow side of things.
′′Meditation is not what you think. You sit in absolute silence and your mind starts going over all your movies. During that process, you become so familiar with the scripts of these movies that you keep in your life, that you end up getting sick of them. Then you realize that the person you think you are is nothing but a complicated script you spend most of your energy on. … You are not actually all of your scripts. If you feel terrified enough about that personality, you spontaneously allow it to fade away. And then, if you’re fortunate, you can experience yourself genuinely, without the distortion of that fictional personality.”
Practice: This is an excellent description of meditation practice. Let yourself become sick of yourself. Let your usual stories fade away.
“I don’t consider myself a pessimist. I think of a pessimist as someone who is waiting for it to rain. And I feel soaked to the skin.”
Practice: Let yourself feel the pains and suffering of your life and the world. Once “soaked to the skin” there is less to be afraid of, and more to appreciate.
“Do not be afraid to be weak. Do not be ashamed to be tired. You look good when you’re tired. You look like you could go on forever. Now come into my arms. You are the image of my beauty.”
Practice: It’s ok, and at times valuable, and important to be tired and to fall apart. We don’t need to always be keeping it together.
Films About Leonard Cohen
“Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song” (2021) – This documentary focuses on the creation and impact of Cohen’s iconic song “Hallelujah.”
“Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man” (2005) – A documentary that centers around a tribute concert held in Sydney, where various artists performed Cohen’s songs.
“Bird on a Wire” (1974; Re-released 2010) – This documentary follows Leonard Cohen during his 1972 European tour.
“Leonard and Marianne: Words of Love” (2019) – This documentary explores the relationship between Leonard Cohen and Marianne, his muse for songs like “So Long, Marianne.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen… Mr. Leonard Cohen” (1965) – An early glimpse into Leonard Cohen’s life as a poet and novelist before he became a famous singer-songwriter.
What I’m Watching
All American – Based on a true story, a drama series that follows a rising high school football star from South Crenshaw, Los Angeles. When he’s recruited to play for Beverly Hills High, he navigates two very different worlds—his rough hometown and the affluent Beverly Hills—struggling to balance football, friendships, and family.
A Poem
I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
How are you?
I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
What is God?
If you think that the Truth can be known
From words,
If you think that the Sun and the Ocean
Can pass through that tiny opening Called the mouth,
O someone should start laughing!
Someone should start wildly Laughing –Now!
From “I Heard God Laughing: Renderings of Hafiz” translated by Daniel Ladinsky
Half Day Sitting, In-Person and Online – Sunday October 13th
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in Mill Valley.
I really like half day retreats, where there is time for some extended meditation periods, some walking, and time to process with a small community. Then, time to enjoy a Sunday afternoon.
Weekend Retreat In-person, Green Gulch Farm
November 1 – 3
Come spend the weekend at Green Gulch Farm, located on the coast, just north of San Francisco. Wake up hearing the sound of the ocean, enjoy the simple but amazing vegetarian food, and explore the garden, farm, and coastal trails.
In our world of busyness, of more, faster, better, this retreat offers time to stop, reflect, and renew – a time to step fully into the richness of your life. Together we’ll follow a gentle schedule of sitting and walking meditation, interspersed with talks and discussions from the wisdom of Zen teaching as we explore how these stories and dialogues may be utilized in our relationships, our work, and our lives
This retreat is open to all people interested in stopping, exploring, and bringing more awareness and mindfulness to daily life.
Warmest wishes,
Marc