Haiku & the Contemplative Life

Many live this life without having a clue

No reason why they are so sad and blue

Places to go, so much things to do

Not a moment to reflect on the cycle of life.

~Buju Banton

Buju describes many of our lives. We're constantly chasing survival, pleasure, security, and approval – the primal drives on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Yet, these instincts, while necessary, can trap us in a state of anxiety and endless pursuit.

But what if we could —if only for a moment--pause from our breathless rush to "reflect on the cycle of life"?

Enter the humble haiku - three lines that pause time and gently shift our programming into a state that could be considered a form of meditation.

Joseph Campbell once described meditation as "the act of sitting down and turning your mind to a higher plane of appreciation." Campbell's words capture the essence of contemplation, inviting us to step beyond our survival-driven routines.

But do we need to sit cross-legged for hours, staring at a flame, to meditate? Campbell's practice suggests otherwise. When asked by Allan Watts about his meditative routine, Campbell replied, "I underline sentences." This approach to mindfulness isn't unique to Campbell. Walt Whitman offers a similar invitation to contemplation: "I loafe and invite my soul." Haiku creates a pause between breaths, a moment of stillness in our hectic lives.

In this way, haiku is an antidote to our survival mentality, gently redirecting our focus from existence to mindful observation. Its brevity creates a space for capturing moments of beauty, allowing us to step back from our immediate concerns and see the world with fresh eyes.

Consider how haiku shifts our consciousness from survival to an appreciation of nature’s resilience:

Amidst winter's grasp,

a lone plum blossom blooms—

hope's silent defiance.

Basho's haiku, set against winter's desolation, illustrates a plum blossom's defiance of harsh conditions. It gives us a way to find beauty and meaning even in challenging circumstances, nudging our perspective from endurance to appreciation.

Similarly, Yosa Buson's haiku represents a liberation from fear—another survival instinct—to embracing the present moment:

Winter solitude—

in a world of one color

the sound of the wind.

Buson's haiku evokes tranquil solitude amidst winter's stark beauty, finding solace in natural rhythms. It demonstrates how focusing on the present moment can free us from anxiety about the future, a common feature of survival-mode thinking.

As we engage with these haiku, we cultivate a mindset attuned to anticipating the next moment of beauty, shifting our focus from survival instincts to a state of wonder and receptivity. This contemplative stance, inherent in writing and reading haiku, allows us to perceive the world anew, discovering meaning and connection in ordinary moments.

Such a perspective aligns closely with the teachings of modern-day contemplative Father Richard Rohr. His description of contemplation as a practice that "awaits the moments, creates the moments, where all can become a silent prayer" could easily be applied to the practice of haiku.

Cultivating this haiku-inspired contemplative awareness enables us to inhabit what Basho calls "the Haiku life" and Rohr terms "the One Flow"—a state where actions and moments of stillness merge into a cohesive life experience. This integrated approach reveals "the beauty of Spirit in our ordinary, everyday lives," allowing us to transcend the constant urgency of survival mode.

This shift from survival mode to contemplation doesn't negate our basic needs and desires. Rather, it places them in a broader context, allowing us to address them from a place of centeredness and clarity. Through haiku, we move from constant wanting to grateful appreciation, from fear to acceptance, competition to connection.

In doing so, we step off the treadmill of constant striving and find ourselves, finally, with a moment to do as Buju asks us to “reflect on the cycle of life."

Notes

Banton, Buju. "Over Hills and Valleys." 'Til Shiloh, VP Records, 1997.

Campbell, Joseph. The Power of Myth. Edited by Betty Sue Flowers, Anchor Books, 1991.

Issa, Kobayashi. "Even with insects—." The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa, edited by Robert Hass, Ecco Press, 1994, p. 159.

Maslow, Abraham H. Motivation and Personality. Harper & Row, 1954.

Rohr, Richard. Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer. Crossroad Publishing Company, 2003.

Whitman, Walt. "Song of Myself." Leaves of Grass, 1855.

Yosa, Buson. "Winter solitude—." The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa, edited by Robert Hass, Ecco Press, 1994.