Cultivating the Heart
The path from sleep to enlightenment is often symbolized as crossing a river, going from the shore of sleep to the other shore of Presence. To cross the illusionary waters of the world, one needs a boat. The boat symbolizes the emotional desire to strive for Divinity within; oarsmen represent effort and technique.
This is traveling on the highest path. It is a path that leads to that other shore—the Way to the Beyond.
[Buddha]
By the 'oarsmen' of the spiritual ship, we understand divine thoughts.
[Philokalia, Ilias the Presbyter]
You sit in the ship of God and you harpoon the hippopotamus in the Winding Waterway, every god being your harpooner.
[Egyptian Coffin Texts]
Like a crew of angels
on a shattered bark at sea.
In front the mast is lost,
in back the rudder, too.
Drifting about as the wind blows,
tossed high and low with swelling waves.
How will you ever reach the shore?
More effort, don’t just sit there like a stiff.
[Han Shan]
