Open The Sky - Reflective and creative work by Ajahn Kalyano
  • Home
  • Artwork
  • Poetry & prose
  • Contemplative photography
  • Video
  • Articles
  • Dhamma books
  • Talks
  • Library
  • Other languages
    • บทความภาษาไทย
    • Norsk
    • Italian (Link)

​Poetry & prose


Combining contemplative poetry with photographs or paintings to bring head and heart together to reflect on life and love

Basics

Poetry on the foundations of the spiritual journey.
​
Picture

The Big Picture

Picture

Unfolding Dharma

Picture

Aspirations

"so precious is life
yet most precious its natural passing
like the ripe fruit that drops
not life denying but death defying
as the spirit is flying"

A poem accompanied with watercolour and pencil art.

Open PDF
"and it will come to pass that all of us,
having been so screwed up,
now, having passed the test
will come to rest
calmly on the window of Dhamma."

A poem accompanied with art.

Open PDF
"following the star....
never mind the funky pop star
who is boring the next morning"

A short poem accompanied with drawings.

Open PDF
Picture

A Few Favourites

Picture

​The Planes of Existence

A handful of selected poems. Accompanied by artwork and photography.

Open PDF
A short comic on the nature of existence and its different planes.

Open PDF

Advanced

Poetry for the experienced practitioner.
​
Picture

Our True Name

The wise tribe and the truth
Picture

His Kingdom

A Buddhist fairy tale for grown ups

​Open
​

The Trilogy on the Three Refuges

Picture

Bringing Heaven Forever Down to Earth

On refuge in the Buddha

Part one of the trilogy on the three refuges.
​
Open - to find audio, video and pdf book
Picture

​A Meaning Eternal

On refuge in the Dhamma.


Part two of the trilogy on the three refuges.

​Open - to find audio and pdf book
Picture

The Plough of the Mortal God

On refuge in the Sangha

Part three of the trilogy on the three refuges.

​Open - to find audio, video and pdf book
Picture

The Writing is on the wall

marked in charcoal by the itinerant soul daubed in a dash in chalky white ash 
Open
Picture

Devoted to Luang Por

A collection of poetry written for Luang Por Sumedho throughout the years. Accompanied by artwork.

Open PDF
Picture

A Keyhole in the Sky

"Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder who you are...
Like a keyhole in the sky
To the key of wisdom's eye"

A collection of poetry with artwork

Open PDF (Google drive)
Picture

Salvation

"The angels loved the sky
They loved to fly
But the Lord sent the fish
To tease them, swish, swish"

A poem in three parts accompanied with art

Open PDF
Picture

Freedom

On the beauty and bliss of letting go of attachment to the body.

Open PDF
Picture

The light of the heart

"The heavenly harp
Greets the meat
Even as it is lifted off its feet
For heaven was not so far"
​
A collection of "text only" poems.

Open PDF
Picture

Another Dimension

"There is a light
That is not a light
Like day entering into the night"

A collection of poetry accompanied by photography.

Open PDF

​Renunciant works

Poetry celebrating the joys of monastic life.

The Renunciant Trilogy

Picture

The First Sermon

"The monk entered
Sure footed, centred
Senses composed
Yet never closed"

Part one of the trilogy

Open - to find audio and pdf book
Picture

Reflective Glory

"Dear friend,
If you love life and fear death, listen to me now. Try to suspend your doubt. The bones of the Arahants turned to crystals after their death. They are showing us that they have found the deathless"

Part two of the trilogy

Open PDF (Google drive)
Picture

In the Face of Death

"Poor Roddy was dying,
forlorn and sluggish
Amongst the rubbish
Full of questions
he was desperate to know
How to let go"

Part three of the trilogy

Open PDF

Other renunciant works

Picture

Defence Mechanisms

"Then one day it seemed as though a light had switched on inside (and things curiously began to glide)"

A poem accompanied with photography and artwork.

Open PDF
Picture

Love's own executioner

"Eats the eater
What a terrible creature"

A short artistic poem

Open PDF
Picture

The Loo

"It can take you to Nibbana"

Open PDF

Sweet little stories

Art and poetry together in playful expressions of Dhamma, challenging common perceptions on the world.

Early works

Early poetry by Ajahn Kalyāno from before his ordination as a Buddhist monk.
​
Picture

Caring

"Sometimes when I hurry
I still feel that tightness begin to sing
In the throat of worry"

Collected early poetry.
Accompanied with drawings.

Open PDF
Picture

Playmates

"Drawn by doves
With patience"

A small collection of early poetry.
Accompanied with drawings.

Open PDF
Picture

The First Eye

"Why does simple stillness,
The sunset of the reclining eye,
Come only after such a long hard climb in the sky.
For it asks for no reasons why.
Perhaps it just takes time
For time itself to fly"

A collection of early poetry. Accompanied with art.

Open PDF

Photo poetry

This section contains spontaneous poems written as reflections on photographs.
​
Picture

Meditation in the Barn

"built from heart wood
before the war
​to shelter and store"
Open PDF (Google drive)
Picture

The Day the Frost Offered Flowers

"For touching the earth
the spirit finds
​its true worth"
Open PDF
Picture

Standing Still

"Simply coming and going..."
Open PDF (Google drive)
Picture

Merging in the Deathless

"cool blue drops
and waves to the sky
calling purity
​from on high"
Open PDF (Google drive)
Picture

The humble heart-house

"There are wise windows in the door..."
Open PDF
Picture

Time will tell

"Time will tell

​​can we listen?"
Open PDF
Picture

Snapshot Dhamma

"Welcome
To the wonderful world
Of the completely ordinary
Where everything is falling apart
Except the heart"

A photographic poetry collection in nine parts.

View Volume: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9
Picture

Sunrise over the Sea

"crimson waters
reflect
what shores await?"

​Open PDF

Picture

Beyond the Inspiration

"​finds the inner path
beneath the feet
​just like everybody else"

Open PDF (Google drive)
Picture

Prismatic photo poetry

"​He embraced the entire space
And the robot offices
Lost the pointless race."

A collection of eight pieces.

Open PDF
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Artwork
  • Poetry & prose
  • Contemplative photography
  • Video
  • Articles
  • Dhamma books
  • Talks
  • Library
  • Other languages
    • บทความภาษาไทย
    • Norsk
    • Italian (Link)