The Seemy Side of Life.

It seems obvious. In our black and white divinations, things are judged as being either beneficial or detrimental. But we've all had experiences when we've done something wrong or experienced something that didn't go as per our wishes, which was later revealed as being the first step along a fortuitous course of events.

I recall hearing a parable a number of years ago – I believe it was credited to ancient china: A farmers horse runs away. His neighbors console him for his misfortune. “It does appear to be a bad turn of luck ... We'll see.” A couple weeks later, his mare returned with a fine stallion in tow. His neighbors were elated and showered him with good cheer in a display of unity. “It certainly seems like a blessing. Time will tell.” The next day when the farmers son was trying to break in the horse, he was thrown and broke his ankle instead. The neighbors pitched in, bringing food and helping with chores as a way of showing their support in this time of dire crisis. “It is unfortunate and debilitation, indeed, but one never knows what the future will hold.” The next week, when the army came through the village looking to “recruit” some more fodder for their campaign, being unable to walk, his son was spared the atrocities and horrors of war.

We can try to assimilate an imaginary world of interpretation and conjecture. But life is simply what it is. It's much easier and more truthful to just take it as it comes, remaining ever on the verge of discovery. Trying to invent and protect a fantasy is a fanciful and fruitless affair. The breeze is blowing, the leaves limbo low, worms tunnel over the molten magma and flecks flare across the sky in the culmination of their billion year trek across the cosmos. Far too many dominoes for anyone to see the whats and hows, to foresee the wheres and whens or to comprehend who and why.

Grant life its rightful mystery. Let it be what it wants to be – it will anyway.

Sorry, you can't get here from there.

All of this outpouring of words, spilling down the page, is evidence of my efforts to promote others experiencing a world beyond words. It's not theory or philosophical conjecture. It's not a search for meaning or pointing toward any imaginary ultimate truth. It's an attempt to lure people out of their familiar and comfortable ways of thinking and seeing.

You can't learn what I strive to teach through my words, alone. Hopefully, once one's made the commitment to de-prioritizing self centered concerns and continually inviting an ever expanding view point, my attempts to express my experiences will serve as confirmations.

We are often mistaken and easily deceived. If we're honest with ourselves, we simply can't trust what we know or see to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Especially, when the experiences are solitary, personal ones. So we owe it to each other to try to describe our ethereal and intangible encounters, that we might help each other to keep our bearings.

It's not possible to think your way into quietude. You can't surrender through force of effort. A full vessel cannot receive.

Sorry, you can't get here from there. Close your eyes, make a wish and jump.

To be and not to be – that is the answer.

We have two primary and distinctive aspects of our being.

One feels like and is most commonly identified with as our selves. This is our ego. Our thoughts and emotions, our wants and worries, our likes and dislikes, our perceived strengths and weaknesses – in short, everything that constitutes our images and ideas of who and what we are, personally and in relation to the rest of our world.

The other is an awareness which may feel like and be imagined as other than ourselves. In fact, it is other than our selves, when one adheres to the ego definition of self. Terms like “the mind of God”, “universal consciousness”, “shared awareness” and the like have been applied to this aspect of our being. However it's labeled or interpreted, it's ever present for, and with, each of us. And it's far more consistent and enduring than any notions about who and/or what we are.

Most people get trapped in their egos, so my teaching is primarily steering others in the opposite direction. This may leave the impression that the ego is an obstacle or burden that should be eliminated. This is not the case. If I were to see people using only their right hands, I would encourage them to use their left hands. And habit being as it is, I would have to say it over and over, ad nauseum. Obviously, I wouldn't be asking them to remove their right hands; but simply to find a balance, to use and value both sides with equal importance.

With all of one's eggs in the ego's basket, action and attitudes are primarily geared toward short term self interest; and therefore, are generally not in the best interest of the whole. If they were all in the non-personal awareness' basket, patience and acceptance would prosper to the point that little action would happen and creativity would be greatly curtailed.

In finding a balance between our personal ambitions and timeless, non-personalized observation, we become optimally productive and effective – for our selves, in the bigger picture and over the long haul.

To be and not to be – that is the answer.

“A clean work space is a safe and efficient work space.”

We all have a giant chalk boards in our minds. (Some gianter than others, no doubt.) We write down notes about everything we do, experience and believe. We write and write, learning to use different colors to add discernible layers once the board's been whitewashed with worries, wants and wonderings. It becomes a cacophonous collage that's difficult to decipher.

Tis better to clear the board on a regular basis. With the board cleaned, priorities, proverbs and preferences remain clear, and can be properly positioned to highlight the broadest possible overview and to illuminate the most important details, for our nomadic attention.

It's far more important than it may seem. The state of your chalkboard greatly affects your functioning in, and the way you interpret, your world - all day, every day. No aspect of your life is immune to its influence.

Sorry, they haven't come up with an effective board cleaning machine, yet. (Although many have tried.) You'll have to roll up your sleeves, on a regular basis, and do the maintenance, yourself. Meditation, or whatever technique or combination of practices does the trick for you, make the time and do the work.

Shhh, hhhh, shhh, hhhh, shhh, hhhh, shhh, hhhh, ...

Dance with the rhythm.

On This Love Your Mother Day

The earth does not belong to us - we belong to it.
- Chief Seattle

You never miss the water 'til the well runs dry. (He types, hearing the melodic Mills Brothers in his head.) Likewise, breathable air, living soil, abundant and diverse lifeforms, safe water and a protective atmosphere are all commonly taken for granted.

This is such an amazing and wonderful planet, on which we live. It's such a rare and precious gift. Let's not wait until it's not, before realizing this. After tens of thousands of years, as a species, we are in the unique position to be the ones who ruin it all, if we don't mend our ways, now.

Not the legacy I wish to leave. How 'bout you? Please, practice and teach sustainable living whenever, wherever and however possible, for the sake of all species, our future generations and the planet as a living breathing organism.


We don't own the earth – we owe it.

The Language of Silence

The conceptual mind knows only the language of reason and logic. It immediately disregards any understanding that presents in another form, as irrelevant, invalid or unreal.

I only speak English. I could assume that someone speaking another language was spouting nonsensical gobbledygook, and casually discount their messages, off hand. That, of course, would be foolish, incredibly egocentric and woefully wasteful.

There are valuable inner languages of vision and metaphor, mist and riddle, hint and silence. Do not let the thinker brush them away.

Happy days are here … and now.

Happy days are here and now
The skies above are clear, and how
Let's sing a song of cheer right now
Happy days are ...

Memorable moments in our lives are made so, because we're engrossed in the occasion, while it's happening. The question is - Are we engrossed in the moment because the events are so special, or are they made more special because we're so engrossed in them? The answer is – Both.

We can't control when or whether life will enamor us, but we can choose to be extra attentive, anytime. And in so doing, we enhance our experience and our enjoyment of any and every situation. The mundane becomes marvelous and the pleasant made sublime. True, you may find yourself brought to tears by something that you wouldn't even have noticed before, but that's a result of compassion and empathy that simply can't flourish when the light of creation is blotted out by the canopy of self interest.

Fanciful notions and images can be alluring, but they happen outside of time, independent of our spinning world, and exist only for the individual. Stepping into the stream of the present moment is the only way to be fully involved in the world, and is the only way to experience it in all its glory.

Stop everything, close your eyes, inhale deeply. Pause and let go of any mental/emotional clinging as you exhale, slowly. Open your eyes and greet the world, anew.

Repeat as needed.

The Tao is Now

"Truth cannot be conveyed in words.
Words disguise the subtle essence.

We give names to truth,
but these names are unreliable
as a finger pointing at the moon.

As soon as the moon rises,
the finger points to empty skies.

Let's face it.
Truth is naked, unadorned.
It has no name. It has no form.

Nameless and formless,
the subtle essence gives birth
to all the forms that walk the earth.

Words and concepts come later,
giving rise to all kinds of theories,
explanations and beliefs.

Complexities abound.
Misunderstandings proliferate.

The more words people use,
the harder it is to understand them.

Truth is not to be found in thinking
or conversing.

It is not found in preferences
or opinions.

If you want to find the subtle essence,
get quiet and accept what is.

Wise beings do not engage
in selective seeing.

They see what is in front of them,
whether it pleases them or not.

To see what is, is to rest in the Tao.
Tao is neither for nor against.

It has no expectations.
It makes no judgments.

It is transparent like a window.
It lets in both sunlight and shadow."


The Great Way of All Beings ~
renderings of Lao Tzu ~
Translation by Paul Ferrini

Warrior of Light

Every Warrior of the Light has
felt afraid of going into battle.
Every Warrior of the Light has,
at some time in the past, lied or betrayed someone.
Every Warrior of the Light has
trodden a path that was not his.
Every Warrior of the Light has
suffered for the most trivial of reasons.
Every Warrior of the Light has, at least once,
believed he was not a Warrior of the Light.
Every Warrior of the Light has
failed in his spiritual duties.
Every Warrior of the Light has
said 'yes' when he wanted to say 'no.'
Every Warrior of the Light has
hurt someone he loved.

That is why he is a Warrior of the Light,
because he has been through all this
and yet has never lost hope of
being better than he is."

- Paul Coelho

Foolish Optimism

A man told me that he was going to know,
for certain.

I laughed at his foolish optimism
as I headed off to scoop up
the ocean, with my bucket.

Painting Reflections

When I learned to harvest the sun and draw it's brilliance into my home, I discovered that, in the window through which I view the outside world, I could see a reflection gazing back at me. The quieter I would dim the sun outside, the brighter it became inside and the clearer and more defined the image became.

It wasn't long before I discovered that I could paint on the glass with my words, and I cleverly proceeded to paint in the stencil of the reflection I saw, so that the image appeared more defined, constant and substantial. Granted, it didn't dance on the glass like the vague shadow did and it obscured my view of the outside, somewhat. But I found it considerably less disorienting once I used my words to paint in the outer vista as well. Then, it too, appeared stable and reliable, from any angle and in any light.

I was happy for a spell. The consistency of the picture felt reassuring, even pacifying, but somehow, I began to sense that something was missing. As easy and comfortable as it was to relate to the stable, two dimensional, polychromatic vision I'd created, that flat, unmoving picture was lifeless and, ultimately, uninspiring.

Misty memories still lingered. A world that moved, had weather and seasons, and offered sights inspiring wonder and surprise, daily, hourly, continually. The soft reflection that used to smile and dance with me, in expressions of spontaneous exuberance. And the window so clean and clear that it even let the breeze through.

Perhaps there was a flaw in my scheme. Maybe the uncertainty and inconsistency of a living world is better than the stability and predictability that accompanied my painted representations.

New habits, by then old and ingrained, I tried to use my words to paint the window clean. The images changed, became more defined in areas, perhaps more accurate. But the more words I applied the thicker and heavier the coating became.

My desire to see the way I used to was powerful. So I took some of my strongest words and ideas, shaped them into a chisel and tried to use it to scrape the pane clean. Who knew that mere words could set into such a hard, permanent and impenetrable barrier? The chisel chipped, sending only some small flakes flying, revealing still more layers of beliefs lying beneath, left over from fantasies past.

I tried different words and languages. I empowered my messages with different emotions and intentions, as I attempted to create the perfect solvent. As much and as long as I tried, I couldn't manage to cleanse the glass. After much effort, feeling completely powerless in this struggle, I sat down, exasperated and exhausted.

In my fatigue, there remained a remnant of my desire to see clearly once again, but no impetus to act. I just sat down and fell into silent surrender. My gaze, softly aimed in the general direction of the once window, soon detected a glimmer of outside coming through a tiny hole. I immediately focused my attention there trying to figure out what was happening, why it was happening and if it was really happening. As soon as I did so, new words added to old worries, they dripped over the shiny spec and, in an instant, it was gone.

So I sat again and stared at the window, willing an opening in my masterpiece, through which honest light could shine. All I accomplished was to give myself a headache. Tired and frustrated, I let go of my efforts and let my vision engulf the entirety of my surroundings. And wouldn't you know it, as soon as I did so, my artified verbiage began to thin and sag, hinting at it's true nature of insubstantiality.

In time, I learned that the most potent solvent is quiet surrender, and as I practiced the window became cleaner and clearer and, yes, I even began to feel fresh air flowing through the membrane, once again. I still clumsily spill words all over it from time to time, but can now feel my misstep as it's happening, and I know, full well, the value of clear vision and how to tidy up my messes, when need be. My world moves again. It sighs and cries, doles out extreme insights, and giggles like a baby. And I've rekindled my friendship with the malleable mystery man who's always ready to share a friendly smile with me.

I love my clean window and I accept that it's not always so. Brush teeth, wash dishes, clear the window. It's a duty and a desire – a part of fulfilling the obligations that I assumed in gratitude for this gift of being.

My experiences have inspired and empowered me to help others to see the illusions obscuring their own vision, and to provide them with the means to clear the field for themselves. It may not sound like much, to the uninitiated, and it often feels like I'm speaking to the air. But I can think of no more meaningful contribution to make with this life of mine – for the individuals I can reach and for the people and planet that they're shaping.

Surrender. Let the words fall away. Let the light in. Let the world begin, again.

To Practice is to Serve

Pretty much everyone comes to yoga and/or meditation for specific personal benefit. We're attracted by the promises of health and happiness, it's doctor recommended, we see the shapely bodies and composed personae of dedicated practitioners, our forerunners have reported being made better by it, and it seems only natural, as this is pretty much how we're always motivated into action. What's the point in doing anything, if we don't get something out of it, right? But this attitude becomes an obstacle when applied to yoga/meditation.

As many people know, yoga translates as “union” - commonly taken as the union of mind, body and spirit. Making the body and mind preform as the mind's ego desires does not a union make. We can't think our way out of thought. And we can't force our body to do things it doesn't want to do, with any more success than we can demand obedience from a stubborn uncooperative animal.

It is, of course, possible to treat yoga asana as a fashionable form of exercise, and reap positive side effects from it. But this is not the intention which summoned yoga into being. Yoga was created by spiritual devotes. There's a world wide knowledge that the thinking/feeling/imagining mind, is not our true nature – no matter how much as it may seem like it from within the cacophony of those mental processes. Assuming that this self concept is the reality, most act as though their thoughts and desires compose their entire being; and consequently, their young are brought up, brainwashed with this notion.

When people are conditioned to this belief, by necessity, they must motivate and act from that place, until they learn better. And it's obvious that yoga is no exception. But that's just the initial entry.

Unfortunately, yoga's popularity has spawned hundreds of thousands of teachers, many of who's teachers are unaware of the bigger picture. Money motivated marketing targets the ego's desires and sensibilities. Schools grow up to serve different segments of societies, building up from a particular musical style, medical condition, combination of exercise forms, … Yoga is destined to evolve, just like everything else, but the original selfless ambitions have been largely diluted and/or forgotten. Even where it hasn't been completely discounted, it often gets little more than a splash of lip service, and is frequently addressed in such a way as to support the notion that spiritual work is done for the benefit of the individual or to serve the ego's priorities.

To get respect for knowledge in the arena of the workings of the human mind many people get degrees in psychology or philosophy. Education is great, but if it's all built upon false beliefs and extravagant theories, and then used as the language to teach through, it's obvious that problems will arise when discussing intangibles.

It's hard to get people to see outside of their preconceptions; but even more so, when our “spiritual teachers” are little more than exercise instructors with a few sweet sounding quotes or poems to share, or scholars with tomes of hand me down rational to dispense.

One can always get glimpses and grand insights, wherever they are and whatever they're doing, because knowledge is always floating in the air, eager to be inhaled. However, seeking spiritual growth from a psychologist or an aerobics instructor is like trying to eat broth with a fork. It kind of works. There's a hint of flavor and eventually, with enough tine fulls, you can get a smidgeon of nutrition. But substantial evolution requires a relatively major shift in perspective and understanding.

The same as a child needs to leave the sandbox in order to learn how to drive a car, we need to let go of what we think we know in order to clear the space for new knowledge to take root. It seems to be so uncomfortable for people to admit that they really haven't got a clue, both to others and to themselves, but it's so freeing and it creates a perfect environment for discovery and growth. But people spend their lives sensing that there's something more to all of it, yet act like a dog wanting to pick up a big juicy bone, while being unable to do so because it refuses to drop the old gnarled one in it's mouth.

To be a blank slate, a freshly tilled field, an empty vessel - this is the key to spiritual growth. All the words in the world can't compete with the potential of open awareness. So if we desire to become more than our conceived selves we need to invite and nurture a sense of selfless presence while we practice meditation and/or yoga. This way, practice time becomes an opportunity for us to be of service to a greater, nameless, faceless force - for it's through this surrendering and opening that we're able receive our most meaningful rewards.

Learning by Listening.

Praying is speaking to Mother Universe.
Meditating is listening for what She has to say.

One Big Stew

The root of all religious communities
is a shared calling for an intimate
personal experience of oneness
with the indefinable self and
the unknowable universe