a brief note... - 12/13/06
In the recent past, I was revisited by my long-lost Muse. After I got over the initial shock, I quickly made preparations for our next project. Around that time, my Muse jumped up suddenly, said "Oops, forgot something, be right back," and promptly ran off. Again.
So for now, I'm doing some much needed house-keeping. When my Muse returns, the place should be bright and shiny and ready for her. If you have any thoughts or suggestions on Wandering-Muse- Syndrome, or anything else related to your Muse, feel free to post these thoughts on our forum.
Note: The replacement of its psy/emanation predecessor, this forum will house a Creative Writing section and Games section, as well as an area for General Discussion.
a brief note... - 4/2/03
Well, enough of the tired matters of state. I have arrived...! It's been a long journey, finding my way back "here." Mainly it was a detour of disassociation from the self. A lofty perspective means nothing, absolutely nothing, if you can't stand in your own two shoes and view the world through your own two eyes. So, enough about me. Now I'd like to thank some of the people I've met along the way:
Jeep-Boy - for his reflective genius of knowing exactly what to say so that I might understand what I've put aside as lost. also for always being there, tolerating my confusion, and constantly trying to introduce new sounds into a tired song.
Judith - the angel of the house, for showing me the meaning of positive thinking, the gift of the mundane in the swirling, chaotic mess of "higher thinking," and for having a place for me in her home and life. I'll never be able to repay the kindness.
Loi - for being you! some bunny loves you. ^^
Sensei J - for being the living example of discipline, focused concentration, and patience; for his quiet dignity and strength, his clear head, and his companionship.
Tommy - for his positive influence (by virtue of his eclectic taste in the arts), and for being a good brother.
Ghio - for his valuable lessons on the shadow aspect, for putting up with my bs, for the good times and the bad, and for his generosity despite strife.
Orion - for his support and friendship.
Messi - (who also taught the "shadow" class) for showing the pitfalls of intensity without dedication, for being one of the few who heard me when I had no voice, and for all the righteous beats.
Gil - for sharing the joys and occupational hazards of being God.
Mom - for all the love and hard work.
Dad - for being a spiritual example and for having such tremendous spirit.
Triston Gheovani Orion - for teaching me what love is, you are the apple of my eye.
There are others.
To anyone who's ever been a part of my life, thank you...!
Quote
"To be attached to one's own happiness is a barrier to the true and perfect path. To cherish others is the source of every admirable quality."
- Tsongkhapa, "The Splendor of an Autumn Moon"
a brief note... - 3/20/03
Letter
Hello. I am sure that I am not the only person greatly displeased about the bombing and declaration of war. I am writing this mainly because even though I sought to accept what would happen, I am finding it hard not to be angry and terribly sad.
My peers are exchanging pictures of missiles with coca cola bottle cap tips, spoof songs about killing Saddam, and edited photos of Bush wearing the ring of power (from lord of the rings). They do so perhaps in the attempt to laugh at a situation that, if taken seriously, might bring them to tears. Perhaps not. I can't join in on the laughter, because I cannot shake the anger I feel that our nation has somehow justified the death of many for something which seems, to me, to be a child's power struggle. I anticipate a few replies about national security, terrorism, etc... (Terrorism is NOT a defined evil that can be extinguished by a show of force). But today I feel that as a country we are one big bully. Without war we would not know peace? Perhaps (perhaps not!!!), but its a sorrowful time, when many young people offer their lives for an empty cause. Saddam is a monster, he tortures people to enforce his rule? What causes a "monster" like him, and do his atrocities make a whole country into evil people deserving of this? How much do our technological war-toys hurt our planet?
I hoped beyond anything that it would not come to this. But now that it has, I wonder if maybe I'm taking this ride too seriously. Maybe its me who has the problem, because I can't look at Bush's face without feeling bitterness. I can't see a patriotic bumper sticker without feeling a little resentment. I can't think of a gun without wishing to dismantle part of our civilization in the hopes we'll forget about such dangerous and final, cold and impersonal weapons. And I know there is no one to blame. There's part of me that feels this and part of me that watches like its a movie. Though this does not have anything directly to do with tantra, I bring it up because the dymanics involved are a part of the daily life of most, albeit on an exaggerated scale. And even if you are lucky enough to not experience any ego wars in your domestic or work life, this is something I feel will affect us all. Some trumpet sounder in my head sees this as the end.
There is anger and sometimes violence in my heart, but how did our world get like this...?!?!?!?! I hope I will awaken from this hellish nightmare soon. I imagine every tear that I cry is a liquid forgiveness bathing an eye that could be our world. But I am running out of tears.
- being-self-absorbed, wearing-an-angry-face, zen
Quote
"If we dare the darkness, we find the light. When human reasoning completely fails to entice answers, they come. We cannot force our-selves to think clearly, but we can become aware that we are not in clarity. Consciousness of our confusion then leads to a new kind of clearness in which there is no more doubt. It should not bother us in the slightest to suspect that there might be something wrong with the way we think. To the contrary, it should excite us, for we are on the doorstep to fantastic discoveries."
- the daily guru
a brief note... - 3/9/03
"The truth is always simple. It always has been. There is no relation between religion and God, other than the concepts which men have created in an attempt to understand that which was beyond understanding. Throughout time man has sought to understand God, to directly learn of an existence beyond the physical life. In this search for understanding, many misconceptions came into being, misconceptions which have been perpetuated and passed down through the ages. There is no harm in misperceptions, because eventually, they come to light and truth prevails. There is harm however, in the form of human suffering, which is continued to this day because of misperceptions about God.
The simplicity of truth is not easily recognizable to most people. To those who seek to know God through external rituals and religions practices, the search has become hollow. Did you ever wonder why so many seek and so few find? Could it be they are looking in the wrong place? Could it be they have been following the paths of men, following some external example, rather than going directly to the source? God has never been far away. God has never required worship, ritual, mantras, austerities, or praise. These are the things of men. These are the external structures set down by generations past who viewed God as separate, as an unattainable goal reserved for a chosen few.
The spiritual practices of the past have been useful to a degree, they had a time and a place or they would never have come into existence. But the time for these practices has come to an end. To continue to follow the practices of times past is to remain in times past. God is ever unfolding... ever revealing. God is manifesting in and through creation in each and every moment. God is making itself known directly to those who are pure enough to receive. To those who do not look to the ways of men to know God, God appears, is revealed, and becomes tangible. This is the Direct Path, the path which is set forth within each person, a blueprint to follow, simplicity revealed through love and devotion to God alone, molding itself through each person in exquisite, simple perfection.
To follow the Direct Path to God requires dedication, pure intent and a deep longing to return to truth and simplicity. God is only revealed to those who purely seek, for love´s sake alone, the highest form of truth available to man. For those who seek to know God directly and who are ready to give up the ways of men, there is the Direct Path, a reminder of what has been forgotten, the divine blueprint of creation within each one of us.
So much as been written about the path to God, so many traditions, each originating from a different religion, culture or spiritual group, each providing a means by which the seeker can attain the highest realization. Each of these paths has had one thing in common...someone had first traveled it themselves, thus paving the way for others. As they shared their practices and realizations, others followed, and religion was born. Through many years and many interpretations, the original messages have become muddled and misunderstood. These misunderstandings remain today and are perpetuated through well-meaning devotees of the world's religions.
What was once pure has become impure through the misinterpretations of men. The path to God, the most simple truth of existence, has become confusing and artificial. Mankind has focused its attention on the teachings of religion, which are no longer the pure manifested transmission of the God-realized men who first offered the teachings. The first step then, on the Direct Path is to let go of the indoctrinations of religious teachings.
To do this requires much faith and courage. Those who are pure of heart will have no doubt already recognized the untruths within the religious teachings and to let them go is simply a matter of taking responsibility for one´s own experiences and following one´s own heart. This is the first and most absolute requirement on the Direct Path, the ability to follow one´s own heart, even if doing so means you will be judged wrong by those around you. To be willing to stand alone is necessary on the Direct Path. There is no other way to release yourself from the ways of the world which steadfastly pull on you through perceived expectation, judgment, obligation and fear. There must be a knowing within oneself that the experience of God-realization is meant for everyone and is thereby, fully attainable by everyone. One must release any previous beliefs that one may hold as to the "difficulty" or "rarity" of reaching this state and allow a new human experience to be born through them.
To facilitate our return home, an energy is born within us. This energy is known as Kundalini and it is the link by which we are transformed back into our own Divinity. Following the Divine blueprint, we are led through purification of man´s lower consciousness into higher states of awareness where we encounter Divine Truths which reveal what the mystics have always known... that God is within, in a very real and tangible way."
- Solomae Sananda
Living Spirit Foundation
a brief note... - 2/17/03
Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You're not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Sing. Don't be reckless with other peoples hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss. Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind...the race is long, and in the end, its only with yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch. Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life...the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you wont, maybe you'll have children, maybe you wont, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary...what ever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can...don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, its the greatest instrument you'll ever own... Dance...even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out. Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth. But trust me on the sunscreen...
- submitted by Grazie A
Quote
"Life is one continuous mistake."
- Dogen Zenji
a brief note... - 7/26/02
solitude
still posture
serene smile
sweet, silent promise
total annihilation
- zen
Quote
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
- Winston Churchill
a brief note... - 4/6/02
"The Sun Never Says"
Even
After
All this time
The sun never says to the earth
'You owe me.'
Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights up the
Whole
Sky.
- Hafiz, Sufi poet
a brief note... - 12/3/01
A light will shine on the scattered few. Take notice of those who see. However sight is not always wisdom nor is its absence justice. MODERATION. Life is more appealing than lust or greed. Youth is Honesty baned by curiosity and ignorance. Age is Wisdom too often clouded by cynicism. The power of Knowledge is Freedom. Don't let the Magic fade. Ambition is forked. Find a balance - all things are necessary. Man's nature may be kind, Greed is not a product of Nature but of Man. Compassion must strangle Corruption. We are the cord. The longer we wait the more we suffer. Strength in Unity. Emotion is a key not a toy. Fear will become Frustration and then Fury. The weak use Force. The weak will Fail. Those who are Faithfully blind are Fully dependent on Fragile promises. Future generations will Forget one man's struggle. Few will admire the Fall of civilization.
- Dr. DVD
a brief note... - 10/30/01
Georges I. Gurdjieff taught that the world is occupied by 'somnambulists.' These sleep walkers are numb to the reality about them.
So, awakening into Spirit, is just that, an awakening from the dream.
It is torturous to dream and yet know you are still asleep. The pressure builds up from within, and finally it arrives at a 'critical mass.'
It may be that for most, only then is there a possibility of awakening, as the alternative is paralysis or extinction.
This is like the point in Qabala, when one has trod the Pathways for the journey toward final illumination. Yet, one arrives at a chasm called the Abyss, and it is terrifying. Long ago a wise teacher said, "Fear not, for there is an invisible Sephera called Da-ath in the midst of this gap, and you are safe to step forward on it and cross to the other side." One cannot quite recall just whom it was said those words, the ones which initiated the spiritual journey, and it seems a very long fall if they are lies.
Paralysis is horrid, for having come this far, how can one turn back?
Then one looks to his/her left and right, and notices myriad others in the same quandary; afraid of extinction and unable to let go of the journey.
Across the Abyss are Binah, Chokmah and Kether, which are the Holy Trinity in this mystical form, and the Ain Soph Auer, the place of Infinite Perfection and limitless fulfillment. It is unknowable and cannot be taught, only achieved.
Then one must ask if one is willing to surrender the fear of non-being to attain the reason for being itself. The decision cannot be made by another but only by oneself. Forward? Backward? Or stuck here forever?
^----^
~¿~ ?
(---)/<
-IIIIlI---\
Namasté and Blesséd Be...
~~~~
Robin Goodfellow
~~~~
"May the longtime Sun shine upon You, all Love surround You
and the Pure Light within You guide Your Way on..."
~~~~~~~
a brief note... - 9/13/01
"...Although the words "Terror", "Horror" and "Outrage" will be among those to be constantly repeated...behind, beneath and through them is the psychic reality of hate and anger. As Jung understood the horror of World Wars to be an expression / acting out of mankind's unconscious / unresolved Shadow issues...nothing has changed except the technology through which to express / act out that Shadow. Our Shadow only grows through unresolved and repressed hate, anger and resentment. It also grows exponentially by throwing the gasoline of acting out on that already smoldering repression. Finally...unless we as individuals learn how to deal with the responsibility of our own unfinished business / bullshit...we're going to continue to witness others acting it out for (and most certainly against) us. We've all got a lot to learn about ourselves...and Carl Jung is still one of the most accessible of healers through which to do so."
- kristo
To Give Blood:
American Red Cross (1-800-HELP-NOW)
New York Blood Center (1-800-933-BLOOD)
To Make Financial Contributions:
American Red Cross (1-800-HELP-NOW)
United Way (1-212-251-4035)
To Volunteer Services (New York):
FEMA World Trade Center Relief (1-800-801-8092)
back to top
In the recent past, I was revisited by my long-lost Muse. After I got over the initial shock, I quickly made preparations for our next project. Around that time, my Muse jumped up suddenly, said "Oops, forgot something, be right back," and promptly ran off. Again.
So for now, I'm doing some much needed house-keeping. When my Muse returns, the place should be bright and shiny and ready for her. If you have any thoughts or suggestions on Wandering-Muse- Syndrome, or anything else related to your Muse, feel free to post these thoughts on our forum.
Note: The replacement of its psy/emanation predecessor, this forum will house a Creative Writing section and Games section, as well as an area for General Discussion.
a brief note... - 4/2/03
Well, enough of the tired matters of state. I have arrived...! It's been a long journey, finding my way back "here." Mainly it was a detour of disassociation from the self. A lofty perspective means nothing, absolutely nothing, if you can't stand in your own two shoes and view the world through your own two eyes. So, enough about me. Now I'd like to thank some of the people I've met along the way:
Jeep-Boy - for his reflective genius of knowing exactly what to say so that I might understand what I've put aside as lost. also for always being there, tolerating my confusion, and constantly trying to introduce new sounds into a tired song.
Judith - the angel of the house, for showing me the meaning of positive thinking, the gift of the mundane in the swirling, chaotic mess of "higher thinking," and for having a place for me in her home and life. I'll never be able to repay the kindness.
Loi - for being you! some bunny loves you. ^^
Sensei J - for being the living example of discipline, focused concentration, and patience; for his quiet dignity and strength, his clear head, and his companionship.
Tommy - for his positive influence (by virtue of his eclectic taste in the arts), and for being a good brother.
Ghio - for his valuable lessons on the shadow aspect, for putting up with my bs, for the good times and the bad, and for his generosity despite strife.
Orion - for his support and friendship.
Messi - (who also taught the "shadow" class) for showing the pitfalls of intensity without dedication, for being one of the few who heard me when I had no voice, and for all the righteous beats.
Gil - for sharing the joys and occupational hazards of being God.
Mom - for all the love and hard work.
Dad - for being a spiritual example and for having such tremendous spirit.
Triston Gheovani Orion - for teaching me what love is, you are the apple of my eye.
To anyone who's ever been a part of my life, thank you...!
Quote
"To be attached to one's own happiness is a barrier to the true and perfect path. To cherish others is the source of every admirable quality."
a brief note... - 3/20/03
Letter
Hello. I am sure that I am not the only person greatly displeased about the bombing and declaration of war. I am writing this mainly because even though I sought to accept what would happen, I am finding it hard not to be angry and terribly sad.
My peers are exchanging pictures of missiles with coca cola bottle cap tips, spoof songs about killing Saddam, and edited photos of Bush wearing the ring of power (from lord of the rings). They do so perhaps in the attempt to laugh at a situation that, if taken seriously, might bring them to tears. Perhaps not. I can't join in on the laughter, because I cannot shake the anger I feel that our nation has somehow justified the death of many for something which seems, to me, to be a child's power struggle. I anticipate a few replies about national security, terrorism, etc... (Terrorism is NOT a defined evil that can be extinguished by a show of force). But today I feel that as a country we are one big bully. Without war we would not know peace? Perhaps (perhaps not!!!), but its a sorrowful time, when many young people offer their lives for an empty cause. Saddam is a monster, he tortures people to enforce his rule? What causes a "monster" like him, and do his atrocities make a whole country into evil people deserving of this? How much do our technological war-toys hurt our planet?
I hoped beyond anything that it would not come to this. But now that it has, I wonder if maybe I'm taking this ride too seriously. Maybe its me who has the problem, because I can't look at Bush's face without feeling bitterness. I can't see a patriotic bumper sticker without feeling a little resentment. I can't think of a gun without wishing to dismantle part of our civilization in the hopes we'll forget about such dangerous and final, cold and impersonal weapons. And I know there is no one to blame. There's part of me that feels this and part of me that watches like its a movie. Though this does not have anything directly to do with tantra, I bring it up because the dymanics involved are a part of the daily life of most, albeit on an exaggerated scale. And even if you are lucky enough to not experience any ego wars in your domestic or work life, this is something I feel will affect us all. Some trumpet sounder in my head sees this as the end.
There is anger and sometimes violence in my heart, but how did our world get like this...?!?!?!?! I hope I will awaken from this hellish nightmare soon. I imagine every tear that I cry is a liquid forgiveness bathing an eye that could be our world. But I am running out of tears.
Quote
"If we dare the darkness, we find the light. When human reasoning completely fails to entice answers, they come. We cannot force our-selves to think clearly, but we can become aware that we are not in clarity. Consciousness of our confusion then leads to a new kind of clearness in which there is no more doubt. It should not bother us in the slightest to suspect that there might be something wrong with the way we think. To the contrary, it should excite us, for we are on the doorstep to fantastic discoveries."
a brief note... - 3/9/03
"The truth is always simple. It always has been. There is no relation between religion and God, other than the concepts which men have created in an attempt to understand that which was beyond understanding. Throughout time man has sought to understand God, to directly learn of an existence beyond the physical life. In this search for understanding, many misconceptions came into being, misconceptions which have been perpetuated and passed down through the ages. There is no harm in misperceptions, because eventually, they come to light and truth prevails. There is harm however, in the form of human suffering, which is continued to this day because of misperceptions about God.
The simplicity of truth is not easily recognizable to most people. To those who seek to know God through external rituals and religions practices, the search has become hollow. Did you ever wonder why so many seek and so few find? Could it be they are looking in the wrong place? Could it be they have been following the paths of men, following some external example, rather than going directly to the source? God has never been far away. God has never required worship, ritual, mantras, austerities, or praise. These are the things of men. These are the external structures set down by generations past who viewed God as separate, as an unattainable goal reserved for a chosen few.
The spiritual practices of the past have been useful to a degree, they had a time and a place or they would never have come into existence. But the time for these practices has come to an end. To continue to follow the practices of times past is to remain in times past. God is ever unfolding... ever revealing. God is manifesting in and through creation in each and every moment. God is making itself known directly to those who are pure enough to receive. To those who do not look to the ways of men to know God, God appears, is revealed, and becomes tangible. This is the Direct Path, the path which is set forth within each person, a blueprint to follow, simplicity revealed through love and devotion to God alone, molding itself through each person in exquisite, simple perfection.
To follow the Direct Path to God requires dedication, pure intent and a deep longing to return to truth and simplicity. God is only revealed to those who purely seek, for love´s sake alone, the highest form of truth available to man. For those who seek to know God directly and who are ready to give up the ways of men, there is the Direct Path, a reminder of what has been forgotten, the divine blueprint of creation within each one of us.
So much as been written about the path to God, so many traditions, each originating from a different religion, culture or spiritual group, each providing a means by which the seeker can attain the highest realization. Each of these paths has had one thing in common...someone had first traveled it themselves, thus paving the way for others. As they shared their practices and realizations, others followed, and religion was born. Through many years and many interpretations, the original messages have become muddled and misunderstood. These misunderstandings remain today and are perpetuated through well-meaning devotees of the world's religions.
What was once pure has become impure through the misinterpretations of men. The path to God, the most simple truth of existence, has become confusing and artificial. Mankind has focused its attention on the teachings of religion, which are no longer the pure manifested transmission of the God-realized men who first offered the teachings. The first step then, on the Direct Path is to let go of the indoctrinations of religious teachings.
To do this requires much faith and courage. Those who are pure of heart will have no doubt already recognized the untruths within the religious teachings and to let them go is simply a matter of taking responsibility for one´s own experiences and following one´s own heart. This is the first and most absolute requirement on the Direct Path, the ability to follow one´s own heart, even if doing so means you will be judged wrong by those around you. To be willing to stand alone is necessary on the Direct Path. There is no other way to release yourself from the ways of the world which steadfastly pull on you through perceived expectation, judgment, obligation and fear. There must be a knowing within oneself that the experience of God-realization is meant for everyone and is thereby, fully attainable by everyone. One must release any previous beliefs that one may hold as to the "difficulty" or "rarity" of reaching this state and allow a new human experience to be born through them.
To facilitate our return home, an energy is born within us. This energy is known as Kundalini and it is the link by which we are transformed back into our own Divinity. Following the Divine blueprint, we are led through purification of man´s lower consciousness into higher states of awareness where we encounter Divine Truths which reveal what the mystics have always known... that God is within, in a very real and tangible way."
Living Spirit Foundation
a brief note... - 2/17/03
Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You're not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Sing. Don't be reckless with other peoples hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss. Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind...the race is long, and in the end, its only with yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch. Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life...the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you wont, maybe you'll have children, maybe you wont, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary...what ever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can...don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, its the greatest instrument you'll ever own... Dance...even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out. Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth. But trust me on the sunscreen...
Quote
"Life is one continuous mistake."
a brief note... - 7/26/02
still posture
serene smile
sweet, silent promise
total annihilation
- zen
Quote
"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."
a brief note... - 4/6/02
Even
After
All this time
The sun never says to the earth
'You owe me.'
Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights up the
Whole
Sky.
- Hafiz, Sufi poet
a brief note... - 12/3/01
A light will shine on the scattered few. Take notice of those who see. However sight is not always wisdom nor is its absence justice. MODERATION. Life is more appealing than lust or greed. Youth is Honesty baned by curiosity and ignorance. Age is Wisdom too often clouded by cynicism. The power of Knowledge is Freedom. Don't let the Magic fade. Ambition is forked. Find a balance - all things are necessary. Man's nature may be kind, Greed is not a product of Nature but of Man. Compassion must strangle Corruption. We are the cord. The longer we wait the more we suffer. Strength in Unity. Emotion is a key not a toy. Fear will become Frustration and then Fury. The weak use Force. The weak will Fail. Those who are Faithfully blind are Fully dependent on Fragile promises. Future generations will Forget one man's struggle. Few will admire the Fall of civilization.
a brief note... - 10/30/01
Georges I. Gurdjieff taught that the world is occupied by 'somnambulists.' These sleep walkers are numb to the reality about them.
So, awakening into Spirit, is just that, an awakening from the dream.
It is torturous to dream and yet know you are still asleep. The pressure builds up from within, and finally it arrives at a 'critical mass.'
It may be that for most, only then is there a possibility of awakening, as the alternative is paralysis or extinction.
This is like the point in Qabala, when one has trod the Pathways for the journey toward final illumination. Yet, one arrives at a chasm called the Abyss, and it is terrifying. Long ago a wise teacher said, "Fear not, for there is an invisible Sephera called Da-ath in the midst of this gap, and you are safe to step forward on it and cross to the other side." One cannot quite recall just whom it was said those words, the ones which initiated the spiritual journey, and it seems a very long fall if they are lies.
Paralysis is horrid, for having come this far, how can one turn back?
Then one looks to his/her left and right, and notices myriad others in the same quandary; afraid of extinction and unable to let go of the journey.
Across the Abyss are Binah, Chokmah and Kether, which are the Holy Trinity in this mystical form, and the Ain Soph Auer, the place of Infinite Perfection and limitless fulfillment. It is unknowable and cannot be taught, only achieved.
Then one must ask if one is willing to surrender the fear of non-being to attain the reason for being itself. The decision cannot be made by another but only by oneself. Forward? Backward? Or stuck here forever?
~¿~ ?
(---)/<
-IIIIlI---\
Namasté and Blesséd Be...
~~~~
Robin Goodfellow
~~~~
"May the longtime Sun shine upon You, all Love surround You
and the Pure Light within You guide Your Way on..."
~~~~~~~
a brief note... - 9/13/01
"...Although the words "Terror", "Horror" and "Outrage" will be among those to be constantly repeated...behind, beneath and through them is the psychic reality of hate and anger. As Jung understood the horror of World Wars to be an expression / acting out of mankind's unconscious / unresolved Shadow issues...nothing has changed except the technology through which to express / act out that Shadow. Our Shadow only grows through unresolved and repressed hate, anger and resentment. It also grows exponentially by throwing the gasoline of acting out on that already smoldering repression. Finally...unless we as individuals learn how to deal with the responsibility of our own unfinished business / bullshit...we're going to continue to witness others acting it out for (and most certainly against) us. We've all got a lot to learn about ourselves...and Carl Jung is still one of the most accessible of healers through which to do so."
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whisper of a memory
The Whisper of a Memory Legacy site is being redone as of 11/20/09. Original content is currently being moved from it's former home. Please pardon our dust.
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