25 September 2011

The Tolle Web Meditation

 It's been awhile since privacy and >60 minutes of computer access came together for me.  Where to begin?

On a short walk around the neighborhood, I came upon a dead raccoon.  My reactions as near as I can recall (not in chronological order) were:
  • Gasp. Eyes open a little wider and immediately look away.
  • Rapid data collection during the gaze:  mouth open, eyes closed, blood in mouth, a few teeth visible, four legs...
  • Stomach lurch.
  • Low-grade confusion. Some fear.
The carcass was less than 10 feet behind me when I began to wish I'd looked longer...wondered about the fear that rose up in me...thought of people I know who would have snagged the creature for an art (or other) project. 

It was the blood in the mouth.  Yes, I'm sure:  it was the blood in the mouth that triggered mental activity, generating mostly unconscious gruesome thinking ----> creating Fear.

I am developing some theme-based workshop series:  liberation, forgiveness, surrender, to name a few. It's exciting to think more deeply about this work that has mostly just been fun up till now.  To sit still and look closely and begin to discern the philosophy and intention underlying my work.

I've been mostly working in the staring-at-sky-through-trees and scribbling-in-an-ever-present-notebook modes so far.  This weekend, I've opened a couple times and shared my ideas with another person. (I'm 'out of town' and there's been more social activity than usual.)  It's a little like disrobing ... Sometimes, I wish I had not shared.

Or

wonder why I chose to share.

My life situation includes some very rocky fields and drippy caverns right now. The Power of Now teachings are like finely honed, master tools in my hands. 
Or a carefully etched map whose finer details are gradually becoming visible to me.

This afternoon Tolle will lead a mediation online. I went to the website and registered to participate. I'm curious to see how this is done.  

I was also ... searching for a word...  "hungry" comes closest.  "Hungry" to meet others whose lives have been transformed and illuminated by PON wisdom. 

Yes, ego is a thread in the hunger. Ego jockeying to maintain identity and a place at the table.  Who else is reading the teachings, practicing presence? Am I doing it right? Where is the rest of the tribe?

So-called "simple truth" becomes complex as I look at my life in its light.  See the shadows?  See the places where my life is transparent and the places where it is opaque?  See where it reflects light and where it refracts light and where it absorbs light?

"Being" is a complex idea that exists as a persistent immutable truth. It embraces, permeates and sustains

my life
your life
light
shadows
transparencies and opacities
reflection, refraction
absorption
simplicity
complexity

all of these ideas occur against the backdrop
of Being.

9 minutes till the web-meditation.  Time to queue up.

03 September 2011

The Sweet Girls

I was walking down Church Street in Santa Cruz and I thought I wanted a cigarette.

Of course, I didn't really want a cigarette so, after stopping for a minute or two to stare at a most unusual crack pattern in a stone wall

I calmed down enough to decide I wanted a maple creme doughnut instead.

I heard harmonica music and started walking toward it.  Two little beauties perched on a flower box playing their harmonicas.

I snapped the picture
the sun came out
I bought a couple local-grown peaches instead of a doughnut.

I just love this kind of sequence.