silent thunder

I heartily and happily announce and wholly, fully and unconditionally endorse this free event happening now. It's utterly free, (though you may be inclined to drop a few things at the door to gain full admittance, this however, will be entirely self determined). No requirements, cajoling, cowtowing or pressure will be applied. Event: Present Location: Omnipresent Cost: Free (though some conditions may apply) The invitation is only available now, but paradoxically it is also subsequently always available now as is the event. So won't you join us in the present moment? It's free, endlessly accessible and always open. We here in the present, look forward to your presence!

water sprites unite cascading, flowing ever motion, flowing dao.

Poet-Physicist

Good point. Children are fascinated with death, murder and dying and their play and the stories they weave for one another to pass an afternoon reflect this. Probably, I'm assuming, because of the innate understanding of just how fragile and close to death we all are at any given moment. So they are fascinated and explore the concept at length. For all that we can construct massive monuments of steel and glass and develop entire forests of concrete as a species... as individuals, we are each as fragile as a patch of grass, or a toppling glass, readily rendered into decay by a passing storm, a missed step, or an unattentive driver. Any stick lying on the ground readily becomes a rifle or a pistol in the hands of a child's imagination. Though my sticks always tended to morph into bearded axes, claymores, or katanas.

for to graze anew ephemeral in nature the grass touched with dew

Thought of you again when I read this, Marblehead: You've been in mind frequently of late, Old Friend... And it seems I now rarely think of you, without also thinking of Dad. You two would have gotten on, so alike in mind and humor. Both fiercely intelligent, highly humorous... and utterly, deeply and wholly... materialist. Giving me no end of awesome shit for my 'etheral bullshit' Chuckle a bit when I consider what crossing over must have been like for you both... So much more than mere 'material' were you to me, my friend, whom I never once met in the flesh. So grateful for the impressions you left on me.

back to non-psychological music for me:

what if... the storyteller just ceased? stopped weaving endless tales about being drawn to some things and repulsed by others? stopped the incessant obsession to carve meaning out of the flow?

holy shit. it's still going.

...

I walk. Through my neighborhood. Barefoot. Usually in the hour before Sunrise and/or Dusk. Occasionally in the small hours after Midnight.

I appreciate the proposed adaptations, they seem refined, simple and direct. Particularly appreciate losing OG, which always tasted somewhat uncomfortable and off to me. Don't care for General as a title either. Spitballing possible alternatives: Pathways of Spirit Reflections of Spirit Spirit of The Garden The Spirit's Path The Spiritual Gardens Ethereal Garden Spiritual Pursuits Wanderers and Ponderers (lol)

royal sparkle

My suspicion is that though the methods and tools used to instill violence have become more accessible and unfortunately, exponentially more effective... the motives of, and folks inclined in using them are all too ancient and fully human. my stance on violence and weapons is essentially expressed in my take on verse 31 Weapons; tools of pain, used for violence and fear, wise men abhor them. Yet in direst need and if compelled will use them, with utmost restraint. Peace, highest value. When the peace has been shattered who can be content? Glory in fighting? Those who delight in killing do not know true self. Your foes not demons. Simple beings like yourself. Sage desires no harm. No victory dance. Victory by force, no joy. How rejoice in this? Sage battles gravely, completely, yet with sorrow. Like tending a grave.

My gut says no on games as the source. Humans are violent pack mammals by nature, both within and particularly without their perceived tribes/packs. And this within a world where life, to live must consume other life of one sort or another. Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, Pol Pot, Hitler, Stalin, myriad others... all perfected their murder craft with no video games invented yet. Humans are vicious mammals by nature in a world where in spite of disease, famine, pestilence, toxicity and the myriad of natural disasters, not to mention oppressive and uninhabitable environments, we still number over 7 billion. As a top predator that seems unprecedented to me, (though my knowledge of the fossil history is woefully light). I have come to expect that our self-predation (war, homicide, suicide) may be one of nature's inborn self balance check. Humans outbreed all natural occuring predators and thus have no natural means of balancing their capacity to expand. So perhaps this is why such a propensity seems to arise 'from within our very midst'. I do wonder on the occasions this news comes to me, or I seek it out, if they didn't have guns to use... how many of them would have the fortitude to try and pull this shit with a bare blade in their hand? If the violence was not able to be spent at a distance with a moment's glance, but instead must be up close, in hand's reach, where you could smell your intended victim's breath and feel their skin... Utterly Wretched. Such Lost Ones.

In theory I am with Manitou. 100/100. I have the unshakable, palpable sense that we are all (the entire cosmos, not just humans) one fluid unified process. Yet in practice, I find that there must now be consequences and decisive responses for certain processes, even if I understand they are a part of my overall unified self, my sense of self dictates that certain aspects be excised for the health of the overall organism. I recall reading his account when it was published. It resounded through my awareness so potently as to what we regard as 'our self'. His arm was expendable. Compared to losing his life, the arm was released and was no longer 'part of him', so to speak. On a more mundane and less egregious scale... I do not save my fingernail clippings as they have no intrinsic value. I usually do not save stray hairs, or hair that I shed. I no longer consider it part of myself in some odd way. I have never gathered together my shed skin to save... even though it was part of me. What is part of me, and what is not? Is a fluid ever shifting process... never a thing. We are all verbs. Any longer, I don't perceive nouns, or things... but processes. In my current process, it is much as it was for Aron... a position of relative health of the organism, versus keeping all of it intact as it currently expresses itself. Certain levels of toxicity will bring down not just the organism, but blanc the entire ecosystem if left unchecked. Some aspects that i acknowledge as part of me, i also acknowledge as untenable for the health of the whole and thus, must be brought to a shift, and this action is not only beneficial, but a natural response to conditions as they are...

I am reminded however, that the loudest, brashest and most intrusive of actioners, tend toward those who naturally are drawn to positions power, (which to me is the first prerogative for denying access to it), or gravitate toward them, are those with the least inhibitions to taking any action required to arrive at and maintain a position of power. Those of a tolerant, nurturing and compassionate ken, will by nature be unwilling to take any action to acquire, expand and maintain power among the power seeking. The result is a system in which the least moral, most psychotic naturally gravitate to positions of influence due specifically to their uninhibited use of 'any and all means'. The effects of which litter the history books and news outlets of current events worldwide. Yet I am one small man, and so to affect actual, practical expressions of my spiritual nature is why my actions are all focused locally, hyper-locally... beginning first with self, and then family, and neighbors, then neighboring neighbors. For me, it is no longer possible to stand by and watch the steadily unveiled progression of hate in daily life, nor the proliferation of unregulated greed in use of land and work force.

...

William Ackerman, through his guitar and particularly through his arrangements on this album with its particular progressions, enlivens, or brings awareness and presence to notions within my sense of self, that abide beyond words. Through his music... upon hearing that which arises from his mind and is transmitted through his fingers, to his instrument, through the air and to my ears and thus my mind... I find such familiarity, harmonic resonance and peaceful exuberance that words are unecessary, impotent even and I simply abide in the knowing flow of the music. It causes a recurring question without a pat answer to arise again in my mind which is... where does music live? Is it in the mind of the musician? In the breath, fingers or strings and valves of the instrument? In the air? In the mind of the listener? A friend of 3 decades recently prompted me to begin a list of the albums I have most listened to in their entirety, front to back in my life. This one, is high on the list. Top Five. Perfect Sunday Simplicity.

Some actions are life anti-thetical and cannot be tolerated, or simply observed. They by the nature of their essential vibration must prompt action, or by indifference, relinquish in one's choice of non-action a notion of consent. No more consent. No more observation without action.

I find it impossible to divorce spiritualism from politics. Or to find any aspect of life that is not imbued with spirit, utterly. That said, there are avenues of spirituality that are not only untenable, but an affront to the natural progression of the proliferation and thriving of life itself. Hateful bigotry, misogynism, gay bashing, racial domination/discrimination are all aspects of a rotting spirit. A rigid death laden decaying corpse in waiting. To me, politics is the very fabric of our spiritual persuasions put into action. Each political decision of a culture is an example of the spiritual tone of their inner landscapes. As such, the recent tone, timbre and vibration of America and The Bums has been an eye watering, mouth gaping exercise of revelation for me, in realizing how depraved and bankrupt much of the spiritual landscape currently is. One that for a time, shut me down in sadness and despair. But the time for quiet has passed. The time to watch and wait has given way to the need to act and respond decisively. Time to act and engage.

Capitalism: the rather naive notion that the greediest of individuals, left unregulated to operate only from their selfish motives would somehow work to the benefit of all.

Six, seven years ago, my wife and I formally, fully and absolutely cut off her parents from any contact with us, or our son for exactly the reasons you outlined in this post. Toxicity must be eliminated, usually through disengaging in the source as often, the source cannot be altered, I have found. I wish them no ill. I wish them only peace and healing, for then perhaps, they will cease inflicting harm on those they come in contact with... But for health, longevity and a joyful life, it is not possible to have them in our lives in any manner. Some folks it seems, come into our lives, only to show us that there are some people, we cannot allow to remain in our lives, if we wish to thrive. I am grateful for them in some ways. For they have unveiled to me the following truth.

So much benefit to me in this one small collection of words. Again my friend, you manage to bring a room full of light with your presence and attention. Thank you.

spatula