silent thunder

words for me hold no power in and of themselves. they are neutral sounds... vibration. i am not afraid of them, nor upset by them, nor pleased with them. the timber and intention words are used with however... that is paramount. In my line of work, there is a plethora of locker room talk (by the guys and the gals) and a veritable nonstop onslought of verbal assault and back and forth, in the form of ribbing, joking and creative expression. This banter fosters and strengthens bonds, rather than causing strife. However, change the tone of the intent of a phrase and the wars get going in nano-seconds. Intention is everything. When an energetically sensitive person intends to use words to inflict pain... seems to me, only a rare master is able to slip out of the hook of shenpa and remain uninjured/engaged. Some wounds are inflicted by what is said... most, I find are inflicted by how and why something is said.

Thanks Mate. I'll attempt to clarify intent. The use of mere is not authoritarian, for I claim no authority... nor do I intend a denigration, or devaluation of the physical. (Although I hold no worship of, nor attribute great importance to the body, or any forms over non-forms, I don't denigrate them either). Mere in this case is used to connote my sense of the stark contrast between my prior illusory experience of the seeming solidity of forms/perceived objects, to the realization of what is now a deep abiding experience that what before seemed solid, now is experienced as simply/merely/essentially, emptiness and vibratory flow of energy in patterns perceived. Perhaps simply, or essentially would carry less emotional/judgemental value as a word. I'm not certain. Merely still flows as I work the phrases in my mind. In semantics, each word carries a meaning for each mind. Clarity is so appreciated though... so To me, everything is light of varying frequencies... a la Tesla's Cosmological models. For me, there is nothing solid, unchanging and concrete, all is (merely, simply, basically, essentially) vibration/emptiness/non-thingness that I used to attribute solidity to, and now, realize (for myself only) is the interpretation of endless flow. Each of my senses is a glimpse, interpretation and processing of the flowing present, experienced in a frozen state in my mind as a past. If any words bring a sense of judgement or authority, simply disregard... I am sharing only and not claiming anything as truth. And as usual, I am not at all serious... though I am very sincere.

Time slows as speed increases, until theoretically at the speed of light, it all but ceases, from the perspective of light... from the perspective of light, (if light has perspective, or if I'm permitted to imagine such) then it takes no time at all to traverse the ends of our physical universe from the perspective of light. Kind of a paradox. Also interesting that in recent years, disclosure from multiple sources that the speed of light is not measured as an absolute. It's not constant as was touted in my time at University. The measurements of light vary, however slightly, this seems key, though I don't have a mind/word/concept for why it seems such. I often sit in the dark. I crafted a box, which I put inside a closet, then cover it from the inside to make a truly dark space in which to sit. A place to get fully away from all the light of cities and evenings. Particularly all the 'man made' light, light of partial spectrum. Not sure why... it's just a compulsion that developed and wouldn't subside, so I acquiesced to it. It's remarkable the effect of true dark on my entire being, not just my eyes and mind function. Hand in hand she seems to stroll with the potency of Silence. Though true silence I've only encountered once, sitting in a ravine in the deep desert with my new wife, in mid day. The thunder in that silence triggered a cascade in both of us that still resonates three decades later. In sitting in the dark, I wondered... were I a source of light... what would I see? If I were sending light out in all directions, to me, I would see... nothing. The only time I see anything, is when light comes to me from a source, or it bounces off another object. So if I were a source of light, and there were nothing to reflect that light off of, I would perceive...? I am a source of light, albeit, tiny. My physical form (which I know to be mere vibration... an apparent pattern/form that is mostly empty thanks to the teachings of taoism, physics and buddhism) constantly radiates small bio-photons of light and my interactions with Awareness take on the characteristics of light when dealing with matters of mind and emotion. Shedding the light of simple awareness will dispel illusions of mind like fog in morning light... phyisics reminds me that all matter, all of our universe, is varying frequencies of light. We consider them different according to how we interact with them in their resonance... but sound is merely auditory light. What is the speed of silence? of dark? What is dark? To me, it's not just the absence of light and physics agrees. 96% of the matter driving gravitational expansion is beyond the ken of our biological perception as well as those of our tools of observation. I keep coming back to some things though... Like the only colors I perceive of objects... are the colors the objects are not. This also hooks into my awareness and won't let go... The green of an apple comes to my eye, as that is the only color that is rebounded off of the apple. This applies to the rebounded light from all objects that enters my eye. So, in effect, I am only ever seeing the light that objects are not. Adding to this, at my slow vibration well below the speed of light, there is indeed a goodly delay between the light entering my eye, being processed, filtered and interpreted into thought/idea/reaction, so all I'm ever working with in my mind, is the slight past. I love this topic. Probably a good thing, I'm off to work, or I'd babble on incessantly all morning. Thanks for posting this... I'll have a lovely ride in and a better day with this topic rattling around in my mind box. Man I Love This Place!

words... may behave like actions, though action in sound only, in mind. words: an exchange of intention and concept through sound and potentially, though I suspect rarely, with identical meanings. an exchange of presence and intent, yet without form existing in time, emanating in space ephemeral, non-things... yet able... seemingly, to heal and pierce. what then i wonder... indicates what is piercing and what will heal? if everything i love... and all that i despise, truly emanate from one source... as it seems to my awareness where is the distinction in all of what is one?

100%. i am 100% certain there is awareness. i am only certain i am aware. i no longer hold certainty anywhere else, and though I used to saturate in certainties everywhere I looked, in all topics I encountered... now... Awareness systematically, methodically, ruthelssly and mercifully... dissolves it away like fog in morning light. how aware? what kind of aware? why i am aware? i am 0% certain how, what, why. don't even have much energy, interest... slowly losing energy for anything other than being content with simple being.

Resonant, vibratory things words. They flow through the emptiness of our lungs and out the tubes of our mouths. Into the ear tubes of those who hear... and those who listen. They are pinned to a page in formal lines and broadcast on paper and screen. They ring in the mind. Hit me and I will bruise. Slip a fierce word/concept into my mindscape and I may suffer a leaking bruise the rest of my conscious life. I recall one very short demonstration of the power of words: Grasp a sheet of paper and wrinkle it up, good and tight. now smooth the paper out like it was... Grasp the attention of another person and speak to them vindictively, with intent to inflict pain now smooth the paper out like it was...

in mid mastication... a piece of peace in my peas!

My Mother's Mind in this life... dissolved slowly until it was all but a vapor, that would manifest only slight variations of themes involving memories. The forms of these memories could not hold shape for long, in conversation, or it seems in her inner landscape. With her dissolving mind, along with the loss of cherished memories, many of her daily self imposed and created dramas and sufferings also evaporated. It was an odd blessing/curse to witness. On one hand, she lost her relationship with almost everyone she ever knew, except my Sister. On the other, she also lost the hold of many of the old tapes and paradigm forms of her very painful childhood and adult life. So aside from body aches and suffering, much of her mental suffering was no longer maintained as mind unfolded into pure being. At the end of her life, I couldn't be near her, or even show up in pictures she viewed without it causing painful confusion for her. I look so like my father did at my age, that she confused me with him, so my presence or images of me, her son, was a confusing and painful mixture of someone she knew she should be close to (her son) but couldn't clearly recall... and a slew of old pent up blockages of trauma involving her marriage to my Father, (whom I look exactly like as a grown man). Such is the power and weakness of Maya in the Mind. Projections that are as vividly real as any memory you cherish... and as utterly insubstantial and weak as fog in the piercing morning light. Blessings and Curses abound... Everything I love and all that I despise, come from one source... so where does the difference lie? Any longer... I feel certain that there is awareness. The rest... (poof) (whoosh) i just dunno...

It seems evident, that when one who is energetically sensitive and potent intends to inflict pain with words, they are effective. And when those who are slung by intentional words of harm, are similarly sensitive and potent, a strong and potent response will be elicited. I have only so much energy in any given day.... lately I find I have no energy available for harm.

@soaring crane @Friend

I've missed the storm and am shocked and severely bummed reading this! I've taken a couple breaks from the dao bums process and all media, out of a real need, but always find the space to return. Should you not return, then please know in what high regard and deep admiration, love and respect I hold you, your insight and your wit and experience. You are truly one of a kind. Much Love Old Friend!

Thank you for sharing.

@dawg and @Bearded Dragon

Water is the weakest of the elements. Breaking itself on all it encounters. Yet the persistence of its weakness is evident as power, as eventually, it breaks down all boulders into sand... all fallen logs into soil. Water. Without skills, desire, or training... flows downhill effortlessly and yet generates force that sweeps away entire forests, levels hills and scours down the mountain tops. Its weakness expresses the underlying strength, power and force... undeniable.

Lately, I experience bouyancy in the meaninglessness. Instead of binding me to despair, I'm wide open and flowing, unfolding in the freedom found only without imposed meanings. There was a time, when I was deeply saturated in societal, familial and self created and projected meaning, that the hints of nihilistic truths brought only despair and knee-jerk fear rejections. This though, revealed itself through realizations to be the despair of losing something familiar and comforting that was only comforting in its familiarity, not its inherent truth. I am aware. This is one of the few certainties that has not fallen away. And as far as I have explored to now... Awareness has no meaning. It is foundational and beneath meaning... or above it, depending how one wants to allocate that... As experience continued in the face of meaninglessness... bouyancy and joy replaced despair as the realization came... with the release of any notion of meaning, objective or subjective, space for bliss replaces prior projected meanings. True freedom. Ultimate internal Anarchy.

Interesting stuff. Your Warhammer example reminds me of something I learned from a Lakota woman. She said that among the First Nations living in North America it was common to have two chiefs. One who took the lead in times of war and another in peace, as those with skills suited to one arena, didn't necessarily translate well to the other.

Powerful stuff Wu Ming Jen! The manner in which you arranged those word/forms really resonated. Thank you! I recall a powerful realization, where I imagined myself inside the Sun and wondered, if I were a source of light... would I be able to perceive that light? Or is it only through the light bouncing off of 'others' that it would rebound back to me. what is the nature of light and non-light? It was a potent ride that abides still from time to time. Light does not illumine itself... fire doesn't burn itself... teeth don't bite themselves, nor do knives cut themselves. Relational actions in the realm of form is magnificent and paradoxical. How lovely to ponder such!~ relational perceptuality... form dependent, co-arising phemonema? Last night my wife called Connor and I out to see the sun setting. It blazed through the high cumulous clouds that had been raining on us blessedly all day, turning them to magenta dragons and was then arching off the underside of the palm fronds in the trees that line our street, causing them to burst in flashes of oscillating orange/green. I said to Connor... "imagine the path those photons of light have traversed, from their cacophonic rattling about inside the ovoid of the sun, to their line across 'space', toward our ovoid earth as it spins and hurtles through space... then arches through our atmosphere, rebounding off the underside of those palm fronds as they dance in the wind, to settle perfectly on the back of our eyes where we see them flash and glint." Where is the separation of one thing and another in that process? Forms appear separate, yet it all coalesced into one fluid, flowing process for me again in beingness... not understandingness. really lovely... thanks again WMJ. Your words (and all of manifest and unmanifest reality again reveal themselves as my teacher) are calalysts for my continued realization. *deep bow*

Really well worded Lost... your phrasing and the tone of the whole conversation really resonates within my awareness. Thank you. That which used to appear to me as two separate 'things'... I lately no longer perceive as static, separate things, yet they flow seamlessly into the varying degrees of expression of one fluid process. No ends at all to them... but more like a Mobius Strip. The extreme expressions of the one process used to appear as separate things. Like temperature... one fluid process that seems to have two separate extremes due to my perception of the relativity of that which seems colder or warmer than I am. This process is also blending other paradigms... where the variety of phenomena, are no longer separate from each other, but morphing in perception to one great fluid gem, with endless facets... Indra's Net. All flowing, interconnected and intra-reflective. And defined only when my perception lends a definition to the process. When this process is only mind and when my idea of my self is the relative anchor, mind seems to be the pivotal catalyst. When I release mind and its processes of defining and ordering, beingness is experienced and the hard lines of mind perceiving melt away into a great flowing gem, oceanic in its totality and I feel the reality of the facet which represents 'me' in this present moment. In beingness the realization cannot remain unperceived, that what I used to perceive as my separate self is never separated from all other phenomena, or noumena... source, ever, even by a hair's width for a nano-second.

Well said. To perceive the miraculous nature of even one inhale/exhale can be a bit paralyzing at times. Reminds me of something that happened at work once. Someone asked me how the sandwich I was eating was and I replied "Amazing!" They responded "That's ridiculous man. Sandwiches aren't amazing are they? I mean, it's f'ing bread and meat and lettuce, it's just a sandwich for christ's sake." "True enough" I said.... "but consider this... to make any sandwich, first one must create the entire universe." Forget where I heard that, but it sure does ring true... even the smallest of processes are connected to the most profound aspects of perception/reality.

sun shines in all directions without favor, or obligation rain falls on the murderer and the healer without distinction in the deserts it grows thorns and in the gardens, flowers leaves fall on the ground in the autumn can you point to one and say... this one is the wrong shape? or fell in the wrong spot? any longer, i perceive no accidents all i love and all i despie come flow from the same source any distinctions, lie in my perceptions and projections the nature of reality... awareness, emptiness, clarity

I'd never heard of Predagio or his book The Unity of the Three. But the title in your post veritably leapt off the screen at me and now a copy sits in my home. Looking forward to diving into that pond... thanks for mentioning it.

Yea. Like the concept of: First there's a mountain, then there's no mountain, then there's a mountain again. seems to relate to this, much in the manner of this phrase I have really come to embody. The Sage, while being 'in' the world, is not 'of' it.