manitou

A wonderful song! It almost sounded as though it was written for a musical.

That is certainly an apropos bit of Thesselonica.

Yes. I think of this often. There's such a huge world out there, running pretty harmoniously. We humans tend to focus on the scariest possible outcome and fret about it. This always leads me back to 'it's all just a huge mind construct anyways'. And it is.

LOL. that's a really dumb joke, Nungers.

LOL. It's wonderful. A rather down-to-earth translation. Rolling around in the stink of it all....

Sketch - is this your translation?

best cutely profane word ever. I may borrow it. Nice to see you CT!

It is, at first. The terrain must first be surveyed for blockages by merely standing aside of yourself and trying to see yourself as you really are. But in a matter-of-fact way, (as in, 'oh, that's interesting). To look at your own participation in arguments or events that didn't end well. Somebody mentioned buttons earlier. These buttons get pushed and create a reaction. But the buttons can be used as a tool. When you find yourself getting angry about something, see if a childhood memory pops into your head around the same time. It would be very helpful to be able to just 'see' the origin of the dynamic which created the button. This can be done. But if someone doesn't have luck that way, then following the emotion down to the source will get you there. It might not happen all at once, it might be a longer process. But you will be in awareness that the button is there; and once that happens, it's just a matter of time before your inner guidance system, in manifesting mode, will get rid of that puppy for you. That's assuming that you want to. Many people are unwilling to dive within unless their back is up against a wall. Or if one is seeking self-realization.

The hole in the donut.

That's great, lol. I actually got that very same picture texted to me by my sister in law (with her true knees) laying on a beach in Hawaii, when I was up in Alaska at 36 below waiting for the aurora borealis to appear. I was so cold it almost made me angry.

I think too that we are all approaching the Void, but from our different traditions. Personally, I love the mixture because of the dynamics of many paths meeting together in the void hub of the wheel. The utility of the wagon wheel is because of the void in the center. The utility of the cup is in the void. (Lao Tzu) So it may be desirable to be willing to blend viewpoints together because us moths are getting mighty close to the flame. I think the real truth can be seen (and felt) in the connection of all, and we all dwell in the place of metaphysical understanding. The action of the Dao is reversion. Back to itself. As the dao gets closer to reunion, time seems to speed up. Things are totally upside down right now. (buckles seat belt)

Oh. You found my readers. No, weisenheimer. the wooden structure adjacent to the dragon appears to be a chitter.

Laughing face times ten, Ms. Meow, on the sitting kitty. I had other posters on my tail so I had to pull out of the lane onto the shoulder. But I'm back now, a little less shaky.

What a beautiful post, Creighton. At this point in my life, I don't worry about balance either. When you know what you actually are, you are perfectly balanced within. You are a part of everything and everything is part of you, there is a sense of being 'settled' and content. We can act, react, or not-do according to our wishes. Personally, it has taken over 40 years to get here. And such a big part of it is to have control over our thoughts. We can choose to run with a thought or dismiss it. We are courageous and often do what others will not. No longer straddled with the monkey mind, the balance issue is almost moot.

Look again. Actually, it's not a doggie door or any type of door. It's the top of the chair below. Which really makes it interesting, because there are 2 arms on the chair, which means it's not merely steps up to the bed. The fact that the pillow may be covering a toilet chamber occurs to me as a possibility. If that were the case, I wonder if they were usually pushed up against the bed like that right next to the pillow? There seem to be some inherent problems with that. Maybe if it were more down toward the foot of the bed.... And who cuts a square hole into their bedroom door, anyway?

It's about time. Observed in a catalog, printed onto a pillow: Saying, "and shit" after anything can make it sound gangster. For example, "I like to clip coupons and shit".

Interesting advice, especially in the extremes. Standing up and living, to me, was a haze of drunkenness. But even at that, it led to the path.

Maybe like a Tibetan singing bowl.

The Dao considers us ceremonial straw dogs. The rain falls equally on all. I think that we're talking on two different dimensions, trying to merge the light with the physical. As I see it, in order to get into Consciousness, one stills the mind and transcends the physical. Into the metaphysical. It is from this perspective that we realize the oneness, the connection of all form, seen or unseen. If one sees that everything is part of everything else, the concept of inequality isn't pertinent. Misfortune (which probably isn't misfortune at all) and fortune become one and the same. Our inner Self is aware at all times that that is our true essence has nothing to do with our bodies, our appearances, our life stories. It's always Just Fine. And it will always be Just Fine. That, we can count on.

and something tells me that you know just fine. I tend to see things in symbols in my terciary oculus. That's when I meant when I said cosmically. It's more an impression of liquid - like the impression of spaciousness. Not as much a feeling as an impression. But yes - I do 'see' it as liquid because all has ultimately melded together, and character hasn't gotten in the way. In liquid all angles are possible, no restrictions. Nothing to hamper the movement. I see it as the peace of soul I have looked for my entire life. I have finally found me.

If you are K-active as I am, I feel the vibrancy as well. I intentionally carry the mental image now of that vibrancy being the essence of 'shine'. As in aura, or emination. To integrate the vibrancy into your being is to not be distracted by it.

it also 'cosmically' feels like a liquid.

I think it's something else. I think the dragon is about to spirit her away because the wing is coming out of a door. On the other hand, she doesn't look alarmed. In fact..... eh. You're probably right.

Goals confuse me. I've never in my life set one. As I look back over the 73 years of my life, it just sort of fell together. But I imagine setting a goal in early adulthood would be a magnificent thing - I remember in the Gandhi movie, a reporter remarked to Gandhi 'You certainly are ambitions!' Gandhi's response was 'I hope not'.

As I see it, the goal is to remove as many conditionings as possible to get down to the I Am. We are the living, breathing, sensory aspect of the Dao. The meditations have gotten to the point where there are no distractions, the inner work has been done to clear the way to clarity. Once that has been done, it is as though there is a well of untapped information that is pulled out as needed - even if you didn't 'know' the answer, you can 'see' it. It never seems to end or diminish. This is my experience only. This, for me, has developed since Joe's death.