The vision quest had not gone how I intended. On the second day of what was to be a four day quest, I hiked down the mountain and hitchhiked back to Boulder. I walked for quite a while before someone stopped to give me a lift.
Those Eyes. I'll always remember his eyes. They sparkled with shades of gold and orange, and had an ethereal quality that seemed to transcend Earthly reality. They glowed, and they touched deeply into me. I sat in the passenger seat of his pickup as he told me exactly what I needed to hear.
"You have to empty your cup before Spirit can pour in" he said. I explained to him my disappointing attempt at a vision quest, and he brought forward the very information that I needed to receive at that particular point in my life.
Today is Christmas. In the Catholic tradition, the weeks before Christmas, called Advent, are a period of preparing to receive Christ. They are a period of emptying our cup.
Receiving Christ is an individual inner process. In the bible we are taught that the kingdom of heaven is within. We are also taught that in order to enter the kingdom, we must come as like little children. What does this mean?
Children live entirely in the present moment. They haven't formulated and stored preconceptions, biases, dogmas, or rigid mental structures. Their cup is empty. Thus they can more easily receive of Spirit. As they grow older, their cups become full with the weight and gravity of society's norms, conditioning, and accepted realities. These can be blocks to entering the kingdom.
That reminds me of a story. A student of Zen went to see a revered Master. They sat down to share tea. The Master poured tea into the student's cup, not stopping when it was full and overflowing. "Master, stop!" exclaimed the student. "Don't you see that the cup is full?" To this the Master replied, "So too is your mind. How can I give anything to you when you've come to me with your mind already full?"
Just as the driver told me on our way into Boulder, we must empty our cups so that Spirit can pour in. On this ceremonial day of celebrating the manifestation of Christ, let us keep ourselves open and as like little children, inviting Spirit to fill us with the Christ Light. The Second Coming of Christ is here and now, and it is filling the cups of those who have made room.
Have a blessed, safe, and Light filled holiday!
In Light........................TommyD
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Lesson Learning
Tonight is the longest night of the year, and one during which the full moon will experience total eclipse. The weather forecast promises cloudy skies here in NE Ohio, but to those who will have clear skies, enjoy the show! It is my feeling that as a society we have passed the darkest night, and the days are getting longer with more light shining through. As what was hidden is revealed, things will be in flux. There is a choice of our attitude towards all this. I encourage everyone reading this to choose the high path, the path of loving and moving forward in clarity. The "blame game" will be very attractive, but it will not serve us in moving forward. Allow what was to be exactly that, what WAS. The keys to freedom are always accessed exclusively in the present moment. Here's a story which relates well to exactly what we are experiencing as a society and as individuals.
I walked down a street.
I fell into a deep hole.
It was dark and fearful in the hole.
It took me a long, long time to get out.
I walked down the same street.
I fell into a deep hole.
It took much effort to get out.
I walked down the same street.
Though I knew there was a hole in this street, I fell in anyways.
I climbed out quickly.
I walked down the same street.
I saw the hole and walked around it.
I walked down a different street.
In Light...........always in Light,
TommyD
I walked down a street.
I fell into a deep hole.
It was dark and fearful in the hole.
It took me a long, long time to get out.
I walked down the same street.
I fell into a deep hole.
It took much effort to get out.
I walked down the same street.
Though I knew there was a hole in this street, I fell in anyways.
I climbed out quickly.
I walked down the same street.
I saw the hole and walked around it.
I walked down a different street.
In Light...........always in Light,
TommyD
Friday, December 10, 2010
Remain In Light
I've been listening to the Talking Heads lately, specifically the CD "Remain In Light". There's a lot of hidden wisdom in the lyrics of these songs, and as a fellow starseed, I appreciate all that the Heads have brought forth. Consider these lyrics in the song "Houses In Motion":
For a long time I felt without style or grace
Wearing shoes with no socks in cold weather
I knew my heart was in the right place
I knew I'd be able to do these things.
And as we watch him digging his own grave
It was important to know that was where he's at
He can't afford to stop......that is what he believes
He'll keep on digging for a thousand years.
These words strike a chord of resonance with me. For a long time I've felt like a stranger in a strange land, an outsider with little interest in playing the "game" of western world, consumer / industrial military complex paradigm. I looked in the faces of the folks who have finished playing that game, now retired. They did not look content. They did not look genuinely happy. They looked tired. Similar to what David Byrne sings in this song however, I knew my heart was in the right place. I held myself in a state of sovereignty, in the world but not of it. I knew that someday what I have deep within me will be brought forth and valued. It is not of the old paradigm.
The next verse in the song is epic. This can relate to so much in today's world, and I'll name a few that come to mind: the paper/ponzi economy in which the few manipulate the many, petroleum based transportation, highly esteemed companies manufacturing weapons of mass destruction (right here in the good ole US of A), "franken-foods" and the proliferation of mutant crops and artificial food, the pharmaceutical industry's complete dominance of media, government, and mass psychology, world leaders acting like third graders (if you bomb me, I'll bomb you with a BIGGER bomb!), etc, etc, etc ad nauseum. Let's look at how these old paradigm pillars are doing these days.
The paper/ponzi economy has been worn thin, with cracks visible and many people now seeing through the viel. It is being held together by quantitative easing, a fancy name for creating money (more paper) out of thin air (Mr Ponzi would be proud). Countries are being taken over by the IMF (international monetary (paper) fund), their citizens being taken for a ride. Foreclosuregate has hit the mainstream, with evidence being provided showing the big banks and brokerage houses colluding with other paper entities to speculate, leverage, and flat out break the law. Those same big banks and brokerage houses have also been proven to have bet that the real estate bubble was going to pop. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. So the paper/ponzi economy is being exposed for the fraud that it is.
While petroleum based transportation is still in vogue on this planet, I'll go out on a limb and say that within the next 10 years we will see a huge transition to electric, hydrogen, natural gas, and compressed air forms of transportation. The gulf oil spill has awakened a lot of people to the dangers of a petroleum based infrastructure. What the gulf oil spill failed to do, the rising price of oil will do. In America gasoline is much cheaper than in Europe. This will not always be the case. As the paper economy implodes, taking with it the world reserve currency (the dollar), we will see oil prices in dollars rise. There is simply too much paper chasing a finite commodity. This is not rocket science. The technology exists today to transition to clean fuels, yet it is being stuffed under the carpet by those powers that have grown giant during the past hundred years as the petrol industry took off. This will shift. The gulf oil spill is a blessing in a sticky disguise.
The highly esteemed companies which still produce weapons of mass destruction are doing fine business these days. Consider that for every weapon brought into existence, it will have impetus to fulfill it's role for being. Bombs are not manufactured to sit idle on shelves. One wonders if the reason the US military has bases in over 130 countries world wide is because US weapons manufacturers need to sell their goods. I don't know how this one is going to work out, but we can clearly see that they are digging their own grave. In the Bible it says that he(she) who lives by the sword also dies by the sword. Think about this before supporting the next war.
The US is the world's testing ground for GMO products and other "franken-foods". Look around you at the state of the people in the US. Are the majority of them vibrant, healthy, and fit? What are they filling their shopping carts up with? A lot of sovereignty is lost by succumbing to the standard American diet. A certain hamburger company is the largest rainforest destroyer on the planet. They need space to graze their cows. Mono-cropping requires increasing amounts and concentrations of fertilizer and pesticide/herbicide in order to be effective, while at the same time stripping the soil of all vitality. People's taste buds have been hijacked by sugars, salt, sweeteners, MSG, and artificial flavors. Diabetes is on the rise in America and world wide as a result of this. I do not fault the people, they have no idea of their slavery. I do however pray for the light to come forward, and try to educate folks whenever I can. Conveniently, diabetes requires pharmaceutical treatments......and so, on to that industry.
If you watch TV (and I avoid it when possible), you know that pharmaceutical companies sponsor most shows. The programming is so complete and repetitious that it's bound to be stored in the brain's data centers. One is consistently advised to "ask your doctor about.......such and such". Most certainly the AMA and the modern medical establishment are complicit in this. Like a parasite that slowly destroys the host, the pharmaceutical industry is slowly destroying the sovereignty of the people. Native peoples maintained their sovereignty by studying herbal medicine, and by passing down knowledge of the natural world through the generations. They take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, and thus enjoy a fuller, more authentic lifestyle. This is in no way medical advice. I am not recommending anything other than for one to think about what one desires in life and the choices one will make and who those choices are going to benefit. Personally, I was diagnosed with asthma early in life and put on a myriad of pharmaceutical drugs. I also had psoriasis and used expensive creams. The doctors told me that it was a slim chance that I would outgrow my asthma and psoriasis. Until I was old enough to think for myself, I went along with this program. I played the "victim" of these dreaded diseases. Alas, I had the wit to stop taking all drugs. I researched herbs, took yoga, and have been asthma and psoriasis free ever since. Maybe it was coincidence, maybe I'm just lucky, or maybe the drugs and programming kept me in a "condition" that was beneficial to certain giant conglomerates. Who's to say? What I WILL say though is that I am extremely grateful to be off ALL drugs, not having taken a pill in over 20 years.
As for the world leaders acting like third graders (and thankfully not ALL of them do this), I'm almost embarrassed to be part of a world community in which the people give power to the "president", "prime minister", or "king/queen" to wage war against other countries. This is unacceptable. Quoting the Bible again we find, "by their fruits ye shall know them." Waging unjust wars or playing police force for the world is a bitter fruit indeed. It's time for leaders with wit, integrity, and the courage to say NO to the industrial military complex.
I saw a New Hampshire license plate today proclaiming, "Live Free or Die". In order to live free, to retain our sovereignty, we need to make proper choices. The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step, so let us not be intimidated by the journey ahead of us. The first step is right in front of you. In the song David sings, "It was important to know that was where he's at; he can't afford to stop......that is what he believes". We don't have to identify ourselves with the "him" of this song. We stand outside, in our sovereignty, knowing that "he" can't afford to stop digging, according to his own belief. Does "he(she) who lives by the sword also dies by the sword" make more sense now? Lay down your swords.
Remain In Light.
Peace.
For a long time I felt without style or grace
Wearing shoes with no socks in cold weather
I knew my heart was in the right place
I knew I'd be able to do these things.
And as we watch him digging his own grave
It was important to know that was where he's at
He can't afford to stop......that is what he believes
He'll keep on digging for a thousand years.
These words strike a chord of resonance with me. For a long time I've felt like a stranger in a strange land, an outsider with little interest in playing the "game" of western world, consumer / industrial military complex paradigm. I looked in the faces of the folks who have finished playing that game, now retired. They did not look content. They did not look genuinely happy. They looked tired. Similar to what David Byrne sings in this song however, I knew my heart was in the right place. I held myself in a state of sovereignty, in the world but not of it. I knew that someday what I have deep within me will be brought forth and valued. It is not of the old paradigm.
The next verse in the song is epic. This can relate to so much in today's world, and I'll name a few that come to mind: the paper/ponzi economy in which the few manipulate the many, petroleum based transportation, highly esteemed companies manufacturing weapons of mass destruction (right here in the good ole US of A), "franken-foods" and the proliferation of mutant crops and artificial food, the pharmaceutical industry's complete dominance of media, government, and mass psychology, world leaders acting like third graders (if you bomb me, I'll bomb you with a BIGGER bomb!), etc, etc, etc ad nauseum. Let's look at how these old paradigm pillars are doing these days.
The paper/ponzi economy has been worn thin, with cracks visible and many people now seeing through the viel. It is being held together by quantitative easing, a fancy name for creating money (more paper) out of thin air (Mr Ponzi would be proud). Countries are being taken over by the IMF (international monetary (paper) fund), their citizens being taken for a ride. Foreclosuregate has hit the mainstream, with evidence being provided showing the big banks and brokerage houses colluding with other paper entities to speculate, leverage, and flat out break the law. Those same big banks and brokerage houses have also been proven to have bet that the real estate bubble was going to pop. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. So the paper/ponzi economy is being exposed for the fraud that it is.
While petroleum based transportation is still in vogue on this planet, I'll go out on a limb and say that within the next 10 years we will see a huge transition to electric, hydrogen, natural gas, and compressed air forms of transportation. The gulf oil spill has awakened a lot of people to the dangers of a petroleum based infrastructure. What the gulf oil spill failed to do, the rising price of oil will do. In America gasoline is much cheaper than in Europe. This will not always be the case. As the paper economy implodes, taking with it the world reserve currency (the dollar), we will see oil prices in dollars rise. There is simply too much paper chasing a finite commodity. This is not rocket science. The technology exists today to transition to clean fuels, yet it is being stuffed under the carpet by those powers that have grown giant during the past hundred years as the petrol industry took off. This will shift. The gulf oil spill is a blessing in a sticky disguise.
The highly esteemed companies which still produce weapons of mass destruction are doing fine business these days. Consider that for every weapon brought into existence, it will have impetus to fulfill it's role for being. Bombs are not manufactured to sit idle on shelves. One wonders if the reason the US military has bases in over 130 countries world wide is because US weapons manufacturers need to sell their goods. I don't know how this one is going to work out, but we can clearly see that they are digging their own grave. In the Bible it says that he(she) who lives by the sword also dies by the sword. Think about this before supporting the next war.
The US is the world's testing ground for GMO products and other "franken-foods". Look around you at the state of the people in the US. Are the majority of them vibrant, healthy, and fit? What are they filling their shopping carts up with? A lot of sovereignty is lost by succumbing to the standard American diet. A certain hamburger company is the largest rainforest destroyer on the planet. They need space to graze their cows. Mono-cropping requires increasing amounts and concentrations of fertilizer and pesticide/herbicide in order to be effective, while at the same time stripping the soil of all vitality. People's taste buds have been hijacked by sugars, salt, sweeteners, MSG, and artificial flavors. Diabetes is on the rise in America and world wide as a result of this. I do not fault the people, they have no idea of their slavery. I do however pray for the light to come forward, and try to educate folks whenever I can. Conveniently, diabetes requires pharmaceutical treatments......and so, on to that industry.
If you watch TV (and I avoid it when possible), you know that pharmaceutical companies sponsor most shows. The programming is so complete and repetitious that it's bound to be stored in the brain's data centers. One is consistently advised to "ask your doctor about.......such and such". Most certainly the AMA and the modern medical establishment are complicit in this. Like a parasite that slowly destroys the host, the pharmaceutical industry is slowly destroying the sovereignty of the people. Native peoples maintained their sovereignty by studying herbal medicine, and by passing down knowledge of the natural world through the generations. They take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing, and thus enjoy a fuller, more authentic lifestyle. This is in no way medical advice. I am not recommending anything other than for one to think about what one desires in life and the choices one will make and who those choices are going to benefit. Personally, I was diagnosed with asthma early in life and put on a myriad of pharmaceutical drugs. I also had psoriasis and used expensive creams. The doctors told me that it was a slim chance that I would outgrow my asthma and psoriasis. Until I was old enough to think for myself, I went along with this program. I played the "victim" of these dreaded diseases. Alas, I had the wit to stop taking all drugs. I researched herbs, took yoga, and have been asthma and psoriasis free ever since. Maybe it was coincidence, maybe I'm just lucky, or maybe the drugs and programming kept me in a "condition" that was beneficial to certain giant conglomerates. Who's to say? What I WILL say though is that I am extremely grateful to be off ALL drugs, not having taken a pill in over 20 years.
As for the world leaders acting like third graders (and thankfully not ALL of them do this), I'm almost embarrassed to be part of a world community in which the people give power to the "president", "prime minister", or "king/queen" to wage war against other countries. This is unacceptable. Quoting the Bible again we find, "by their fruits ye shall know them." Waging unjust wars or playing police force for the world is a bitter fruit indeed. It's time for leaders with wit, integrity, and the courage to say NO to the industrial military complex.
I saw a New Hampshire license plate today proclaiming, "Live Free or Die". In order to live free, to retain our sovereignty, we need to make proper choices. The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step, so let us not be intimidated by the journey ahead of us. The first step is right in front of you. In the song David sings, "It was important to know that was where he's at; he can't afford to stop......that is what he believes". We don't have to identify ourselves with the "him" of this song. We stand outside, in our sovereignty, knowing that "he" can't afford to stop digging, according to his own belief. Does "he(she) who lives by the sword also dies by the sword" make more sense now? Lay down your swords.
Remain In Light.
Peace.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The most fun I've had in months!
There are few natural phenomena that leave humans in reverence and awe, with my favorites being raging ocean swells and blizzards. Yesterday brought a "sneak" blizzard into downtown Cleveland, amassing significant snowfall which was not forecast by the many meteorologists of the area. I'm grateful to say that I had the most fun I've had in months. Here's how it manifested.
It was sunny and cold as I left my house for work. The drive into work is about 11 miles and takes 20 minutes. Traffic was moving smoothly until I was within 5 miles from downtown. It was there that the snow began. Traffic was stopped shortly ahead, as the snow intensified. Though I was only a few miles from work, it took over 2 hours to get there. The roads were complete gridlock, with many minutes of simply sitting still awaiting the next advance of several inches. This is not where the fun was for me, though I have abundant patience and was fine sitting in my car and witnessing the copious snowfall.
I finally made it to work. There was a feeling of child-like wonderment in the air. When Mother Nature unveils a spectacle, us humans gain a fresh perspective on our position in the heirarchy on this planet. To see traffic flow completely shut down by the falling snow brought forward a variety of emotions to those involved. It is when under pressure that our true essence comes forth, and the pressure of being "stuck" in a claustrophobic, endless traffic jam allowed this essence to bubble forth. Witnessing this is where the fun began for me.
I put on jackets, hat, gloves, and my high boots and took a walk. I went to one of the busiest corners in the near downtown area, a corner that experiences rush hour gridlock on a daily basis. Traffic was stopped. There were cars everywhere. A few people rolled down their windows and had a brief conversation with me, often with concern that they would run out of gas. On the opposite side of the street, I saw some folks pushing a car which had gotten stuck. I went over to help out. The folks doing the pushing were the drivers of the cars behind the one stuck. They had gotten out and assisted. Traffic moving that way had to climb a small hill. I stood there for a while. It wasn't long before another car got stuck and had to be pushed. I pushed. Shortly thereafter another, and then another car got stuck. I continued to stay at this corner and assist people by pushing their car, giving them that little bit of momentum needed to continue up the hill. This was tremendous fun for me as the drivers of these cars rolled down their windows and co-ordinated with me in order to gain the momentum to continue on. The people had laid down their defenses and accepted the assistance of a total stranger on a day when many tempers were running short and everyone's patience was being tested.
As I stood on the corner, a few more people rolled down their windows to have a conversation. Clearly I was not the only one highly amused by this break in "normal" daily reality. Those of us willing to step outside of our preconceived ideas of what "should" be found much delight and refreshment in the monkey wrench that old man winter threw into the plans that day. We were simply humans touching each other in ways that felt good to us at the time, assisting each other in moving through a difficult circumstance. I'm grateful to have witnessed this firsthand.
A short while later a car stopped shortly up the road and put the flashers on. I went to see if I could help. The man was having an overheating issue and needed to get the car to the gas station on the opposite side of the street about 200 yards away. He asked if I could direct traffic while he backed up to the intersection and took the left hand turn that would direct him toward the gas station. I did this for him. It was tricky because there were so many cars and no space to move, and the cars were largely stationary. Despite the mess, he got his car to the gas station after some time.
At that point I needed a warmup, so I walked back to the bowling alley (my place of employment). About an hour later, the man who had the overheating car walked in. He didn't know there was a bowling alley there. It was his first time in the place. He saw me and came over to shake my hand, expressing his gratitude at the help. He told my uncles the story. It felt good to be appreciated.
As I was out helping cars up the hill, I thought about a concept I'd heard about years earlier......that of being angels for each other. We are offered an opportunity on this planet of learning and lessons to assist each other and bring blessings to each other. Yesterday was a great opportunity for me to show kindness to my fellow human by offering assistance, conversation, or friendship where needed. It was the most fun I've had in months!
Namaste..............
It was sunny and cold as I left my house for work. The drive into work is about 11 miles and takes 20 minutes. Traffic was moving smoothly until I was within 5 miles from downtown. It was there that the snow began. Traffic was stopped shortly ahead, as the snow intensified. Though I was only a few miles from work, it took over 2 hours to get there. The roads were complete gridlock, with many minutes of simply sitting still awaiting the next advance of several inches. This is not where the fun was for me, though I have abundant patience and was fine sitting in my car and witnessing the copious snowfall.
I finally made it to work. There was a feeling of child-like wonderment in the air. When Mother Nature unveils a spectacle, us humans gain a fresh perspective on our position in the heirarchy on this planet. To see traffic flow completely shut down by the falling snow brought forward a variety of emotions to those involved. It is when under pressure that our true essence comes forth, and the pressure of being "stuck" in a claustrophobic, endless traffic jam allowed this essence to bubble forth. Witnessing this is where the fun began for me.
I put on jackets, hat, gloves, and my high boots and took a walk. I went to one of the busiest corners in the near downtown area, a corner that experiences rush hour gridlock on a daily basis. Traffic was stopped. There were cars everywhere. A few people rolled down their windows and had a brief conversation with me, often with concern that they would run out of gas. On the opposite side of the street, I saw some folks pushing a car which had gotten stuck. I went over to help out. The folks doing the pushing were the drivers of the cars behind the one stuck. They had gotten out and assisted. Traffic moving that way had to climb a small hill. I stood there for a while. It wasn't long before another car got stuck and had to be pushed. I pushed. Shortly thereafter another, and then another car got stuck. I continued to stay at this corner and assist people by pushing their car, giving them that little bit of momentum needed to continue up the hill. This was tremendous fun for me as the drivers of these cars rolled down their windows and co-ordinated with me in order to gain the momentum to continue on. The people had laid down their defenses and accepted the assistance of a total stranger on a day when many tempers were running short and everyone's patience was being tested.
As I stood on the corner, a few more people rolled down their windows to have a conversation. Clearly I was not the only one highly amused by this break in "normal" daily reality. Those of us willing to step outside of our preconceived ideas of what "should" be found much delight and refreshment in the monkey wrench that old man winter threw into the plans that day. We were simply humans touching each other in ways that felt good to us at the time, assisting each other in moving through a difficult circumstance. I'm grateful to have witnessed this firsthand.
A short while later a car stopped shortly up the road and put the flashers on. I went to see if I could help. The man was having an overheating issue and needed to get the car to the gas station on the opposite side of the street about 200 yards away. He asked if I could direct traffic while he backed up to the intersection and took the left hand turn that would direct him toward the gas station. I did this for him. It was tricky because there were so many cars and no space to move, and the cars were largely stationary. Despite the mess, he got his car to the gas station after some time.
At that point I needed a warmup, so I walked back to the bowling alley (my place of employment). About an hour later, the man who had the overheating car walked in. He didn't know there was a bowling alley there. It was his first time in the place. He saw me and came over to shake my hand, expressing his gratitude at the help. He told my uncles the story. It felt good to be appreciated.
As I was out helping cars up the hill, I thought about a concept I'd heard about years earlier......that of being angels for each other. We are offered an opportunity on this planet of learning and lessons to assist each other and bring blessings to each other. Yesterday was a great opportunity for me to show kindness to my fellow human by offering assistance, conversation, or friendship where needed. It was the most fun I've had in months!
Namaste..............
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Guest Post from Bill Bonner of the Daily Reckoning
This post by Bill Bonner of Daily Reckoning is not only accurate and insightful, it's also damn funny. Without further ado......
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