spirituality
Pen Scratch verse 739.
Fringe Dwellers
As a rule you’ll never see them nor meet them. They aren’t among the homeless on the streets because they don’t interact with society or need to depend on it.
They live in the deep forests, jungles, mountains, remote deserts and other wilderness areas where people never go because those places are deemed inhospitable, and they are except for the fringe dwellers who’ve managed to survive where most others couldn’t. Paved roads, public utilities and services don’t exist nor are they needed or wanted. They have traded conventional living’s conveniences for time amongst nature, they are only governed by weather. No time restrictions, stress or difficult social interactions, they have merged with nature where they have become part of a mystical experience in being. Unlike Thoreau’s Walden pond they don’t do it for a year and then write a book. They quietly stay for 40 or 60 years or more because that’s what it takes to experience the magic that comes with surrendering to the mystical winds.
There are many reasons that contribute to such a lifestyle from wretched abuse, physical and mental inability to a simple desire to experience life alone absent of the restrictions that accompany the presence of others or societies dictates. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a conventional life and there’s nothing wrong with being a fringe dweller the only thing that’s never made sense is the people living conventional lives and complaining rather than taking that first step into the unknown of change.
Some of the animals above could kill you but always remember, they can sense your intentions. If you welcome them they’ll welcome you.
Annoying your pets.
Being a Guru.
The spiritual thief.
I’m a spiritual wisdom thief, I’ll steal wisdom anywhere I find it. I’ve taken it from the esoteric Christians, Sufis, Buddhist, Taoists, Hindus, Native Americans and Aborigines. When I received my doctor of divinity in esoteric belief systems I became the James Bond of solitary monks with a license to steal. I do have my principles however, I only steal the ancient stuff who’s copyrights have long since expired.
Esoteric refers to something less known or understood, the mysticism in spirituality is a good example. Mysticism is abstruse and obscure, two things that human nature is uncomfortable with. Most people prefer the exoteric beliefs that are easily understood with literal meaning. A good example is John 3:16, one of the most favored passages in the bible, “For God so loved the world…” it’s comforting and that’s the whole point behind beliefs. Spiritual beliefs should bring you comfort in living which brings comfort in death.
For myself I derive comfort from understanding. In the Tao The Ching, believed to be written in the 4th century BC by the Chinese Taoist mystic- Lao Tzu, he writes; “Heaven-and-Earth is not sentimental; It treats all thing as straw dogs.” may seem blasphemous and not very comforting but it explains a lot about the workings of life and the world.
If your going to believe in a supernatural power and supreme being, a divine deity whose nature and power is independent and transcends the material universe, it would stand to reason that sentiment (a human emotion) wouldn’t or couldn’t have a factor in why things happen. This keeps me from blaming or finding fault with the Divine Deity and ever asking “How could God let this happen.” When I was two I contracted polio in the orphanage and barely escaped an iron lung. I didn’t ask “Why me.” The logical response was why not me? During the polio wars of the 1950’s there were 350,000 casualties, I just happened to be one of them. Behind every seemingly misfortune is an underlying good fortune. I’ve never had to slow down and smell the roses because I’m not capable of moving fast enough to have to slow down. I worked with enough paraplegic and quadriplegics daredevils in my career to appreciate the fact that polio limited my options for self destruction. From age 9 to 16 the state social services department didn’t have any place else to send me so I wound up in a work house and went days without eating. Sure it was a bitch but I learned early on how hard I was capable of working which is why I was able to accomplish what I have. I eventually jumped out the bedroom window and ran away and lived on the streets but continued to go to school. School was so much easier than the work house that I graduated with a full scholarship to the university of my choice.
The Divine workings operate on a scale that is beyond our comprehension. Acts of nature like hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and forest fires are difficult to understand in the eyes of man but in the eyes of the divine I refrain from judgement. The actions of humanity can be similarly viewed. People have a wide behavioral variant, we run the gamut from saint to sadist and thankfully there are more of the former than the latter. The day may come when that changes and this glorious planet shakes us off it’s surface like a dog does water after a bath. I trust that my belief in the workings of Divine continuance sends me sailing into space on mystical winds with a smile.
Bright blessings,
Mike and Lori
The Monk #1.
Conditioned Mind; the disruptive house guest who won’t leave.
I used to live my life confined by a conditioned mind and traveled in linear sequential time wreaking havoc with my preconceived convictions.
The impasse to joyous spiritual awakening.
The conditioned mind is an undisciplined mind narrowly fixed on its self generated thoughts hysterically racing you back and forth from one mundane thought to another.
It robs you of your vitality and renders your spirit into a hungry ghost frantically searching for what you already have but can no longer find or take solace in.
Restore the original Celestrial mind with its open emptiness so when the demons of negative thoughts try and enter, it will be like thieves entering an empty house.
Only Don’t Know.
The Simple Being in Become
There is a totality that’s so complete, it goes beyond conventional existence.
It would not be seen if found, nor felt if touched. If you were to stand in the middle of it you wouldn’t know it. If it roared past you there would be no sound or the hint of a breeze.
It is beyond thought and so it can’t be pondered by conventional mind or verbalized with voice.
It can only be known through it’s intention and so it goes beyond conscious concern.
Intention is the fluidity in mystical movement and we are but a drop in it’s ocean.
Become the intention
bongdoogle doodles 