Simplicity Now

Meditation can bring the mind to
utter simplicity. Being quiet within is
the ground of simplicity - even
when we have to perform
action in the world.

"All is one"; "feeling the
oneness of all things". Such
expressions are absolutely true.
It's as if you are
at the end of a great
journey - and you come to
a place where you can
absolutely rest in peace;
and all your desires are
fulfilled. You are here; and
that's enough. That's all
there is. That is it.
All is one. Peace. Peace.
Now - extending to
the "next" movement,
the moment no longer in time - so it's
only just this external, eternal moment.
Being mindful of all that
is. Which is just this.
All is one. Simple. Easy.
Ah! Yes! Here! Here
now and forever

"as it was in the
beginning is now
and forever"

peace

Free Medical Care

These days there's much news about health care reform. I walked by one of the best examples of health care reform a week or so ago: the Berkeley Free Clinic. It been offering health care at no cost since 1969. I'm thankful to those who keep it going. There is light and love in this world.

The Green Bible

The Green Bible highlights, in green ink, over 1,000 Bible passages relating to the Earth and our responsibility to care for it. I picked up the hard copy edition in a bookstore. Fell in love with the green passages as well as the introductory articles. This is one of the most important publishing events of our time.

Day of the Dead

Now begins the Day of the Dead - the
meeting of the world of spirit and
matter. Actually spirit and matter are
always meeting: that's the normal
human condition. Perhaps, we ignore our
spirit side way too much. That's our
culture of materialism dominating our life
model. It's the False God of only
matter is real. Really now, the most
real is the invisible. Ask the physicist.

No. The real is what can be
measured, felt, and seen.
No. That's māyā, the vale of
illusion, that we measure, see,
and feel.
No. It's so fine, it's the
Void. Everything comes from
nothing.
No. These are all words.
Give them up. Listen to the
Sound of the cosmos.
Make your own music, poetry,
art, words to the beat of the
cosmos. Be a creator. Make love
with your whole being.

Image from Portland Music...

Truth and Freedom

Tell me. How do we live the
truth?

It's been said and
written: the truth shall make
you free. But, to know the
truth that makes you free is
to live, to embody the truth.
I believe that we must strip away
one illusion after another.
So that we are not distorting
reality. We must learn what's
below our senses; learning
how our emotions and
special personal interests color
our responses to reality.
To know both what we can
and cannot change.
To live with our
shadow, shades of gray,
and the light -- all at once.

360 Degree Wisdom Circles

I have a vision of "360 degree wisdom circles". Gatherings of friends, neighbors, students, co-workers engaged and arranged into spontaneous circles for up to 15 minutes in silence. The wisdom is in facing each other in silence suspending viewpoints and judgments. Just being present to each other. The wisdom of no-viewpoint. Just being together as-we-are.

I see these circles happening around board rooms, in office spaces, in public parks, shopping centers -- anywhere, anyplace, and anytime. Sometimes standing; sometimes sitting. The form and place not as important as the action of being together as-we-are just as human beings.

Furthermore, I see this practice spreading to friends of friends by personal contact, internet, and occasional media to the population of the entire Earth. No changes asked, only the action of being together as-we-are just as human beings.

We cannot talk our way out of the crisis in our times. So, let's BE our way into heaven on earth.

Walk In Now

On the eve of my middle school
graduation I discovered the practice
of walking-in-now. It was afternoon.
I was feeling a little tired and
depressed. Graduation was soon happenning,
but I had apprehension about the
future - as is likely before going
through a ritual of transformation. Like
any young person, I took to watching
television for relief. On the tube was a
motivational speaker who made a
remarkable recommendation for
moving forward in life. It went like this:

"Imagine a line on the floor.
Stand on one side of the line.
Bring to mind some
aspect of a new life you
want to live out. Imagine that as
you cross that line, your are
actually walking in, stepping into,
your new life right now."