Susmarie108
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@phoenix – have appreciated your recent posts. I love how you take time to interpret life’s lessons – and that you share your experiences. You are an inspiration!
On moral codes:
My moral code was developed through connection to my inner voice/my conscience in tandem with life experience. The conscience is a great gift, it offers insight and opens a portal to higher consciousness. We suffer the consequences of not listening.
One recent example of the power of my conscience came during Covid. The KNOWING came to me in the space/place deep within…the message – NO VAXX. I listened.
LOVE to All.
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@FigmundSreud
A beautiful and personal expression from Hermann Hesse. His insightful reading of trees leaves me in awe; the forest that surrounds me will not be the same. Thank you for sharing.
On trust:
Often trust is given/earned through experience. On rare occasion, trust is the enabler of KNOWING and or UNDERSTANDING the TRUTH of something deep within oneself, beyond words and experience.Trust makes it possible for us to access hidden opportunity. When we are open – still and quiet, we hear the WISDOM of the Heart! Trusting this source of insight, and translating its wisdom into plans/action in daily living is powerful.
I love the passage below, it holds the key to LIFE.
“A tree says: My strength is trust. I know nothing about my fathers, I know nothing about the thousand children that every year spring out of me. I live out the secret of my seed to the very end, and I care for nothing else. I trust that God is in me. I trust that my labor is holy. Out of this trust I live.”
DBS – way to rally the team!
LOVE to ALL.
@Armenio: with gratitude for your contribution.
Rejoice! “Light matter joins the ether to become the sound of wind through the reeds; the eerie, quiet whisper heard in those dark, lonely hours; the soundtrack to oneiric portents.”
Great insight, worth reading: Life at the End of an Empire with St Augustine
“Citing Cicero (106 – 43 BC), Augustine’s insight into the true causes of Rome’s downfall hinged on the positive conception of a healthy society which is in harmony with the mandate of the ideal City of God. This is a society which has wisely rejected the law of “might makes right” of empire.”
“Citing Cicero, Augustine defines a healthy community saying “a community of commonwealth is not an association of units, but an association united by a common sense of right and a community of common interest”. Continuing to cite Cicero’s 64 BC opus, he writes “the morality has passed away and we are bound to be called to account for the disaster… for we retain the name of a commonwealth, but we have lost the reality long ago, and this was not through any misfortune, but our own misdemeanors””.
“Augustine’s City of God is in many ways his attempt to do what Plato laid out in his life’s work and especially his Republic (published in 375 BC) and also what Cicero did in his Commonwealth published in 64 BC. In both cases the great philosopher/statesmen laid out their solutions to their nations’ slide into empire. All three noted that whenever societies fall into decadence which empire entails, the love of wisdom is replaced for the love of hedonism and other ephemeral pleasures. Love of the other is replaced with love of the self and considerations of the wellbeing of the whole community are reduced to the wellbeing of the individual member with power to impose their will onto the masses.”
““When a man’s resolve is to love God and to love his neighbor as himself, not according to man’s standards but according to God’s, he is undoubtedly said to be a man of good will, because of this love. This attitude is more commonly called ‘caritas/agape’ in holy scripture; but it appears in the same sacred writing under the appellation ‘Love’. When the apostle is giving instructions about the choice of a man to rule God’s people, he says that such a man should be a lover of the Good… There is indeed a love which is given to what should not be loved and that love is hated in himself by one who loves the love which is given to a proper object of Love. For these can both exist in the same man and it is good for man that what makes for right living should increase in him and what makes for evil should die away until he is made perfectly sound and all his life is changed into good.””
May Peace and LOVE find you.
RE: “Kissinger, Orban and Bolsonaro are the voices of reason these days.
On Kissinger, consider this expansive view: “Modern US Warmongering Is Scaring Henry Kissinger”.
This rings true to me. A perfect example of the type of action driving him mad is found in today’s news – US lawmakers head to Taiwan.
From Caitlin’s post today (linked below):
“I don’t know about you, but to me this warning is much, much more ominous coming from a bloodsoaked swamp monster than it would be from some anti-imperialist peace activist who was speaking from outside the belly of the imperial machine. This man is a literal war criminal who, as a leading empire manager, helped to unleash unfathomable horrors all around the world the consequences of which are still being felt today.”
“Henry Kissinger is warning about the dangers of US warmongering not because he has gotten saner, but because the US war machine has gotten crazier. ”
Notes from the field: Conifers dying in Colorado. Similar to what I saw in Ohio. My Northern CA (Trinity County) conifers continue to die. Where will it end – or is this the end?
LOVE to All. Om Shanti.
@Armenio: “Living: to reinforce the self or to learn to make do without. We all know where this is heading; remembering is the adventurous and, to some, the courageous part.”
On Living: Well said. Taking your thought one step further: Remembering – and taking direct action in response – brings adventure and/or courage. Arjuna REMEMBERED, his time with Krishna provided absolute clarity. In response, he stood up, took the reins, and moved his chariot to the front line. His presence in this fight was “required”. He embraced and fulfilled his duty through selfless action. We choose our response, and in response we shape our destiny.
As the world turns, turns, turns……
Om Tat Sat.
Late to the party yesterday. Gustave Moreau Helen on the Walls of Troy 1885 is beyond beautiful.The colors (Ode to Cobalt Blue), the translucency, the details, and the layers. This is a watercolor painting so perfectly executed. Moreau’s other works are equally beautiful with emphasis on his watercolor paintings. Check out “Pieta”, “The Song of Songs”, and “Inspiration”.
@citizenx: a lovely tribute. “May the four Winds blow you safely home Julian”.I find the Emmanuel videos charming and Eco sister is the star. Gotta love how all the animals come to her. Am certain that overalls and emus will be making a comeback. The name Emmanuel always takes me back to this…a prayer for Peace.
O Come O Come Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.Chorus:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee o Israel!O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.O come, o come, Thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law,
in cloud, and majesty, and awe.O come, Thou Rod of Jesse’s stem,
from ev’ry foe deliver them
that trust Thy mighty power to save,
and give them vict’ry o’er the grave.O come, Thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heav’nly home,
make safe the way that leads on high,
that we no more have cause to sigh.O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night
and death’s dark shadow put to flight.O come, Desire of the nations, bind
in one the Hearts of all mankind;
bid every strife and quarrel cease
and fill the world with heaven’s peace.LOVE to All.
@Dr D
Appreciate how you connect the dots here….
“Following the expansion of Luongo, we have oligarchic power blocs, Davos vs Wall St. The Fed, and probably the Pentagon, are taking out the extraordinarily dangerous Davos crowd. That’s the war + the rates. LeGarde said, “Central Banks have to make it their mission to do Green New Deal/ESG lending exclusively. (and therefore kill 6B people)” Powell said, “No I don’t. My mandate is for employment + the economy. The U.S. Economy, NOT THE WORLD.” LeGarde had a mental meltdown on camera, realizing what that meant. Now these months later, Powell has very slowly and deniably been utterly destroying ECB with rates, even as the Pentagon has crushed all Europe (in cooperation with Russia), and now their head-monster, Germany. Lost war, dark winter. Collapse.”
The alignment of players: this makes sense…..
“So Powell, Wall St, and guess what? Probably Trump. So you can put him in the category, allied with Wall St, Jamie Dimon, the Pentagon, and they have their own interests. And what are they, in the biggest sense? Pro-Capitalism, ultimately. That is, not Soviet Socialism, as Europe is. And that doesn’t make them OUR friends and allies, but we attack first the coastline, THEN the mountains.”
With destruction/collapse of the Globalist agenda, bringing the focus home – shepherding in a re-alignment of VALUES across all fronts is something many can/will support..at last! THEN…
“I’ll be happy to pivot to Wall St and the non-Capitalism we have here, returning rule of law called the “Constitution”, and monopoly protections with honest elections here.”
The possibilities are worth holding on to/for.
@ Red RE: “But in #OppositeLand, the #Opposite of the Opposite is the Opposite.” Crazy but true. Takes us directly into the Heart of the insanity.
Reminds me of the closing mantra of the Prajnaparamita, the HEART Sutra (written in Sanskrit below):
Gate gate paragate parasamgate, bodhi svaha.
Translated as:
Gone, gone, gone beyond and even the beyond and into enlightenment.Crazy but true. Takes us directly into the Heart of the solution.
A Mantra for All.
LOVE to All.@oxy: hi…happy to see you here again. Yes….
“Forgiveness is quiet and quietly does nothing – it merely looks, waits, and judges not”
The key to getting earth mind to heaven mind in my opinion.”Forgiveness and Acceptance are the two wings of the bird that will lift us from ignorance to LOVE which is HEAVEN ON EARTH (freedom from attachments and desires). Going BEYOND is another matter.
May LOVE Be with You.
@citizenx – meet you on the meditation cushion anytime. Guru Purnima was yesterday…In gratitude for LIFE the great teacher.
LOVE in its’ purest form is is free of attachments – such as ice cream or killing. LOVE is a state of perfection LIVED and expressed in everyday life – in thoughts, words, deeds. LOVE is.
Rumi: “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
Time in meditation will reveal them (barriers) – and more; the spiritual war against ignorance is won in the Hearts/Minds/Souls of humans. Peace/LOVE is an inside job. It can be practiced in every breath.
On Love
Kahlil Gibran – 1883-1931Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself
He threshes you to make your naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God’s sacred feast.All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.
But if in your heart you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,” but rather, “I am in the heart of God.”
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.Wielding the sword of LOVE…a fragment in Life’s Heart.
LOVE to ALL.echo mpsk…
@oxy: the Paul Spradbery post is ……….beyond words.
It rings true to me.
Words more precious than ever…LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
LOVE to All.
NOTE: The flag of the Soviet Union: The State Flag of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, commonly known as the Soviet flag, was the official state flag of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 1922 to 1991. The flag’s design and symbolism are derived from several sources, but emerged during the Russian Revolution.
What am I missing?
Germ: thank you for the many COVID offerings.
TAE Community – do view this link from Germ at #111007. There are important practical/actionable next steps outlined in Geert’s latest…..
RE: Ramirez cartoon: so the pro-Russia t-shirt is part of the package here? Why?
RE: Pablo Picasso Sleeper with shutters 1936 – I am always amazed at his ability to deconstruct/reconstruct the human body. How does he do it?
I appreciation and with Gratitude – Ilargi.
LOVE to All.
RE: Build my house
After watching this earlier today, I went back for a second look. It’s a mirage! The graphics in video “games” have never looked better and been so convincing.
“It’s almost as if ….”
Its being done on purpose?
No. They are lost/misguided. They think/feel/act as if it is theirs and theirs ALONE. They are the only responsible ones, therefore they must act. They are the DECIDERS – on purpose. They are blind and will fail with this view.
“It’s almost as if……”
They know deep within that there is a TRUTH, and they are not living it. They have given their Souls to the machine which is built to reinforce their beliefs. Rather than FACE the TRUTH, the only path forward is to double down. It is insanity, a mental and spiritual illness – like VP Gary describes. To choose anything outside of their belief bundle is choosing death. No wonder they fight so hard (despite the reality on the ground). They lie to themselves and to each other to keep the gig going. Until…..
@Mister Roboto: Thanks for the Naomi Klein link. This summarizes my position, perfectly. The overreach by the pro-choice movement (with an acceleration over the past 20 years, such as the push for later and later term abortions) + lack of discussion/conversation/involvement in assessing/clarifying/meeting the CHANGING needs/reality of our times – is real. We sat on the sidelines far too long and here we are! More accurately, the powerful pro-choice organization was never set up to acknowledge EVOLVING views/positions, therefore these ideas were never incorporated into operations of “the movement”.
“Women-led citizens thus can, hopefully, be creating at state levels, a reasonable consensus reflecting majority views, about what a decent society should do to defend what many see as basic bodily autonomy while still keeping what many see as the deaths of viable innocents out of civilized bounds.
And that debate between citizens, and that advocacy, and that state-level self-determination — rather than a fiat from above, exploited by self-interested entities in such a way as to grow only more grotesque over time — is how America is supposed to work. ”
Speaking of overreach, this is what Kunstler consistently references when he fingers the Party of Chaos. It is also what Matt Taibbi was speaking about the other day when he pointed out that his “party” had moved to the extreme (left) that it had left him behind. This accurately describes where I stand. Since the natural evolution/progression of the powerful is to overreach, we eventually get to the tipping point. What happens next is up to us.
@Ilargi: LOVED the house-builders video. An amazing accomplishment! The teamwork!! A beautiful, natural and practical oasis….inspiring.LOVE to ALL.
@Archie and DBS: appreciate wise guys and guys with values.
On Om:
In the YOGA Sutras 1.28, the idea of using Om to go beyond illusion (including the creation) is presented. (I am sure this is what Archie was attempting).
The translation reads as:
The repetition of this (Om) and meditating on its meaning (is the way).There are numerous translations of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (the original is in Sanskrit). Here is one for Sutra Book 1.28: https://www.yogapradipika.com/yoga-sutra-28
Happy to discuss further. Happy to let it go.
Om Shanti (Sanskrit for Peace)
@V. Arnold: “Whereas Ilargi doesn’t censor comments it becomes incumbent on us, the commenters to, run a tight ship and keep the spirit of this blog true to it’s purpose…”
I can’t agree with you. I do not want to be the Blog Police responsible for maintaining a tight ship! I come here for the perspective.
ALL of it.
Top section (amazing array) from our incredible host and the colorful bottom (mosh pit) from the gang. I try to post when my contribution represents unique perspective + insight from daily living and life experience – holding zero expectation for what comes of it. If offered constructive criticism, I would be open to UNDERSTANDING another POV.
It would be a shame if there were efforts to control, discourage and inhibit the open flow of communication. By all means offer constructive feedback. Skip over the sections you don’t wish to read, are there really that many?
There is Self – and there is the self.
There is Truth – and there is the truth.
There is a difference between the personal and the UNIVERSAL. You can find/KNOW the difference through life experience.
IF YOU ASK.
IF YOU LISTEN AND LEARN AND LIVE IT.
One Universal Self.
One Universal Truth – is LOVE.
Om Tat Sat.
LOVE to All.
@Formerly T-Bear:
There was no mention of belief, and that was my point. It seems to me that many confuse belief with truth/fact; what is missing is discernment. Chasing beliefs can be positive and or negative, leading to illusion/delusion or some new awareness.
You said truth is a mirage and I respectfully disagreed. Truth is truth. Belief is a mirage. Depends which “track” you are on.
It seems we are saying the same thing just from different perspective.
@Formerly T-Bear: “Truth is a mirage, it can evaporate upon approach.”
It seems to me that the Truth is tangible unlike a belief which is a “mirage”. Belief is more than a mirage, it is a tool of manipulation/creation (for positive and negative purposes). When employed/deployed by the mind, with the help of the other centers of human intelligence (feeling/emotion and implementation/action) – belief can move into tangibility/reality.
The concept of actively leveraging belief came to my direct attention in the 70’s (during high school). My dad gave me a copy of the book “Think and Grow Rich” . In it author Napoleon Hill says “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve”. Powerful stuff at the time, and “successful” people where all over it.
Belief, faith, hope – are the slippery slope. Truth holds on firm ground until proven otherwise.
Today’s selection Paul Ranson Apple tree with red fruit 1902 is a joy in color. The wispy trees and plants are inviting and playful. A lovely mirage.
LOVE to All.
The Albrecht Dürer Praying hands 1508 is a beautiful pen-and-ink drawing. Like V. Arnold, I found myself looking at my own hands – and admiring the precision of his work even more. I love the background as much as the hands, a very different form of contrast.
When hands are joined in this manner and thumbs are placed at the Heart one may hear the words Namaste. This gesture is used in YOGA traditions as a sign of respect reverence. Bringing our hands together at the heart chakra increases the flow of divine love, kindness, and compassion. Bowing the heads and closing the eyes helps us surrender to the divine within.
Dr. D’s commentary works well with today’s art don’t you think?
LOVE to All.
Gary often speaks of destructive EGO dominance, and that freedom lives by breaking free/going beyond the identity known as the small self (the EGO). It can be done if ….”Thy Will Be Done”. In Yoga philosophy they speak of Self-realization, the discovery/realization of true Self (GOD) within, which is freedom, peace, unity in all. The Path of Yoga (the system/philosophy which includes the postures) is powerful, and most effective with the guidance of a teacher/Guru. Going beyond the beyond and into the beyond is possible! Viktor Frankl introduces a third Way. I always appreciate direct insight in simple language with practical applications. You don’t have to “travel” far to explore this Path…one more quote to ponder:
“The meaning of life is to give life meaning”…
“Being human always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself—be it meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love—the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. … What is called self-actualization is not an attainable aim at all, for the simple reason that the more one would strive for it, the more he would miss it. In other words, self-actualization is possible only as a side-effect of self-transcendence”. – Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for MeaningLOVE to All.
@Dr D: “It’s that Tao. It’s that hidden intangible like “the mandate of heaven” no one can define. Just keeps popping up everywhere, all the time, despite every 1984/Brave New World factor they can find. Just because it’s nameless doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Like the wind you can know it by its actions and effects on other things. Think about it.”
Yes. Always thinking about it. Always engaging, taking intentional actions that create direct experiences – to gain understanding of it. Always reflecting/translating the result, the value/meaning into tangibility for daily living in/with/through/by it.
It is built in. They can not own or control it. They can not take it away – unless we surrender or give it up or die.
Again I refer to the book Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl as a source for what’s possible in even the most extreme conditions. The answer is in the title – it is an unending desire that makes the difference.
Quotes from Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning:
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”
“But there was no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bore witness that a man had the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer.”
“Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible.”
“Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized. Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true.”
“It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.”
“For the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth – that Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.”
LOVE to All.
SusanIt starts with a VISION for what is possible. With a direction, we can move from the vision to practicality – to designing, implementing, and inspiring.
@Red, high density (population) areas/cities need a different plan, so implement where the land is available – or make land available. US Gov. owns lots of land (Trinity County CA where I live is 82% US Gov/forest lands). Perhaps the opportunity to HOMESTEAD would appeal to the younger generations. US could do it at some scale. Suburbs could eliminate grass/lawns and implement a third plan.The article linked below came through following a John Day link (of today). Quotes from the article…we have
Hippies Revival – Part II for ya:“Essentially, what Russian gardeners do,” he concludes, “is demonstrate that gardeners can feed the world – and you do not need any GMOs, industrial farms, or any other technological gimmicks to guarantee everybody’s got enough food to eat. Bear in mind that Russia only has 110 days of growing season per year – so in the US, for example, gardeners’ output could be substantially greater.”
A Hippies Revival – would not be complete without the energy, practicality, and spirit of INDIVIDUALS who think/live/LOVE differently:
“As Vladimir’s critical interest in these phenomena grow, Anastasia stresses the importance of the wisdom she offers, offering the vision of an emerging culture re-united with Nature. Letting the children grow up in orchards and gardens full of our love is the key to reclaiming humanity’s Creator role on earth, and this new Age of Co-Creation will be realized when we empower our dreams with the purity of thought that comes from living a natural life.”
According to JKunstler, we are destined to end up here anyway. So why not build out models for what’s possible now? This vision will appeal to some; thankfully there are many paths to Peace.
LOVE to All.
@Dr D: reflecting with you on the Greenies of days gone by…we have arrived at the place you describe as: “A strange kind of environmentalism that is against all messiness and participation in all life. More of the “Mentalism” and less of the “Environment.” This is an abandonment of the HEART where LOVE/empathy/compassion reigns and abandonment of HANDS where doing/living/experiencing is the Way. It is now an all HEAD/Mind world (Mentalism) where fantasy rules.
Some of us were too young to have been on the front lines, yet the TRUTH/AUTHENTIC aspects of the movement live on. I am a remnant of the Hippie Clan. We know at the core of our BEING that LOVE is the only Way.
@ Gary: Please keep expanding the conversation on spiritual matters! I would like to challenge your view on the role of feelings, they are NOT the “problem” as per your posting. It is true that EGO feeds on/is powered by feelings. Please consider the role that MEMORY plays instead. The mind is the keeper of memories. The mind is also the greatest recording device of all time! And with input/impressions from the senses – of taste, sound, smell, touch, color/visuals – the “soundtrack” is rich and embedded with incredible volumes of multi-sensory “data”. NOTE: memory is the past.
HEART = Emotional Response/Reaction (such as compassion, empathy, joy, sorrow – to name a few). The key is in how you RECEIVE, HOLD, TRANSLATE the response/reaction. The unbalanced/overactive MIND and memories are drivers, and their influence/interference on the translation can disrupt/corrupt and or enhance the process. The feelings you point to are not pure, from the HEART – they are the mind’s response. The EGO does not want the pure HEART to be heard. HEART is here in the PRESENT moment.
I am purposefully present; my bare feet are planted on the wood floor as I write this. My mind is focused, it is a cool morning. GRATEFUL for the day.
LOVE to All.
Gary – appreciate the reply + new conversation.
One clarification: I described three centers of human “intelligence” not primary states of human existence. Intelligence in this case is like an operating system. In this model, when all centers are fully operating, accessed and utilized, in mutual co-operation/balance/harmony, there is WISDOM – which is the portal to SPIRIT.
The willingness to experience legitimate suffering FULLY is the foundation of mental/physical/emotional prosperity?
Robert Campin Portrait of a woman 1430-35 – a beautiful piece. Contrast is the key. Her face is lovely, perfect features captured perfectly. The pinned, layered cloth draped in waves and bound tightly around her chin frames the perfection. Painted fabric is always a source of interest for me, this is well done – contrast that to yesterday’s art selection where the tablecloth takes on a “personality” of its own. Left over right Hands at her Heart shine through.
@Dr D: thank you. Yesterday’s post was enlightening; your clarity/reasoning – on how they are managing/hiding the global bankruptcy/financial collapse is evolving and razor sharp. Red-Hot Today: “But also if you are NOT guided by impartial reason, you cannot have a ‘modern’ state. Period. “The Constitution is for a moral people and will work for no other” – John Adams. They are getting rid of Enlightenment – and in a sense, have made an enemy of “light”, of reason – in favor of darkness, their new god.”
Impartial reason. Agree, it’s an essential aspect lost to the dominance of and the reliance on pure emotion. Most people are completely unaware of the distinction and of the relationship. Reason/reasoning – like any other positive practice/habit/skill, requires focus and cultivation. Would love to explore this further!
You are pointing to feelings as a lynchpin. “feelings are a source of needed power, and fill a deep, irrational hunger for self, for control.” What you are saying is that our feelings are being used as a weapon against us and are a tool that is leveraged by TPTB. So TRUE.
I see it in a simple equation (through a highly focused/distilled Enneagram lens): Three Centers of human intelligence represented like this: Hands (doing/action), Head (mind/thought) and Heart (feelings/emotion). We are typically strong/competent in one Center and lacking in another. Wisdom comes through activation of all three Centers. For example, reason/reasoning comes through activation of Head and Heart intelligence. Applying reason to daily living requires activation of the doing Center guided by the other two – leading to Wisdom. Could something as simple as this provide insight and a PathWay to Peace?
A moral people – what does this mean? How do we become this? Who facilitates the conversation? Or do we individually apply our moral understanding/experience from daily living to daily living in the quest to be the best person we can be – in the world directly around us?
LOVE to All.
@willem: We had a good turnout at yesterday’s Farmers Market held in the grassy green meadow next to the Art Gallery where I work. Nearly 1/3 of the producers drive approximately 45 miles upriver/downriver and over a mountain pass to get here, they all have expanding fuel costs ($6.97/gallon in town). Am so grateful for the beautiful offerings they bring each week!
My strategy to help these hard-working, committed souls is to buy as much of their produce/products as I can possibly eat + more. We all need to eat more veggies and fruit, right? I also try to gift everyone an extra something – so if the green onions are a dollar fifty cents I hand over a ten and say keep the change. Am also considering rounding up a couple of market sponsors whose money could be pooled and directed to the producer participants as “gas money”. Small rural towns are fragile, protecting the “heritage” human infrastructure such as Farmers Market – is an essential task.
@Gary: “Many of us matured within a society inhabited by a majority of “women” who were nurturing, caring, demure, community-oriented “givers”, whom mostly placed their life goals towards the sanctity of family, the normal social contract + generally ALL life on earth.”
Yes, we were the fortunate sons and daughters who grew “up” in that mostly stable society. I credit that early life experience for firmly establishing my REVERENCE for ALL life on earth and for my ability to lead with/be LOVE in daily living.
Anyone/everyone can find the Way to PEACE, COMPASSION, LOVE. Access/channels are OPEN if you choose it. No one need ask for empowerment from some outside source – as the Source is and always has been within. Ask and you shall receive. Everlasting empowerment is yours – by this choice alone.
Even more important is your statement: “the unvarnished Truth of real reality is that spirituality has to be lived to grok it”. This has been my experience as well. Add to it the UNDERSTANDING that comes from a quiet/silent mind. When the mind is silent the Heart talks. The language of the Heart is LOVE.
@phoenix – your contributions here are valued and appreciated. You are powerful through the sharing of personal experiences and reflections. Your LOVE shines through.
LOVE to ALL.
@ Ilargi: when we reach this moment of truth we have arrived – “What happens to the cathedral is now no longer up to me,” he said, glancing at his grave. “I’ve done everything I need to do.” Bravo Justo.
RE: Pierre-Auguste Renoir Riding in the Bois de Boulogne (Madame Henriette Darras or The Ride) 1873 – the lady is riding side saddle as was the custom back in the days of long heavy skirts. That black dress is feeling rigid and constrained, yet beautifully tailored and buttoned. The horses are feisty and look like they are having a gay time, they appear to be up to something! I do love the use of so many shades of grey; grey is the essential color in this piece.
@phoenix: fierce songbird!
@mpsn: I also followed FireDogLake. Got involved running the Occupy supply chain with Jane Hampshire, it was a successful effort before “they” infiltrated the movement and took it down a violent path.LOVE to All.
@Dr D: yes painful, yet essential timeline. Thanks for the detailed look back. Since nothing was fixed and the looters not held accountable, it was set up to be continued. All the same players raping the other classes at a pace and to a degree rarely if at all comprehended/understood by the victims. The current level of USA Inc. desperation (failure), seen across all issues – is ramping up. Nothing can/will stop or hide the greatest transfer of wealth ever seen from imploding! A sad warning Hobbes.
I did see the jaw-dropping article by of all people Naomi Wolf. The conclusions are mind-blowing, and there are more to come. Let the internal revolution and subsequent dedication to life/TRUTH reign in the Hearts of All.
Worth repeating:
“Yeah, now that she can see raw evil, coming, on purpose, she turns to God. Capital “G”. THAT is when these things start to be taken seriously. THAT is when it can change. Hey, maybe it’s not God. I think it is, but why not? IT DOESN’T MATTER. This is what history says you have to do to right the ship. By righting the only thing you have power over: YOURSELF.”I give blood every 8 weeks. The service provider recently re-started antibody testing. Finally got my antibody test result: REACTIVE. Meaning I have antibodies but apparently not in a significant quantity for my plasma to be used as COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma. They used the Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics VITROS Immunodiagnostic Products Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG Quantitative Reagent Pack test. NOTE: I had covid in August of 2021 (Delta was the dominant variant at the time).
@phoenix: your comments in recent days are inspiring. Integrity. You are a courageous Soul.
LOVE to All.
Was gonna post this yesterday (Memorial Day) but after reading the Naomi Wolf piece, I was done….
From Caitlin Johnstone today:
“I honestly don’t understand how anyone can stay abreast of the day-to-day depravity of the oligarchic empire without a daily practice geared toward inner peace. Things are so insane and confusing and only getting more so; you’ve got to have a regular discipline to form stability.
Meditation, self-enquiry, healing and energy practices, whatever gets you there, but surely you’ve got to have something before you can stare into the face of the beast continuously without going mad. I can’t imagine looking at this thing every day without any kind of a practice.”
Self-enquiry – is the constant attention to the inner awareness of “I” or “I am” recommended by Ramana Maharshi as the most efficient and direct way of discovering the unreality of the “I”-thought.
Posting at TAE is a form of Self-enquiry.
LOVE to All.
Hand-rolled Ciggie…
…of course…and probably rolled with one hand while riding her horse…
…side-saddle, her golden soft flowing layered-gathered blouse, dense tapestry woven skirt intentionally cinched and bow-tied at the waist, beaded braids and bangles snapping in the wind….
The worship of violence is discussed in detail in this piece by John Whitehead. It’s about time we own the impact that glorifying violence has had on all of us (with emphasis on children). It has been 50+ years long grind for US consumers as the war “games” have been an all-consuming aspect of our culture. Violence expressed/experienced through toys, videos, movies, video games, in clothes and in sports is directed at young men, so it makes sense that the shooters are males.
Jim Kunstler shoots at the wrong target. His well-written piece puts the blame on The Party of Chaos, which makes me go full Gustave Courbet crazy. US Inc. – The Party of Hate and Lies should be your focus! Please use your to leverage make a case against the root source of evil. The D/R parties both = chaos and are only the enablers.
Self-portraits are markers of moments in time. These expressions are personal, very revealing. Today’s Gustave Courbet The Desperate Man (self-portrait) 1852 is dramatic, the Artist chose to capture a “moment” of significance through extreme “in your face” facial expressions, contrast of light/dark, and through the use of a cold white color. Perhaps this is how V. Arnold is feeling today?
Two earlier Courbet self-portraits are even more beautiful. The 1844 version with a black dog and the 1848/9 with pipe, take you deeper into his world. See for yourself.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Courbet_Autoportrait.jpg
LOVE to All.
@citizenx: Neil Young lost me (in 2016) when he dumped Pegi, his wife of 36 years. His tantrum on the vaxx was pathetic. I still appreciate his music. The MOMENT IN TIME captured on many of the albums I reference is what matters to me…they are notches/milestones on the timeline of life.
Bodhidharma sat in meditation for 9 years to?
