29 Dec Across the Universe
Words are flowing out Like endless rain into a paper cup They slither while they pass They slip away across the universe Pools of sorrow, waves of joy Are drifting through my opened mind Possessing and caressing me Jai Guru Deva, Om Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Images of broken light Which dance before me like a million eyes They call me on and on across the universe Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe Jai Guru Deva, Om Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Sounds of laughter, shades of life Are ringing through my open ears Inciting and inviting me Limitless, undying love Which shines around me like a million suns It calls me on and on across the universe Jai Guru Deva, Om Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Nothing’s gonna change my world Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva Jai Guru Deva The Beatles, 1968 “Jai Guru Deva, Om” is a mantra-like refrain which in Sanskrit literally means “glory to the shining remover of darkness.” However, the lyrics seem more reflective of a psychedelic journey than a meditation. Interesting is the refrain “Nothing’s gonna change my world.” Does that mean that my world will never change or that from nothing will come the light that will change my world (the shining remover of darkness)? The ambiguity of the refrain suggests that one’s person experience (“my world”) is as it is (eternal) and yet bizarrely changing with revelations when traveling across the universe....
26 Dec Meditation of Death
There are times we are overwhelmed by stress, pain, multitasking, internal strife (mixed feelings about choices we need to make), depression, anxiety, etc. Overwhelmed means drowning. Drowning leads to death as without freedom from that which overwhelms us, we are living in hell. Fortunately, there is a life vest to save us from hell: the meditation of death. The meditation of death is setting our minds to imagine we will die in the next 5 minutes. With death imminent, everything transitions from like wallpaper that's been up for years (flat and unnoticeable) to three dimensional objects of intense beauty. Ugly, unfashionable Formica kitchen counters become beautiful abstract art. As we are energized by the beauty of everything, a calmness settles inside us and we are free from that which was overwhelming. As we continue with the meditation of death, we realize that death is a transition to becoming one with everything as we were before we were born. As one with everything, we view the universe from infinite perspectives (the essence of wisdom) and treat everything no differently than we treat ourselves (compassion). This is living in heaven, as before birth and after death. From the perspective of heaven, all that happens on Earth is absurdly funny. Thus, that which was once overwhelming now seems trivial, selfish and funny. To avail ourselves of the life vest, the meditation of death, we need never forget it is always near. But as we tend to be forgetful when we're overwhelmed, best to keep us from oblivion are short periodic prayers (meditations) several times a day wherein we are thankful for our circumstances as we acknowledge that there are many in the world who would love to be in our shoes (especially if they have no shoes)....
23 Dec Enlightenment is Overrated
Enlightenment is overrated except by those who are enlightened. That's the essence of enlightenment: non-judgmental, acceptance, humility and joy. The enlightened are non-judgmental. To them, the world is flat, not vertical, as they don't rate their enlightened state as higher than other states of mind. They accept each state of mind as it is what it is whatever it is, to be appreciated as it can be appreciated. They are humble and as such they don't confirm the status bequeathed them by others who desire to be enlightened as they view everyone as enlightened, some more some less. Asked if they are enlightened, the enlightened would respond: I am who I am. That is, categories, descriptions and identities deny the uniqueness of everything; the enlightened know that everything is unique; hence, self-descriptions are not an enlightened view. The enlightened don't overrate enlightenment as they know the joy that springs from wisdom and compassion can never be overrated....
21 Dec where the gods sit
Life is a play, we are the actors and the gods are the audience. However the actors experience the play (comedy, tragedy or a bit of both) doesn't matter to the gods as for them it's all a farce. But where do the gods sit in the audience? In the front row are the gods that most clearly know the human mind and the deceptive costumes that clothe it. These gods have the greatest laugh. In the back are the gods that don't completely get what's going on. However, they are fortunate (or not) to be closest to the exit, wherever that might lead....
19 Dec Is marble colder than wood?
In a room, marble and wood have the same temperature, room temperature. However, unlike wood, marble is cold to the touch. This is an anomaly as it doesn't comport with our expectations. (Marble feels colder because it's a relatively good conductor of heat and as such it drains heat from our skin, making our skin feel cold.) What makes the foregoing interesting is that while it's common knowledge that marble feels colder than wood, very few of us are curious enough to find out why; probably because our curiosity is not aroused by anomalies, though maybe it should be. Anomalies are funny. Funny as in odd as they don't conform to expectations, preconceived notions. Preconceived notions are categories in our mind that organize past experiences. These categories have descriptions and associations. We experience not our experiences as they happen but the descriptions and associations we have with the experiences. Thus, also funny, as in laughingly funny, is when we realize we mistakenly placed an experience into a category into which it doesn't belong. We laugh at our stupidity. If not, then we are truly stupid. Anomalies nudge us to awaken from having mechanical/category based experiences. While everything is unique, not like or unlike anything else, we fail to experience its uniqueness when we mechanically classify our experiences. When our curiosity is aroused by the uniqueness of an anomaly, we seek to understand the anomaly and in doing so we start on a journey that makes us realize everything is unique; unless we ignore the anomalies....
01 Dec Eric Hoffer
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” The learned know the temporary "it." The learners know the everchanging "is."...
22 Nov Eccentrics
The etymology of "eccentric" is out of center. Likewise, eccentric people are off center in terms of their beliefs, views and behavior relative to conventional thinking or the views of affinity groups generally. Their views tend to be unique and insightful. Yet, like Cassandra in Greek mythology, few believe in the prophecies of eccentrics that have a good track record of seeing the future. According to Dr. David Weeks who has studied eccentrics, the characteristics of eccentrics are: Enduring non-conformity. Creativity. Curiosity. An enduring and distinct feeling of being different from others. Idealism, unrealistically hoping to improve the lot of others by having others think like them. Happily obsessed with a number of long-lasting preoccupations. Intelligent, in the upper 15% of the population. Opinionated and outspoken. Non-competitive, not needing tangible recognition of success. Unusual eating habits and living arrangements. Not particularly interested in the opinions of others. Possessed of a mischievous sense of humor, charm, whimsy and wit. More frequently an eldest child. Having an eccentric family member. Focused on thoughts, not feelings. Feelings of invisibility as they feel others don't take them seriously. Feeling that others can take them only in small doses. Dislike small talk or other inconsequential conversation. A degree of social awkwardness. More likely to be single, separated or divorced. A poor speller in relationship to their intellectual capacity....
16 Nov Keys to Health
The key to health is reminding young. Most diseases are a function of old age. Smoking, drinking and cardiovascular problems are not much of a disease when we are young. The basic keys to staying young are food, sleep, laughter, aerobic exercise and energy. Food. Only eat things that look as you're eating them as they did when they were alive. Fruits, vegetables, small fish and birds look the same. Large fish, land animals don't. Neither does bread or pasta as they don't grow on trees. In other words, avoid eating refined foods and foods high up on the food chain which tend to accumulate toxic waste. Your body is built to eat naturally occurring foods, not man-made refined foods. Moreover, be careful to not get into eating accidents. These accidents are caused by overeating and often make us overweight. These accidents happen when we're not paying attention as we're eating. For example, there is a 90% reduction in fatal collisions in roundabout traffic circles where stop signs or light signals were previously used for traffic control. That's because when one approaches a stop sign or light signal one may be on their phone, talking or listening to the radio; but, when approaching a roundabout, one dispenses with multitasking distractions and concentrates on the road ahead. Focusing our attention lessens the chances of an accident. Likewise, when eating, best to focus on what we're eating. Best not to watch TV, listen to music, talk with someone or read. If you're hungry, eat as much as you wish but you'll notice your stomach is rarely hungry after a few bites. If the food is delicious, each as much as you wish but you'll find the law of diminishing returns results in each bite less pleasing then the bite before. Moreover, when you've got food in your mouth, close your eyes and enjoy the intense and subtle pleasure of the food, undistracted by your other senses. This is meditative eating. Sleep. Sleep a couple of times a day, a long sleep of several hours at night and one or two short naps during the day. Sleep is akin to dying of old age and awakening after is rebirth. Sleep allows us to recover from simply being worn out. Laughter. Laughing is the great elixir for pain and stress. As there is something funny about almost everything, one can find the funniness of a situation to relieve pain or stress. For example, I recently accidentally closed a car door on my finger; then immediately started laughing at how foolish I was not paying attention to closing the car door as I was talking at the moment to a friend. This otherwise painful experience was not painful. Aerobic exercise. That which is so to speak dead is inanimate, not moving. To be alive, move around vigorously as something that's alive to the point of getting your heart rate up. No need to go anywhere or use any equipment as you can dance or (if constrained by time or space) engage in sex. Energy Energy keeps us alive and protects us from malevolent forces like illness. Some people or situations are energizing and some are energy draining. Best to think about what brings us energy and what takes it away and embrace the energizing and avoid the draining....
25 Sep Mr. Many Heads
This surreal figure (wood and pigment, 21 cm) is from the Lega tribe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is called "Sakimatwematwe" or "Mr. Many Heads who has seen an elephant on the other side of the river." As an aphorism, to see the greatest animal in the jungle (which is not easily seen as it is on the other side of the river) requires wisdom, fairness and omniscience, characteristics of someone who can view things from the different perspectives of many heads. This object is in the Tomkins Collection. The collection can be viewed at tomkinscollection.org....