Finding our way to The Way one situation at a time. I don't know how great it will be, but I expect it will be interesting, and I look forward to it going on past all reason because wonder is just that way. Are you coming or not?
Pamlico Sound Sunset 02 — Ocracoke Island, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Outer Banks, North Carolina
Knowing is a function of being open to here, now without expectation, desire, fear, greed, etc. imposing itself upon the moment. The Buddha called this "peaceful abiding, here, now."
Being free from all influences is being open to the moment and knowing what's what in the moment, and able to respond to the moment as the moment needs to be responded to.
Meditation at its best is a self-induced trance state in which we are entirely present in the moment without aims or ambition for the moment, and are open to what is called for--knowing what needs to be done without knowing how we know. We are then imposing nothing onto the moment, but are aligned with the moment, and cable of doing what is called for, when, where, and how it is called for, without intention or interest interfering with our natural, appropriate, action.
This is seeing/hearing/knowing/doing/being spontaneously out of "peaceful abiding, here, now."
I'm retired, and still finding my way--but now, I don't have to pretend that I know what I'm doing.
I retired after 40.5 years as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, serving churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina. I graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, in Austin, Texas, and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. My wife, Judy, and I have three daughters, five granddaughters, one great granddaughter, and a great grandson on the way, within about ten minutes from where we live--and are enjoying our retirement as much as we have ever enjoyed anything.
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Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy 