Author Archives: jimwdollar

“When you meet an elephant on the trail, GET OFF THE TRAIL!!!” is an old Taoist/Zen directive that sets aside all of the “Rules to Live By,” with the one, overriding, foundational, always pertinent guideline: “Size things up and decide for yourself what is best/ what is called for in each situation as it arisesContinue reading “July 22, 2023 – A”

There is nothing beyond contentment and peace, being at one with circumstances just as they are, to want, or seek or strive for. What those who want, and seek and strive for is to be content and at peace, at one with circumstances just as they are. What is preventing that, interfering with that, keepingContinue reading “July 21, 2023 – A”

Having plans doesn’t factor very much into my life. Some day I will have the filter changed in the HVAC system. That is as close to a plan as I get. I’ll have something for the evening meal. I plan not to have ice cream and blueberry pie. I’m off added sugar, and in sevenContinue reading “July 20, 2023 – A”

Jesus’ declaration, “The spirit is like the wind that blows where it will,” is the saving grace of Christianity. Everything else about Christianity is washed clean by the realization that “Sometimes it is like that, and sometimes it is like this!” “Sometimes we do it this way, and sometimes we do it that way.” “SometimesContinue reading “July 19, 2023 – B”

When we merge with the flow of what has life for us, with where our joy is to be found, and make that the path we follow through the circumstances of existence, things shift for us in substantial ways. The way we structure our days changes. The things we talk about and read changes. TheContinue reading “July 19, 2023 – A”

Life without theology and doctrine is as spiritual as it gets. Theology and doctrine are sidetracks, wilderness bound. Emptiness, stillness, silence and solitude flow straight from the heart of transcendence and life. The essence of spirituality is flow and life. We all have–and have had–experiences with the flow of interest and enthusiasm carrying us toContinue reading “July 18, 2023 – A”

Honoring our original nature and our innate virtues/specialties is finding our stride, our flow– the flow of life– and being sensitive to what needs to happen (And needs not to happen) in each situation as it arises, and waiting for the propitious moment when the time is right for it to happen (Or not happen),Continue reading “July 17, 2023 – A”

Dharma is the way things are– “The eternal and inherent nature of reality”– and our place, according to Hindu and Buddhist lore, is to “allow all that obscures ‘the complete essence of everything’ to fall away, and become aware of/familiar with our own original nature.” “Our own original nature” shines through in seeing/knowing what weContinue reading “July 16, 2023 – A”

We have what we need to find what we need to do what needs us to do it in each situation as it arises all our life long. We come out of the womb knowing how to find a nipple, knowing how to stretch and how to yawn, how to sneeze and hic-up, and fillContinue reading “July 15, 2023 – A”

What does wanting know? What does wanting care? Wanting only works as a guide to life, through life, if it knows what it ought to want, and cares about doing it, and does it where, when and how it needs to be done reliably, dependably, regularly, relentlessly over the full course of our life. CanContinue reading “July 14, 2023 – C”

Jesus’ most profound saying is, “The spirit is like the wind that blows where it will.” That does what needs to be done, when, where and how it needs to be done because it needs to be done for the joy of doing it and the satisfaction of having done it, in each situation asContinue reading “July 14, 2023 – B”

We invented God as the source/reason for all that is– taking more pleasure in that than in declaring “There is no source for all that is, and no purpose to be found in any of it!” Why not, “Here we are, now what?” Why not be happy with, “There is no purpose beyond doing theContinue reading “July 14, 2023 -A”