Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy
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?
There is what we make of it,and what we do with it,and that’s that.Our reflections lead to realizationsthat impact the way we thinkand live.Thinking about our thinkingand our livingtransforms both.What leads us to think the way we do?To live the way we live?Why do we do it this wayand not some other way instead?What doContinue reading “July 29, 2024 – A”
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Last night was my best bad night ever.Nightland is where I wrestle with my demonsand make my peace with how things are,coming to terms some more again with what I have doneand with what has been done to me,what I have failed to doand what failed to happen to me along the way.”Forgiveness” is aContinue reading “July 28, 2024 – B”
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Turning ourselves over to our intuitionmeans living without plans,agendas,schemes,plots,dreams,desires,greed,fear,terror,dread,duty,obligation,guilt,etc.running/ruining our life.With intuition in charge,we would live from circumstancesto circumstances,letting our original natureand our innate virtues(The things we do bestand enjoy/love doing the most)create our way of beingon the earth,which would shape our way of doing,our way of living,at the direction of our intuitionin each here,Continue reading “July 28, 2024 – A”
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Doing the right thingat the right timein the right placeand the right wayis getting out of the wayand allowing our intrinsic intuitiontake the lead.One way to do thisis to simply sitin the emptiness, stillness and silence,waiting for the mud to settleand the water to clearand seeing what arisesto call us to action on the fieldContinue reading “July 27, 2024 – A”
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The right way to do thingsis death to the spiritacross time and place.Dharma is doing what is expected of usexactly as it has always been donethrough the ages.Insisting on “exactly” evolvedinto the caste system of modern India,and the goosestepping “Heil Hitler”of Nazi Germany.Those were the ways to do itthat stifled life wherever they took root.SittingContinue reading “July 26, 2024 – A”
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David Brooks suggests that we ask,”How did you come to believe the way you do?”when accosted by someone pushing theirview upon usor attacking us for our views.It is a beautiful shift in direction.When we tell our stories–even partially,with only a sentence or two–everything changes.Story is magical in this way.We are no longer in attack/defense mode.WeContinue reading “July 25, 2024 – C”
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Paul Watzlawick wrote a book entitled”The Situation Is Hopeless, But Not Serious.”It is a title for our times.Rumi said, “If you are not here with us in good faith,you are doing terrible damage.”Good faith cannot be compelledto come to the table.Trump and everyone in Trump’s sphereooze with bad faith.No one can do anything about that.ElectingContinue reading “July 25, 2024 – B”
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We have no need of plansand agendas–a sense of what is necessaryis enough to steer us through circumstances and situations as they arise.It has been that waywith us as a speciessince time began.”If you meet an elephantcoming toward you on the path,GET OFF THE PATH!!!”This is not difficult.We make too much of it.Siting in theContinue reading “July 25, 2024 – A”
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Liberty/freedom/liberation are over-rated.Balance and harmony are under-appreciated.What can we do with our choices?In light of what–toward what–do we live?What are we doing with our life?What guides our boat on its path through the sea?What do we have to work with?What are we here to do?What brings you joy?Assume with me that we are here toContinue reading “July 24, 2024 – B”
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The old Taoists said”circumstances beget circumstances,”and it is our placeto respond to what’s what here, now,in ways appropriate to the occasion.That cannot be spelled out in advance.We cannot know beforehand what to dowhen and where.We respond to every here, now,here, now.To have any success with this process,we need a strong relationship with our intrinsic intuition,inContinue reading “July 24, 2024 – A”
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“I don’t think that’s going anywhere,”could be said about everything.Along with it’s corollary,”Where do you think you’re going?”And,”What do you think you’re doing?”These are all statementsthat could be at the heart of Zen.Along with the following:”Those who say, don’t know.Those who know, don’t say.””The Tao that can be told/explained/saidis not the eternal Tao.”A Zen masterContinue reading “July 23, 2024 – A”
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What do you think aboutas you are driving trainsthrough Canada?What do you think aboutwhen you are not?What do you think about?What we think about tells the tale.One thought tends to leadto another,particularly when we are thinking about our thinking.Being curious as to why we thinkthe way we thinkand not some other way instead–and thinking aboutContinue reading “July 22, 2024 – A”
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Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy