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?
How do we know what needs to be donethat is different from obsession/compulsion?That flows spontaneously/naturallyfrom the situation that arises,like “Bless you!” follows a sneeze?How do we live so attuned to the moment,so aware of ourselvesand what is happening,that we are like a dancerwith the music,or a tennis player with the ball?How do we live withContinue reading “December 07, 2023 – A”
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The Rites of Passagerequire/enable us to consciouslyadjust ourselves to the here/now-nessof our life as it moves through the stages from birth to death,in a “Here we are, now what?”kind of way.We are regularly asked to let go of what’s goingand let come what’s coming,in adjusting, adapting, acquiescing to what’s what.It is called, “Growing upsome more,Continue reading “December 06, 2023 – A”
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Aeshylus wrote,He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.Wisdom is the resultof reflection upon experience. The wise are often oldbecause it takes a longContinue reading “December 05, 2023 – B”
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If you want to engage,evoke,experience,encounterthe Numinous,Ineffable,Transcendent,spend your time in the companyof Art,Musicand Nature,and in the practice ofEmptiness,Stillnessand Silence.These things compose my idea of True Religionand have been seen as suchthroughout the ages.No Theology.No Doctrine.No Dogma.No Creed.The moral,ethical,just and noble foundationof True Religionis lodged in seeing what’s whatand doing what needs to be done about it,inContinue reading “December 05, 2023 – A”
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Art is religion without the theology,creeds,dogmas,doctrines…without the presumptionthat it is explaining,defining,elucidatingspiritual truthin a logical, rational, reasonable kind of way.Art says with images and metaphors”That Which Cannot Be Said,”as the old Taoists might say.Art communes with,and communicates as well as can be communicatedits encounter with the Numen,the Numinous,the Ineffable…Art is “transparent to transcendence,”and expresses,exhibits,displays,reveals,Transcendent Realityin everyContinue reading “December 04, 2023 – B”
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If you looked at things differently,you would change your mindabout everything.How do you know that the way you look at thingsis the right way to look at things?How often do you look at the wayyou look at things?Evaluate the way you see things?Examine the way you think about things?Wonder why you see things as youContinue reading “December 04, 2023 – A”
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Nobody can tell us what’s important.We have to discover/realize that for ourselves.We are all looking for what’s important.The Search for the Holy Grail.The Spiritual Journey.The Hero’s Journey.Vision Quests.All are seeking what is important.What matters most.What guides our boat on its path through the sea.What is it for you?What are you doing to find out?Don’t forgetContinue reading “December 03, 2023 – A”
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Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, was actively persecuting Gnostics for their beliefsaround 150-180,but there was no official biblefor the first 300 years, or so,following Jesus’ death.The Old Testament was settled around 250and the 27 books of the New Testamentwere deemed to be authoritative by 363-397.Which is to say,it has been a messfrom the start,and executions andContinue reading “December 02, 2023 – A”
Belief is another word for opinion.All beliefs are nothing more than strongly held opinions.What kind of God is itthat has to be believed inor we are going to hellwhich we also have to believe in?It is easier for us to believe in hellthan to believe in God,so we are told if we don’t believe inContinue reading “December 01, 2023 – C”
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We find meaningin a haphazard universeby the way we look at/see what is happening.We find patterns,or impose themas though they were therebefore we found them,just like it is impossible to saywhat Christianity, for instance, wasbefore it became Christianity.Or to say what Buddhism wasbefore it became Buddhism.Where are the patternsbefore we impose them upon what weContinue reading “December 01, 2023 – B”
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We are on our ownin dealing with what’s coming,but we are not alone.The silence connects us with one anotherand all those who are wise to the silenceand trust themselves to it,waiting,watching,listeningfor what comes,arises,emerges,appears,occurs to us out of the silencevia our innate imaginationto provide what we needto do what needs to be done here/nowin response toContinue reading “December 01, 2023 – A”
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The winter months will offer a glimpse of winters to comeas the impact of global warming becomes an irreversible reality,as most realities are. And how we respond to an experienceis more important than the impact of the experience. We pick ourselves upand do what? Everything hinges upon that,hangs on that,flows from that.Practice your comebacksuntil youContinue reading “December, 2023”
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Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy