July 27, 2020

02

Every human being leaves more undone
than they get done.

That is the pathos of being human. 

No other life form worries about,
or even thinks of,
getting things done.

All of them do what needs to be done
in each moment as it arises,
and let that be that.

I'd like to know how many other life forms
suffer from self-induced depression.
I know none do so from having done so little,
when so much needs to be done.

It is entirely within the realm of possibility
that a large number of humans kill themselves
because they cannot do enough,
because they cannot change enough
of what needs to be changed,
because they cannot make enough of a difference
in the way things are--
and that others lose themselves in some form of addiction
because they cannot live with doing so little.

I wonder at what point 
in the evolutionary development of the species
we began to despair
because we realized nothing we did mattered
in terms of the impact for good
it had on the way things are.
And started telling ourselves 
"God is working his purpose out,"
and "it will all be made up to us in heaven."

I do know that dogs don't let it get them down.
And cats?
When has a cat ever cared about 
not being enough?

–0–

01

Turning the light around
means looking within for
What now?
What next?
Then what?

You will likely hear,
"One step at a time--
you are two steps over the limit."

We hate uncertainty,
insecurity,
not-knowing.

Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?
Then What?
We want it to be spelled out.
Written down.
With all contingencies taken into account
and all bases covered.

And, with all that considered,
not one of us intended to be where we are
here and now.
How did we wind up here, now?
By fortuitous (or not)
and unseen turns of events.

That got us here,
and it will take us from here
into the next moment,
and the one after that.
The best we can do is assist the process
by opening ourselves to 
the nature of the now,
listening,
looking,
for what is being called for
and what needs to be done about it,
and see where it goes.

All of the guidance and direction we need
is found  in listening:
to our body
(Listen to your heart--
What makes your little heart sing and dance?
How often is your heart in what you do?
Listen to your stomach--
What is your gut feeling telling you?
Listen to your bones--
What do you know in your bones?),

To our nighttime dreams
(Our dreams are mirrors reflecting 
how things currently are in our life,
giving us a read-out of what's what
and how it is with us.
What are they telling you?
How do you feel about your dreams
during the dream
and after?
What part do you play in your dreams?
What themes run through your dreams?
What dreams recur?
What message do they deliver?)

To our daytime fantasies
(Where do we go?
What do we do?
What solutions do they suggest?
What situations do they promise to remedy?)

To our recurring advice to ourselves
(What are we always telling ourselves?
Where did we first hear that?
When we listen to ourselves,
who are we actually listening to?
Who are we living to please?
Or to displease?
How dependable has our self-guidance proven to be?
What guides our boat on its path through the sea?).

Experiencing our experience
through awareness and reflection
leads to new realizations.
Knowing what we know
is essential knowing.
And we don't know
what we do not attend.

Turn the light around!