Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy

Responding to the occasion
in ways appropriate to the occasion
opens the way to being
at one with the moment,
in sync with the time and place
of our living,
aligned with the rhythm and flow
of life here/now,
doing what is called for,
where,
when
and how it is called for--
the essence of peak experiences
throughout the world,
and it can be nothing more
than changing a diaper,
or feeding the cows in the barn.

This is called
"Living at the peak of the ordinary,"
and it is well within our reach
in each situation as it arises.

We miss it by looking for something better,
something finer,
something more.
Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Living in paradise,
wanting something else.

It is all in how we look at 
what we have,
where we are.

In how we understand the importance
of rhythm and flow,
of what is called for,
necessary,
needed,
required
by the circumstances
defining this time,
this place,
right here,
right now.

And that is contingent upon
how often and how long
we spend being empty
of all thoughts and emotions
in stillness and silence,
just being present 
with what is present with us,
with no expectations,
no opinions,
no judgment,
no fear,
no desire,
just being awake,
aware,
alive,
to all that arises unbidden
in the silence,
without engaging it,
being attached to it,
aroused by it,
just waiting,
just watching
to see/hear what is called for,
asked of us
by the conditions of our life
in the situation of our living.

It starts with receptive awareness
and goes where it needs to go,
as we work out the details
regarding balance and harmony,
compassion and integrity
in compliance with what is asked of us
all along the way.

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Living in the moment
and seeing what is to be seen there
is a key aspect of being
awake/aware/alive,
and a function of emptiness/stillness/silence/
balance/harmony,
being aligned with the Tao
and responding appropriately
to each situation as it arises.

Our breathing is an anchor point
connecting us to the moment,
as is remembering to be here/now
through all of the contexts
and circumstances
each day has to offer.

Just seeing,
just being,
here/now
is a radical break
from the cultural triggers
designed to control our thinking
and direct our living
in accord with the capitalistic 
drive for Profit At Any Price,
which always leaves us 
with being a bit dissatisfied
with our chances
and at mercy of forces
hawking the ever-present distractions
of drugs/sex/alcohol/money,
keeping us in the loop,
immature and wanting
anything to take our mind off
the deficits and deficiencies
of our life.

The Tao would have us understand
that we are always capable 
of doing what needs to be done--
what needs us to do it--
through all of the conditions
of every here/now,
and that is all that is ever asked of us.

But we want more:
ecstasy, 
bliss,
glory,
eternal and everlasting delight...
when there is only 
seeing and doing
the right thing,
at the right time,
in the right place,
in the right way.

Which provides us with 
all of the ecstasy, etc.,
we need to go on to the next thing.
And the thing after that.

But the dream of More
diverts us from the task at hand
and leads us into the trackless Waste Land
to wander through our days
looking for something worth having.

Or, we could wake up to the moment
of our living
and be amazed.

We are always that close 
to finding what we seek
where we would never think to look.

We make what we can of it--
do what we can with it--
and pass on
back to what we were doing
before life and consciousness interfered
and put us to work.

If you wait long enough,
everything changes,
which makes each moment precious
beyond evaluating.

Time alive and conscious
is of highest value.
We cannot fritter it away
on trivial pursuits!
On entertaining pastimes!
As though it does not matter
how we live.

IT MATTERS HOW WE LIVE!!!
OUR LIFE MATTERS!!!

To ourselves 
and to all other forms of life,
whether we know it and care about it,
or not.

It is up to us individually,
personally,
to know and care about it,
and to live as though it matters
who we are and how we live.

To blow that is to blow everything.
And to not blow that is also everything.

This is why we have to develop
our relationship with,
our awareness of,
ourselves,
each other,
emptiness,
stillness,
silence,
balance
and harmony.

It all comes from,
and forms around,
emptiness/stillness/silence/
balance/harmony.

These things are the source
of all that is.

Knowing what to do with it,
with the time that is ours,
comes from,
and forms around,
emptiness/stillness/silence/
balance/harmony.

Our lives are meaningful and precious
to ourselves and to others
in direct proportion
to the amount of time we spend daily
with emptiness/stillness/silence/
balance/harmony.

Do us all the honor
of sitting down,
shutting up,
looking/listening/attending
the emptiness/stillness/silence/
balance/harmony
long enough,
and often enough,
to see/hear/know/realize/be who you are/
do what needs to be done--
in each situation as it arises,
all your life long.

This is called living from your heart.
It is also called saving the world.

Just by doing the right kind of nothing
in the right kind of way.

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The influence of art,
music
and nature
connects us with transcendent,
ineffable,
numinous reality,
and restores,
revitalizes,
nurtures,
nourishes 
our soul in ways we do not understand.

We experience it
without being able to explain it.
And talking about it
breaks the spell
and snaps us back into the world
of normal,
apparent,
reality.

But, something happened.
Something stirred to life within.
Something reminded us of something,
connected us with something,
if only for a moment.

And we are better for it.
More alive because of it.
Aware of living between worlds,
visible grounded in invisible.
Wonder of wonders.
Hallelujah.
Amen. 

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