Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy

Who are we? What are we (to be) about?

Emptiness, stillness, and silence
(One thing, not three)
is where we go for the answers.

Native Americans called it "A Vision Quest."

We sit in the silence
waiting to see, hear, understand
what is to be known
so that we might arise and be/do
what is ours to be and to do.

Who do we need to be?
What do we need to do?

Being and doing emerge from each other.

We are what we do.
We do who we are.

Ask people who know you,
"What do I do that is 'Just like me'?"
See if they come up with something
you wouldn't think of on your own.

Live to be "Just like you!"
Do not spend your life being
who you are not!

According to the Dollar Theory,
Intuition is an intelligence 
at work within all sentient beings 
on a cellular level 
throughout the cosmos— 
a variation of psychic energy
(which operates on its own frequency level),
guiding/directing 
the flow of life and being, 
and works as a bridge between 
consciousness and unconsciousness 
in serving the good of life as a whole. 

Living intentionally intuitively
via "feeling/sensing" (on intuition's
frequency level)
by “turning on, tuning in, and coupling with” 
our intuition through "dropping into
emptiness, stillness and silence" leads 
to a better life than one 
we might intellectually 
plan/plot/contrive into existence.

It only takes tuning in 
to know that it is so.

What to do now/next is a problem
when we aren't gripped 
by a compelling urgency
to go and do.
Between projects and compulsions,
we are easy victims of ennui and boredom,
looking for something to do.

Emptiness, stillness and silence
(One thing not three) is always
available as a refuge from boredom,
although it doesn't sound much different
from being bored with nothing to do.

Emptiness, etc. is a different kind of nothing.
It is a nothing that is alive with potential
and possibility,
bubbling with live and energy,
enthusiasm and excitement as we wait to see
what will emerge out of the twilight
with a call to action.

Time spent with the silence, etc.
is time spent with the way to The Way
by way of what is called for with
the gifts we have to offer 
to the here and now of this moment thus come.
It doesn't get better than this!

It is all waiting.

What? When? Where? How? Then what?

All of it waits to see.

Spectators All, even the actors wait, watching.

The Cosmos waits even in the midst of the action.

Stars explode waiting for what's next.

We clean up the spilt milk waiting, wondering what's next.

It is all waiting.

Everything is on the way to somewhere else.

Waiting to see What? When? Where? How? Then what?

Nothing is ever done.

It is all on the move without appearing to be moving at all.

What's the hurry?

Waiting is never over.

It is all moving toward something else.

I sit watching. Waiting.

Writing you while we both wait.

The newest book is up on Amazon Kindle at the link below

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jim-Dollar/author/B002BMG16M?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=61d35079-b6da-4e64-a59f-21def13e61d6

I think if you copy the link you will be transported to the Author Page on Amazon. I'll give it a try and let you know.

It worked fine for me. Best of luck to you!

I have noticed a drop-off in available energy
over the past few months.
I am not up for doing much
and recovery between activities
is a necessary call to make.

I have reached the point of allowing
others to make allowances for me,
and minding not if I have to pass
on invitations and going places.

Going places in particular is noxious,
and I don't find anything anywhere
that is the least bit attractive.

I'm tucking myself into my declining years,
trusting that they will allow me to take my time.

Where do you find you solace?
What comforts you in your old age?
What is your consolation?
Where do you go for peace and serenity?

"Rocking my soul in The bosom of Abraham" 
just doesn't do it for me.

The Buddhists seem to take comfort
in "peaceful abiding, here, now,"
which would be fine if it weren't for the
high level of denial required to ignore
the injustices, anguish and agony
found in the sources
of pain and suffering in everyday life.

Peaceful abiding is denial full bore.
Merely another addiction to go with
Drugs, Alcohol, Sex and Money
to take our mind off the heavy doses
of reality that jolt our world
throughout each day.

Solace and consolation are hard to come by.
Writing keeps me afloat,
and slow strolls through the natural world,
weather permitting,
"Where the Wild Things Are."

Having lunch in our favorite food outlet,
with our children, grandchildren and
great grandchildren is another balancing place
helping to maintain flow and harmony.

Emptiness, stillness and silence remain
the adamantine foundation
for facing what is to be faced day in and day out.

I trust that you have found what it takes 
to take what comes in a regular way.
Solace and comfort are crucial,
and we must return to their consolations repeatedly
in order to remain upright through time.

Giving myself the gift of the experience of the natural world 
is the accomplishment that I am most proud of--
never-minding the self-centered nature of the achievement.

I have walked the earth at the right time,
in many of the right places,
in the right way,
and have shared the bounty of my endeavors--
the prize of the hero's journey
by offering them to those who would like to 
share the wonder of their images,
with a noble heart
and no interest in garnering 
more than I have already received 
with making the travels
and taking the photographs.

I have been incredibly graced,
and I am grateful,
and still enjoying the work
of presenting the works to those who enjoy them
as I do.

What a life!
What a world!
What a wonderful time
for life in the world
to do what I have done.

It has not been wasted on me,
nor have I been wasted on it.
What a treasure to realize, to know!
I bow to all that contributed to it happening as it did!
With gratitude and thanksgiving for it all!

It is no more difficult 
than recognizing what is called for
in each situation as it arises
and doing it where/when/how it is called for
with the gifts of our original nature,
our innate virtues (The things we do best
and enjoy doing most),
our inherent imagination
and our intrinsic intuition.

We bring ourselves forth to meet the moment.
And do there what needs to be done.
How can that be hard?

Knowing what is called for in each situation as it arises
and doing what needs to be done,
by listening in the silence/emptiness/stillness
for clarity and realization
and offering what is needed
with the gifts of our original nature,
innate virtues (The things we do best
and love to do most),
inherent imagination
and intrinsic intuition,
is our basic plan for approaching 
what remains of time upon the earth.

There never has been more to it than this,
and never will be.

Good luck with the rest of the journey!

This is the cover of the next book in the queue, coming out as soon as I'm done. The most recent book, "The Tao of Jesus" is in its second incarnation as "The Tao of Jesus II" due to a number of proof reading goofs and small additions and improvements. I'll let you know when "Buddha" is up and going on Kindle, and look forward to being able to do that.

The Way is not across the impassable mountain ranges,
nor beyond the heaving waves of the wine dark sea,
nor over the deep divides of canyons and winding valleys,
nor through the endless caves and caverns of lost ways and 
hopeless cliffs.

But it is right here at your very bedside
and by your rocking chair by the window.
All you have to do is listen to your dreams
and follow your intuition in sync with 
your original nature and your innate virtues
(The things you do best and enjoy doing most).
So that you know what's what and what is called for
in each situation as it arises
simply by doing what needs to be done,
when, where and how it needs to be done,
with the gifts that are yours to serve and share
for the joy of doing it
and the satisfaction of having done it
no matter what,
day by day,
just like a newborn baby would do,
spontaneously,
without an agenda or a plan,
like one might eat when hungry,
or rest when tired,
out of your deepest, truest, best self
dancing as one with the circumstances of your life
throughout the time left for living.

"There's nothing to it but to do it" (Maya Angelo).