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?
Adams Mill Pond Mirror Mirror — Goodale State Park, Camden, South Carolina
We don't need more information.
We don't need to know something We don't know.
We only need to establish and develop our relationship with our intuition.
Understanding/comprehending/knowing that we exist to serve our intuition, not that your intuition exits to serve us.
We are Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the right relationship with our intuition is simply, "Thy will, not mine, be done."
The plus in this arrangement is that living aligned with, in accord with, at one with our intuition is the best thing we can do for ourselves, and our life will get a lift like that (snaps fingers).
And it will only ask us to do what is called for in each situation as it arises.
Hawk’s Bill Sunrise — Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
The key to a well-lived life is learning to ride the waves-- to read the currents-- of life, and comprehend the signs of the times.
It is all about the flow, and the signs of the times.
You can be in accord with the flow, or you can be swimming against the current, your entire life long.
Intuition reads the flow and goes with it.
The willful pursuit of success is the salmon's return to the breeding grounds. They get there and then what?
With the flow or against the flow is the primary choice of life.
But first comes the ability to read the flow, the knowledge of the flow.
We talk about flow all the time, but there are few experts in the field guiding people in the process of alignment with the flow.
I'm thinking that is because success, acquisition, acquirement, triumph are all the rage.
Tevya (in "The Fiddler On The Roof") was a master at being one with the flow. And a total failure at mastering success (Understood as being at the top and retiring at forty).
Living well is about understanding what life is about and being in full accord with it.
A View of the Valley — Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona
All the sitting, all the attention devoted to the dharma, all the talk, talk, talk… is not doing it the way the Buddha did it.
The Buddha saw what he looked at and did what was called for in each situation as it arose. Without consulting a manual of how to do it.
Seeing what we look at entails seeing HOW we are looking at it and HOW we have to get outside our own eyes/brain/experience in order to SEE what we are looking at without all of our expectations, assumptions, presumptions, judgments, etc., getting in the way.
Sitting is just sitting/reflecting/realizing/reflecting… There is nothing to know/understand beyond the eternal work of knowing/understanding. And that is nothing more than sitting/seeing/reflecting… Because of the projecting/denying/self-delusion/etc. that goes on within us 24/6/12.
And Buddhism continues the nonsense of projecting answers. There is no end to suffering, but Buddhism is always talk-talk-talking about “liberation” and “the end of suffering.”
There is only growing up and doing what is called for in each situation as it arises, where and how it is called for.
Then, sitting/seeing/realizing only to arise and do, only to sit and see, arise and do forever.
Buddhism ought to come clear about this and stop all of the rigamarole regarding how to sit, and how to think, and how to act like a proper Buddhist.
The Buddha never though about how to act like a proper Buddhist.
Just as Jesus never thought about how to act like a proper Christian.
Price Lake Mirror 02 — Julian Price Memorial Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock, North Carolina
We do not shape the world/life to suit ourselves. We shape ourselves to fit what is called for in the world/life.
The world/Life asks certain things of us, we negotiate how much for the world/life, how much for us, but it is very much a negotiated settlement and not something we can insist/demand/require of the world and of life, that they serve us and keep us happy.
Each situation as it arises asks things of us. What do we say no to? What do we say yes to?
We have to be aware of our yes's and no's. Of where we are pushing/forcing our way, of where we are refusing to cooperate with what is being asked of us, of how we are negotiating our way through the world/life.
We get up and face the day-- and then what?
We have to pay attention to the "Then what?"
What is asked of us? What demands are we making? How aware can we be of the situation as it is arising?
Of each situation as they all arise? Toward what are we living in each one? It only takes looking/listening to see/hear.
See if you can tell what is called for in each situation as it arises.
NOT what you want to happen in the situation!
What the situation itself is calling for.
Live to know what is called for in each situation as it arises.
Practice, practice, practice knowing what is called for in each situation as it arises.
When you watch movies, read novels, ask yourself constantly, "What is called for here, now?" "What does this situation call for?" "What are the characters missing about what is called for?"
Knowing what is called for when and where and how is the missing element in human relations around the world.
We can begin to remedy the situation by paying attention to what is called for situation by situation, beginning with the next situation that comes our way.
When the New Testament writer (Maybe Paul) said, "Christ is all and in all," he was saying, "God is all and in all." Which is saying, "God is all there is-- so what's the point of all the divisions and discord?"
"How can God be at God's throat?"
Look around. There is nothing but war, contention, strife...
on all sides.
God at war with God.
This is ridiculous. God becoming conscious hates God. Humans becoming conscious hate humans. What is one thing consciousness is good for?
I'll wait.
And, while I wait, I will drop back into emptiness, stillness and silence. The Buddha's answer to everything.
"Just sit! It will all pass."
Or, "Denial is the solution to all our problems today."
Maybe the one thing consciousness is good for: Unconsciousness!
Mesquite Dunes — Death Valley National Park, California
Knowing what is called for-- and doing it-- is all there is to it in each situation as it arises.
Never mind what you want, or what is in your best interest, or what you "ought to do."
What is called for here, now?
That is all you need to know.
And do.
Forever.
Think of all that is arrayed against knowing what is called for and doing it. That should tell you something-- like what a threat doing what is called for is to the way things are around the world throughout time.
The way things are suits a lot of people just fine.
A lot of people have a lot at stake in maintaining the status quo just as it is forever.
If we start doing what is called for they will lose their minds.
The Mafia, for instance, would be out of business over night.
Mudstones 2007 01 — Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California
Our circumstances can sweep us away. We have to be focused on-- and grounded in-- our intrinsic intuition and the here, now and what is being called for moment-to-moment in each situation as it arises.
The focus and ground of our life has to be on our intuition and what is called for right here, right now.
What we want, where we want to be, and what is going to happen tomorrow and what are we going to do then, etc. cannot enter the picture.
Everything else has to wait for us to consult our intuition and determine the best response to make to what is called for right here, right now.
That is the procedure for dealing with every here, now that comes along for the rest of time.
What is called for right here, right now? Do that. And then we will deal with what's after that.
Into The Mudstones — Death Valley National Park, 03/2007, Putting things in perspective
The words that greet me in the night: Atrocity Outrage Obscenity Disgrace Justice/Injustice Inhumanity Absurdity Truth/Lie Racism Bigotry Brutality ...
I am a witness to it all, and that makes me a participant-- as in "Compliance with violence is an accessory to violence." And a victim-- as in, "A witness to violence is a victim of violence."
And there is no escape. Just as there is no justice. No amends. No compensation. No restitution. No atonement. No restoration. No escape.
What are we going to do? Apologize?
That would be a start. Public apology. Annually. A national holiday for mourning. Grief. Sorrow. Remorse.
A Victim's Rights Month. Highlighting all the victims all month long.
I suggest May. As in "May I just say I'm sorry? Still, even yet, again."
Mud Stones at Zabriskie Point — Death Valley National Park, 2007
Being true to our inherent intuition Is laying aside our wants/desires/pleasures/dreams in the service of our intuition's ideas of what is called for in each situation as it arises.
The guiding question is never, "What do we want?" And is always, "What is called for here, now?"
Knowing what is called for and living to do it when/where/how it needs to be done time after time is the sine qua non of a life well-lived.
