Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy

Our search is for ourselves,
for our original nature
"for the face that was ours
before our grandparents were born."

For the virtuosities that we are
capable of exhibiting
a the right time,
in the right place
in the right way
in the service of balance and harmony,
integrity, sincerity, spontaneity,
and the true good of all concerned.

The way Jesus, the Buddha, Betty White,
Dolly Parton, Helen Keller, Grayson Pardo,
and thousands of others have done
throughout their lives
over the long sweep of time.

How many people have you known
who did it the way they would do it
with kindness and compassion for all?
There you are!
We are looking for what they had,
namely, themselves in their full glory,
dependably, reliably, consistently,
day in and day out
always and forever.
Amen!

Be you like they were like themselves!
Letting that be your gift to the world!

–0–

Joseph Campbell said, "Meditation sounds complicated,
but it's just waiting."

Meditation can be a "blank mind" practice
where we would concentrate on our breath,
or a repeated sound or phrase
to the point of cutting ourselves off
from all external stimulii
including the awareness
of being empty of awareness.

Meditation can also be a "being with" practice
of focusing, say, on the above image
and being aware of all of the associations
the image "produces," "enables," 
"invites," "calls forth,"in us,
and following where those associations take us
and what realizations our reflections produce.

I think of this as being a meditative "walk-about"
leading us through a "dream world,"
or "dream land,"
deepening, expanding, enlarging our awareness
to include the possibility of "visitation"
with other beings
and providing us with out-of-the-body knowledge
that could potentially help in our day-to-day life.

The Shamans of early primal experience
could have employed this kind of meditation
to gain insight into the cure of illnesses,
or to guide the hunt,
or to warn of pending dangers for their tribe.

The rhythm of drums and stomp-dancing
could have been used to induce the trance state
instead of simply meditating on an image or a scene.

All of which underscores for me 
the various "levels of reality" 
that may be experienced 
by closing ourselves off from "this world"
of normal, apparent, reality,
and opening ourselves to "worlds" 
that may be experienced beyond this one. 

–0–

William Butler Yeats had an eye for what's what:

" Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world...

 The best lack all conviction, while the worst   
Are full of passionate intensity."
(From "The Second Coming")

The Sixties killed the best we had
and the songs of protest 
changed "absolutely nothing."

And we all are waiting for a savor
who is not coming
to relieve us of the burden
of being ourselves.

That which we seek is within.
It is never more difficut
than rising to the occasion.

One person doing what needs to be done,
when,
where,
how
it needs to be done,
becomes two people,
two become four...
by just making the bed,
sweeping the floor,
in the right way,
at the right time.

We choose to despair
rather than do what 
the moment requires.

Rather than see what we look at
and respond to it in ways
appropriate and called for.

We hold out false hope
instead of doing the next best thing,
thinking, "What good would that do?"

Try doing what is good
whether it does any good or not,
time after time,
all your life long.

Without keeping score.
Without caring about the outcome,
just bringing our best
to meet the moment
anyway, nevertheless, even so.

How long has it been?
And the thing that needs to be done
is always there
waiting for someone to see and do
with the right mind set,
with the right manner,
in the right way,
at the right time.
Here/now.

–0–

After 24 hours with the Norovirus, I have some tips
that may prove to be useful for you or someone you know:

1) Feeling better does not mean getting better.
2) If you think it's a fart get to a toilet NOW!
3) Consider making your acquaintance with Depends
and 33 gal leaf-disposal bags.
4) Re-consider what "Making the best of it" means.
5) Laugh out loud when the thought crosses your mind:
"Surely, the worst is over now!"
6) Make certain your sense of humor is the last thing 
that goes. If you don't have a sense of humor, spend
what remains of your time left for living developing one.
You could start with the George Carlin YouTube videos.

Dear hearts and gentle people,
My tardiness with the day's posting 
is due to my wife and I doing our best
to royally entertain the Norovirus
as it likes to be entertained.
You will be proud of us to know
that we have not slacked off one bit,
but have done everything that could possibly 
be asked of us in carrying through on our end
of the bargain.

It is too early yet to tell
whether we have been such good hosts
that Noro (As we are calling our happy guest)
will want to stay tomorrow as well,
and I trust that will be apparent to you all
in good time.

Until we are back on the road again, 
Good night and good luck! 

–0–

Consistency, 
stability,
balance and harmony
enable us to meet the day
on track
and in tune,
and provide us with 
what we need 
to find what we need
to deal with deliveries
that rock our world.

And, if there is nothing
about the day to upset
our regular order,
we can devote our attention
to probing the mystery
at the heart 
of being here/now
and honoring the wonder
of it all.

Time spent observing
the splendid features
of the day
is time well spent.

Time spent being aware
of the energies at work in our life,
knowing the things
that have energy for us,
energy of attraction,
enthusiasm,
joy,
life...
and seeking why that
and not something else,
is time well spent.

Time spent like this
is time spent in meditation,
in rumination,
in being aware of being aware,
and that is time well spent.

And sets the day apart 
from the same old same old,
bringing the day to life
in ways that are good for us,
good for our soul,
and call us to do it often.

–0–

No child has to deserve
their parents' love.

That is basic, 
fundamental,
natural,
original,
obvious,
undeniable
TRUTH!

To deny that is to be an idiot.
Or worse.

Which is to say 
the Doctrine of Original Sin
is utter heresy,
and blasphemy,
and disgusting,
and obnoxious,
and detestable,
and worthy of complete,
utter,
absolute,
instantaneous
rejection
by every living human being everywhere.

Beginning right here,
right now.

So what if it upsets
cherished applecarts,
rocks sacred boats
and destroys the foundation
of Christian Doctrine worldwide?

–0–

What we seek
is who we are
in our fullest potentiality,
in our best form,
as completely as we are capable of being.

We live to become ourselves
on the field of action.

To bring ourselves forth
in the realm of time.
Holding nothing back
in order to behold
the mystery we contain,
inhabit,
are.

We do not achieve that 
by way of achievement,
by way of accomplishment,
by way of acquisition,
by way of attainment,
by way of awards,
by way of possession,
by way of success,
by way of victory...

We become who we are
by being who we are
in relationship with ourselves
in the dance of life
within the moment of living
here/now,
at one with the flow,
in spontaneous response
to what is called for
in each situation as it arises,
when/where/how it is called for,
exactly as the script would have been written,
and the scene directed,
if there had been a script,
if there had been a director,
but there is only us,
here/now,
dancing eternally
through the moments
of time and space.

"There is only the dance" (TS Eliot).

–0–

Suffering is how we choose to look at things.
So is everything else.
Everything is how we choose to look at it.

The end of suffering
the Buddhists are so concerned about
is as easy as turning the light around
by changing how we see
what we look at.

Perspective, perception 
and attitude
are the Elder Wands
of personal adjustment
to circumstances.

And provide instant transformation
of the world,
changing all of it
with a wink
and a smile.

Life has never been so easy
as it becomes
when seen in the right way.

Leaving everyone who masters the art
wondering why we aren't taught
how to do it upon exiting the womb.

–0–

What drives this beaver through life
in a "This is fine! How I love it!
May it remain like this forever!"
kind of way?

Beaver's know Better and Worse from birth.
Everything does.
Nobody has to explain it to them.
Can and Can't have to be explained,
but not Better and Worse.
We all know that.
And, we don't worry about how.

We are born knowing 
the important stuff.
but Wanting/Fearing get in the way.
We want it all
and we are afraid of everything.

And cannot just settle down
with Good Enough
and let that be Just Fine forever,
because Wanting/Fearing interfere
with The Best Life Has To Offer.

The Most Important Thing
is to put Wanting/Fearing 
in their place.

We want more 
than we have any business having,
and we are afraid of losing everything
all of the time.

And we have to have a
Sit Down And Come To Truth Moment
on a regular basis:

"Look! This is what you are doing!
STOP DOING IT!"

"Stop wanting what you don't have room for!
Stop being afraid of losing what you have!
Trust yourself to deal with whatever comes your way!"

–0–

Here is a link to my "From Twitter To Here" site for today's posts. I'm recommending #2 for your consideration:

https://jimwdollar.wordpress.com/2024/02/06/february-06-2024/

How do you square up
with your life?

Make your peace
with how things are?

Decide what to do
and how to do it,
and what to leave undone?

Who do you consult in these matters?

How did you develop
your relationship
with your inner self?

How do you maintain it?
Care for it?
How long has it been
since you sat down with it
and listened?

How does it get your attention?
Demand an audience?

How do you keep things on track?
Know when they have gone off the rails?
Maintain your balance and harmony?

How do you know where
to draw the lines?

What keeps you
steady as she goes?

–0–