November 22-C, 2022

View from Clingman/s Dome Parking Area 01 09/01/2014 Oil Paint Rendered — Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee, North Carolina
We bring ourselves forth
in the way we live our life,
or not.

Our context and circumstances
bring us forth,
or not.

We live the way we say 
our life needs to be lived,
or the way someone else says
our life should be lived--
and we say that is all right with us.

We are the one who says so,
even if we do what someone else
would have us do.

We are the authority who determines
how our life is lived,
and it makes all the difference
if we are right about it.

We all are born with in internal plumb line,
indicating when we are in, and out of, plumb.

Joseph Campbell said,
"We know when we are on the beam
and when we are off it."
When we are in plumb,
and when we are out of plumb.

When we are on the beam
and in plumb,
we are living well.
When we are off the beam
and out of plumb,
we are living poorly--
which is reflected
by our sense of balance and harmony.

When we are off balance
and out of harmony,
we know it.
Just like we know when we are off the beam
and out of plumb.

What we do about it is up to us.

I recommend regular applications
of emptiness,
stillness
and silence
to tune into balance,
harmony,
beam
and plumb--
and make adjustments as necessary
to be at one with the life
that is waiting for us to live it.

We know what is important,
what is meaningful.
Emptiness,
stillness 
and silence
assist us in knowing what we know,
and doing what needs to be done
about it.

–0–

November 22-B, 2022

Little River 01 Oil Paint Rendered — Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Townsend, Tennessee
We live to make things better
for all sentient beings--
by doing what needs to be done
when, where and how it needs to be done
in each situation as it arises,
no matter what.

That statement requires us to take it on faith.
There is no way it can be established to be so
by any rational, logical, analytic presentation.
No rational, logical, analytic presentation 
can be made.

The people who make theological declarations
about the Bible being the infallible word of God
(in spite of its glaring defects 
[Eden not having latitude and longitude,
for example])
which they take on faith
are also without logical grounds,
which is what taking something on faith 
is all about--operating outside the sphere of reason.

So the question: Why take theological propositions on faith
and not something else instead--
for example, the opening statement of this discourse?
Why one and not the other?

Their only fall back response is,
"Because why take the chance of going to hell?"
which they also make up and take on faith
to justify taking the rest of it on faith,
leaving untouched the question,
"Why take that on faith 
and not something else instead?

What kind of people would conjure up
an invisible world they are afraid of
to escape by conjuring up a way out
that has to be taken on faith?

–0–

November 22-A, 2022

Tupper Lake Shoreline 03 09/29/2014 Oil Paint Rendered –Adirondack Park, Tupper Lake, New York
Of course, there is duality! 
It is our place to blur the edges.
To reduce the contrast.
To create "Both/And"
out of "Either/Or."

The opposites are essential
just as they are.
The contraries work together
to produce balance and harmony.

Balance and harmony aren't just there!
We bring them into being!
By bearing the pain of contradiction,
like the Buddha under the Bo Tree,
and Jesus in the wilderness
and in Gethsemane.

We are the ones who produce the blend
of "Thou Art That" and "Neti Neti,"
or "Neither Thou Nor That!"
Bearing in our own bodies
the mark of the cross of polarities
that are as real as death and resurrection.

The Buddha knows what I am talking about,
and Jesus,
and Hester Prynne,
and Tevya...

The List is long.

–0–

November 21-B, 2022

Carolina Thread Trail 42 11/20/2016 Oil Paint Rendered — 12-Mile Creek Access, Wax Haw, North Carolina
A good bit of trouble
could be avoided
simply by paying attention.

Thinking we know what we are doing
is a mistake.

Knowing that we do not know 
as much as we think we know
is advisable. 

Slowing down,
settling in,
being here/now
is a reliable strategy
for life.

Looking around,
knowing what's what,
what's happening
and what is called for
complete the check list.

Matching the situation
up with our original nature
and innate virtues
puts us in good shape
for doing what needs to be done,
and no one can do more than that.

And "virtue" has nothing to do with
the typical list of "virtues and vices,"
and everything to do with the qualities
we bring to life just by being who we are,
as in "The virtues of this mare
include her long stride
and gentle gait,
and her way with children."

Or, "Aluminum canoes have virtues
that Kevlar canoes lack--
and vice-versa."

Being clear about our nature
and our virtues
puts us in the center of the path
that cannot be discerned as a path,
but is the most reliable way
of getting where we are going
there is.

–0–

November 4th Week, 2022

Bass Lake Fall 05 10/05/2012 Oil Paint Rendered — Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock, North Carolina
We live to be who we are
by living to exhibit our essential nature
and our innate virtues/character
in the things we do--
so that our life becomes the canvas
upon which we paint our masterpiece
one day at a time.

One situation at a time.

It isn't about gaining anything.
It is about being who we are.
Living to express ourselves
by the way we meet the day.

It is not what we get
or have,
or attain,
or achieve,
or accomplish...

It is who we are.

We live to know and be who we are.

Anything else is a distraction.
Noise!
Complexity!
Drama!

Forego all that!

We are to live so as to know and be who we are.

Period.

–0–

November 21-A, 2022

Long View 11/07/2012 Oil Paint Rendered — Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
The missing element
in all 12-Step programs
is a solid answer to
"After sobriety what?"

The missing component
in all forms of spirituality
is "After enlightenment/salvation what?"

It is as though once we are sober
and/or saved,
magic happens
and everything falls into place
and we live a life of meaning and purpose
until we are gathered to our ancestors
in the Pure Land on the Farther Shore,
or the Kingdom of God,
whichever we would prefer.

That didn't happen before we were high
all the time,
but we thing it will happen
once we sober up.

Good luck with that.

There is a Zen maxim that sets us straight:
"After enlightenment, the laundry!"

B-I-N-G-O!!!

In place of "the laundry,"
substitute "whatever needs to be done"!
And do that.
In each situation as it arises.
All our life long.

That's what enlightenment does for us.
And, sobriety.

By offering a program that enables us to maintain
enlightenment and sobriety
would guide us in developing a practice
of integrity/sincerity/spontaneity,
balance and harmony,
living out of our original nature,
exhibiting our innate virtues/character,
serving spirit/heart,
life/energy/vitality,
honoring what is meaningful to us
by doing things that are meaningful
with our life,
embracing emptiness/stillness/silence
regularly and intentionally,
living mindfully/consciously,
seeing and doing what needs to be done
as it is called for 
in all situations and circumstances,
no matter what,
as long as we are alive.

Until that happens,
things will be as they are forever.

–0–

November 20-B, 2022

Low Tide 10 09/25/2012 Oil Paint Rendered –Deer Isle-Sedgwick Brdge over Eggemoggin Reach, Deer Isle, Maine
Wanting/Having/Going/Doing
must be balanced with
Seeing/Hearing/Knowing/Being,
allowing Doing to flow naturally
in response to what is called for
in each situation as it arises.

This means 
No Agendas/Plans/Schemes/Plots,
No Contriving/Arranging/Engineering/Orchestrating
No Imposing/Forcing/Compelling/Coercing...

You see how 
this turns upside down,
inside out,
the foundational assumptions of the culture,
of the world.

And you see how
the way that cannot be discerned
as the way,
and is thus
the only reliable way,
has no chance whatsoever
of being recognized and revered
with fealty,
liege loyalty
and filial devotion
by anyone
in the times 
that are upon us.

That means we can't care
what our chances are
as we see what we look at
and do what needs to be done about it,
moment by moment,
situation by situation,
no matter what,
all our life long.

–0–

November 20-A, 2022

Lake Andrew Jackson 10 07/26/2020 Oil Paint Rendered — Andrew Jackson State Park, Lancaster County, South Carolina
Happiness is a function of freedom,
but, freedom is not freedom to do
whatever we want.
It is the freedom to do whatever
needs to be done
with our original nature 
and our innate character.

Knowing and doing what needs to be done
with the gifts we have to work with
is the key to happiness,
even though we may sacrifice personal gain
in doing it.

Knowing what needs to be done
in any situation
is a matter of living in accord
with the times that govern
the situation.

Knowing what's what
and trusting ourselves 
to the spontaneous inclination 
of our self in response to the situation
is being at one with the moment
and doing what is called for then/there.

We cannot contrive the fitting response,
or think our way into knowing what to do.

We trust our way there,
trusting what, we do not know.
Trusting our response to be right
without knowing how we know.

It is all such a mystery,
knowing and doing what needs to be done.

"Darkness within darkness,
the gateway to mystery"
(Lao Tzu).

–0–

November 19-A, 2022

Moraine Lake Afternoon Oil Paint Rendered — Banff National Park, Alberta
Adjustment and compromise, Kid.
Adjustment and compromise.

It is the way.

Noise, complexity, drama
are always right there
disturbing the flow,
disrupting the groove,
interfering with our ability
to see, hear, know, do
what needs to be done
here/now.

Doing what needs to be done
here/now
is the only thing 
that needs to be done.

Get that down,
and everything falls nicely
into place around it.

To get that down,
we have to first
put noise, complexity and drama
in their place,
which is far out beyond the periphery
of life as it needs to be lived.

It starts with recognizing
noise, complexity and drama
for what they are,
and shutting the door,
or walking away.

If you have lost your
balance and harmony
and don't know where to find them,
you are besieged by 
noise, complexity and drama,
and don't have a minute's worth
of peace and quiet
anywhere in your day
or night.

It's time to reclaim your life.
See what needs to be done.
And do it.
Saying NO!
to noise, complexity and drama.

Try it and you will feel so empty,
the wrong kind of empty,
filled with all the inner turmoil
that keeps the right kind of empty away.

Our life is so filled with
noise, complexity and drama
that we don't know what to do without it.

Start with the TV.
Cut. It. Off.
Oops, now what?
See what I mean?

Sit quietly,
identifying the sources
of noise, complexity, drama
in your life. 

Quietly, show them the door,
and shut it behind them
as they exit the scene,
every scene.

At first, the transition 
is unsettling.
In time, it becomes the source
of light, and life, and being.

And we enter a world where
"Anything can happen if we let it,"
and "The future is up to us
and how we deal with the present."

And emptiness (The right kind),
stillness
and silence
become traveling companions
on the path
that cannot be discerned 
as a path,
and is, therefore,
a reliable path,
for being with 
the wind that blows where it will.

–0–

November 18-B, 2022

Rangeley Lake Sunset 01 Oil Paint Rendered — Rangeley, Maine
Ease of functioning
is what I want.
Just give me that,
and get out of my way.

I don't know why it is so hard.
Everything about it is hard.
It is hard being me.

You know what I'm talking about
as it pertains to you.

It is not easy being you.

Why not?

Why aren't we all helping each other
be who we are?

A little compassion and kindness
goes a long way.

Start dispensing compassion and kindness--
and never, ever ask,
"When is it going to be MY turn?"

Just dispense a little compassion and kindness
to yourself.
Get off your own back.
Grant yourself a little peace,
a little slack,
along with the compassion and kindness.

We only need a whiff.
Just a memory.
A faint recollection.

Somebody being kind to us,
reminding us of someone being kind to us,
breaks the spell,
picks us up,
like a smile and a wink
from across the room.

–0–

November 18-A, 2022

El Capitan Merced River Reflection Oil Paint Rendered
04/25/2006 — Yosemite National Park, California
All roads/paths lead to the light. 

What does thinking about 
what you think about
keep  you from thinking about?

What are you afraid to think about?
What do you hate to think about?
What do you refuse to think about?

Our thinking is a barrier to our experiencing.
A restriction to our development.
Locking us in to a comfortable,
peaceful existence.

We seek Peace! Peace! where there is no peace.

We say, "Not There!" "Not That!"
and turn away from the way 
that is The Way.

Thinking about what we think about
keeps us from facing up to,
squaring up with,
coming to terms with,
making our peace with,
what we most do not want to deal with.

Joe Campbell said,
"That which you seek
lies far back
in the darkest corner
of the cave
you most do not want to enter."

The light never dies,
does not end
or go away.

We live toward the light.
Live to serve the light.
Live to become the light.
Live to be the light.

We are the light
seeking itself.

"Darkness is the cradle
of the light" (Rumi).

"The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness cannot extinguish it"
(John 1:5).

Live to diminish the duality,
to lose the distinction
between light and dark
so that where we are
there is no darkness at all.

–0–

November 17-C, 2022

Dogwoods 04/25/2006 Oil Paint Rendered — Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
It is traditionally held
that Confucius died in 479 BCE.

Some years after he retired 
from government service,
he said,
"Nowadays, no one is interested
in hearing about 
virtue and harmony.
In our society, 
people place more importance
on business advantage 
than on friendship.
Relationships have become shallow,
and everyone is bending
to social and peer pressure
to get approval
or to get ahead."
(From "Lieh-Tzu: A Taoist Guide
to Practical Living," by Eva Wong).

We have motor cars
and aeroplanes,
rocket ships and diesel locomotives,
but the times we live in
are not much different,
in spite of the time that has passed,
since Confucius lived.

And it still comes down to
doing what needs to be done,
when, where and how it needs to be done,
in each situation as it arises,
and letting that be that.
And on to the next situation.

–0–