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?
Graveyard Beach 2018 — Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina
We ground ourselves, orient ourselves, recover our balance and harmony by dropping into emptiness, stillness, silence and waiting for clarity regarding what's what here, now, what is called for and how we need to respond to it out of our original nature, innate virtues (What we do best and enjoy doing most), inherent imagination and intrinsic intuition.
Then, it is only a matter of standing up, meeting what needs to be met, and doing what needs to be done.
At one with ourselves, we can do whatever the situation requires. Any time, anywhere.
Price Lake Mirror 2028 — Blue Ridge Parkway, Julian Price Memorial Park, Blowing Rock, North Carolina
What do you need to know? What would be most helpful to you over the time left for living? How to tune into-- and turn yourself over to-- your internal guidance system that comes packed into our DNA would be among the most helpful things you could do for yourself.
Part one of the process requires us to be aware of how we get in the way of, interfere with, the work of communing with our intrinsic intuition. Get this: The Profit Motive is the Original Sin. It is the only sin. It shuts us down, scrambling the messages coming to us from our intuition.
When we live from wanting/desiring/having to have anything, we can no longer attend our inner drift toward what is called for in each situation as it arises.
Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we have a better idea, and eyes only for the bright lights and exciting possibilities of the modern equivalent of "Gay Paree."
We have to shift over to Jesus' mind set in Gethsemane: "Thy (with the "Thy" being our intuition) will, not mine be done!"
We have to flip that switch and transfer our loyalty and devotion from our wanting/desiring/craving addictions to our intrinsic intuition which always has our best interest at heart.
We live to serve our intuition. Our relationship with our intuition is that of The Moved in response to The Mover (Joseph Campbell).
And no one can manage that transition but us. And Campbell is quick to warn us:
"That which we seek is found far back in the darkest corner of the cave we most do not want to enter."
And thus, the metaphor of Jesus declaring his loyalty in Gethsemane in a manner that leads to Golgotha is exactly equivalent to what is asked of each one of us in flipping from our wanting/desiring self to our intrinsic intuition and swearing allegiance to her no matter what.
That is the first thing.
The second thing is nurturing our relationship with our intuition by taking up the ongoing practice of dropping into the emptiness, stillness, silence (One thing, not three) to sit and wait for clarity and focus in terms of what is called for in each situation as it arises--with no concern for our profit or loss, our gain or deficit.
Here, too, is the importance of our nighttime dreams and our spending time with them, looking for what they are saying to us about the life we are living and the life we need to be living instead.
We aren transitioning from the way we have been living to the way we need to be living in the time left for living.
Not for any gain or merit or reward! But for the simple joy in doing it and the satisfaction of having done it.
We are shifting into living our life as our life needs us to live it. And the reward for that is doing it! And the punishment for that is not having done it-- and bearing that burden in what awaits us on the other side of death.
The realization of having wasted our life is the reason for the weeping and gnashing of teeth in Jesus' parable of what happens after we die-- not because of hell or any other kind of punishment, but because we failed to live the life that was ours to live.
We have from now until we die to turn things around.
Atlantic Sunrise — Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
The following sequence of five guys intuitively, spontaneously merging as one in doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right place, in the right way is a remarkable capture of the Tao in action, in the moment of its unfolding, and it is "just what it is" as "one thus come," "here, now." The perfect response to the situation in its unfolding. That is the Tao. Wu-Wei at its best! There are five players on a basketball team. All five players touched the ball. The Tao of teamwork!
Walking on a Country Road — Backroads North Carolina 01/17/2025
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.
Beacon Heights 02 — Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock, North Carolina
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!
Beacon Heights 10/022017 — Blue Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock, North Carolina
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!
Lake Chico Cypress Swamp — Lake Chico State Park, Ville Platt, Louisiana
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?
Jim Dollar's Photography and Philosophy 