The Love that binds all things together binds us closer still;
It's hard for us to be aware of this, it goes against our will.
We like to think we don't belong to this one or to that
But though, in truth, we two are One, this truth we do combat.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that one will know this first
Before the other gets a chance to work up e'en a thirst
For Love that lives within two stars revolving round about
Each other's brilliant blazing orb and pouring itself out
Upon creation full and free, entirety in all,
Transforming all created form to what it was pre-"fall."
No worries, mate, for you I'll wait until you come to see
That all the love you've ever sought is coming out through me.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Tunisa and Egypt
In my mind, Arabia (and by that I mean the Arab lands and peoples) has a legacy of great light, albeit, as is often the case, distraction and forgetfulness produce shadows. But the Light cannot be hid by shadows indefinitely and, ever and anon, it surges forth with increasing power, asserting its native dominion over all form.
Unless you are among those already working with the Light, you are likely to mistake this surging of Light as chaos--it is not. The increase of Light in our world is literally "shaking the foundations" of both the physical planet and the architectonics of religious and ideological superstructures. It is a little appreciated fact that all is Light and that it is self-luminous, intelligent, substance; meaning that it has an inherent order and form to which every outer form must, sooner or later, capitulate. The days of Light's tolerance are drawing to a close and it is now arrived at the limit of contortion it will abide; the self-corrective measures inherent in Light can be neither gainsaid nor set aside--this is the proverbial "judgment day." It is not, however, like a personal visitation of revenge but, rather, like the natural righting of an overturned flotation device. In any event, resistance is futile.
This self-correction of the Light is how I understand the recent events in Tunisia and Egypt; and these events are but heralds of what is to come elsewhere in the world until the Light takes its full dominion. It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to align ourselves with that Light or, sad to say, be eliminated by it. In this regard, let every individual call to their own "I AM" Presence for guidance and deliverance in their own sphere.
Do not mistake this grounded admonition for the ravings of a "fringe" perspective.
Unless you are among those already working with the Light, you are likely to mistake this surging of Light as chaos--it is not. The increase of Light in our world is literally "shaking the foundations" of both the physical planet and the architectonics of religious and ideological superstructures. It is a little appreciated fact that all is Light and that it is self-luminous, intelligent, substance; meaning that it has an inherent order and form to which every outer form must, sooner or later, capitulate. The days of Light's tolerance are drawing to a close and it is now arrived at the limit of contortion it will abide; the self-corrective measures inherent in Light can be neither gainsaid nor set aside--this is the proverbial "judgment day." It is not, however, like a personal visitation of revenge but, rather, like the natural righting of an overturned flotation device. In any event, resistance is futile.
This self-correction of the Light is how I understand the recent events in Tunisia and Egypt; and these events are but heralds of what is to come elsewhere in the world until the Light takes its full dominion. It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to align ourselves with that Light or, sad to say, be eliminated by it. In this regard, let every individual call to their own "I AM" Presence for guidance and deliverance in their own sphere.
Do not mistake this grounded admonition for the ravings of a "fringe" perspective.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Flower Shop
About a year ago I discovered a beautiful flower shop in a neighborhood that I liked to visit. Recently there was a sign in the window indicating that it had closed. Aside from the particularly crushing news to me, it was a devastating loss to the local neighborhood and city as a whole. The shop was known for its wonderful, inspired arrangements and routinely won the acclaim of the neighborhood and its fame had spread, quite literally, around the world owing to the cosmopolitan mix and flavor of the neighborhood. Although I'm sure that the spot taken by the little shop in the neighborhood will soon be occupied by some other, in my heart it leaves a gaping hole.
I first noticed the shop because its sign had a picture of a flower I knew as a child in Scotland, a gracious flower with slender stem, leafless, except at the base, with paired, pendulous, long, pale pink flowers having a five-lobed corolla. The sign drew me in to see the wonderful other arrangements and species available. I saw that the owner was busy with others so I didn't try to engage her on that visit and just used the opportunity to marvel at all she had put together in that small space.
On subsequent visits I had opportunity to visit with her and found her to be altogether delightful; she was from abroad, thought Beauty had no borders, and loved only God...a refreshing melange for me to discover since I was more used to women who were decidedly less serious about God. She shared with me that the flower pictured on her sign had a special place in her heart and was quite surprised that I even knew what it was; she called it by a name I don't remember now but I know it as Linnaea borealis, one of the few species actually named after the famous botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, because it was his favorite, having originally named it "Linnaea."
In addition to its fragile beauty, this flower has a much more symbolic meaning to me--a meaning that lent depth and substance to my association with the florist. This particular flower is considered to be an "indicator" species, meaning that its presence indicates ancient woodlands and the presence of other species with which it is often in association. Its link to Scotland endears it even more to me and the signature dual, pale pink blooms gives it a profound spiritual significance, since pink is the color of Divine Compassion.
I wish now I had made a greater effort to spend more time with this wonderful, extraordinary, and beautiful woman; meet her family, if I could have, (I don't even know if she has any family here), listen to her music or read the books she loves. I wish I had held her hand. No one seems to know exactly where she went or why she closed her shop; but I know that, for us, the flower was indeed an "indicator" species, indicating a much more ancient footing upon which we rested, she and I. I don't believe in accidental meetings but, for now, the flower we both loved seems not to know its own name; you see, its common name is Twinflower.
I first noticed the shop because its sign had a picture of a flower I knew as a child in Scotland, a gracious flower with slender stem, leafless, except at the base, with paired, pendulous, long, pale pink flowers having a five-lobed corolla. The sign drew me in to see the wonderful other arrangements and species available. I saw that the owner was busy with others so I didn't try to engage her on that visit and just used the opportunity to marvel at all she had put together in that small space.On subsequent visits I had opportunity to visit with her and found her to be altogether delightful; she was from abroad, thought Beauty had no borders, and loved only God...a refreshing melange for me to discover since I was more used to women who were decidedly less serious about God. She shared with me that the flower pictured on her sign had a special place in her heart and was quite surprised that I even knew what it was; she called it by a name I don't remember now but I know it as Linnaea borealis, one of the few species actually named after the famous botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, because it was his favorite, having originally named it "Linnaea."
In addition to its fragile beauty, this flower has a much more symbolic meaning to me--a meaning that lent depth and substance to my association with the florist. This particular flower is considered to be an "indicator" species, meaning that its presence indicates ancient woodlands and the presence of other species with which it is often in association. Its link to Scotland endears it even more to me and the signature dual, pale pink blooms gives it a profound spiritual significance, since pink is the color of Divine Compassion.
I wish now I had made a greater effort to spend more time with this wonderful, extraordinary, and beautiful woman; meet her family, if I could have, (I don't even know if she has any family here), listen to her music or read the books she loves. I wish I had held her hand. No one seems to know exactly where she went or why she closed her shop; but I know that, for us, the flower was indeed an "indicator" species, indicating a much more ancient footing upon which we rested, she and I. I don't believe in accidental meetings but, for now, the flower we both loved seems not to know its own name; you see, its common name is Twinflower.
Monday, January 17, 2011
"...has he stopped looking?"
This past Saturday, Jan 15th, 2011, I stopped into a Panera's on my way to work to pick up a quick breakfast. As I was getting a glass of water I overheard two men talking at the table next to the drink machine and one was saying to the other "but the question is: has he stopped looking?" The bits and pieces that I was able to catch during my brief tenure indicated that they were discussing some mutual friend's romantic relationship practices and the "health" of them. The phrase I picked out was one person's appraisal of how to tell whether those practices were "healthy" or not, i.e., if the person in question had "stopped looking," then, presumably, they were healthy and he could hope to make the relationship endure.
The touchstone of whether one continues "to look" while in a relationship is an aspect of romantic relationships that is seldom touched upon because we can "make" ourselves "stop looking," by an exercise of simple self-denial; however, such denial doesn't mean that the relationship has anything near the firm footing that it might have had were the "stopping of looking" a result of finding "the one."
The very existence of "the one" is a position that often comes under fire in discussions of romantic love; indeed, of any kind of legitimate, selfless love. The argument is usually developed along the lines of the fact that love is "no respecter" of persons and you can "learn" to love anyone. As true as this is, the conditions of marriage and close familial living, require a serious consideration of other factors.
Additionally, it doesn't take into account those cases in which individuals claim to have found "the one" for them. Such individuals who claim to have found "the one" speak of a bond that lies below, i.e., more fundamental than, the grounds we usually have for the garden variety of love that characterizes most other relationships. In a certain respect, that kind of love, viz,, the kind between people who claim they have found "the one" for them, although it acts selfless, is really self-centered owing to the fact that each sees the other as themselves, i.e., saving the other is saving him/herself. This sense of oneness with the other is universally characteristic of the love that obtains between individuals who claim they have found "the one" for them.
Another characteristic of this love is strange indeed. It is such that it seeks not to change the life of the other; that is, let's suppose that two people, already in marriage relationships, discover that they are "the ones" for each other, they would not disturb those relationships in order to effect their own "oneness." Instead, they would rest serene in the happy fulfillment of having discovered the other, offering whatever help or support they could, should the other need it, and letting their current relationships take their natural course.
Although this option is open to the "ones," their current relationships usually cannot withstand the increased light that this discovery by one partner brings into the relationship and they begin to disintegrate as a result. This disintegration is typically experienced as alienation or a lack of freedom because either the person feels as though affection has been alienated or that there are unspoken demands or expectations that the individual is unwilling to meet. This is not the result of not being loved in the sense of loving referred to above, namely, that anyone can be loved, but, rather, an awareness within the individual who is not "the one" that the founding bond is absent, since, resident within each individual is the yearning for just that very bond with "the one" for them. The awareness of this absent bond is heightened in one individual when that individual comes into the proximity of its presence in another.
In this regard, the suggestion made by the individual above is quite accurate; if someone has stopped looking, then that's a good indication that "the one" has been found; of course, this admonition is only as good as the introspective skills of the individual in question. Someone may think they have stopped looking but really have not...time will tell.
As for me...I have faith I have stopped, but, again...time will tell.
The touchstone of whether one continues "to look" while in a relationship is an aspect of romantic relationships that is seldom touched upon because we can "make" ourselves "stop looking," by an exercise of simple self-denial; however, such denial doesn't mean that the relationship has anything near the firm footing that it might have had were the "stopping of looking" a result of finding "the one."
The very existence of "the one" is a position that often comes under fire in discussions of romantic love; indeed, of any kind of legitimate, selfless love. The argument is usually developed along the lines of the fact that love is "no respecter" of persons and you can "learn" to love anyone. As true as this is, the conditions of marriage and close familial living, require a serious consideration of other factors.
Additionally, it doesn't take into account those cases in which individuals claim to have found "the one" for them. Such individuals who claim to have found "the one" speak of a bond that lies below, i.e., more fundamental than, the grounds we usually have for the garden variety of love that characterizes most other relationships. In a certain respect, that kind of love, viz,, the kind between people who claim they have found "the one" for them, although it acts selfless, is really self-centered owing to the fact that each sees the other as themselves, i.e., saving the other is saving him/herself. This sense of oneness with the other is universally characteristic of the love that obtains between individuals who claim they have found "the one" for them.
Another characteristic of this love is strange indeed. It is such that it seeks not to change the life of the other; that is, let's suppose that two people, already in marriage relationships, discover that they are "the ones" for each other, they would not disturb those relationships in order to effect their own "oneness." Instead, they would rest serene in the happy fulfillment of having discovered the other, offering whatever help or support they could, should the other need it, and letting their current relationships take their natural course.
Although this option is open to the "ones," their current relationships usually cannot withstand the increased light that this discovery by one partner brings into the relationship and they begin to disintegrate as a result. This disintegration is typically experienced as alienation or a lack of freedom because either the person feels as though affection has been alienated or that there are unspoken demands or expectations that the individual is unwilling to meet. This is not the result of not being loved in the sense of loving referred to above, namely, that anyone can be loved, but, rather, an awareness within the individual who is not "the one" that the founding bond is absent, since, resident within each individual is the yearning for just that very bond with "the one" for them. The awareness of this absent bond is heightened in one individual when that individual comes into the proximity of its presence in another.
In this regard, the suggestion made by the individual above is quite accurate; if someone has stopped looking, then that's a good indication that "the one" has been found; of course, this admonition is only as good as the introspective skills of the individual in question. Someone may think they have stopped looking but really have not...time will tell.
As for me...I have faith I have stopped, but, again...time will tell.
Monday, January 10, 2011
I Dance in Your Light
He shouted wildly, that is, he shouted inside to himself so no one could hear, "I dance in your Light!!" so rapt was he with his feelings. What should he call them? Or, should he call them anything, these feelings he was feeling? He managed a thought or two along the lines of linguistic philosophy cross-bred with Shakespeare's comments on roses. Do we really need names? Can't we just, instead, observe behavior from within the Great Silence? Can we not take note of responses that arise spontaneously within us and then, in mute fashion point with our attention, as if to say, that! We certainly recognize the behavior when it recurs and welcome it but flee its name...or the name it is given by hoi polloi.
Today he was astounded at the feelings that had arisen; partly because they were new, but mostly because they were atypical...at least, for him. What do you call it when your every thought of another has nothing of self-benefit eclipsing the thought; or when, in the course of daily routine, you import that one into every situation and your spirits soar. Or, again, when fraught with cares you rush in silent meditation, there to share and pour out all your heart to just that very one. And can imagination be held at fault when every moment is the birth of yet another future holding both in firm embrace?
He didn't know.
He did, however, take a survey of his acquaintance with pretenders to that throne that lay within his own experience. But naught he'd ever known was anything akin to this; there was nothing left to do but dance within the Light so brightly shining on his path.
Today he was astounded at the feelings that had arisen; partly because they were new, but mostly because they were atypical...at least, for him. What do you call it when your every thought of another has nothing of self-benefit eclipsing the thought; or when, in the course of daily routine, you import that one into every situation and your spirits soar. Or, again, when fraught with cares you rush in silent meditation, there to share and pour out all your heart to just that very one. And can imagination be held at fault when every moment is the birth of yet another future holding both in firm embrace?
He didn't know.
He did, however, take a survey of his acquaintance with pretenders to that throne that lay within his own experience. But naught he'd ever known was anything akin to this; there was nothing left to do but dance within the Light so brightly shining on his path.
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