Drowning out the News By Living to Grace

When simply glancing around the Internet to discover

• Peak Oil
  
• Economic Gloom
• Political Assassination
  
• Screwing Vets over by having them pay for the war
• How the United States is now an example of how not to be
  
• The list go on...

Lets stand back for a moment.

It doesn't take much digging to discover: It's a mess.

So what is the solution?

Well, some possibilities out of many would be

1. Ignore everything... only to burn with the nation as it tumbles out of control.
   
2. Fight the problem... to get burned as society resists truth.
3. Live simply... Live not for consumption but for grace of life.
   

I have blogged in the past that as a Taoist option 3 is the one I would advise taking. To live simply and with beauty does ripple out and also can change the world.

However, it does raise a question.

What does grace mean to you?

I purposely have never defined Grace in my Blog. Grace does have many meanings, as grace is a form of beauty within motion of living. Grace is something you do have to define for yourself.

To live with grace is not something that can be bought nor is easy. Rather it means taking personal time and energy to practice personal "soul" crafting as the art of making life beautiful.

How can the world not react and reflect your efforts?

The most wonderful thing about such actions. It doesn't matter if others notice, since in the end you will step back and embrace the beauty within your own life of grace.

Living with true grace is it's own reward.

However, a person must learn one thing for this to work. It takes accepting your own definition of beauty rather than being fooled by society to take an imposed version of beauty. That is the crux of the problem. As most people are very social and are unwilling to trust to their own feelings of what is right.

Now lets illustrate this in practice by a simply story "The man who planted trees"

In this case this is a story with many roots of truth such as Johnny Appleseed.

The point of the story is absolutely true. We each have something in our life which can be the basis of grace to change the world. I know this story is true and it can be done as I have done so in my life. I have passed out so many smiles to so many strangers. Over twenty years I have made a difference.

We each have a choice. Just remember grace is not something bought, it's something given freely from our actions.

In that is the difference that matters.

Peace

Magic

For magic to work, it must be seen.

The saying exists: It must be seen to be believed.

Over time people have taken this to mean for magic to work, the act of magic must be believable. Actually it's the opposite. Magic is based upon perception. For magic to work, it must be visible and acted upon. Believability is optional and often times follows the act of magic.

This is interesting from many different angles. Let look at it from a personal one.

If a person desires something magical to happen in their life or:

To have something magically "transformative" occur.

It isn't enough to just think about it, to just wish for it to be. One must enable the magic by physically and very much visibly creating the changes they desire to be. When this is done, the magic of perception kicks in, to finish the spell over time to occur.

Hence this is why you have to be very careful what you pretend to be, as over time a person creates what they become. It's just the nature of magic and the world we live within.

---

So my friend just wrote me saying

I'm going thru transitions, everywhere, it seems. I'm constantly exhausted by the growth,

I think this is also great as it means she is truly living and growing into herself.. This is another aspect of life and the very nature of living. People think that the time of change will be magically restful and peaceful. That to become oneself is to have a unwavering vision and state of self. However the more you live, truly live, the busier and more transformative your life will actually become.

Yes it might be hectic, crazy and unpredictable... but It's truly living ;) also.

peace

Stillness

Ever been so busy that...

As everything jumbles and tumbles pass you
Yet while in the middle of the chaos, still finding a place in the center of it all with peace?

I suppose if one is to be within the storm , the eye is a decent place to be. But does that mean I am the storm or just chilling in the center at the moment?

Matters not. :)
It is what it is,

The day tumbles along with me. I will be myself and that is heart of centering oneself during the crazier times of life.

Peace

Time

Time and space
Are expressions of your nature.

Lets stop for a moment to consider time.

---

If time is money
If time doesn't exist ( It doesn't, but that's for later )
Then what value is of money?

None.

So then ultimately, what does matter in terms of human value?

I would say myself: Grace

This section is merely word play. However, from a practical point of view the whole relationship of time, money and one's life does need to be examined. Money and Time are both very human values of exchange. In this relationship of exchange is revealed that truth and the worth of either (time and money) is arbitrary to say the best.

---

Now back to Time.

As a physicist, I am of the opinion. Time doesn't exist. Time is a macroscopic condition but not a fundamental aspect of the universe. More to the point. Time appears in our life, appears in macroscopic physical equations as a variable that defines relationship between sub elements of a larger system. This means time is a relative beast to say the least, experienced by humans as a way to interrelate against a larger universe. This makes time a very interesting beast indeed. A force that exists in the way we see the world and yet it doesn't exist in the larger reality of all.

As a Taoist. I say I am of the Tao. More so that I am eternal in being one to myself and my overall existence.

I live life, I feel time. SO how can I say time doesn't exist especially if I state I am "eternal"? From personal experience I also know, I can "still" my life, I can go into a place of pause... and literally be anywhere within my life, "my existence" I purely connect to. More deeply, when going into this place of pause, I am not limited to myself, I am open to anywhere within what is known to be the Universe.

What is the point then to doing nothing and being myself?

On a rare Taoist serious note: perhaps freedom.

The freedom to simply enjoy being who I am.

Now I suspect many readers are confused. The point is that once you discover an eternal nature, something strange happens. In the process of reflection, of being whole, leads a person to discover:

It's fun to be yourself.

So enjoy life, rather than worrying about what might be, what was, the issues and everything. It all simmers down to :

Contentment in the here and now.

For it is enough...

as it is everything

Peace

A Serious Day

This morning

Julie: {looking stern} {too busy for words} {things to do!}

Casey: "Good Morning :)"

Julie: "I am too busy... too many things to do."

Casey: "Still doesn't mean you can't smile :)"

You can then see realization spread across Julie and she cracks up with smile. To then go to work.

---

It really isn't that hard to shift perception enough to make a difference in your whole day.

Peace

Offerings

Ah.. new day and I am sitting with my daughter chilling in a very peaceful moment.

This post is a rambling story based upon a 10 second musing I had this morning so be patient.

Thinking, about what I have to offer the world, while sun light filters down through a colorful collage of leaves tossed around by the wind.

• I do not, nor will I express my contribution to the world as a job. However, for cash flow purposes I do have to gather some cash for food and such. I just make sure the work I do is helpful, and in my case I aid people by helping build drug addiction treatment systems or providing the occasional Taoist Service.

• Not the point...
  and people do get lost in these points, in their own life...
  
  So Learn:
  NOT the point.

So what is it I have to offer?

• Peace.
  
  Just helping others find peace ,
  in a moment,
  in life, even within the jabbing punches of life...
  
  Peace.
  

This is funny since that is exactly what most people don't want.

They say they want peace, they fight for it (yes I know a sad contradiction) and in the end, peace is the one thing consistently skipped around rather than embraced .

Personally, I would rather people threw their money away on me helping them find peace over money to hurt others and themselves. But that's the way of life.

This reminds me of when I use to Internet date 5 years ago. The women online would constantly say "I want Lloyd Dobler" I would think kewl, since I am more Lloyd Dobler than Lloyd Dobler himself.

Then I would discover the sad truth everytime. That when ever a woman would say this, it always meant the opposite. That deep down they were still looking for bad relationships and problems to work thru. Strange isn't it? Saying you want one thing, and actively seeking the opposite.

That's human nature.

So whats human nature?

Well it's comes down to issues of acceptance. On many levels. For example: A woman saying they want Lloyd Dobler is saying they want a man who accepts them. However, if they only know of acceptance thru abuse, bad relationships or other hard sources, that person will in return only accept what they already know in return... Lloyd Dobler would appear to be a total loser to such a woman and she instead of taking the time to discover something wondrous and new, instead dumps the Lyoyd Dobler in 15 minutes goes back to the bad biker dude and thus restarts a bad cycle. Other countless variations on this theme abound... but the basic problem comes down to acceptance each time.

Most people wanting peace have similar issues. They want peace, but only know hard times... Peace is so alien, quiet and seemingly empty compared to a more violent lifestyle.

So whats the answer to peace?

If Peace is the spiritual "Lloyd Dobler" for seekers, who will seek peace but embrace continued spiritual mayhem... what is the answer to making a difference for these seekers?

Heh! Such a long post to come around to the simple Taoist ending this was all about.

The answer is ;) simply ...

Hope that wasn't too complicated? Thanks for the patience as I go back with my daughter and together simply living as it happens. People always make it harder than it needs to be. But then again all people including myself are just plain silly beings. So enjoy it for what it is... Life.

Peace

Bees in the Eyes

I haven't written poetry for a bit. Here is today's scribble

---

Sitting in this oregano patch,
I got Bees in the eyes
... Spiders in the legs.
All is a rush: as this is a Business Day
...Bees hustle the pollen
It's all about Quota's and hives
Hives to support
before the bloom goes bust.

Overhead, behemoth military Cargo planes
Fly off.
They carry munitions,
Of bombs
America drops
Exploding out our hearts
Worlds away...
Blowing...

The bees,
Well they are all dying,
In unmarked hives
Gone, long gone soon.
Leaving
Humanity
Tending blooms
of our own corpses.

------------------------
July 2007: Olympia, Wa

---

My feelings are pretty simple here, however,
The commentary is removed on purpose as quite simply
Instead
I am missing the bees.
It's time to take the time
to watch the Bees
before the bloom ends.

Live and live well
not to ego, but with grace and meaning.
Perhaps then people can get the message
to understand it's time to stop the war.

Give Peace A Chance

Peace

Life, Ideas, Fevers and Passing moments

So I had two fabulous and provocative posts all planned out in my mind about Taoism. I even was getting ready to writing them up

Then a fever came along

Well anyways I was zapped and fried out of my gourd. It was one of the more painful fevers I experienced for a while. I don't use drugs except the occasional ibuprofen or herbs from Julie. For myself it's best to let my body do as it needs to do. However, it was still a fun experience as a simple time to meditate within the fever for a few days. I am able to go to place of stillness where, I could be in balance, I can then watch how other things would effect me.

Since my body was in a fever, it's in a heighten sense of being. So in effect it's possible to see and monitor items drowned out in a normal day.

For instance a simple but effective calibration example: normally if my daughter cries I don't over react, I just do what's needed per the situation. However, with the fever, if she cried, I could feel the spike in my body and mind reacting to the cry. It's a natural amplification effect. So I sat back... or in my case... on the floor upon a blanket just feeling how different inputs triggered my body and such. More play ... Hell if you are going to be sick might as well explore.

The point being... being sick doesn't mean being in a lessened state. Yes you cannot do everything you could in a normal body... but when sick you are not in a normal body anymore. Some of the functions might be lessened (for instance I for sure wasn't going to dance) yet in return the fever heightened other senses which permitted new exploration which I couldn't do with my normal body...

If you are sick. Don't measure life by "Normal" expectations. Instead discover new areas to explore... A person will be surprised how much can be discovered, recovered and even expanded about your life. This simple shift of reality is the most important cure to any serious illness. Since so much more to this world exists than "normal" life...

I also took the time to practice what the normal culture would label "out of body" for a time, just to let everything rest more easily. It was quite chill watching episode of "dead like me" with the kids.

If you thought I meant psychic "out of body" well watching DVD's can be pretty much an out of body experience... And perhaps I did do both ;) just because I was there doesn't mean I was there now does it? ;) I am not telling. Some things are best left secret.

The end result. I simply forgot what I was originally going to write.

Oh well, so it goes, and comes and goes again...

Peace

Our Path

When seeing images like this



How can humanity even think it's on the right path
with modern corporate society?

When we value other life at zero.
(such as these dead fish from pollution)
Humanity then by reflection values human lives at zero.

Peace

More Upon Acceptance

"To accept the best in people"

This means to also accept yourself.

If a person cannot accept others, then in reflection that means seeing something personal and within one's own life which cannot be accepted.

---

The above statement has several important fallouts.

• When having trouble finding acceptance in oneself, then start by accepting others... the process of reflection leads to acceptance...
• If believing you have personal acceptance, but the actions of others bother you... well then that indicates still having something to explore for self improvement.
• If the actions of another person are bothersome beyond acceptance... while it might seem simpler to change that person, it's in fact easier to change a personal situation to improve everything in reflection.
• If having trouble finding acceptance in others, then start by accepting yourself... the process of reflection leads to acceptance...

As a side note all of this doesn't mean when something terrible is happening to do nothing. It means to take action in your actions to make a difference.


Other considerations exist: but it wouldn't be fun if I were list everything out.

Peace

Thru the Looking Glass

This blog entry is not linear in thought. Its based upon a musing and I apologize if it seems a bit disjointed. I am sharing it since I know a few friends will be interested in the road markers I am placing within it.

To go through the Looking Glass.

Is that a journey you would be interested to travel? Would you desire to be Alice?

To many, going through the looking glass would be a symbol of going to a different world, seen at angles to our own world.

• For some a place of fantasy,
  
• For some a place of escape,
• For some a place of dark dreams
• For some merely a metaphor
  

The reality is?

The Looking Glass is our society. Anyone and everyone can travel thru the medium. If you read Alice in Wonderland as an example, it's a story which very much was a statement about culture as Lewis Carroll saw it. Society is a reflection of all our actions, and since our actions are additive, the looking glass will always be askewed as it becomes a blending of all of us.

The looking glass is very real, very present and very human in scope.

Taoism and the Looking Glass

As a Taoist practitioner, a person has access to practices that aid in working with the actual looking glass.

Many Taoist Sages, step back from the looking glass. The swirl of human desires, drama and dreams makes it a place of distraction. The looking glass is a step away from reality as its reality has been filtered by culture human perceptions. A Taoist Master can and does travel in and out from the looking glass. This is important for surety of self is the strength of being a "true human" as the masters of old would say, over being a reflection of what culture would project over you.

Doors into and through the Looking Glass

Within Taoism you will come across concepts of "pause" and "inner stillness".

These are important doors for a person to find. It might seem counter intuitive to some, but achieving this state of stillness is very important for discovering your self surety. Ego tries to trick a person that their nature is to be measure against others and society. This is not so.

It's upon this state of pause becoming inner stillness that a person unfolds into a pure reflective being. This is a balancing point where outside influences from the Looking Glass reflect off of a person to become a freeing experience from outside addictions and dependencies. Likewise everything that you are, ripples back into the looking glass to help create peace back into the world.

It's not about change, nor measurement, nor achievements...

It's simply about "being yourself" in surety and peace.

Upon reaching this point, all places within he looking glass become available for exploration and truly a Wonderland as Mr. Carroll termed in his book.


Peace

Teaching Taoism

I am putting together a lecture to help students learn Taoism.

Taoism over thousands of years has accumulated countless different practices, techniques, mysteries, teachers, truths...

If you wonder why: well Taoism as a practice of being oneself also means each practitioner brings in their own blend of truths into the practice. Over time a framework developed which includes aspects of: philosophies (rational thought), religion (faith) , science (facts), and even seemingly magical (perception) practices. And Taoism is not only a single framework, but Taoism consists of many frameworks which are all of the "Tao".

So what is the proper "way" to learn Taoism, when it embraces human nature in all of our ways? The answer to any student is:

Simply follow your own nature.

Here is the outline of the talk I will be giving at the Fourth Annual Taoist Gathering in Oakland Ca. on October 26-28, 2007.

---

Topic: Taoist philosophy and approaches to studying Taoism

Title of Paper: Flowing with Acceptance

Abstract

This presentation’s first purpose is to help students overcome several common barriers to understanding Taoism.

1. Translation Barriers:
   This doesn't only refer to translating Chinese to English. It also includes several thousand years of differences in shifting cultural references.
2. Mindset Barriers:
   Modern Western culture is a knowledge based culture. So a pressure exists to approach Taoism with a similar fact based approach. Western philosophical Taoist thought often focuses on historical examination of literal texts and treatise while seemingly ignoring the very same texts stating to let go of the knowledge based approach being used to study Taoism.
3. Lifestyle Barriers:
   Modern consumer culture is about as opposite to applied Taoist practice as a person can get. This creates a problem on how to apply Taoist principles to a typical Western lifestyle. Taoism as a practice is very much about how to live life to one's nature. When a culture actively pushes one against their personal nature, it also hinders the study of Taoism.

Discussion of the Tao tends to focus upon the translation of "The Way". From a modern English perspective it's closer to the mark to say Taoism "The Way" is about Acceptance. In looking at the three barriers to understanding Taoism, each of the three issues can also be view as acceptance issues.

• Translation Barriers:
  
  What's an acceptable translation? People fight entire careers over this little topic.

Taoism simply states: it doesn't matter. Words can never capture the true Tao.

• Mindset Barriers:
  
  Accepting a goal of letting go of knowledge rather the modern teaching of Knowledge being power.

Taoism stresses true power is letting go of power.

• Lifestyle Barriers:
  
  How can it be possible to accept the Tao, when society teaches never to even accept yourself? In other words children are taught to be role models (or chase a dream of money/power) and never ever to be their own person (unless that also means chasing money/power).

Taoism stresses the only lifestyle worth having is the one of being yourself.

So an important aspect to studying Taoism is to understand: it's also a study of self acceptance. Typically people approach Taoism, or most philosophy / religion, as a means to seek larger truths. By the very end of a typically life long practice, a person usually lets go of their preconceived notions to discover acceptance. Taoism is a rare practice since in many aspects it focuses at the very start to teach self acceptance! To learn this early opens up Taoism in a new light and makes the overall process much more fun.

Living to acceptance is probably both the hardest and simplest thing to do. So this discussion will finish examining this contradiction in terms of Taoist practice and how to implement Taoist acceptance practices in a modern culture that actively discourages self acceptance.

Peace

Reign in the Corporations

Here is an awesome article about Corporate Crime and how much it really does hurt us.

As a person you can ignore it, or you can stop it by simply... not buying and using many of the services they provide.

I am not saying the choices are easy to make, but we can make a difference.

Peace

Legal Contracts

Being on the road for the next year, I decided it was time to set up a wireless Internet account.

Now Verizon and ATT both suck. But Verizon offered a good price ratio and ATT likes spying for the US government too much. So I decided to try Verizon.

I asked the Verizon representative if any limits were on the account.

• Verizon Sales Rep: "OH NO! You have unlimited bandwidth"

So today I got the package and read thru the contract and it says:

• Verizon Contract: Any usage over 5gb in a month is considered to be unauthorized computer activity and will be denied.
  

Hmmm... Since at times I contract work out in the computer world, I actually occasionally can tear thru 5gb in month. Granted not often, but it's possible. So I called to validate this.

• Me " I was told I had unlimited bandwidth"
• Verizon Rep: "That is correct sir"
• Me "Yet in the contract it says I am limited to 5Gb"
• Verizon Rep: "That is correct sir"
• Me: "But you just said I had unlimited bandwidth?"
• Verizon Rep: "That is correct sir"

I am now very puzzled since the Verizon rep is totally contradicting herself. So time to take a different tact.

• Me. "So If I use more than 5gb my activity will be blocked?"
• Verizon Rep: "That is correct sir. How can anyone use more than 5GB?"
• Me: "And thats unlimited Bandwidth how?"
• Verizon Rep: "How can anyone want to use more than 5gb so yes its unlimited.."
  

Julie was listening and was laughing since it sounded like a old Abbot and Costello routine. I had to admit I was almost laughing also. At this point I let it drop since Verizon's lies in the way it does business. It's called marketing and so they don't believe it is a lie since its been labeled as marketing.

For instance a few years ago. Microsoft was caught blatantly lying in an ad. They were taken to court and said in their defense yes they were lying and in summary they said: "it was mere puffery." They won!

So in our culture its acceptable to lie in Corporate policy and in fact the US court system supports this style of action.

From a Taoist point of view. I find this troubling since it promotes misdirection as a main part of our culture. It's just another example in our day to day dealings being removed from reality in our business connections.

What's a Taoist to do?

Laugh at it all, use the service for what's its good for: 5gb a month. Moving on with what matter's in my life: Living my own actions as truthfully as possible. Verizon's lie doesn't harm me, it harms them in the long run...

Now this is important for several reasons

1. If I chose to get upset and "fight"against their lies, I will take on aspects of the fight and even their lie. Way not worth it...
   
2. Verizon is damaging themselves more, since in each lie, they step away from reality and their base of support (their customers).
   
3. If I chose to laugh at it, then the situation actually empowers me while actually reflecting poorly for Verizon: in this post about their antics.
4. Being human, we have limitations, only within our ego. Life is as it is. Pick and choose wisely that which you want to change in the world. A Taoist learns to drop a fight which ego would charge into with indignation. Instead a Taoist takes the time to enjoy the world as it is. Oh it's fine to stand up and leave behind feedback so others can be warned, but also move on with your life, instead of moving backwards to fix something not worth repairing.
   
   
   

Peace

Movie Reviews

I just saw the movie Sicko. I highly recommend it.

Why?

Well, It's not my place to say, it's up to you to see it and judge for yourself. Action to save lives and improve the United States won't come from corrupted leaders or indifference.

It comes from the people, by the people for the people... who help each other.

Peace