Story, Magic and Taoism

A story in progress from yesterday. will complete details later tonight...


Went to he lighthouse at the end of the road where we live.




Saw this rainbow in the middle of the ocean seemingly standing on its own , with little support of storm.




Then it became clear it was moving and it swept up and through us, the rainbow swirled about us in the small storm of dizzy that came ashore.

After it passed we walked and in the end came to the end of this rainbow:



The old cars were all scattered about, rusting away into bones of fossilized rust.

And yet the rainbow survived in the art of a passing person.



I will revise this post later with the full story and musing about Taoism/ Magic and Awareness...


peace

Hearts

I got this question this morning to share

Is it okay to close our hearts to people? If they have hurt us or even if they love us? To make a conscious choice to do it?

In the larger truth: we are all one. Our hearts always touch and are shared.

In the smaller truth: of where we are now, as we busily tussle and shift about being an individual. At times in kindness: we must move on, to leave a person (or ourselves) be themselves fully. To do so means letting the heart go its separate way. We are each our own person and at times need to be establish boundaries for reflection, to grow with new experiences and to become a complete soul. It's the right action to go our own way to help the heart become more.

So

The simply answer is yes

If closing the heart is an act of kindness

Understanding that kindness has multiple levels and that kindness of closing the heart means helping the person (or yourself) heal in a more complete fashion. Then it's OK to move on, to let your heart make its own journey separate from others who you once loved completely. So they (or you) may find new answers, share with others, in different perspectives to find their own peace of heart.


In heart, we are always truly connected, always having a part of your life shared in heart. Nothing ever erases that time, but in the now when two hearts no longer fit together, it then becomes a time to let each heart grow anew into new experiences. To grow back into the larger whole in this very search.

Never erode the heart or break it
Trying to make it fit the shape of another heart.

Let the heart be true & grow in life as life moves.
Rather than mold it to another shape not your own.

So the simple answer is:

Let the heart move with life, to grow and experience connections. In time, as we grow, it always reconnects back to those we love.

A conscious choice to close the heart really means to let it grow into your life rather than let it be trapped by false and imaginary boundaries...

Peace

technology and peace

A quiet week this week for me

My Computer's mother board got fragged and fried and it will be a week or two before I am purely electronic again.

So all those great writing projects for the site and blog are on hold for a week or so.

Meeting lots of wonderful people here in Hawaii and we will be in our home next week. :) It feels nice to be home after being on the road for so long.

peace

My Birthday Today

birthday day for me today...

and not a day over 93 I might add.


How old is a person?

Their memories?

I have personal memories that go back 93 years to post world war one, does that make me that old?

Their Karma?

How many lives does a person have to pay back for the sins of the father , grandfather ... and beyond?

Their Body?

How old are the atoms of my body, so ancient as old as the dust that swirl about my toes and feet

Yet still fresh from the sixties as a babe?

By what we hold dear?

A mind might hold at the most 7 to 10 years cumulative memories before they fade to be replaced by other ideas and histories. We think we are one continuous being, but how many nows adds up to be a year or a lifetime...

Just one I think.

Our nature is always ephemeral at best.


By Truth?

Age is a very serious business for a Taoist, in that we are ageless and yet... people insist on being define by what cannot be held at all in their hands.

silly silly silly isn't it?

Back to: counting lucky geckos, writing up various reports to keep societies running, talking to mongooses and teaching Brisamina how silly humanity can be when being adults.

:)

peace.

Luck

Seven Gecko's roaming about my kitchen today

Geckos in the house is a sign of luck in Hawaii

So I am very happy indeed today

However, the chickens and mongooses I am keeping outside despite their insistence to join in on the fun. The Bathroom sink is not to lay eggs in. Despite the hens insistence that is what it is for.

And the mongoose, well I haven't had a chat with the pair yet... but they do seem to think they are part of this all... I will have to have them over for a drink later and find out what that is all about.

My social circles seem to be expanding a bit.

peace

Teaching Taoism & Walking Away

I teach Taoism with a twist. ... Which is no twist if you are being true to Taoist teaching ;)

I add in modern references to make sure students today can also apply Taoist thinking in a way that both uses current language and takes in account changes to modern culture.

Taoism dogma is about change, if the teachings don't change with the times, then it isn't being true to Taoist concept of heart!

Much of Taoist teachings are poetic, which allows for the teaching to change relative to each person. However, many non poetic Taoist texts do exist. When people take those texts literally, it can cause problems.

1. Because at times the texts are written in Taoist code which cannot be read literally.
2. Much of it is in context to a different culture.

One of the areas where this is most mis-understood, is the concept of walking away.

No matter how I answer this, I will be sure to upset some people due to emotional baggage attached to this issue. I spend quite a bit of time helping people who have been left behind, or who have to leave.

NO simple single answers exists!

I always have to find the answers that works to a person's heart. No one size answer fits here. Yet people will read Taoist Stories and think there is a single right answer.

In Taoist literature you will find stories of Taoist hermits who left family behind. Many people being literal, take those stories out of context, not considering the culture at the time that literature was written.

In other words: 1,000 years ago in China, divorce wasn't an option due to the family structure being much tighter / restrictive in protocol. 1,000 years ago Chinese society didn't have mechanisms in place to help people leave and start fresh. So instead, Taoists left (often faking their death or going to a monastery), as it was the only option open to them.

In our current culture, many options exist, we have divorce, counselors and legal system in place to help people change.

For a person to move on: please also consider kindness to those connected to you.

In other words:
Running away is an option, but if you do so, do it in way that helps those connected to you move on also!

Remember

There is no "right" path.
However, there are always options.

When considering the options, balance in kindness your actions to those connected to you.

If not, then it will create negative Karma, which will lengthen the spiritual journey.

When reading materials ancient, also consider the context and how things exist today to help temper the information.

While people don't change: a person today is emotionally similar to someone 10,000 years ago. Cultures do change and a person needs to reflect against that in some degree when reading older texts.

Peace

Simple Answers, Complicated Puzzles.

(Sitting on the front porch,
morning breeze mixes the flower scent high)

I am thinking about how we guide others in spirit.


(A blue sky, a few clouds but for me a clear day)

So many many answers get written
As if to drift back into the winds of need for others.
The answers, the good ones: are always simple.


(Mina dances around me
asking asking asking
a young bird chittering away)

The heart is the guide.
A smile is the path.


(A mongoose runs past me in a rumble,
the yellow song birds scatter back into the wind)

People desire complicated answers,
thinking,
as their life is complex so must be the solution.

Everything starts simply to grow to fullness.

Why start at the ending?
Why do people believe fullness... -> (the destination)
is the start of the answer?

When an answer starts simply
then treat it as the seed
to grow more completely
into your needs
into your complexity later.


The sun draws me out, to now and walking with my life...

Peace

Hawi

Landed in Hawi Hawaii yesterday.

In a few weeks will be north of Hilo and starting to find a place.

I am home.

Soon to meditate a week off to dreams. But first just sleep. Blissful grey under the sounds of birds and wind and over Pele churning out her tales to share.

peace

Leeeeettttting go

Back in Oly

A breath, a dash of magic, a pinch of old times and mixing it all together

to be back on the road Monday...

Peace in your own travels.

recording passage

A few hours ago:

I wandered near the mountain range called "The crazy mountains" (isn't that an awesome name?) I had some thoughts to write... Profoundly deep ones of course.

Now:
A few hours later I am sitting down at some wireless cafe and those profound thoughts are all gone.

Don't try to hold on to what is profound... to be more, to connect, to become....

It's whimsy for me. Some moments to become poetry, other times shift into passages for a book...
In the end, I let go so much more, let it roll off around as a breeze of ideas and connections... To move through life. So much wonder in my life and 99.999% flows on with the moment.

If I were to tell you a story of wonder, would I need the wing of the angel to prove I flew? Of course not, to do so, would kill the angel, end the dream...

In relaxing, in smiling , in letting it pass to become, ever more, ever growing.

---

oh yes now I remember...

I was thinking about the little fossil I picked up on the river yesterday...

Bone, scale and form recorded in a rock from past to now... That is what so many people try to do, record profound thoughts... which end up as fossils... not us at all, simply us in reflection.

Which is better: to become a fossil or to change, roll on to become ever more?

Life is change...

So many places this path can go, but, now, already I am letting it go, go, gone and away to rolling on again.

peace

Wandering

In North Dakota

As a wanderer, it feels best to be a wanderer here, but the painted canyons are priceless.

peace

Gratitude

Do you wake up with feelings of Gratitude?

If so, then embrace your :) and live fully to that life.

If not, then embrace change fully. Let the winds of whimsy lead you to a new life. Every day is a new life, if you are open to the possibilities.

Seriously, think about this for a moment.

Why not wake up to gratitude? Live fully in your breath and actions. If you wake up in pain, in misery, in not wanting to move forward, Then step sideways, step in a new direction.

I place colorful cloth - Sarongs- over my windows so when the sun comes in, it's a rainbow of images, light and shadows dancing over and upon me that is my greeting to the day. I keep the window open so fresh cool breezes can sneak in to wake me with playful swishing of air. Here is the poem that mixes that image to a fresh morning to a new life, I teach to others.

A window
Sarong draped across
Air slips, flutters into the room
Cool cool air slinking around
Mixing into breath
Coolness merging into
Morning

Light filters thru
Green, purple, blue fabric
Playing across, stirring into first sight
Coolness of colours merging to
Day, waking, becoming…
Alive once again

Are we always alive?
Or is it an inspiration, upon each waking
Each day
A Doorway

You have to understand when I wrote this poem, I woke up every day in extreme pain, every day I went to bed wishing to fade away to grey becuase the pain would be so extreme the next morning.

Everyday, I lie to myself
"I can leave whenever I wish"

Everyday I say this.
Everyday I stay
Beaten bruises should push me away
I stay
hiding tears, pain, truths
Hide it in lies, smiles and fantasy

It doesn't matter
Everyday losing something more of myself
Everyday laying a little longer,
picking myself off the ground, slowly,
to continue this play

Every night I lie to myself.
Going to sleep, it feels so easy
maybe the gray, the midnight dark
will stay, keep the day away

It doesn’t, it never does.

leaving me to morning, another day
saying: "I can leave whenever I wish"

Could have, should have, would have left
living, living free, not beaten, to be true to life, is who you are
is what calls, howls in my dreams
No!
as much I want to flee
truth, true to my life, means to love others...
more than even myself.
It's returning love in my children's eyes
who cannot leave here.
Its helping friends beaten to the ground
with my hand so they may, walk again.

Silently unknowingly
these love ones
pick me up off the ground everyday

I wont lie
I will leave someday
It just won't be today

I know pain better than many, that it's always possible to start in wonder, in joy. Even when in pain, the option exists for everyone to embrace gratitude , in wonder , in joy even. It's just 8 out 10 people choose to embrace the known over the costs of release and braving the unknown.

I have been a Taoist all my life, I always embrace joy and wonder, and I have had hard times in my life also. I never reject my life or the times of pain when they do occur. I embrace it all and move on with my life into new things. Even in the worse times, those times gave me what I needed to become ever more, to write and help others, to do things in my Taoist practice which many would considered impossible.

The point is you have to be strong enough to move out of the pain also. Otherwise it becomes the only thing in your life.

I have moved out of the pain portion of my life a few years ago now, it served its purpose to teach and show me : myself.

As I transform again now, I wish to others the strength to hold true to their life, even when it means to be brave enough to jump into the unknown.

peace

Transformation and Movement

I will be a bit scarce the next two weeks.

I am in the middle of being on the road and moving to Hawaii now and the next two weeks will be very chaotic and blissful: so just a moment to let everything be and flow with the change instead...

So no worries about holding together blogs and other mediums in the mean time :)

Love to all

PS Angela give me a holler, I will be in Hawi starting the 19th :) and then the next three months will be poking about the big island.

me

Staying the Same

Taoism is embracing the change of living.

Comfort and Society is all about staying the same: status quo

That's a major problem. For example

• If you want your relationship to stay the same... then over time it will break as you and your partner naturally change
  
  
• If you want your lifestyle to stay the same... you have to work harder and harder to keep it the same as you discover new things you rather do.
  
  
• Etc .. fill in with examples with what you find in life around you.
  

I said in today's earlier post:

People work , work, work, and work some more at it every day to save for the price of sameness...

That is the price of a modern lifestyle, that is the trap!

If life is hard. Chances are you are working too hard to keep it the same.

Think about it

If you want Freedom, Taoism, Acceptance, Heart, etc... then let go to change and flow with life rather than resisting it to keep it the same. To do so is easier, simpler and lets you grow... rather than being diminished in trying to stay the same.

peace

meandering

A Busy busy week

Watching the world spin around in the financial markets...
So what

Taking the afternoon off to drift in inner tubes down the Mississippi river.
Just floating

Looking ahead, fine tuning our next leap. Getting ready to get back on the road to drive to Olympia and then further.

If I were to live by society, I should be working my arse off right now, to save, to stash away for the chaos roiling about...

How can one ever save enough to fulfill chaos?

I have no future right now, only having enough to live now and a few weeks ahead at the most. Working a simple technical job to keep a balance relative to society, teaching retreats to help others and connecting to seekers with simple Taoist guidance.

That's enough to live now.

Now is enough.

A person I teach, just gasped when seeing it: "That is so easy!"

Yes it is.
Based within: trusting your heart.

I take it a day at a time and soar along with the eagles,
along this river.

It's my life,
A families life,
To enjoy.
To have stock in it by embracing the beat of my life
by being my life : being true to my own heart.

I change to this fact everyday.

This isn't a lifestyle about staying the same. If you want that... well:

then you work , work, work, and work some more at it every day to save for that sameness...
That is the price of a modern lifestyle, that is the trap! Shhhhh that is the secret people try to sell you! Not your freedom but what is bought at a price: your sameness.

Or you can change and flow with your life to be free.

This is the truth to letting go and being free.

and i wonder
how many people get what I am trying to say here
how many people cannot let go of someone else's dream

If you get this, then why not take the full step? why not make it simple, as it can be?

I cannot answer this directly, for I have my own answer in being free. Your answer is your own life, any answer I give would be my dream...

peace

Retreats and Monday

Good Morning

I enjoy and embrace teaching Taoist / Transformation retreats. It's always an amazing process to help a person fulfill into their own life.

I teach a person to only come in with one expectation: to smile. Since every retreat always goes far beyond what a person will imagine can happen. It's a deep process of finding new ground to explore.

In transformation retreats, most seekers have some fear coming to the retreat, since deep down it's about change and connection. I won't take a person in unless they are at the right point to embrace their own change. As a result about half of the people I help before the retreat actually jump out of the retreat before it happens. For those who are brave enough to embrace transformation, after the retreat begins, it then all flips around. The retreat gives so much heart, they fear leaving the retreat, the fear loops around to cause anxiety over losing all the wonder, hope and connection discovered within the process. So we gently wind down into the right place for their transformation to safely grow from.

As a professional this is why I don't map out a retreat before it happens. To do so, would create a trap of expectation for the person to get lost within.

To help give some key perspective, form and direction. It's never the same twice, since each time it's about matching to the person what they need in the journey now. It's art since its all about expressing soul and spirit.

:) it's an amazing time that is for sure!

But afterwards, for myself, I always plan for a sleep day. A simple retreat will only be 3 days, but it packs in 6 days worth of living into that time. After all when you do accept time: It's all about relationship and connection.

peace

In Retreat

I am Teaching a Taoist / Transformation retreat the next 3 days.

Guiding a person along in a retreat is a wonderful experience helping them connect towards acceptance.

A strange word retreat...

To go away in order to fulfill oneself spiritually. It's too bad it isn't called "fulfillment" or "embodiment"... something which more captures the true essence of the process.

However, many people are running away from something, so the word "retreat" can appropriately capture the initial "feeling" of what is desired in finding change.

Funny thing about the word retreat, it implicates "lose", "to fall back", "pull away"... again a strange term when in reality it's a process of moving into one's own hidden light.

At first it's a "retreat" as one falls back into their hidden nature. A retreat away from one's inner resistance to becoming more.

So many different angles to view it all from. :)

Peace