Fireside III
It is to the Village Square that the townspeople come to exchange views and thoughts on their beloved spiritual philosophy, learning from each other in kindness and wisdom. Then when their minds have been filled, they retire to the tavern on the western side of the square where they share in social discussion, learning of each other’s events and challenges, happinesses and sometimes sadnesses, too. With a mug or glass in hand, they collect in front of the great Fireplace that dominates the long wall. Benches and chairs are often filled on market day with those who have come from farther away, bringing news of events and views the local people delight in hearing.
If you are feeling disoriented by all the philosophical talk by the fountain in the Village Square, then come sit down on the bench here with us for a while just to soothe your mind and share a mug of tea or coffee. Let’s all make sure the conversation is quiet and simple, caring and thougtful, exactly the kind of talk you might have around a warm hearth, the only light filling the room coming from the fireplace.
This is the third installment in the Fireside discussion series. After we reach 900 comments, the page takes too long to load on your computer, and so we start another fresh page. To review previous discussions, we keep the old pages (Fireside I and Fireside II) which you can find under the ‘Village’ tab on the navigation bar at the top of screen under the image of the tree.
This we do not understand:
It was today he arose
pushed the stone lightly away
like a cloud
and walked out in the sun
Dear Friends, my sincere apologies for not being more present. It is 10 pm and I have just managed to squeeze in 10 minutes of computer time, the first in a few days. I’m now off to my van, my mini home away from home while working. It will be great fun catching up on all your posts perhaps this weekend. Thinking of you all, big hugs, B.
Thanks, Pam !
And Hi Bernard – so good to read your few lines. You sound busy. And happy.
Have fun !
Annie, ahhhh, Paris! Now you can say, We’ll always have Paris. May your jet lag be minor.
a, yes, it is very hard to conceptualize this ** not a body ** when your whole being is devoted to the well being of the wee bitty precious little body. And it just gets started there . . . wee, bitty, that is — the “precious little” stays even as the form grows. Once the love is set, it’s set. It is way easier to think I’m a spirit than the children I want the world for. And it’s hard to leave their future in the Hands of God, when the fear of pain seems to loom for them.
Winnie, thanks for the introduction to Gladly, your cross-eyed bear. That could have been one of Jesus’ ‘what I meant by that’ course explanations of biblical terms.
Jean, the Adirondacks sound pretty relaxing. I think I recall that New Yorkers head for the mountains to weather the summer heat. Lovely tradition. What a change from the drylands of Temecula. No doubt you have some Ken tapes to bring back Roscoe days.
Good to hear from you, Richard. I love the line you pulled out, Pam, the sky just wants to go home.
My cross-eyed (I’d)bear. LOL, I missed that pun. Thanks for pointing it out Katrina.
I thought I would stop in for a mug at the Tavern. Kaitlyn (our youngest) just moved all of her things from the farmhouse we have been living in these past ten years. We live in the Pittsburgh area, and she moved to Chicago. We moved here when she was diagnosed with cancer, so it is bitter sweet.
So, she has been on my mind a lot. Right before she left we were moving things in the garage and we pushed an old John Deer Tractor out of our way and right up on to my foot. I haven’t seen a doctor yet but two toes are going to freak him out. On my other foot I wear a special boot to let a wound heal. It is funny because Sharon and I are starting up a flea market. A place where vendors can go and sell their wares. So, we have never been so busy. a is right, it is kind of empty around here tonight too. I think it has something to do with it being summer.
I have read the past posts, and not that I needed to be reminded, but you good folks are the reason I feel so at home here in the village. There is a stranger standing by the fire He is about 6′ tall, has blazing blue eyes, and his red hair seems ablaze with color. He is pointing to a small table by the fire. It has two chairs and two tall mugs and a pitcher of something. He smiles at me, a knowing smile, and I am drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
lawrence
(Draws a chair up to the table and joins. Feels utterly at home. Wow, that hair – )
Hi All,
I’m back in NY now and all is going rather well. It was an adjustment and my husband and I are going to separate (at least for a while – we just don’t seem to work well together in the parenting department!) but will remain friends. Before I left Temecula I started this Yahoo Group in hopes that I could stay connected with some of my friends out there. A few joined, but I have been extending it to anyone that has visisted Temecula and/or are devout students of Ken Wapnick and the FACIM. You need an ‘invite’ to join it as I made it private so that only those truly interested in ACIM through Ken’s lens (how’s that for a rhyme?) would share. We’d love to have anyone that this ‘speaks to’ and Bernard was more than willing to let me post this here…….so if you are interested, we spend 2 weeks on a Workbook Lesson and also on a Text/Excerpt idea — as well as commenting on whatever comes up. If you want to join, please send me your email address at weston.jean@gmail.com and I will send you the ‘invite’ — meanwhile, here is the link to the site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FACIMafterthoughts/
Love,
Jean W.
Hi Jean glad you’re back. Ummm…Hope the separation goes well. If I get a private invite do I still need to make a Yahoo account? I have avoided making an account because I just get tired of having to keep track of so many different passwords and such. I know lame excuse but I’m lazy. I have over a dozen accounts just for Cory.
BTW If anyone is interested Cory’s youtube name is ElectroAde. He has made video’s of games he plays Wizard101, MineCraft and Portal. Plus just a couple silly ones. He has quiet a sense of humor developing. He pulls out phrases like Holy flipping cake gods, look what I found. Almost like he’s channeling the guy that wrote that kind of stuff for the old Batman TV series.(-;
Sitting in a restaurant waiting for our pizza in a beautiful mountain town in the Canadian Rocky Mountains called Jasper, Alberta. We’ve been camping up here for week watching mainly relaxing, watching the elk roam through the campground. Today waiting at the shower house with these high mountain peaks all around everything seemed to shimmer and wave and the “I am not a body” thought had a little more reality. Just watching the movie with less judgement and more compassion. (:
I just ended watching a documentary movie from july 22 and on – asking Love to watch with me – and saw, just as you, dear sister, that it is a movie. Listening to all the different views of the movie – from all the different “actors” most of all, I loved the second when spontaneously roses were held high, instead of applause. This impulse /new habit is now being spread all over the country – on concerts f.ex: flowers are brought, and rised.
Judgment seems to vane.
I am sending Bernard some photos I took yesterday…most flowers were removed from the town, but fresh one are still placed each day. I took some which touched my heart – maybe they will touch yours too.
It is a nightmare that from above looks very different.
Bev, that sounds beautiful. I was reminded of a trip I took with a good friend, We drove a lawyers car from Pittsburgh to L.A.. We took highway 1 down the coast. What made me think about that trip was the elk you mentioned. I was driving a brand new car and I and my friend were setting up camp when a bunch of elk decided to join us. All I could think about was the elk trashing our ride.
All turned out fine and you statement of “everything seemed to shimmer and wave” rung so true to me. That’s how it was with us. We were in the redwood forest of Northern California, and driving down highway one. We took the car to the lawyer about 2 or 3 days late. The fellow I travelled with was a good friend I met in the Air Force. I have mentioned it in the past ,but the day after three years of top notch performace as a sergeant in the Security Police, I refused to carry a weapon. My new friend also named Lawrence, refused to carry a weapon as well, and that is how we met.
The forest was alive in a different way where time held no sway. I swear every tree had its own dance, and I will never forget that trip. The It ended at the self Realization Fellowship founded by Paramahansa Yogananda. My friend and I were given a tour of their ashram in L.A. Sri Daya Matta gave us the tour. She handed me a plain see through Plastic Container. She told us Yogananda would take the local businessmen out on the grounds for a picnic lunch. He never brought much, but everyone had their fill at the end of it. I joined the Self Realization Fellowship and received membership cards. I still have mine, it is dated 1974 and signed by Sri Daya Matta.
It sounds great where you are, and thanks for jogging this memeory. Just watching the movie with less judgement and more compassion. I really like that. I wish we all could do that just a little more often.
lawrence
God bless us every one
Lawrence, so did i too. Not in L.A, but here – after falling in love with Yogananda, a nd meeting him at Rykkinn Bus-stop, glowing LOL – I loved the books and the teaching, but then the Course came and – the rest is silence
God Is, dear Nina, and for four or five years now I have been beautifully lost in an epic poem. The voice penetrates every fiber of my being. I am content to work and play with the course till I am no more. I don’t have to have read a passage every day to have it present in my every day. It’s good to be a course student. The secret I think is not to take it to seriously.
There is of course much to work at, and at the same time, a comforter and a companion that keeps it light. I will take the dark nights of the soul to glimpse the truth of God Is!
lawrence
Hey, Bev, Lawrence, Nina, Pam, Jean, Katrina, a, Winnie, Laura, so nice to be able to come spend a few minutes with you and bathe in your thoughts. Lovely musings from Lawrence.
Pat and I are now officially on two weeks of, I think, well-earned vacation. But I really feel like continuing my break from all computer work. This, I hope you know, does not mean I value any less my cherished relationships here at the Village, or my email correspondents, but just that there’s something particularly wonderful about putting the computer away and pretending it doesn’t exist for a while. In fact, it helps me also focus on other parts of my life which I have been neglecting a lot. So I ask you to know that I am with each of you very deeply in spirit and in truth, and am available to each of you if and when you wish to contact me, but this particular form of computerly communication is just something I need to de-emphasize a little in my life. I shall certainly be here watching you all and making sure things run smoothly, but my comments will be a little rarer. I entrust this place we have lovingly created together to all of you, knowing you know exactly how to care for it and fill it with all the best thoughts and intentions. I am always here and available, and you all know how to get in touch with me. Thinking of you all, B.
Hey Bernard no problem. Enjoy your vacation. I think it is just the “natural” flow and ebb of this work. I have noticed this with my own postings and everyone else, individually and collectivly. It happened at the monastery and on other sites I visit. Lots of active sharing then quiet contemplation then more sharing.
sits humming….. Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay………
Bernard – you will always be in my heart. Pam says it right on – its the ebb and flow of things in computer-land (: —- although sometimes it becomes permanent. I still think of a guy named Derek Best (who apparently compiled all the Q&A at FACIM), and one fine day, he put up his last post, and then was gone (into the Heart of God, I trust)
Katrina – so true – what you said about the little spark and parenting my infant boy.
Lawrence bro – it has been quiet in the Tavern, as you say. But have been enjoying your postings. In silence (till now (:
hugs to all of you,
a
ps. Today was a “great” day for me. Finally on Lesson 221. I feel like I’ve broken out of my self-imposed jail (: the 20 continuous days of “I am not a body. I am free” was wearing me out (: —
but it’s all A-OK (:
Bernard, God bless you in your vacation from the Village. No wonder you need computer-free.
Bernard, I hope you and Pat just enjoy each other and the time you have to do so. The dream can carry you swiftly along, but there is an ebb and flow to it, as with all things of this world. The computer sites as well, as has been mentioned, so enjoy your time together and have fun.
I forget where I read it and when (something I do on a daily basis now) but I really liked it. It told of how in a stream, the water flowing by was always new. It was never the same water you saw passing by, the same stream yes, but not the same water. Tree branches and all manner of debre may be in the stream, but always it is carried away. The stream always the same stream but always different and changing.
lawrence
God bless us every one
God bless us every one
Not quite so, so far away, sweet Nina… Never fear that I’m too far. Just being a little quieter. A lovely hush fills the universe, and everything is joined within that beautiful, quiet listening…
Hello, hello, hello
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?
Come on, come on down,
I hear you’re feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain,
Get you on your feet again.
Relax, relax, relax
I need some information first.
Just the basic facts.
Can you show me where it hurts?
There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ship’s smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move, but I can’t hear what you’re saying.
When I was a child, I had a fever.
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I’ve got that feeling once again.
I can’t explain, you would not understand.
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.
[guitar solo]
I have become comfortably numb.
OK, OK, OK
Just a little pin prick.
There’ll be no more, aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh,
But you may feel a little sick.
Can you stand up, stand up, stand up.
I do believe it’s working good.
That’ll keep you going for the show.
Come on, it’s time to go.
There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ship’s smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move, but I can’t hear what you’re saying.
When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look, but it was gone.
I cannot put my finger on it now.
The child has grown, the dream is gone.
“Comfortably Numb Lyrics” by Pink Floyd
It poped into my head when I went to the village.
lawrence
Oh yea! The whole entire album “The Wall” is a great description of how the ego works and the nagging feeling that there has got to be something better than this but not knowing how to get there.
Welcome To The Machine –
“Welcome, my son to the machine…
…What did you dream – It’s alright – we told you what to dream…”
Almost any Pink Freud –er, um — Pink Floyd works!
This album is “Wish You Were Here.”
And on the cover is two men shaking hands –
And one of them is on fire!
And you know how much I love metaphors about heat and light, and fire and ice!
How ’bout “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun”. Pink (Freud (-:)Floyd is one of my favorites. Did lots of “heavy” pondering with them.
“Wish You Were Here”
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skys from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We’re just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here
Oops forgot to Put the Pink Floyd credit to wish you were here above.
Don’t need no copyright problems.
Morning All.
Arrived back home yesterday.
Without a laptop for what feels like forever I thought I would race to it before my beloved
doggy Max but found it could wait one more day.
I think Comfortably numb describes my existence quite well !
Pink Freud-ahhh how delightful when Tex shares the whispers HS throws her way!
Truth be told I have no desire to even try to attempt to describe what this body is feeling…numbness seems like a pause, a layover if you will, a forced lesson in what observing is. Too tired to move, think or feel. Yet I still can sense, a yearning to fill you all in on some of what has taken place in what I hope is a major part of my great undoing.
Three days before scheduled departure I couldn’t find my passport. I was denial.
Two days before scheduled departure I surrendered-but its was too late to expedite a passport as it was now Friday afternoon.
Heavy penalties follow.
Mark’s head was spinning in disbelief.
Mine had rolled off my shoulders and was half way down the street…It appeared my
body had no desire to retrieve it as it rightly surmised that the mind created this whole mess.
We still attend our Friday night dinner at The Hamlet but something was different; the waiters couldn’t put there finger on it – we of course decided not to share our current state of panic, anger and disbelief. My guilt was so heavy I didn’t even want to go…nonetheless I met Mark there at the usual time with the anticipation of the Lemon Drop martini to help me through the necessary discussions in devising plan B.
Mark is already there, drinks in place just not the usual… I skip the greeting and state, “what? no martini’s?”, he replies, we need to be thinking clearly to discuss what we are going to do.” I didn’t know my heart could sink even deeper.
The thoughts of why did I create this crossed my mind? But I had to dismiss them immediately as they were not constructive at the moment. Without worry the question would present itself multiply times, even to this day which might explain the comforable numbness to a certain degree.
The revised plan had us take the kids with us to Santa Monica/Venice for a few days and enjoy our own shoreline. The weather was impeccable, every vacationers dream. But I kept insisting none of this was supposed to be experienced…we were in a time warp-there was another reality playing out somewhere simutaneously where we were walking the streets of Paris seeing different faces, hearing different languages and buildings and trees…etc. etc. The reasoning mind offered suggestions that this body may have come into danger should I have kept to the original plan and for moments I would find that comforting. But then just as quickly the idea that we may be in harms way now and some imminent danger is awaiting to befall us in this time space continuum presented itself.
Oh Stop it!-I would have to say to myself.
Just allow things to play out as they will-none of it makes any difference anyway. Can I really believe that? Can I be kind to myself and others?
Can I really believe Nothing happened?
I sense if I truely believed I wouldn’t be typing a word of it here.
Then that thought makes me feel sad.
Sad that I haven’t a clue of how great this resistance HS speaks of.
The 4 day delay allowed enough time to work through all our feelings and I must trust that it was a necessary preparation.
So just for the record.
We departed for Paris on August 3rd the day after our 25th wedding Anniversary.
Stayed at the Hotel Regina as planned – the rooms appeared so much bigger on their website. Not a problem though, when one opens the window and has the Louvre to admire just across the street, the Tuileries Gardens to the right with the Eiffel tower in the distance the size of ones sleeping quarters is rightly in perspective.
We were able to reschedule our dinner at Eiffel Tour.
The dinner/show at the Moulin Rouge was the only reservation that stayed unchanged from the original itinerary.
It rained on and off every day except the last day.
Even the taxi driver said it was too pretty a day to be leaving. And so it came to pass that we stayed one more night. Upon arrival they let us know “there is a situation” we have been waitlisted as the flight has been overbooked. And so the trip ended with another blip on the radar. The saying; Man plans – God laughs came to mind. However, this time
they compensated us for the inconvenience as well as payed for our dinner/hotel/and breakfast. We could have hoped back on the Metro to enjoy the city one more night but honestly we were spent. It felt good to have time to burn. And the book I took with me; “The Greater Journey – Americans in Paris” by David McClullough started coming to life as I now recognized and was intrigued with the sites and history of this great city called Paris.
Everyone we met was very polite and gracious. I feel a bit more refined just from this short visit. My sometimes crude and politically incorrect humor now seems so green and I’m entertaining the idea of elevating my standards. One can only hope it will last (:
Meeting up with the Mayor or Mayorness did not come to pass but that was determined before our departure.
Now I sit in my familiar corner of the couch with all my belongings as I had left them. It’s a new day and I have no plans and no desire to move this body. I look forward to reading all the postings I have missed. I believe I am ready to start reading the daily lessons again. I trust you have all been good Course students learning to love yourselves a little more each day. Not as easy as it sounds.
May heavens Grace continue to sustain us as we continue along the journey.
Au revoir,
Annie
{{Annie}} Welcome home.
{Annie} (:
Annie, I felt like I watched a good movie after reading your post. I missed wishing you and mark a happy anniversary and safe trip. I was thinking about you but as is the case mor often than not, I missed the boat again in reacting in time. I guess its a getting old thing. Welcome back!
Pam, I thougt it way cool that you and Tex were into Pink Floyd as well. Most people thought Comfortably Numb Lyrics were about drugs. I like what you said, “Oh yea! The whole entire album “The Wall” is a great description of how the ego works and the nagging feeling that there has got to be something better than this but not knowing how to get there.”
I found this online, concerning the Comfortably Numb Lyrics. “first childhood experience we have of the pain of being alive and how from then on life becomes more and more of a struggle. Eventually after years of all this we become numb to our emotions and feelings as one pain after another piles up on top of us. The only reaction is to become desensitised to the pain, which eventually causes us to lose touch with our feelings and become numb. Get your facts right before you go talking about Pink Floyd. The only one who ever took drugs was ‘Syd’ Barrett, and they were hallucinogens not opiates, the others took less drugs than any other band in the 60’s or 70’s.
I listened to them a bunch when I was in the Air Force while stationed in Korea. It was before ACIM. I sometimes wonder how different it might be if I studied the course since then.ut I guess I would still be back home with God! lol
lawrence
God bless us every one
Yeah, Lawerence, and the drugs they talk about in the song are the “good” drugs from the doctor to “help” him be semi-functional for the show.
So Annie, aside from the passport incident domino effect, I take it went well was fun even though tiring. Are you a bit rested up now?
howdy … happy gatherings at the fire side … welcome home annie … would love to hear more about the adventure … loved lawrence’s comfortably numb … is there anybody in there … just nod if you can hear me .. is there anyone at home …
yes, this place has been rather quiet … ghost town …
hopefully there’ve been lots going on … just invisibly
pink floyd … right at home here
the words, music … tone … depth … images … good stuff
visited the rock and roll hall of fame in cleveland ohio and they had a huge area all about and honoring pink floyd and some of the inside stories of their journey … interesting and inspiring
saw pink floyd live at the pasadena rose bowl in another life time
loved it
hawaii update … things are quiet happy lovely beautiful over here
tide was really low this morning so I got an extra long morning beach walk … got to venture around several coves that are only accessible in very low tides
at sunset with the full moon last night, a man arrived to announce that the ISS, international space station, would be visible streaking through the sky going 13,000 mph at 7:36 that evening … we all watched … and suddenly about 7:39 this white light came in to view … and we could watch it go all the way across the sky … it was just the right amount of darkness to really show off the bright ISS … it was like a shooting star that just kept going … so high … really an impressive amazing event to see
mother is doing very well … she hasn’t missed a sunset … am getting the feeling that she is fine and I’m the one that died and am in a new dimension … I could easily and absolutely leave behind everything from my former life/home and simply stay here
the house, pool, diamonds, car, hot tub, stuff stuff and more stuff that make up the ideal southern californian life style all are meaningless … the simple life of quiet and contemplation that has filled my month plus over here has been a great blessing … a deep retreat … a rest in God kind of experience
I left everything when I came over here … had no idea I’d be here so long … so I packed rather lightly … and it’s funny how simple this is
I didn’t bring any jewelry or fancy watch or “valuables” … what a funny word for meaningless things!!
anyway … we’re doing well
here’s a paraphrased quote from yesterday’s lesson:
Mother, we find that stillness now The way is open. Now we follow it in peace together. You have reached your hand to me, and I will never leave you. We are one, and it is but this oneness that we seek, as we accomplish these few final steps which end a journey that was not begun.
sounds very pink floydish to me!!
love to everyone
am very peaceful and happy over here …
it’s home … it’s heaven …
how wonderful this is
how thankful that this gift and place and opportunity to care for my mother has been given me
Hello Zafu, I Have been thinking of you and was about to write a ponder to ask and yet hesitated not wanting to disturb you if you were needing the”space” with your mom. Glad for your note.
Thanks for the warm welcome.
I must be still in the clouds as this passage spoke to me this morning.
“Try to pass the clouds by whatever means appeals to you. If it helps you, think of me holding your hand and leading you. And I assure you this will be no idle fantasy” (W.pI.70.9:2,3,4).
Still trying to get grounded here and I’m a little topsy turvy with the time change. A perfect reminder that I sooo think I’m this body. When I need to get some shut eye I can stop wherever I am and fall into a deep sleep. The problem is that a few hours later I’m wide awake. Eventually this will all even out.
I think I need a bit more time to digest all that has taken place and I’m sure I will take to writing about it in the near future. As you already know, I love writing about my insights thinking that they make a vital contribution to mankind. (:
…I don’t need to turn around to see J placing his finger down the back of his throat (:
he claims he’s not losing patience but how could he not?
Soft hugs to all – especially {{Zafu}} you are truly a pillow of comfort and support for mum. How lovely the setting she has chosen to impart her final gifts to you.
Oh Annie, I think somebody snoke (…) between you and Jesus to mirror how repulsive ego/you thinks you are when you share in the Village. NOT. If you are repulsive, then so are all of us.
NOT.
I more and more appreciate the flavor of y’all – not so much what you are describing, but the sense I get of my connection with it through you – and the way you do it, which is like your flavor. Which I love. So you do contribute to my wellbeing, Annie. There is no way around it. You just have to log on and write, and my heart is wide open.
Isn’t that why we’are still here?
Love to all
Nina
Annie, I’m with Nina, that sounds like the pesky ol’ ego stuff snuck in dressed like J gagging himself. I’m also with you on what you said about Zafu’s Mom. HUGS
{{{Nina}}} – Girlfriend you are right to see thru my self effacing antics.
Somedays I’m so sure J is going to throw up his arms and say she is hopeless and then I will be right! That is what I am saying isn’t it? (…)
Thank you for the Love Nina – yes, that is exactly why we are here the lot of us who read, and write and log on.
Hugs,
Annie
{{{Pam}}} your a quick one (:
Annie: “Somedays I’m so sure J is going to throw up his arms and say she is hopeless and then I will be right! That is what I am saying isn’t it? (…)”
read it again. My hairs stood up. Good sign that this is true – y/our need to win and be right.
Ohmygod that is so utterly ridiculous. Thanks you for that. It reminds me of what jamie said in a Skype-session – when i needed a little extra time to take J’s hand… he said J is waiting, eating a sandwitch – and chewing slowly with open mouth ::::giggles::::
oh that image has helped me very much –
thank God Jamie loved silly too
natti everybody
Ghost town indeed, Zafu ! (:
Thanks for your detailed message, Vivid, tried to imagine the streaking ISS. The universe so vast, my head/mind got overwhelmed.
Everything is strange now/these days.
And yet, everything was ever thus. No change really. Yet, feel such a big change. Within. Without. Somewhere. Don’t know where (:
Question 851 was fascinating to me today. Have been dealing with lots of mini-anxiety attacks during the course of the journey through each day.. And lots of exhilirating moments. And everything in-between.
Guilt. Lots of it.
Boredom. Lots of that too.
Silence. Lots of that.
An emotional cocktail beyond anything I’ve experienced before.
And I’m writing this out to prove to myself that I exist. A note to myself. Every reassuring word on the computer, and the clickety-clack of the keys reassuring me of the solidity, the incredible density of this world.
The days are long. Nights too.
Yesterday is a distant memory. The morning seems like it was a different day in the silence of the night.
Yes, I think it was always so. I just didn’t realize it…
Now I see it perhaps a little more clearly. It’s All good. At some level. Not sure which level that is (:
G’night folks. Sweet dreams and many smiles.
a
I once again lost my secondary wallet. What is that you ask? Well it is a smaller version of a wallet, and actually was an insert to one. It is small, leather and has two clear windows. I have my driver license on one side and my medical insurance card on the other.
I can’t drive presently, but hope to change that in the near future so the license is no big deal. I also have a list of the meds I take, 14 pills a day. And a list of the more than ten procedures etc. that I have had that might be useful to know if found unconscious somewhere. The only other thing I believe are business cards.
Frankly I don’t care if I find it at all. As of late I have a hard time believing that information has anything to do with who I am.
Your post a’, struck a cord with me. I haven’t been myself lately, or maybe more myself, I don’t know. Anyway, I was looking for my lost wallet whatever, and found an index card that I had written some time ago for study.
“Error” is the name the Course gives to the belief in and the acceptance of the separation from God as real. So the miracle dissolves error because when you forgive (change your mind about hating or condemning someone or yourself) you are using your right mind, you are seeing things from your Holy Spirit Mind, and this part of the mind recognizes that the separation never occurred. How could it, if ideas leave not there source? W-167 T26,VII”
“The above the Course Says is the Central idea it aims to teach.
The Course maintains You are a thought of God. And That you never left Gods Mind.”
So my dear friends, we never left Gods Mind, we are ghosts, We think with the Holy Ghost Mind, so we are holy ghosts! So if things look a little spooky or strange from time to time then it is to be expected.
I ain’t afraid of no Ghosts!
lawrence
BOO !
I am enjoying tremendously a book I read online by Shaun Clayton, called “How to fail.” It is the epitome of sillyness, and at the same time, showing us how to fail – allowing us to smile at it – great! I am yelping helplessly and blissfully, and if you want to laugh instead of judging, google “read books online shaun clayton and click “read book” and go to the 4th chapter. Oh wonders
natti natti all
Nina
Winnie, hey girl, you shouldn’t sneak up on us like that. You scared the “B Jesus” out of me. But, from one ghost to another, I was kind of worrying about you. I guess all is well you being able to sneak up on us like that and all. Let us know about your travels a little more when you feel like sharing.
Peace & Posters to you Luv
lawrence
Yo, Lawrence bro ! (:
The secondary wallet sounds neat. (Looks like you like keeping things organized – so do I – the right wallet search has occupied many an hour for me when I go window-shopping with the wife (:
I don’t really feel like working today – but work I must. The whole morning routine awaits, although it’s already 2 pm in the afternoon as I write this. I like being a slacker (;
Ya know, the other night in the Tavern with the mysterious red-haired stranger,etc – sorry I had to skip early that night. Couldn’t stay for the last nightcap on that occasion. (Can’t remember why that was – so far back in time!)
Now, that Winnie, she’s a good one. I was thinking of her yesterday evening, (a few short(?) hours before I got possessed to write #292), when I was walking through the underground metro/subway system in one of these super-large, modern Asian cities, and sure enough, she materialized from my mind onto the screen with the appropriately titled “Boo” !! – she’s a good one indeed.
One never knows what will strike a chord/cord with whom ! (: — so let’s just keep writing whenever we can (:
love you, dear friend..
a
ps. Nina — wish I had the time to read as much as you do/are able to. Soon I hope — once i hit my retirement target (: Yes, that’s when salvation will really come to me (:
I so loved this that I had to put it into poetry…
“Everything is strange now/these days.
And yet, everything was ever thus.
No change really. Yet, feel such a big change.
Within. Without. Somewhere. Don’t know where (:
Guilt. Lots of it.
Boredom. Lots of that too.
Silence. Lots of that.
An emotional cocktail beyond anything
I’ve experienced before.
and I’m writing this out to prove
To myself that I exist.
A note to myself.
Every reassuring word on the computer,
and the clickety-clack of the keys reassuring me
of the solidity, the incredible density of this world.
The days are long. Nights too.
Yesterday is a distant memory.
The morning seems like it was a different day
in the silence of the night.
Yes, I think it was always so.
I just didn’t realize it…
Now I see it perhaps a little more clearly.
It’s All good. At some level.
Not sure which level that is (: ”
Thanks a-man. And thanks to Lawrence for some lovely thoughts. In fact, thanks to you all for popping in and decorating the Tavern with flowers and topping up the pot of tea.
Just breezing through, in between long sessions of quietness. We’ve decided not even to go away this break – we usually head over to the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux, camping in the van somewhere. But we just can’t get the feeling to go. Guess we don’t really need all that hustle and bustle tourist agitation, even though we normally love our ice creams walking at the water’s edge with tons of other beach-goers.
No, this time we’re just so content to wake in the morning, whatever weather is shining, or not, and lead a quiet, unstructured day of peacefulness and quiet. No obligations, no deadlines, nothing to do except flow moment by moment from a book to a walk to a discussion to a friend passing by… No hurrying to do the next summery thing, just whatever presents itself next.
A huge full moon the other night and we sat on the lawn wrapped in blankets in silence and just listened to the crickets and an occasional owl.
Nice to drop in by the fire; it’s a slightly cooler summer evening outside and this cup of strong green tea with mint and sugar that you put in my hands sure tastes good. Revising my whole way of approaching the upcoming year. Over here the new year, professionally-speaking, starts in September with the return from summer vacations. Both Pat and I would like this period to be different, less expectation, less stress, less waiting for things to change. Just learning more and more to accept and learn that this day offers all we have ever been looking for. That’ll be nice.
I’d like to offer more things at the Village but it’s a question of time and priorities. I need to get some building work to help things move along financially. Then I’m translating Paulo into French which will take a fair bit of time. And I would like ideally to start doing a presentation or two in French on this crazy philosophy we’ve decided to study. But I would like to work on some videos, if possible we’ll see.
Lots of summery hugs to those in the northern hemisphere, and warm hugs to those in cooler climes (hey, Winnie-girl!). And a cup of chai with ‘a’ in ol’ Singapore-town.
Bernard, I do not know what”offering more things at the Village” is about but I like the Village as is. Maybe I would like the other offerings also, don’t know until they maybe show up.
As for the quietness it concerns me not. I feel as though we have all went through something akin to a “dark night”(individually and collectively) and now we are going through a “quiet day”.
We quietly go about sweeping the sidewalks,dusting the bookshelves,drawing the oh so sweet water from the fountain in the square, make the tea and coffee, bake bread, sit quietly on the lawn with you and Pat watching the glorious moon rise, rest deeply,watch the glorious sunrise, content that we are where we need to be surrounded by Love and on our way home.
Few words are needed at this time and yet I know the words will flow again also; when the “time” is right until words are not needed ever again and the real communiication “flow” is choosen and unimpeded for evermore.
quietly sipping tea, quietly feeling deeply
I do not feel the same silence as so many of you seem to do, and i so long for it. I wonder if I will dare to go to a silent retreat. Just thinking about it sets in motion paralyzing fear and panic. I pray to be ready for it.
I am watching a series from BBC called “The Big Silence.” A Benedictine monk has started an experiment of inviting lay people to his monastery in England. They don’t have to be religious. – just longing for a deeper connection i guess. They come from all parts of life – and they are, after two introductory days, sent on to a Jesuit Monastery In wales. 8 days of silence. It is amazing to follow the processes. The resistance and acting out the first 3-4 days – and then the surrender to Silence. And people with no history of spirituality before start hearing the Voice Of Love.
The first 3-4 days are filled with stuff coming up to the surface, and they are having an hour session with one of the staff each day.
-Then they return to “ordinary life” and after a month they return to the monastery to share.
It is a great lesson in simplicity.Nothing to do with Catholicism at all -no preaching – just sharing gently the silence, filled with Grace.
It is possible to order the DVD from BBC.
It is also possible to see it on PC: google The Big Silence Documentary