There is one elementary Truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment that one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too…

Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.

—Johann Wolfgang von Goëthe

Guidelines for Being Human

YOU WILL RECEIVE A BODY. You may like it, you may hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.

LESSONS WILL BE PRESENTED. You will be enrolled in a full time informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have an opportunity to learn lessons. You may learn lessons or you may think them irrelevant and stupid.

THERE ARE NO MISTAKES, ONLY LESSONS. Growth is a process of trial and error and experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately “works”.

A LESSON IS REPEATED UNTIL LEARNED. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms and with more and more energy until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can then go on to the next lesson.

LEARNING LESSONS DOES NOT END. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.

“THERE” IS NOT BETTER THAN “HERE”. When your “there” has become a “here”, you will simply obtain another “there” that will, again, look better than “here”.

OTHERS ARE MERELY MIRRORS OF YOU. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

WHAT YOU MAKE OF YOUR LIFE IS UP TO YOU. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. All the choices are yours.

YOUR ANSWERS LIE INSIDE OF YOU. The answers to life’s questions lie inside of you. All you need do is look inside, listen and trust.

YOU WILL FORGET ALL THIS.

From If Life Is A Game, These Are The Rules by Chérie Carter-Scott

1:23 a.m.

I am just returnéd from a Laya Yoga Seminar. Nikolay, a Russian Yogi & Daimista, is my Friend & Brother. He has found this group in Russia who are working to transform Planet Earth—through Meditation, Yoga and a clear Spiritual focus in order to transform one’s personal Consciousness, then by extension, the Consciousness of Others & The Planet.

We were instructed in Russian (Leo & I, the only non-Russians, were treated to two tag-team translators throughout the evening).

The last item on the Program was a Puja to the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi. Puja is modeled on the idea of giving a gift or offering to a deity or important person then receiving their blessing. Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of Wealth, Prosperity (both material and spiritual), Light, Wisdom, Fortune, Fertility, Generosity and Courage; and the embodiment of Beauty, Grace and Charm.

After some chanting, we entered into a Meditation. We were directed by the female monk to first, imagine Lakshmi in front of you in all her radiance. Then, imagine her inside of each of  you. Then say silently to yourself: “I am Lakshmi”.

It was a powerful Meditation. My Mind & Heart were transformed from my busy day —To a place more present, more kind.

After the Seminar, under the Full Moon, I walked out to head home. In part, I guess, as Lakshmi. Passing the partiers on the street. Past some event at Madison Square Garden with the trailers & trucks outside. A guy on a Harley with a skull face mask.

Into the Subway. As I walked through the turnstile, the A Train was just arriving. A stroke of “luck”. And, the entrance to which I had walked placed me at the tail of the train; where I needed to be to get off at my stop. Another stroke of “luck”.

The doors closed. It was crowded. I was leaning against the doors. I closed my eyes for a bit. A chant came into my head.

It was a Buddhist Chant, The Song Of The Jewel Mirror Awareness. It speaks of an Awareness/ Understanding/Experience  of the Absolute (Universal) that is like a jewel mirror, reflecting into the World. There is a line therein:

You are not it

It is actually You

Suddenly, I was aware that “It” is me. And You. And Everyone. Always present.

Lakshmi. God. Buddha. Allah. Jesus. The Absolute. Brahman. Great Spirit. Nature. Art. Music. Beauty. Truth. Wisdom. Compassion. Love. What ever your “It” may be.

I saw all the folks on the train. It is them.

All of you reading this, It is You.

We have all had this moment, a glimpse of It. Our sense of our small self drops away. For a moment, the illusory line between Self & Other, Inside & Outside, Subject/Object, Lover & Belovéd, Human & Divine, melts. We flow. We breathe. We are….

To have this understanding is what the Laya Yoga folks are all about. If we have that awareness, then our Worldview is dramatically & radically plus irreversibly altered. And,the World around us is transformed as a result. All Traditions point to this State of Consciousness. This State of Grace….

To have this awareness can alter one’s perspective, Life & interactions.

So, go forth with this awareness. Make Art. Make money. Make a difference. Be Love.

Be with and for the It within you.

Happy Full Moon, Y’All

And we’re back. Lest y’all thought I got “raptured”….

After last month’s New Moon Resolution, 13 pingback/spam attempts on my blog posts and an e-mail request for help from Heidi & Lisa, I find my way back to The Whole9 orbit. I am never that far away; I just use the excuse of my crazy, busy Life to avoid putting posts on my blog. Mea culpa.

Having not yet contributed to the process, I was glad to travel by subway, commuter train & taxi to an Industrial Park in Cranbury, NJ, where I had the opportunity to photograph the loading of a 40′ shipping container with 19 pallets of canes and crutches (plus pads & tips), destined for Sierra Leone as part of Operation Rise. Wheelchairs & 3 pallets of items which did not fit into this shipping container will be sent at a later date.

I spent the better part of a day photographing the stuff, it’s repacking then loading by the folks at Invacare, a company which makes then distributes adaptive medical devices. They were part of the collection of businesses & individuals who came together to make Operation Rise possible. Items are being shipped to the UNICEF programs in 7 sites in Sierra Leone.

I was struck by the immensity of the project; the amount of stuff plus the labours of innumerable people (most notably Lisa & Heidi) to bring this idea to fruition.

I am honored & humbled to be a part of this project as well as a part of The Whole9.

Until soon….

n.b.: Just to be clear: my choice of this title is a self-deprecating, chiding comment on my own shilly-shallying in maintaining an active blogging presence, NOT contributing to The Peace Project or Operation Rise or The Whole9. So there….

Happy New Year!

I have written here before about New Year’s Resolutions/Intentions. How, in Nahuatl (Aztec) Belief, the first 12 Days of a New Year correspond with the 12 months of the New Year. One can ensure the changes by implementing them in the first 12 days of this New Year. I thought of reprinting that piece, since I like the story/intention behind it.

But then, I thought about this. And I came to see things a bit differently.

Ideas & paradigms & beliefs are all OK, but they can cloud what one must truly do in one’s Life in order to live more in accord with one’s True Spirit (and, by extension, the Divine Spirit — whatever the feeling or name). It is too easy to settle on some system, then use those beliefs to be the default setting. Orthodoxy is easy & it is lifeless. I believe thus & such, so I don’t need to question anything. It all fits in this little box, which is wrapped up purty with a bow. I am content… I am happy… I am a Spiritual automaton… going through the motions.

Every day is a New Year. Each moment is a whole New Year. One is confronted with experiences, which, appear similar (waking up in the same house with the same people, drinking the same coffee, driving the same car to the same job), yet everything is new & different. Different you, different people, different day. And, different opportunities to discover who you truly are as well as what you are truly meant to be doing in this Life.

The historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (who was, after all, an awake human, with no talk of being Divine or a Prophet), said:

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

So, everyday, we can make a Resolution. New Year’s Resolutions can be trite & conventional; they are for amateurs. Therefore, they are rarely kept.  To be willing to put oneself on the line each day, challenging one’s position by continually inquiring, that is one way to be fully alive.

So, here is to living each Day/Moment), being fully present to the unfolding; no past — no future. Only living in accord with one’s own Spirit. Following your Heart. Living your Divine Spark: Your Love, Your Art.

Neil Gaiman’s New Year’s Eve Benediction:
“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”

The tryptophan has worn off, we have recovered from the joy that is Family, we have Black Fridayed & Cyber Mondayed, now back into the routine of our lives, I want to pass on this piece I found yesterday. It is longish, but it is worth it.
This prayer is from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois or Six Tribes) peoples of Upstate New York & Southern Canada. The Thanksgiving Address has ancient roots, dating back over 1000 years to the formation of the Great Law of Peace by a man called The Peacemaker, and perhaps before that.

Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World

The People

Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People.

Now our minds are one.

The Earth Mother

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Waters

We give thanks to all the Waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms—waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.

Now our minds are one.

The Fish

We turn our minds to all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Plants

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

The Food Plants

With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Medicine Herbs

Now we turn to all the Medicine Herbs of the world. From the beginning, they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

The Animals

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.

Now our minds are one.

The Trees

We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth has many families of Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty, and other useful things. Many peoples of the world use a Tree as a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life.

Now our minds are one.

The Birds

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds—from the smallest to the largest—we send our joyful greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Four Winds

We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds.

Now our minds are one.

The Thunderers

Now we turn to the west where our Grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightening and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.

Now our minds are one.

The Sun

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.

Now our minds are one.

Grandmother Moon

We put our minds together and give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the nighttime sky. She is the leader of women all over the world, and she governs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.

Now our minds are one.

The Stars

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we send greetings and thanks to all the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

The Enlightened Teachers

We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring Teachers.

Now our minds are one.

The Creator

Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator.

Now our minds are one.

Closing Words

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.

And now our minds are one.

This translation of the Mohawk version of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address was
developed, published in 1993, and provided here, courtesy of:
Six Nations Indian Museum and the Tracking Project
All rights reserved.
Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World
English version: John Stokes and Kanawahienton (David Benedict, Turtle Clan/Mohawk)
Mohawk version: Rokwaho (Dan Thompson, Wolf Clan/Mohawk)
Original inspiration: Tekaronianekon (Jake Swamp, Wolf Clan/Mohawk)