November | 2016 | Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog

Monthly Archives of: November 2016

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Timelessness Revisited

November 27, 2016

I’ve written about timelessness in the past. Some people, one has noticed, have mistakenly abstracted that “timelessness” to be a static thing… an inert thing. On the contrary, the beauty of timelessness is not of the lifeless, the dormant, nor the comatose. Stagnant minds — as so many, unfortunately, are — cannot be in a relationship with it. It is too dynamic, too alive and energetic to be in direct relationship with the listless, cold, and lackadaisical.

Most of us never question things deeply and intelligently. Most of us never wonder about whether or not existing in (and “as”) patterns (and experiences, which depend on mere patterns) is the only way in which to go through life. Our religions, our politics, our everyday mundane routines in life are all based upon patterns and sequential cause and effect paradigms. Need one just be that? (If so, is one then merely a series of reactions? Merely existing as a series of reactions may be what stagnation is… may be what a kind of death is.) Most never ask about this. Most never go beyond the limited domain that was handed over to them. It’s like a fish bowl in the vast ocean… and the fish (within) never (ever) going beyond the confines of the bowl. That bowl, that we have accepted and remain in so diligently, is limited, is confinement. That limited bowl, for humans (who evolved from fish, by the way), consists of thought, fragmentary reactions, and conditioning. If you wish, stay there.

All of the isolated governments, all of the standard, separate religions and traditions of the world keep you there, in what is limited. Going beyond the limited doesn’t take time. However, they’ll be more than happy to give you oodles of methodologies (that take time).

Antennae on the lookout! (1) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

Antennae on the lookout! (2) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

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Is one really separate from what experiences are?

November 25, 2016

21 comments

Passionate lipstick Dreary clouds

Angry vehicles Bored jail bars

Smiling birthday cakes Careful tightropes

Dancing shoes Hungry enchiladas

Swearing beer bottles Patriotic flags

Sleepy beds Frightened darkness

Apprehensive boxing gloves Giggling lollipops

Complimentary babies Relaxed swimming pools

Melancholy psychiatrists Laughing balloons

Lost neighborhoods Generous donation containers

Indifferent guns Conversing ketchup bottles

Impatient intersections Whistling dogs

Proud properties Disappointed traffic tickets

Thirsty deserts Indoctrinated religions

Upset bronze medals Disenchanted politicians

Peeing fire hydrants Crying coffins

Thankful presents Listening walls

Reaching sandals Talented pianos

Lying used cars Flying flower blooms

Inquisitive computer screens Excited carnival rides

Nearsighted soup directions Farsighted oak trees

Insightful questions Stagnant presumptions

Bee & Bloom (1) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

Bee & Bloom (2) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

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“Stop poisoning the air, water and topsoil” – Kurt Vonnegut’s letter to the future

November 22, 2016

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nothing in the rulebook

vonnegut

Fourteen novels, three short story collections, five plays and five works of non-fiction stand as a towering testament of Kurt Vonnegut’s ability to show us the fantastic in literature, and the extent to which books and writing can make us feel sublime. The man who brought us the terrific Slaughterhouse 5, which experiments in form, structure, as well as time and inter-dimensional travel, is rightly regarded as one of the greatest literary titans of the last 200 years.

And the man who has given us some of the finest, timeless advice on writing and reading has also provided some prescient advice on the way we should live our lives. Indeed, in 1988, he collaborated with TIMEMagazine to write a letter to the future population of Humanity, in the year AD 2088.

The purpose of the project was simple: to provide “some words of advice” to those living in…

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Comparison and Imitation dull the Mind…

November 20, 2016

25 comments

Comparing yourself to others is a two-fold process that usually involves measurement and techniques (involving duality) that are superfluous (and that may very well dull the mind). If many are immersed in dull habits, superficial behaviors, and limited perspectives, comparing yourself with them and then emulating them may, indeed, tend to make the mind act (i.e., react) similarly. Indifference, seen as normal and ordinary, easily breeds more indifference. A unique person, beyond all the lemmings, perceives beyond mere comparison and imitation; such a person is more inherently free (than those who merely absorb, internalize, swallow, and imitate the behaviors of others). Those who lazily internalize all of society’s values and traditions are not free (though they may, as a reaction, insist that they are); they are secondhand shadows of antiquated authority, old habits, and primitive patterns of the past. It’s easy to be secondhand. Then you don’t have to think or feel.

Very many compare, imitate, copy, fit in, get comfortable, stagnate, presuppose things that were poured into them, and do not ask deep questions. Why? The man or woman who truly goes beyond all of this may not merely be some dishonest, mischievous rogue, but (rather) may be a profoundly insightful, majestic, free, independent, and truly compassionate person. True compassion, true order, has little to do with following old authority, following stale customs, or following dead rules. Real order isn’t what merely occurs from comparing oneself to others and imitating others; real order comes from that timeless (i.e., eternal) action that is not mere reaction.

Away from the crowd. (1) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

Away from the crowd. (2) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

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Poem That May Not Be About a Rose…

November 18, 2016

13 comments

Within life’s is(this immortal love

shouldn’t have been)but joyfully was

beyond barbarism’s wretched hoopla

between time’s gobbledygook of because

Not shoddy(jaded)mentally faded

ifs chattering through imaginable maybes

Not ordinarily common in obdurate rigidity

witless whens and wishwashy crazies

Not apathetically apart from pristine forever’s nows

Not merely immersed in cool November’s leafy falling

though blind gravity pulls the weeping rain down

pompous and proud in its feigned bawling

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head… (2) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head… (1) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

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It’s not something that can merely be attained…

November 13, 2016

25 comments

If you are truly innocent and perceptive (without motive), the mystery of the universe will come to you (and pursue you)… you won’t have to seek it. Many others, out of boredom, out of groping for more, come up with methodologies for coming to the sacred. Unfortunately, their mechanical blueprints, their dead systems, their fallacious fantasies, make an impression on others… and more and more mischief and nonsense ends up getting hammered into others.

Having a humble, quiet mind is beneficial, as it enables perception to occur without being jaded and tainted by the fabrications of others. However, unlike what many believe, a quiet mind does not bring about that which is sacred and illimitable. That illimitability is far too dynamic to merely be brought about by way of silence (or by way of anything else). A quiet mind is important, but no petty actions, inactions, reactions, methodologies, systems, absurd prayers or incantations, practices, or fabricated schemes can conjure it up. Yet, it may visit a mind that is orderly, sane, innocent, living, and whole.

Beware of those who tell you exactly how to find it or who write or talk about their struggle to come upon it. It may not be a product of any methodology; it may not involve struggle or effort whatsoever. Order of the mind is not a mere calculated product; it is a living, profound thing. An orderly, living mind is not the result of some concoction or blueprint. The result of some dead blueprint or mold is not living. Any purposeful meditation generated or fashioned intentionally by the mind… is not meditation whatsoever.

Jumping Jack Flash (1) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

Jumping Jack Flash (2) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

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Story Time… Koan Time…

November 11, 2016

16 comments

An enlightened man — one of only a few in this

particular solar system —

walked across the street.

He didn’t particularly care much for the pavement;

it was hardened, callous (like many, uncaring people),

and it covered a place where there used to be

lush, living things of great (soft) beauty.

There was awareness of the distant, oncoming traffic, but

unnecessary thoughts were (intelligently) not there;

there was no center, no authority to

merely see with (and “as”) separation.

As the street was being crossed, a wren came flying by.

Awareness was that little wren… not something separate from it,

(not something seeing it as being separate).

After the crossing of the street, a few steps were climbed.

As the steps were climbed, a curious squirrel was seen in a tree.

Curiously, that beautiful squirrel climbed the steps,

though it never left the tree.

What U R 2. (1) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

What U R 2. (2) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016

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Go Beyond most people

November 6, 2016

27 comments

Thought and thinking, though very useful at times, is a form of resistance. Thought originated, in mobile creatures, such as invertebrate and vertebrate animals, in order to acquire and manipulate… and in order to struggle against and contend with (or dominate) other organisms. Most people, having evolved from (and “as”) the aforementioned developments, would tend to think that it is errant and reprehensible to suggest that one move beyond thoughts and thinking. When immersed in the framework and network of thought, it — for most, unfortunately — seems ludicrous to deeply consider going beyond that realm (that actually is what they exist as). In Socrates’ Parable of the Cave, those who believed in shadows and who took shadows to be reality — thereby existing as shadows — scoffed at those few who suggested perceiving beyond the shadows.

Most people are rigidly set in their ways; they will cling to these ways, in comfort, without question. They exist in (and “as”) fractional, symbolic thoughts and mental constructs. However, when you fervently accept limited ways, without question, you are what limitation actually is; you are of blockage and restriction… not something separate. The wise man (or woman) conversely, has perceptual range. In perceptual range is liberation, real freedom (not the phony, orchestrated appearance of freedom that so many cling to and think that they enjoy). The wise mind transcends boundaries; in doing so, mental constraints vanish, separation and hate end, confines of thought’s images disappear, and even the limitless may magically happen. When boundaries are truly transcended, one goes beyond mere robotic reactions (and all reactions are intrinsically robotic). Our reactions and inherited beliefs — which occur as conditioned responses — are what separates us, what divides us. In going beyond them, one is no longer of the fractional, conditioned ways that divide people; then one is global; then one is truly universal. Such a universal individual doesn’t merely belong to little, separative races, regions, or any one country; such a universal person doesn’t belong to one of the many fragmentary religions that separate people. Most people do not want to go beyond their inherited and accumulated beliefs; they would much rather cling to and fight over the reactions that they have absorbed from others. We can live in peace and harmony if we (worldwide) go beyond inherited beliefs and fabricated boundaries; however, many do not care about doing that. Beliefs (and primitive, separative identifications), for many, are more important than actual peace. In the light of perception, one stops fighting over mere shadows; for that to happen, one must see the shadows as shadows and transcend beyond them; or you can see what was promised in (and by) the shadows by others… and live in (and “as”) the shadows forever… forever clinging to them and forever fighting over them. However, is that really seeing?