I am not overly interested in the words that the Buddha allegedly said,
since, over long stretches of time, words and translations get distorted.
I am not overly interested in the words that Jesus allegedly said,
since, over long stretches time, translations go askew, words get added and distorted.
Even the early Coptic versions of the Gospel of Thomas (which many top scholars say preceded the other four gospels), and which the power-hungry Roman-appointed hierarchical bishops rejected, was not as pristine as the even earlier papyrus Greek fragments found of that cornerstone gospel.
I am not overly interested in the words that Lao Tzu allegedly said,
since, over long stretches of time, words and translations get distorted. (And each of the many translations of the Tao Te Ching is different.)
I am interested in discovering spirituality on my own, and learning directly, without distortion, without merely depending on old words, organizations, translations, and ancient documents.
They tried to get Walt Whitman to alter his poetry; he wouldn’t.
They tried to get E.E.Cummings to alter his poetry; he wouldn’t.
They tried to get me to alter my poetry; i wouldn’t.
They like to stealthily insert their ideologies into the works of others,
to suit their own ends, to suit their own self-serving needs.
They often (over time) like to get their conniving, little hands into the works of others (and twist things around).
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Way to go Tom..i admire that you want to make spiritual discoveries on your own without having to depend on an old belief or works that may have been altered over time.
Thank you, Mich. 🙂 All those works, i assure you, were altered heavily (over time).
Too often such distortions are delusions of deceptions, especially when people want you to change your creativity to suit their satisfaction!
🙂 Yes, Kym; they twist things around to suit their own ends (either doing it consciously or unconsciously). I like the book entitled The Five Gospels; it helps to show just how distorted things really are.
Oh the times we live in! 😦
Well-stayed, Tom. We are all students of the universe and should trust in our own perceptions and expressions of them.
Yes, and we have to be very careful regarding this. 🙂 We can easily think that these perceptions are our own yet, all the while, they may be twisted versions of what was previously implanted in us.
Stated. I’m having fat-finger issues this morning!
love that monarch on the black eyed susans…. it’s a joy to look at your photos.
Thank you, Sara! Nature rocks! 🙂
I love it that you get that!
The colours in the photo are stunning. Interesting what we come up with on our own, through our own observances and musings, sometimes matching the wisdom of the sages. It is here for all of us.
Thank you regarding the photo, Jane. 🙂 Yes, it is there for all of us; we just have to look without what we were molded to see.
Love this! It is how we learn that matters for that is how we shape our present. It is hard to live by words you did not speak.
Thank you, Jaya. 🙂 Yes, how we learn is what matters. Most of us were mostly educated (i.e., miseducated) about what to think… not about how to think. So-called religious blueprints, so far, haven’t really changed people enough; the world is still chaotic and disorderly. Secondhand words don’t change people enough; we have to perceive and inquire for ourselves.
Very well said! 🙂
What a gorgeous photo!! (And very nice words to go with it)
Thank you much. Some people will not (of course) think that the words are nice. 🙂
I’m so very thankful to have you in my life. never let anyone change your creative nature or your poetry. you may want to listen to your other half once in a blue moon. no words are appropriate to capture the aura of this photo. it leaves me speechless.
Love you too, dear. I’ll listen more when you ask me to do less. 🙂 ❤️
Loved the title, beautiful photo and, as always, your words!🙂
Thank you much, CI. Hugs to Harper from us, please. 🙂
Oscar Wilde said “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” We have to be quirky and different – I know I am because my mom rattled off that phrase “if everyone else jumps off the bridge, do you have to follow” way too many times. I’m glad she preached those words to me – they stuck. What a gorgeous and regal Monarch butterfly you have here Tom – a perfect creature and I hate to use the word “creature” as this butterflies wings spread out are more a work of art.
Wow, Linda, you mother was very wise (with repeating suching things to you). Needless to say, we live in a world of many mindless lemmings… and they jump off of cliffs, bridges, whatever. It’s a male Monarch; it has a dot on one of the veins of each bottom wing. 🙂
My mom said that to me, or some variation of that phrase, from the time I was a little girl, drilling it into my head. I think that is why I march to the tune of a different drum. It is good to be different, even quirky. I have to tell you Tom that we had some handouts passed around on our river cruise to show us the difference between the male and female Monarchs – our guide said “it is obvious, can you see it?” He did not point out the difference, or I missed it as I was sitting in the back of the boat, so I’m glad you did. That is a stunning display of beauty by this Monarch.
I’m seeing monarchs now, and came across a volunteer last weekend who was catching them for banding and release. It was wonderful to see — and it was wonderful to hear that large, tree-covering masses of monarchs have been found south of here recently. Your portrait certainly captures the creature’s beauy.
As for your point: exactly. I once took a course in the synoptic gospels, and it was fascinating to compare them. The closest analogy I can think of from everyday life happened every year at holiday, when the family still was intact. At the holiday table, someone would say, “Remember what happened when (whatever)?” Everyone would have a memory, and every one would be different in the details, even if everyone agreed that “it” happened!
Amen. Spirituality can not be learned sexondhand; it must be experienced firsthand.
Well said, Tom. I agree. I look for the grains of truth in many things and believe nothing on someone else’s say. Love the butterfly shot.
The normalising/institutionalising of everything is the denial of the real, power and control has only one agenda and it is neither yours nor mine.
Hi, would love for you to check out my blog and let me know what you think ☺️
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Nice capture ❤