WHAT GOES AROUND - MIGHT MAKE SENSE ? REMIX REALITY

Not long ago a longtime close friend of mine exploded in a fit of rage that had been building for some time. With a minor provocation he launched into a detailed dismantling of our friendship based on the premise that I was a "know it all" and "unable to accept criticism". Of course, this was very painful and unexpected. This close friend was someone whom I trusted fully not to lightly judge me, and someone who I was completely unselfconscious around. The wound is still fresh and the scar will remain. This event began me thinking about how it is that I was accused of being a "know it all" when, in fact, I can never remember having a truly original thought? Yes, that's true-never! I tried to explain at the time of this traumatic assault that I only wanted to share my experiences of life with others so that they might find some value within these stories. Of course, I am not free of pride, and possibly that was the offense?
Now I know for some of you sharing the thought that I have never had an original thought would seem embarrassing. Or, at the least, a taboo confession. However, I confess this,and assert the truth of this from my experience.
My first career was as a journalist. Actually, I aspired to be a journalist, but later realized that I had other interests and moved on from a job at the New York Times to my own short term as publisher of my own small newspaper. This was very uneventful and unsuccessful,I must add. My interest in journalism came from an insatiable thirst for information. Later on this thirst became a thirst for knowledge. At that point I began my journey of the heart, and traveled, meditated, chanted,read,etc. One day while sitting quietly slightly bored and wondering how I was going to entertain myself for the rest of the day I began to take count of my teachers (mundane and sacred), sources of knowledge, books,friends,music, beliefs, influences,etc. This amalgam of ideas I have been fortunate to explore I recognized as the raw ingredients of my intellect. At that moment I realized that all the ideas that I claim as mine are a profound mixture of all these influences. So, in this moment of insight and, I should add, subtle crisis, where was the original, individual thought? Where was my original contribution? Certainly this journey of life was not for nothing? What was the value of experience? Our ability to communicate is not all the wiser by being silent as some seem to believe. One teacher of mine used to say that 'the fool is revealed when he speaks, and that is why these rascals remain silent to fool others'. So how do we find value and originality in our friendships,family, community, nations, etc?
This quest became my passion. Where is the original thought, the original creativity? In the arts the expression is through the medium, and yet still the actual product is confined by rules or tangible (metal,stone,oil,etc.) limits. Music, another art, expresses through tradition,notation,instruments,cultural patterns,etc. So where is the original thought?
Finally, after much anxiety and observation a light began to shine within my mind. The nature of original thought is expressed by an "inspired impulse". It is a rich recipe of raw materials from many sources, but brewed through the agency of an "inspired impulse". Sometimes this is seen as a narrative voice, a painting, sculpture,musical innovation,a variety of mediums. What makes these thoughts or expressions fresh, and seemingly original is the "impulse" that generates the idea. The saying that there is "nothing new under the sun" is somewhat shallow and simplistic. What is new under the sun is the "inspired impulse" that moves the individual to tell a story, create a work of art or music, love the unloved, build kingdoms,create iphones, etc. That "inspired impulse" is the mystery. That is what we all try to give to others. Sometimes successfully and sometimes not successfully. This is also the abode of the lesson. Even very successful people will tell you of many lessons they learned after having an "inspired impulse". In many ways these stories of success mirror the seemingly unsuccessful stories of other individuals. I.E."failure is the pillar of success".
Although, sadly I have let down my good friend by my bad creative storytelling,"unbecoming behavior", and apparently made a fool of myself among our mutual friends I have again encountered that mysterious "inspired impulse". Once again my inner teacher keeps 'kicking my ass' until I get it right. Will I ever learn is the greater question? We will see because that is the road on this adventure !

A XMAS STORY

Many old cultures have stories of the magical tree. In ancient India there is the story of the Kalpavrksha Tree. This tree has the power to grant any wish. These trees are fully conscious-you can actually talk with them. Generally, this tree exists in a spiritual world far far beyond this material realm we live in, but some of these trees agreed to stay here and be available for fulfilling wishes. These trees are made of Chintamini; a spiritual substance that is unspoiled by any passage of time. If we had the vision we would see the trees covered with multicolored gems and the world around them sparkling with precious gems, gold and other precious material that we haven't encountered on this earthly journey. Can you see the parallel with our Christmas tree? I can. During a trip to India I visited a sequestered park surrounded by high walls that contained the fabled "desire trees". This place is so secret and sacred to the believers that there are frightful stories about misfortune that befalls those who force their way into the park without the proper humility. I was terrified before entering the park given my arrogant approach to anything that I question, and especially superstition. A friend of mine previously entered this park with the sole purpose to find a suitable husband and acquire two sons. She wandered around in a much-too-tight sari and one of the monkeys jumped her and bit her on the ass causing quite a scene among the ubiquitous monkeys and pilgrims alike. However, shortly thereafter she met her fine and talented husband and had two fine sons. One who has become a doctor and another a lawyer. Who knew? In my case my wish was ill placed. I asked for that which I already had and not that which I lacked. Thus, more of the same, and in bigger quantities. More surrender, and spiritual lessons. Oh, well. In retrospect what a stupid "goodie goodie" I was when I had the chance to fill my coffers, attain fame, or become brilliant in some field. At that time in my life I didn't know that all of this journey is spiritual, and any sincere wish that does no harm can be fulfilled by these mythical trees. Of course, the lessons will always continue to come even with the new wish. Slowly the vision will clear and the pilgrim will see the sparkle of jewels out of the corner of their eye at first. Then the inner sight becomes clearer and the beauty and opulence shines even in the dark. Have you ever walked in a dark snowy wooded landscape after a snowstorm and breathed in the cold crystalline air? Sounds strange? Not really. Sit quietly and breath deeply and try making a wish under your Xmas tree this year. Drink in the light and beauty of the decorations and sparkle. Whatever your wish I guarantee that,at the least, you will have a visionary coming year,but probably much more. In the coming year sudden moments of insight will occur filled with the light of many gems. Rubies, emeralds, sapphires,diamonds, and a host of other beautiful jewels will shine in your mind. Try this meditation and feel the security and pleasure within your Heart. You will get a glimpse of the world the ancients and many today describe as the Kingdom of God,Vaikuntha,Goloka Vrindaban,etc. You may even hear beautiful music or become inspired to write beautiful music, poetry or a kind letter. Try it....Happy Holidays....Love to all......

THE FABRIC OF AMERICA

Many years ago I was fortunate to know a very smart and elegant elderly lady, Barbara Egypt. She came to Kansas City to work for a cultural project in the African American community. At the time her job was to manage the periodic art exhibits, and other cultural events. She was in her early seventies completing a PhD. and writing a book on the great black families of America,entitled THE GREAT BLACK FAMILIES OF AMERICA. Additionally, she was also an amateur genealogist. She charted my ancestry using genealogical records from various archives, and noted there were branches of my family tree with direct lines connecting to these prominent black families. I previously knew the family connection to three presidents. One president was thought to secretly have a "mulatto" wife, President Buchanan. There was also a question of his race as he had ancestors that were privateers (pirates) on the islands off the coast of New England. Many of these pirates were freed slaves after the Civil War who harbored contraband for sale during reconstruction of the Union. Having very old American ancestry I knew that this was the case,and in my teens I was schooled in stories of the history of my family. This, even today, is a custom among old families. Especially in the south as the connection is more obvious and understood between the races. The original purpose of this entry is simply to place in the blog record a note about our diverse and complex history as a nation.
Today the dominant bulk of our population is still located on both coasts and the great lakes region. This has always been the case, and culturally reflects the true face of the United States. This population has been shuffled through the course of our short history, but generally these regions reflect to the world our values and character. This is not to minimalize the contribution of the rest of the population in the sparsely populated areas, but, as a nation, we must understand the history of our culture and not ficitonalize the story. The seat of our government is in the District of Columbia. Not a state, but rather a region set aside as neutral territory for running the government. Originally, the capital, so to speak, was New York, then Philadelphia and finally, Washington D.C. When we want to look at America (the United States)we need to look to these places to see the future of our nation, and the possibilities. Greatness is still shown in these densely populated regions. The future face of that greatness will be different, and yet complement our collective history. We will be more technologically involved, more diverse in our racial profile "Browner", have a greater reach throughout the world in a different way, we will not be the "big guy on the block", we will lead the world in feminine power, etc. Our female population will lead the world in equality as it already does. This one factor at this time in history is probably the most significant contribution we make on the world stage. We will always lead the planet in some way simply because we got out of the starting gate first. However, if we become complacent or loose our vision we can ultimately loose the race, and fall into the crevasse of history with other great civilizations long lost.
We are not great because we were created by white populations on the backs of black populations. We are not great because of some religious superiority. We are not great because of our wealth. We are not great due to so many other obvious powerful things. We are great because of the original "spiritually organic" vision of the founders who, though privileged, saw the dangers of the past and set in motion a machine that had adaptive qualities based on the knowledge of nature, history, philosophy, and the struggle of humanity through history. The system they put into motion was based on a method of "Advise and Consent" that required, regardless of the issue, disturbing debate and modified resolution . THAT IS THE SYSTEM. American government is not based on belief, sloganeering, prejudice, or even popularity, but upon an organic process put into place by the founding fathers. This is not to say that leaders will not get into power through the methods above, but they will be under the same controls as all who came before. The Democratic Process of Advice and Consent and an impartial system of law. That's all folks. Welcome the future with open arms and Love........

THE ELITIST BITE

THIS ONE IS A BIT LONG SO GET COMFORTABLE: When I was little I had a serious overbite, and I still own that overbite. For some unknown reason my parents never saw the need for braces? They probably never noticed? I did. How I noticed is the key point. Regularly someone would ask me to "eat quietly please!!!", and interrupt my reverie and love of food. Of course, being the "Monkey" in Chinese astrology that I am I would chew even louder and continue on my way. Monkeys are mischievous by nature. So, not unexpectedly, food became a form of expression for me, and a fascination. How different cultures honored food was of great interest. The motto "Food is Medicine",a Japanese scroll illustration, made so much sense to me that what I ate became an important factor in my personal health challenges. I was a frail child, and later in my twenties struggled to stay strong while eating excessive meat, drinking volumes of alcohol, and smoking two packs daily. Somehow on this journey I was encouraged by a remarkable woman in New York named Marion Tanner to change my evil ways. She was in her eighties and teaching yoga, raising a child dropped on her doorstep, and caring for less fortunate souls than she. I was immensely impressed and took her advice to try a vegetarian diet for a few weeks. Immediately my energy improved, my health improved and I liked the food choices which were much more numerous than the traditional diet. It worked for me. Later in this journey I became part of a wonderful restaurant that featured an exciting vegetarian menu. This was not "hippy food", but rather complex, masterfully executed menu items reasonably priced that provided a hugh variety of foods. Nutritionally the menu covered an exceptionally wide spectrum of food sources. Our patronage was wide ranging,and after some time we had to tighten our load and jettison much of our early-on business down the road to the "OM Cafe" (really) where they specialized only in a brand of 'non-dairy' food preparations with a Japanese flair. I became the bad guy for pushing out the food fetishists who always tortured our staff with a multitude of questions about the preparation and content of our recipes. We were almost completely 'Organic' and divided our menu into two categories of "Dairy", and " Non-Dairy" items and a full "Dairy and Non-Dairy" special daily. Virtually, any diet could be accommodated through this menu, but still the food fetishists couldn't grok the idea. It seemed to me that food for them was some kind of interface with society that allowed them a 'special' status. It had the feel of a religion, and not a source of joy, but belief. It annoyed me, and my basic push was that I had 'bigger polenta to fry'. Actually, many of these zealots looked and acted in unhealthy ways. They were wan, overly thin, joyless, often angry, souls.
Enter the ENVIORMENTAL MOVEMENT. Finally, we begin to see a cultural awareness of the holistic connection of our way of life and planet Earth. We also begin to see where we are disconnected and unwise in our collective and personal ecology. Gradually corporate America began to clean up its act, but the private household sector still wanted to maintain their consumer power and lifestyle choices even at the expense of the general good. Personal habits drive the engine. Only a small population group want to eat differently and consume differently. Over a short time this new pattern of eating began to catch on with an emphasis on health. This is a start. We began to connect the dots through the agency of the Enviormental Movement which showed us our intimate connection with the earth,air,water,animal life,plant life,etc. New aspects of biological science begin to develop. Nutrition becomes an important player in this change, and advanced degrees are offered. Slowly progress is made for the common man in our fortunate society. Still,even now, the poor are without choices other than Fastfood and over processed food. HOW TO MAKE BETTER FOOD SOURCES AVAILABLE TO GREATER NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IS THE QUESTION OF OUR TIMES. WIDER AND HEALTHER PROTEIN SOURCES ARE NEEDED. As human nature would have it there is always a segment of all movements that holds dear an elitist model to shore-up their insecure sense of self. This is happening even within the health conscious food movement. Because the dairy industry has contaminated cows with so many growth hormones, and other chemicals an elitist minority of healthy eaters rejects dairy as a nutritional source. Ignoring the idea that science, with the political will, could clean up this industry. This has become known as Veganism. One argument is that cows milk is for cows not humans. True, it is for cows, but can be broken down and "prepared" for human consumption as many older civilizations discovered. To make an even more 'erudite' argument from thier paltry fund of information they have created this new category of eating. Veganism has developed as a specialized eating cult. Vegetarianism is considered "old school". Shades of an "Ageist" agenda begin to emerge. Previously Vegetarianism was the category that defined a diet apart from the killing of animals. Those in that category were generally divided in two groups: Dairy and Non-Dairy. Of course, there were variations of eaters mostly based on ethnic preferences or regional preferences. So actually Veganism (non-dairy) is not new, but actually a political child of the Enviormental movement. Another rarefied branch of this elitist cult is the Raw Food idea. Of course,this is also not new (the prehistoric gatherers). Some of the expressions of this type of food preparation are wonderful and delicious, but rarely is any follower happy following this path for very long. Our bodies or maybe our tongues seem to want foods broken down by fire periodically. There are other ways to break down food with citrus and salt, but we have become enamoured by fire. This extreme element mirrors our extreme choices in life and works well protecting us from food born illnesses (see film "FOOD INC.). We no longer live under the fabled Coconut Palm Tree. A complex partial source of nutrition for seaside dwellers. I would propose that we no longer have the luxury of elitist thinking when there is so much knowledge and real science available to us to use for the betterment of our society and the planet in general. "Do what thou wilt,but do no harm" is the wise magical dictum, but Love must first be there. Then the teacher gently begins to encourage the student to 'do what they want'. Otherwise, without the greater Love there will be harm.

ANONYMOUS IS A WOMAN

This entry is a simple reminder of how far we have come and how this reflects the events of the moment in 2009. As late as the nineteenth century it was a common practice to bury female members of a family with the inscription on the tombstone reading "ANONYMOUS". It is hard for us today to understand the mind that could simply erase the identity of a female member of ones family. But this was not uncommon. Of course, in Islamic culture all are buried in unmarked graves symbolizing the final passage from this world and the wait for the judgement day. Also, in that culture, except in the very privileged classes we have no record of the passing of female contributors to society. Where and who are they? In a short time after death we are all forgotten, and all that remains are the results of our work while here, and the contribution of our collective impact on planet Earth as "she" has become known. The disturbing thing is that there are still those who would return us to another century where women were seen as useful processions without legal rights over their bodies, where the color of your skin could provide a life of continuous pain and fear, where only the privileged class of males could receive an education and vote for the leaders, where sexual expression had to conform to a specific proscribed cultural model, where movement was restricted by passage permits, child labor, etc. Remember, this was just, in some of these cases, only 50 years ago and in others less than 100 years. Our culture has opened the way for us and others to explore in a legal and safe way broader expressions of our humanity. The system we call democracy also known as the system of "Advise and Consent"was created by a class of privileged, highly educated, and for the times, enlightened souls. They did not establish a static idea of rulership, but rather, an organic and inspired system of governing that would protect the expression of thought and original ideas. They pondered the misdeeds of centuries, in fact, millennia, of despotic rulerships both secular and religious, and consciously discarded those models. Taking the best they could find from those ideas and forming a dynamic expression based on classical Greek and Roman structure, but offering the opportunity to all citizens. Of course, it took more than a century to bring women, people of color, and others into the system, but that has been achieved. This is how it works. The idea of "Original Intent" by the framers is a moot issue. The actual result has been a growing organism and it would be impossible to turn back the clock without destroying all that has been gained. Essentially, destroying the America we live in. We can only go forward. The past was not very nice. The good should be honored and spoken of nicely and buried with a beautiful marker citing the achievements of the outstanding members of our collective family. Anonymity is not an option any longer. There is the INTERNET and He/SHE is watching us all.................

AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

In the last decade of the nineteenth century in America there was a significant battle going on for the soul of the culture. This event had a number of expressions. The experimental utopian communities (Shakers, Quakers,Oneida Community, etc.) had existed for some time, and in their own way contributed to the landscape of American culture through simple manufacturing systems, useful gadgets (washing machines, sewing machines, etc.) However, these communities were beginning to decline due an interest in Free Thinking, Spiritualism, lack of births, and a trend of population movement to the cities, etc. In fact, these were just symptoms of a much more serious dilemma facing the growing wealth and importance of America on the world stage. The nature of this time in history saw a polarization of important thinkers divided roughly into two camps. It was in effect a spiritual dilemma. Henry David Thoreau had expressed his musings, The James brothers theirs, and many other thinkers of the era. For the purpose of this entry by way of example I am concerned with the dialogue of the healers and the healing professions. Plural. During, and after the Civil War medicine struggled with the questions of how the body heals and what should be the underlying approach to the healing arts. Profound damage had been done during the civil war to life and limb and the "soul" of the new America. Big rifts occurred between those who professed a mechanistic approach to healing using all the technologies developed during and after the war. They believed that the body was essentially a machine that could be manipulated in a variety of ways that would bring about healing. The other general group did not totally denigh the development of new technologies of healing (surgical, inoculation, etc.), but they observed that regardless what was done to the body externally the individual either got well or not according to some other factor. They attributed this to energy. Some felt that this had a supernatural source I.E. God, and others that is was magnetic or cosmic in origin.
This became a pitched battle between the "Mechanistic Healers" and the "Magnetic or Energetic Healers". Science as we know it today was still in its infancy in America. Medicine was a mix of both of these ideas being based on the Greek, Roman and European models. The Greek leaning more to a divine origin and the European more nature based and mechanistic. Gradually these two camps (Mechanists and Energetic) became so polarized that the idea of "Empiric" Science (I.E. Mechanistic approach) became the stronger camp, and organized into what we know today as Medicine. The Magnetic Healers became Osteopaths, Chiropractors, Naprapaths, Herbalists, etc. Still the question of why and how we heal has never been answered. Mysteriously the patient would get well or die.
There are those who feel that by some external or artificial method we can change our nature or condition and mold ourselves into some idea of ideal health. These individuals or groups believe that some change of activity, removal of an organ, even a psychological change of view, or choice of behavior will heal the problem. Still we have no actual "Empiric" proof of these results, only percentage data. Even that has widely varied results. Again the question of actual "Change" remains a mystery.
I love to use friends as examples in these entries because they are the most important to me in my journey. Recently one friend has made it clear that all behavior is a "choice" and thus we are, in this way, responsible for our behavior. I have found that generally these types of people think that they maintain a "moral high ground" for the rest of us. Yet I see their behavior is a vain struggle to artificially change their lives. It appears to be an artificial attempt at change. A "Mechanistic" attempt. I cry for them in my heart. They are so sincere and simple, and ultimately tortured. There are others that totally "go with the flow" and they get carried away for years in a fog of temporary delights. Haven't we all been here? They are enamoured by the illusion of the texture of life, and can't understand why the rest of us just don't take a vacation from our "productivity" to experience the "Now". This is the other extreme, "Energetic" attempt to be happy. Neither approach seems to bring successful results. So I have been pondering this problem for some time.
I have always said that "you can lie to anyone, but if you lie to yourself this is the greatest sin". I still think this is true. Please understand that I don't encourage lying. Anyway, it appears that if we spend sometime every day observing, and listening to ourselves we will come to know ourselves both mechanistically and energetically. We will see what we can change a bit, and what is our "nature". We will find intuitive ways to stay healthy or make healthy decisions. Also I have observed that we can learn from this approach to Love others less defensively knowing who we are, and not being threatened by someone else's questionable behavior. It seems that Health is a combination of taking care of the machine inside and out, and energetically keeping the flow of life lively and loving. Not developing an "Artificial Intelligence" to artificially change our nature.

9/11 AND THE ISLAMIC THING

Attention everyone: We as a nation have always been under attack! Oh, and we have always been attacking someone as well. First it was the British attacking us, and then a series of others including the Russians during the Cuban missile crisis,etc. At the same time we began systematically slaughtering the native tribes of North America. The British returned to burn down the White House in 1812, and so forth. History is important even if always written by the victor. Still there is some kind of a picture to look at although hand-colored by various interest groups. In my own life there has always been a social upheaval or war. It has never stopped.
Human history is a series of wars, and a dance of power. The ancient Peloponnesian Wars to the present. Even the great epic tome, the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) was written on the battlefield of Kurushektra near what is now known as New Delhi, India. There are a multitude of examples. Where is the question of non-violence in human history? There has, and will always be a class of people who specialize in warfare for the benefit of their cultures.
The 9/11 event that shook our culture to the core is another example of this constant desire of humankind to impose it's view of truth upon another. Of course, we know now that these characters who played a part in the 9/11 event were religious fanatics, and generally considered to be full-blown narcissists according to their psychological profiles. They didn't come out of the great military colleges of the the great nations of the world, but were born out of social discontent. They were and are disruptive, and dangerous loose canons on the deck of the ship of destiny, but ultimately destined to be contained or thrown overboard.
Another player in world history is commerce. This player, in some ways, poses the greatest threat to the stability of humankind. When the balance of wealth shifts too much in one direction, and the privileged class becomes too indifferent to the suffering of others we can be assured that trouble is brewing. Then, the core demon of human nature, Envy, enters the picture and attempts to level the playing field albeit blindly and cruelly. The "have nots" imagine that their share of the mother- lode is theirs for the taking. Rarely, if ever, in history do we see them fairing better after the carnage. The powerful still remain in some form, or they change their coats in smart ways to conform to the new regime. I.E. the great Communist experiment (Manifesto), and the subsequent failure backsliding into the marketplace of human suffering, Russia today/China today. Oligarchy is the first step back to a free marketplace.
The central question that remains is how can a major world religion be the cause of such crazy actions? Actually, the history of many great religious traditions have seen this same problem emerge. Why this quandary? Certainly, Christianity has its track record of madness and mayhem. Virtually all major religious traditions show this demon of exclusivity. Generally, we find that those followers who reject the personal mystical responsibility to purify and refine their thinking and lives and see the greater connection of all life fall prey to fanaticism. A mideastern Moslem friend of mine who defines himself as a Sufi (mystical muslim) recently was confronted by a fanatical fundamentalist Christian at a very nice dinner party given by my Moslem friend. He listened to the ire of this young, innocent bigot and then replied. Pointing to his head he said 'in our tradition we say that the longest journey that a man takes in this life is the journey from here (pointing to his head) to here (he pointed to his heart)'. I was watching this and literally this moment briefly took my breath away. The young man didn't respond, but just sat quietly and shortly left the party. Hopefully, he began his journey of the Heart?
9/11 is not an Islamic Thing, but a human failure of great proportions. However, in so many ways it broke open the Heart of humanity, and made us all face our fragile passage on this planet. Now we can contemplate how to live life in a more inclusive way with more kindness toward each other, more intelligence, and wisdom. Or we can react with righteous anger, bigotry, and lash out to destroy the face that is actually us staring back at ourselves from another culture. You decide.