Anatman and the Balloon Show Wiener-dog

We have probably all seen at some time or other a balloon entertainer who can twist the air-filled resilient sack into any animal that you can imagine...say, a wiener-dog. It is no different with awareness and self. The dominant imperatives of person-hood are biologically driven and have no selfness that is not hostage to the vagaries of animal existence. Far from being de-humanizing, this truth is the foundation of all that is noble and all that is vile in humanity. At the same time it must be acknowledged that the self as popularly conceived is an illusion.

Awareness has no choice but to fill the space defined by its form; and finding self in form, accrue identity. The central fact of enlightenment is the potential for awareness to awaken existentially and then to pre-empt the biological self as the center of its existence. And far from de-potentizing the limited expressions of being human, the awakened intelligence finds its self in a garden of wondrous potential.

So what happens when the inevitable friction with environment pops the balloon? Certainly not some atmospheric reiteration of the cosmic wiener-dog.

Noticeable Change Seeking Repose

conditioned cycles of behavior

should they evaporate

what would be left of us

we who can only with great effort retain a focus

at odds with the dictates of the unconscious

we whose most cherished thoughts

are but the shadow of our being

in the light of reality

it is notice

that by saturation illuminates our being

notice is precursor to all true freedom

and powers premature of notice

enthrall

enmesh

aggrandize

idea is her novice

and genius is her adept

and though we may juggle well the ideas of others

it is what we have noticed

that is our own

in the swirling billions of galaxies

what takes notice

before this mystery unfold all questions

Icarus Pilots the Juggernaut

Taken en-mass humanity is clever but not wise. There is wealth and intelligence enough to commit great crimes, but not enough of either to save mankind from it's self. The kind of aggressive altruism and fearless facing of fact necessary to save our little dirt-ball, our beautiful little island afloat in the endless emptiness of space, is simply in too short supply to suggest a happy landing for life on earth this time around.

The ancient Chinese Taoists recommended that in times of disorder the sage retreat to his own virtue. Or I suppose one could stand in front of a tidal wave waving ones arms and screaming stop. The Punch and Judy show of good and evil must play its self out; after all we are only human.

There was a fellow by the name of George Gurdjieff (died 1947) who was an arch disciplinarian (and one whose work deserves survey) who in his ruminations suggested that humanity could be saved only by a threat to existence so huge that it over-shadowed culture everywhere and of every stripe.....well it seems to me that we have a rainbow of such dire information, but it is just not able to cut through the sea of darkness that is the modern self. So I'm expecting a spontaneous flowering of awakened intelligence.....no one will have seen that coming.

Clearing Skies at Midnight in December

it is that moment just midway of dusk and dawn

and between stragglers of the grey that all day fed rivulets and puddles

in lazy drift through Gemini appears

Jupiter now startling bright

now dissolved in haze once more

stars are close

tomorrow

sun

it is not

Monday droning

after monotonic cretin Monday

that brings December's dreary repetition

the days have no names

and convention's reassurance does not tame them

on every side of God's toy top the flood of light goes on forever

never is there any dark

but for shadow

and this

our little corner of the universe

rages

for reunion with oblivion

they are reckless

the stars that send their light to fill this puddle

and we

are their children

Free Teeshirt Slogns

awareness ?????

consciousness ? ? ? ?

WTF