“My true voice is only heard in surprise, in unknowing, or when knocking at the door too soon, and through grace, having it opened. I have sung from that place once or twice in my life. It took a final hour of dismantling to get there, after a decade of patiently unbricking the door, and a bit of full-scale demolition from my teacher.”
This is beautiful and I’m deeply appreciative for having read it. I know much of this and the rarity of grace.
“The original Taoists got all their knowledge not from books, (as it was before books), and not from secret teachings, (as there were no teachers). They paid minute, close attention to nature, and saw things from the perspective of not-self”
I rewatched and shared some snippets of an Easter talk recently between painter Alex + Allyson Gray and Rev Matthew Fox. Fox mentioned that it is largely considered that Yeshua was considered illegitimate in his village and was not allowed in the synagogue, so he spent his time in nature instead and is why all his parables are nature based. I hope it is not rude to bring this into a Taoist context.
“read Liu I Ming: ‘Those who leave their families and responsibilities to “follow the Way” deserve nothing but contempt’.”
Yet again, Yeshua said you must leave your Morher and your Father…. Pardon if rude x 2.
“Living things wish to persist. Are we on the side of the living? Dead things wish to compost and rot down, to become living things again. Are we willing to transform?”
Hmmm, I’ve tried to get several wisdom teachers to respond but have thus far not had a response. Matthew Fox’s latest book is titled “Trump, MAGA, and the Anti-Christ”… He’s using the term as an archetypal repeating pattern rather than suggesting this is the big AC. Yet, from a Taoist perspective this does not seem so terribly concerning. A pendulum swing that suggests a swing back in the other direction. Though of course there are historic examples of the swing leading to mass atrocities. So many of us are waiting to see. You may not wish to go here, if not I understand, but from a Taoist perspective how would you interpret this imbalance?
Berwick has been our local station for 40+ years. The herons are still there but there are significant ongoing threats to the important coastal habitats for birds.
Quite a history for that rail bridge; it is coming to the 175th year sitting on the American Elm piles, some a 100ft long.
Am glad to come back to this archive article: good idea. I agree that 'thinking' restricted to words is a bizarre notion, but apparently it is a psychological condition for some who can't conceive how it could be otherwise by definition. Glad you mention it.
Knowledge / connection / philosophy / grace / faith / works span the river; hubris now? The vast streams of data exchange machine to machine. I read that for some faiths, God is not extrinsic to Nature, but for me like you it is possible the land and its creatures will talk more directly of sensibility. Imbolc, and for me newly the colours of blue and a heron flying upstream are visible after my lens replacement in old age. So it goes. Happy moon!😊👍
Hello again Caroline from the west coast of Canada, I may want a hooded garment for we have a similar damp to us here.
Of late the writings of Iain, Martin and you have joined me in the liminal. The magic made rich and richer, words falling and falling away through words.
I wholeheartedly recommend capes, ponchos and shawls to all in cool temperate climes. Failing that, ‘Viking’ style hoods are easy to make and so cosy to wear. I have a couple. Great for meditation, bushcraft, snoozing or birdwatching: all the good activities!
There is a tyranny of words in my house that is sometimes painful, especially as expressing myself with words is full of effort. How many times I want to smile and bubble like a child, and just say "La!" when something or someone pleases or delights me, like the water, and the woollen cape, and the bowing, and not making oneself too useful. And how I bristle when I hear a parent say, "Use your words".
“My true voice is only heard in surprise, in unknowing, or when knocking at the door too soon, and through grace, having it opened. I have sung from that place once or twice in my life. It took a final hour of dismantling to get there, after a decade of patiently unbricking the door, and a bit of full-scale demolition from my teacher.”
This is beautiful and I’m deeply appreciative for having read it. I know much of this and the rarity of grace.
“The original Taoists got all their knowledge not from books, (as it was before books), and not from secret teachings, (as there were no teachers). They paid minute, close attention to nature, and saw things from the perspective of not-self”
I rewatched and shared some snippets of an Easter talk recently between painter Alex + Allyson Gray and Rev Matthew Fox. Fox mentioned that it is largely considered that Yeshua was considered illegitimate in his village and was not allowed in the synagogue, so he spent his time in nature instead and is why all his parables are nature based. I hope it is not rude to bring this into a Taoist context.
“read Liu I Ming: ‘Those who leave their families and responsibilities to “follow the Way” deserve nothing but contempt’.”
Yet again, Yeshua said you must leave your Morher and your Father…. Pardon if rude x 2.
“Living things wish to persist. Are we on the side of the living? Dead things wish to compost and rot down, to become living things again. Are we willing to transform?”
Hmmm, I’ve tried to get several wisdom teachers to respond but have thus far not had a response. Matthew Fox’s latest book is titled “Trump, MAGA, and the Anti-Christ”… He’s using the term as an archetypal repeating pattern rather than suggesting this is the big AC. Yet, from a Taoist perspective this does not seem so terribly concerning. A pendulum swing that suggests a swing back in the other direction. Though of course there are historic examples of the swing leading to mass atrocities. So many of us are waiting to see. You may not wish to go here, if not I understand, but from a Taoist perspective how would you interpret this imbalance?
Berwick has been our local station for 40+ years. The herons are still there but there are significant ongoing threats to the important coastal habitats for birds.
Quite a history for that rail bridge; it is coming to the 175th year sitting on the American Elm piles, some a 100ft long.
Am glad to come back to this archive article: good idea. I agree that 'thinking' restricted to words is a bizarre notion, but apparently it is a psychological condition for some who can't conceive how it could be otherwise by definition. Glad you mention it.
Knowledge / connection / philosophy / grace / faith / works span the river; hubris now? The vast streams of data exchange machine to machine. I read that for some faiths, God is not extrinsic to Nature, but for me like you it is possible the land and its creatures will talk more directly of sensibility. Imbolc, and for me newly the colours of blue and a heron flying upstream are visible after my lens replacement in old age. So it goes. Happy moon!😊👍
Hello again Caroline from the west coast of Canada, I may want a hooded garment for we have a similar damp to us here.
Of late the writings of Iain, Martin and you have joined me in the liminal. The magic made rich and richer, words falling and falling away through words.
I wholeheartedly recommend capes, ponchos and shawls to all in cool temperate climes. Failing that, ‘Viking’ style hoods are easy to make and so cosy to wear. I have a couple. Great for meditation, bushcraft, snoozing or birdwatching: all the good activities!
There is a tyranny of words in my house that is sometimes painful, especially as expressing myself with words is full of effort. How many times I want to smile and bubble like a child, and just say "La!" when something or someone pleases or delights me, like the water, and the woollen cape, and the bowing, and not making oneself too useful. And how I bristle when I hear a parent say, "Use your words".