30.12.11

Old Songs

These old songs I want to remember are an ancient doorway - an entrance to life's house where melody keys are a puzzle and perfect repetition illuminates the unlocked rooms of the mind. In ritual chant, a flood of consciousness flows almost seamlessly into the darkened corridors of the forgotten and unconscious; music is the soul's keyhole to insight. Spirit deftly sings through these songs - they're the spellings of life become animated, where swirling galaxies become the soup of seas and the backbones of DNA made spines that uphold on strings the world we get to see by dreams. Here, the incense smoke of life's flame is rippled by the breath of wind from the lips of shamans living in the eyes of animals who stalk these wild moments. These liminal moments when we sit in prayer, in trance singing the elder's songs, channeling the alchemical wisdom of ages. These songs that weave the patterned fabric that covers the hearts of every human, like a quilt. You'll hear this patterned fabric if you remember - so remember, this is where we're from! The songs that grandma sings & babies cry, that dolphins make and insects create with legs on wings, that runs the symphonies of forests and makes blaring in the silence of deserts. These songs are played in rush of blood through your own ears, almost hidden, but listen! The primordial beat of something we almost forgot; these old songs, I want to remember.



photo: rock man.

7.12.11

Wall


Can you only know immense suffering
 after it touches personally?
Will compassion only be skin deep 
until the mortars break apart everything you´ve known?
Who builds the walls between "us" and "them"? 

A wall is a division.

On windy nights, my cheeks touched with the freezing frosts of horror,


I am left stumbling and gasping at endless hate
Still warm to life’s goodwill, though growing cold by the second, and though my own hate cools, too,

I try to catch what life remains with peace throbbing through veins.

Is it true The Wall Will Fall? Whose wall?

I wonder when will bullets echo, and finally shatter into emptiness,

ceasing, and no longer hitting human shields carried as hardened human emotions.
What crumbles in the softness of tears?

Vulnerability is a human thing.
Every pool of blood,

it laps at eyes and hands and feet,
but festers only in those who swear it isn't theirs.

Buddha said breathe it in:
every scream, and fear and pain, 

every ache and sob and shudder -
 every mortar, every dead child.
all of this is ours to breathe in and out, released beyond the borders and walls of experience.


For each of us have these walls insde.
 Each constructed by every division.
And renewed we will be, to go past these walls in ignorance laid, past the headless graves, 
where concrete turns soil. Here flowers grow again 
despite what they know -
 despite what they saw.  Between the hard places and the soft. Heart.

We don't have to try to heal the pain from these walls. The pain is too great, too deep in our viens.
But Listen! What throbs! Memory touches deep into our cells.

Life enduring through every imprisonment, every death and every ricocheted dream.

Because oh! how our hearts keep persisting. Know we could be free. If the wall falls. 

All walls are just as high. 


(image: banksy, 2005)

4.12.11

Poise

 
Poised between Heaven & Earth is life.
Humanity – pulsing like a heart at the hearth –
the sternum cage holding us in breath.
There is a better way than what we think we lack,
a way of being in service to that which we belong to.
Here, in the centre of all we know, of all we are.
Knowledge originates from a verb – honour & doing -

An inner explosion of Awareness to follow the journey, weaving
In & Out: a thread that joins together all frames of perception & experience.
The Compass, and a Sense of Purpose are tools from within.

Humour of sweetness; Sword of Precision; Map of Mindfulness;
and Honed practice of listening to what draws us here, 
into the enormity of Heaven on Earth,
where we stand or sit or lay.
Our Mother is holding every story
of why our compass points towards reconnection with the web 
we only thought we were no longer part of.

Never Separate - only in various states of re-membering this state; embodiment,
poised in life between Heaven and Earth.




(photo: Samborek)

20.11.11

spider

in the world of dreams
i come to me, hanging on a thread of reality
- a spider dangling in the frame -
connected seamlessly in simple relation.
Eight legs for the eightfold path.

Cast up between heaven and hell, mountain and sky
in the centre of every duality, within and without,
I am in my own doorway
and my precious sleeping body is in bed.

The eye that sees I recognizes
my own fear, and i wake up
screaming from the spider,
and suddenly so aware of myself.

When is the last time you woke up,
unstuck from the glue of unconsciousness?

Hanging ,
I am seen so clearly and vulnerable
left exposed in the dark of bright corners
and light of hideous shadows.

Afterward, in the mirror, I see my my face,
carved in fine lines turned canyon
by all my relations.

The fabric of paradox is relational
and the confluence of merging
is emergence.

Everything that shall be, and is,
is here between us,
cast in the centre of duality,
dangling.

2.11.11

Too Big to Fail


disgracefully
we're too big to crash and yet the wall's
coming on unpredictably fast
coupled with natural capital decline
we won't last
because the cash cow is only cash
past the slaughter house
and with such a narrow focus
we're too blind to see
that to untangle this economic mess
we need a different policy
about what has value
its fiscal responsibility
to have measures of progress beyond GDP
something easy to communicate
with indicators that demonstrate
human behaviours for true wealth
to finally become non-disparagingly poor in money or health,
mental
we're masters gauging green transition
to the new solar tech position
economy
past the debt and the lack
the famine and the fat
balance THAT spread sheet
beyond the math, intangible
love economy to value the fact
that we're relations
because what is measured matters
Let this be inspiration
to align with the abundant metaphor of the sun
Run renewable run!
its death-life-death-life full circle close the loop
ride the cycles
and harness the conveyer
of the natural capital coup d' tat
flexible platform
and new lifeforms
that
grow eco-imagination
solutions for a smarter planet are navigation
to our future

we need investments
time, energy money and heart,
passion and spirit
for this state of the ark
don't skip a beat mr Bank
and private sectors should rank
natural value
its a big bang for your buck
to catalyze a green economy revolution
is not speculation or luck
with 4.3 trillion a year
to kick start humanity
past fear into the golden age
let's live to turn the page to build societal trust
clean tech, smart grid
and leave the guns to rust
no more fighting over fossil fuel we're free
for mama earth to grow us
true wealth
as a self fulfilling prophecy
if we see management of oikos as strength and what matters
drop our ego identity with what will shatter
when the bubble bursts
Because It's survival of the fitting that fits us in the systems
nested in systems
in systems

we are enough, and
we know when enough is enough
but greed says this a hard one, it's tough
a debt based economy
means enough is never enough
unless our consciousness shifts
acknowledge instant gratification does not equal happiness
multiplication of patience
is the flow of life
slow money is the economy
so slow down and enjoy delights
of this Earth's Garden,
but to enjoy it right
we have to be stewards
keep wealth going
keep money flowing
because money is energy
and stagnancy is disease
and we'll certainly, most certainly
never be free
if we don't feed the cure
which is pure
return of exchange
ease the pain
use our brains
reciprocity to gain
back each other
and trust
all relations, all roles, all hands on deck
so we can do our very best
together
humanity,
drop the vanity
thinking we're better than everyone and everything else
because when we're trying to hoard
only focused on self
is a ditch
beside the low road
with risk of sinking on lower than low.

well-off is abundant and not narrow money minded
abundance is the means and the end
so let's intend that
money be byproduct
directed by socioecological sustainability to extend
economy
after all this pseduoscience is our super power ability
so let's make adam smith proud with
endless growth
and grow life to infinity.

13.10.11

Humans Towards Sustainability


Sustainability
It's not about never consuming energy or things
truth is we must to exist
But It's the way we do it that determines
What of us in the future persists
Through society and earth changes we face
We must reduce negative aspects and impacts
That disgrace
systems which support us
Natural laws and cycles lead the way,
listen to what biologists and physicists say
Entropy, a law tells us all matter spreads
Let us then Choose wisely what actions for consumption are fed
Poison metals , co2, methane and persistent compounds
These are challenges to our systems
We need stepping stones,
dematerializations and substitutions
And to focus on flows nature gives,
maximize energy gains to live
With what's sustainable
Solar , geothermal and geogravitatonal
We can do more with less
Efficiency and specificity of consumptive patterns
to evolve our best
Human capacity
It's a truth of fascination
We are the masters to determine our destination
The solution to our questions
Strategize material wellbeing
Lets Make it the quest now
Earth stewards! Sustainable human beings!

11.10.11

Ancestor

Ancestors whisper to me,
I am on my knees. Show me. 
Swept off my feet, I wept with my head held high 
You, the colourful breeze swept by 
and I could hear in my ears
the secrets of life in the wind,
whistling and embracing me again, 
the breath of my ancestor kin.
Remind me of my birth
a dream of me on this earth
created before our time 
prepared and planted 
my heart, my lungs, my mindI live and dance for the seed
of what will become
flourishing in collaborative deeds, 
past, future, and present ,
I am forever present 
in my breath. 
I want to sing with you the turtles to the sea,
gather the sands of the desert
and be a cloud nourished by the water and sun. 
Ancestors,
I am dissolving into your breath, the wind, as one. 
Now I dream of you, as you dreamt of me, undone, 
becoming truly free. 
Oh, ancestors whisper to me, 
I am on my knees 
Breath to wind 
Tears to sea 
Personify in me the trees
that grow like my hair and nails, 
your sunlight eyes have not failed 
to fill my heart. 
Whisper to me , Whisper to me 
Tell me again how you used to dig clams, 
I don't remember what they taste like. 
Tell me again what it was like to love. 
I am not forgetting, 
I am just evolving
trying to remember myself.Tell me again,
Who are we again?
I cry on my knees.
Whisper to me, 
Whisper to me, 
Whisper to me…. 
Ancestors in the breeze.

9.10.11

On a Moment's Notice



Inspiring words, spoken and heard
Old stories that freestyle me, tongue in cheek, rice and wheat.
Feed me, earth, we want to be free
Dreaming to be what you are, bring us back again
Full circle
way of the SUN
Club moss and tree ferns
We come from, I learn, a primitive seed
but I ask you,
how did we evolve into the greed that blinds our mind's desire?
Color me,
GMOh no oh no
Is this true, the path we go?
Off the land the water flows and into the cities the farmers follow and go
But by whose hand will the food grow?
Am I alone?
not Killing nor trashing, wasting nor smashing, nor creating any sort of do-dads
Because do dads and moms know
It's at our head that points the this time bomb gun?
Why do we think that making the bed isn't fun?
Grandma tells me in my unmade bed I'll lay
but damn, I cry!!!
These lessons I learn are hard for I
know there is only one way,
full circle, the way of the sun,
Either that or become
the void that exists in a clear cut forest.
Lessons to learn.
Fed me, free me, I am now thinking I would love to be,
Undone like the miles of genetics we think we control
Oh no
Mother earth, what is your word on this grip hold?
It couldn't possibly be that we control what took you billions of years of mastery to unfold.
Elder, tell me that this story has be already told
For I feel bold in this mystery
Awakened by the plight
and I know the day always comes after the dark cold night
To shine a new light,
Sun rise to sun set
The answer seems so simple in this circular mind set....
Full circle, I return to that
And the grip doesn't seem so strong.
But it still feels wrong.
We're at canter now, full on.
Running for the edge
Thinking science will fly usd past our broken earth an to the moon
But I am telling you another flower is in bloom
One that challenges us to embrace the bird
Don't identify with the shell
Instead listen to the bird, the one that hasn't spoken yet
but if a moment's breath is taken, can be heard.
And get to know your neighbors at that.
No way am I going to the way of the genetic patents.
I got too many years of genetic history to fall back upon...
Please, let us search our base pairs,
The answers must be in here somewhere!
We just forgot it
Harvesting and loving and struggling yes,
but at least we'll have pride on our breasts
because we have worked the land far much longer than we have ever eaten GMO
and word on the street is that changers are coming a lot faster than slow
so embrace the coming changing floods
because those masses spinning in the heavens know.
And be ready to go,
On a moments notice.

Bridge again




Why do processes of fragmentation persist


when paradoxically all systems becomes more interconnected?

Is it that the bridges between riverbanks, between us
come second?

How can change go beyond restructuring, 

and towards re-conception?

Remember that the angle and angel that lets us free

is the power of perception.

Freedom is to maneuver,

and we're losing mobility everyday

when there is a patchwork of pieces that don't fit

Together

we'll weather anything.

But we must start seeing the bridges between us,

this is the social genius of our genus.

Homo sapien
Grow our brains again,

so that we're many minds 
in the Mind frame, connected by intention of interconnection,

when the bridges matter again.

Refined by Shadow

I want to be a better person; a better friend, worker, partner, environmental steward, child, sister and better to myself and all my relations in my world. By referring to “better”, I do not use it as a standard of comparison made up through ego or society’s cultural norms. Better is not something consumable, nor something I accomplish so I may sleep more soundly at night. I do not use better to refer to some model which I want to live up to. Rather, I use better to refer to how much I participate in all of my relations. To me, better refers to my level of presence as I am being present in my life. I visualize this as the brightness of my true self shining and illuminating my relations through my light of living.
I describe presence as a mindfulness, or focused awareness. It is to look at life with an open and nonjudgmental attention and see our darkness in order to develop insight. He suggests it is the basis of all Buddhist practice and is the key to liberation. As I show up for my jobs, school or other relationships, I am being present. In showing up, I see my presence as attentiveness to life’s expression. Further, I see it as a simple and important gift which I can give. Giving my presence is what “betters” me.
Living my intention of being present, mind and body, in all my relations, I have become increasingly aware of myself and my surroundings. Moments when I “slip” into an less-present state now appear to me more obvious, like cutting myself badly while day-dreaming during the use of a sharp knife. I see these “slip” events as indictors of my presence and also as subtle (or not so subtle!) reminders to be more present in what I am doing. With more attention, I would be less likely to cut myself and could also practice using my knife with more precision. 
While this simple example is true, I use it as a metaphor to suggest the path of presence can provide an opportunity for deeper personal work. As I am alive, I have an opportunity to participate within many complex relations. Just as I have a relation working with my knife, I have relations with myself, my family, larger communities, organizations and systems, like cities or ecosystems. I see that through my participation in these relations, each provides feedback to inform how I may become better present within them. My relations are like a mirror, providing reflection so I may see myself more clearly. 
As I begin to see myself more clearly, I notice my “slip” events taking specific form through inner conflicts, burdens of my emotional baggage affecting my relationships and the challenge of facing parts of myself which are unfocused “rough edges”. I call these parts of myself by many names, because they have many faces; greed, self-absorption, guilt, shame, fear, gluttony, aversion, hate, laziness, apathy, and on and on. Collectively, I refer to these parts of myself as darkness, because they seem so opposite from my light. Though, I believe this perceived duality is only an illusion, because I recognize these parts of myself as extensions of a basic lack of presence. Furthermore, when I react to the challenges of darkness from a place which is not centered, they become even more sticky, crunchy or challenging, and often spiral into intense stress in my life. This stress manifests itself through physical or mental sickness and conflict with others.

My darkness is not only a source for conflict, because I also acknowledge that with the intention of being present within them, facing these dark parts of myself are true opportunities for transformation. As I do so, I become better informed of how I can participate in my life with greater awareness. It is not my intention to cast away darkness and promote only my light-self, for this is likely impossible. I acknowledge in myself both sides of these perceived dualities, and each provides significant information to re-form myself, to unfold myself, and to explore the mysteries of my true self. By experiencing this polarity of  presence within myself, I further refine my presence and walk my red-road and spiritual path. Better. 




image by Joel Schmid