Tuesday, January 14, 2014

THE RIVER OF LIFE

I have many times sat and watched the Ohio River rolling on and on. This river sits at the very end of our main downtown street here in Paducah Kentucky. One can drive through the floodwall gates when they are open and instantly be at this river which flows past and also into another river (Called the Tennessee River). Many times I have either driven down in my truck or walked down and sat on one of the bench's to just watch the river flow and relax. That is one way I have found that I can find peace and quiet in my life no matter what I am experiencing at the moment. In my meditation of the river I can compare it to my own life as a human being. Like the mighty river flows so also my life flows. At times very calm and serene and at times after a rain it flows in a torrent. But as this water flows it is always true to it's nature. It cannot be anything or do anything other than what it is! Whether it is flowing gently or rushing madly it remains a river! And whenever this water runs into some kind of blockage or dam it goes around the obstacle and keeps on flowing. For it's inherent nature is to keep moving at all times. Even when it seems so calm on the surface, it is still moving along to some degree. It has no choice but to face it's obstacles and either go around, over, or through it. Because if it ever stopped flowing it would then become no more than a lake, a pond, or even a puddle. So to remain true to it's inherent nature it has to keep flowing or it will wither and die. And when I think of this I see the essence of my life as a river so to speak. My conscious mind only knows me as a human being. The human finite mind can never truly comprehend something that is infinite. Something like my Higher Self, my Soul, my God Being or whatever else one may name that part of us which knows we are something greater than just a human ego driven entity. I know there are those of you who would disagree that we are something greater than we know. One may think that we are just a temporary form and that after we die that is it. And you know what? You could be right. But personally, I believe we are something greater and that we will continue expanding and growing as long as any part of us remains. Even if you don't agree, you may still see the similarities I see between our human life and that of a river. My life seems to feel a kindred oneness with the river. My life flows on and on. Sometimes it flows calmly, and at times it flows like a torrent. With "things" seem to be "good" in my life it is calm but still flowing gently. When I am experiencing any hardship or turmoil, that is when my life flows roughly. When I encounter a blockage or dam(negative feelings, thoughts of anger, feeling helpless, stressed out to the max, and etc) I either have to go through it, around it, over it, and if I don't do that I then become stagnant in my life experiences. The river knows only it is a river, it is not aware of each raindrop that gives it's existence to fill the river, no more than I can be aware of anything outside my human mind. I see my life as river ever flowing toward reuniting with something (An ocean or bigger river maybe) greater than it is. What is my final destination? I cannot really say because I feel my life is not headed for a final place but rather just merging into that which is Mightier than my human life. I will leave you with a thought from the book "The Tao of Relationships" written by Ray Grigg:The river flows of itself, Uninstructed...it finds its way to the sea. The downward way of wisdom takes all toward union in deep fullness. Flow easily downward, without hurry, taking the river's time. Know that the urge in blood and all its rushing is toward the great commingling pool. Remember downward and trust the river's way. My hope is that each of you find yourself at a point where all things human are flowing gently. Take heart if things seem to be going a little rough or even out of control. That only means you have come upon one of the river's obstacles in your life and with a bit of wisdom, a bit of love, a bit of hope and determination you will eventually move over, around, or through the obstacle and will once again find peace and love filling your consciousness. You are never alone! We all have our own "demons" but with some work on our minds we can and will find a way to slay the Dragon. Keep the faith my good folks and if you ever feel no one loves or understands you just remember that I do!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Ron. very nice writing in this post. And yes I'm glad you are there to share because you are one of the few that may understand me...some what. Most humans don't understand me in my world, or circle of friends and family. Most think I'm totally insane. That may not be too far from the truth actually, but what is SANITY in this world? How is it that so many judge what they do not know. I have few friends and in general, no one gives a shit. Thank you for being a friend.

A few words for the crowd... "This 3D illusion isn’t real, nor is matter, nor energy associated with matter. We are led to believe that we are simply energy, and energy can’t be destroyed. However, energy can be eliminated, because energy is an illusion, a fabricated lie. Energy, creating the illusion of matter, is an illusion of scientific magical thought, and is already finite, or limited. This energy with the illusion of matter in the atom has no relevance to the eternal state of ecstasy – called WISDOM. Matter does not exist in the eternal wisdom state. There is no divided light, no shape, no colour and no sound. All these 3D manifestations are bits and pieces of illusory deception, attempting to simulate something of value. Matter is simply light, manipulated to form an atom and the appearance of everything 3 dimensional. The light originated from a thought. These thoughts – these atoms – are lies!"

regards,

Ian

captron52 said...

Ian, thanks for stopping by and for the kind words. Believe me, I know first hand what it is like to be considered a "nut" or to be judged solely by my "weird" beliefs. You can be assured that I do care about you along with all of human beings. You are a very deep thinker, and even if I may not always agree with you, I will always have a deep respect and admiration for you. As long as I'm alive you can always count on having at least one person who accepts you, warts and all if you know what I mean, and will always have a deep respect for you and your beliefs even if I sometimes have trouble "understanding" all of them. Yourself, along with every one else does indeed help me to grow as a human. Thanks again and visit here anytime my friend!

christopherdossantos3@gmail.com said...

Namaste brother Ron; excellent post. The river analogy is one of my favorites. Like yourself, I too find great peace of mind sitting by a river, in fact there is no other place I would rather be. Like the water molecule we travel the universe ever changing our destinations, our form, and always reuniting with our brethren.

The river to me represents the Tao of life, the ever changing, never ending, path to unity.

Thanks for another beautiful post brother, I look forward to another year of friendship, love and blessings from you.

In Lak' ech, prosper with love... live with harmony...

captron52 said...

Thank you Christopher for the kind words. I love the way you express your feelings with words. I too, look forward to yet another year of friendship, and another year of learning. Learning how to just Be That is my goal. Just like the Tao teaches.

Unknown said...

I truly am stunned at times with the 3D planet I/you/me, live on. It's not the WISDOM/PARADISE where we are from but there are times that's the hypnosis seem so real and overwhelming. I didn't say this before. I spent several years as a teenage fishing the Margaree River (other rivers as well) Margaree Valley on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.

See for yourself...this is where I am from...

http://www.google.com/search?q=margaree+valley+cape+breton&client=safari&sa=X&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=d8zYUoPcE6PmsATS-4GQBw&ved=0CF4QsAQ&biw=1618&bih=910

There is an expression in Cape Breton that goes like this....
A man was traveling around Canada and was fascinated with Churches & Cathedrals. Ever town or city he visited he would go to one. He started west in Vancouver BC. He went in to the biggest Church he could find. After a brief tour, he noticed a special looking Red Phone and a small sign saying to deposit $100,000 and you can call GOD! So, the man ask the Priest about this and ask why so much for the call at 100K? The Priest said because it was a LONG DISTANCE CALL! Too expensive for me he said, I'll just talk to god in my prayers. So the story goes, after see a dozens of churches and many of had phones for calling GOD, all were very expensive like the first one. Well, during his final part of his journey, he visited St Georges Church, built between 1785 and 1791, in Sydney, Cape Breton. When visiting the Church, he notice the same phone. The sign said, only... 25 cents??? The man was very surprised and asked the Reverend why it was only 25 cents when ever other Church said it was 100K. The reverend replied, "It's only a Local Call Here" :)

On with my story..

My Dad would NOT let me fish in the river till I was a teen. When I was about 8, I could fish on my own in a brook or pond or on a wharf. Yes on my own at 8...only because I could swim, so my parents didn't worry too much. Dad wanted to make sure I was strong enough to handle the river current before fly fishing for salmon on a river turn with currents up to 10 miles per hour, and. Also knowing how to take off your boots that were chest high. Yes, getting dragged under with those boots on was certain death by drowning unless you take them off. "Always" carried a sharp knife to cut the straps and boots if needed. Fly fishing on the river gave me a sense of wild freedom with just me and nature and the sounds of the river. It was a powerful experience for years.

NUFF SAID!

Ian

Unknown said...

Ron,

You said..."I too, look forward to yet another year of friendship, and another year of learning. "

What I would like or want...it for us to be "ONE" again. And be with my brothers like you and Chris as the pure "WISDOM" "I/we/you" already are.

Ian

captron52 said...

Being "ONE" in that pure "WISDOM" state will be worth everything else any of us have had to do. Thanks for sharing your fishing story Ian. I enjoyed that! The best to you and yours always!

Silentwhisper1 said...

Hi Cap my dear friend of much love to give.This post was lovely.It would seem the river brings us peace entwined in our kindred souls.The lake too,possesses the calm within.
Your blog is and always has been such a place of calm and grounding thought.I so much appreciate that in you to keep writing us treasure to leave with.

As for Ian...I'll not ever know why a man of your different thought and beliefs would find interest in reading my blog,but I see you do.With that I should thank you for the visits.And of course showing another side of you here (the weird side) about growing up learning to fish from your dad (smirks)I liked it.I liked it a lot.
Your not so different after all.

Night Cap my friend.Hugs to you and that wonderful family~

captron52 said...

Hello Dee. Thanks so much for the warm, encouraging words. At the moment I have much going on in my personal life and haven't been able to write as much as I would like to. Hopefully, things will turn out ok and I can get back to doing what I love to do! Your friendship means so very much to me and as always I wish you and that beautiful family of yours all the best!