BEING FREE

Are any of us in this 3D world really free? I suppose that could only be answered depending on one's definition of freedom. And I'm sure there are many different definitions out there. I sincerely hope you consider yourself to be free and that you are content on whatever path you are now following. I would like to share another quote from the Tao te Ching for I feel it says a lot  about what being free truly means. The quote says:
The Master does his job then stops.
He understands that the universe is forever out of control,
and that trying to dominate events goes against the current of the Tao
Because he believes in himself, he doesn't try to convince others.
Because he is content with himself, he doesn't need others' approval
Because he accepts himself, the whole world accepts him.

I feel we are all Masters of our life if we but take the time and effort to honestly explore who we really are. The only one who can give you freedom is yourself! I hope you are already there this moment! I take leave of you good folks with a gentle reminder to be good to yourself and even better to others around you. A better world awaits your recognition..may the doors be flung widely open now and forever! Peace, love, and understanding to all of you, my dear friends. "HUGS"

SEEING IN THE DARK

Today I would like to share with you a quote from the Tao te Ching. Some of you who may not be familiar with the teachings of the Tao may find this to be a contradictory work. If you are one of these folks just think deeply on what it says and just see if it doesn't ring true to you at some level. If at first you can't "see" the "truth" within please don't feel anything, just allow the words to flow into your heart and give it a few days to hit home with you. And if by chance you don't ever "get it" that is quite ok too! There is no right or wrong, there is nothing in reality except this One Eternal Moment. The quote is as follows.
The tao that can be told is not the eternal tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations
arise from the same source.
Their source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all understanding.

I now leave all of you beautiful people with thoughts of love, peace, joy, and oneness. May your path be one of few thorns and one of much learning. As always, if you choose, please try and do something nice not only for yourself, but for another as well! "Hugs" to all.

ILLUSIONS & PARADOXES

 Since knowledge is the main key one needs to live a full life I feel each of us should do the best we can to seek out what is "real" and what is "illusion". That is if anything at all really exists. Years ago I started writing a novella called Illusions & Paradoxes. I originally intended to self publish the book but I never got around to doing anything with it. Recently I came across this old manuscript and I will now from time to time use some of it on this blog. While I am discussing "illusions" and "realities" I remind you that everything I say is only My truth. It may apply to you and then again it may seem like rubbish to you. It doesn't matter either way. An example of one of "my" illusions follows as such: One woman looks out upon the vast ocean and sees a sea of blue, another man looks upon the same ocean and sees a sea of green, a colorblind young lass looks out to the same ocean and sees a sea of gray, and yet a blind boy looks out to the same ocean and sees a sea of nothing. Yet what the blind boy sees is the only "truth" out there. For color is only a refraction of light beams. Yet, each one of these people will be experiencing their "own truth". And who am I to say otherwise? About the best we can do is to enjoy each of our personal illusions with gusto and with love directed to all. Really, what does it matter what color we call the sea? And what difference does it make the color of our skin? Why do we reject another's truth and at the same time try so very hard to get our truth excepted? Why indeed! I truly believe one cannot be "free" until the biases and prejudices against one's brother and sister have been lifted and borne away by the warm breezes of life. I leave you now with this thought from the Teaching of Don Juan who said: "Power rests"  on the knowledge  that one holds. What is the sense of knowing things that are useless? they will not prepare us for our unavoidable encounter with the unknown.' He also stated"Nothing in this world is a gift. Whatever has to be learned must be learned the hard way." So may I leave you with this thought, today become aware that no matter one's illusions in truth we remain still and realize that all life is "ONE". And realizing this take a moment right now to call an old friend, make amends with an old enemy, reach out to one in need, or just do someone  a bit of kindness that may "save" their day from the illusion of separation. We just have to learn that we cannot go on hurting others simply because we can't "understand" their illusions as being real. Like the old song from the Bellamy Brothers says--Let your love flow like a mountain stream and let your love grow with a small list of dreams and let your love show and you'll know what I mean it's the season...........To all of you beautiful folks I leave you in love, peace, and joy today and forever!

THE WHEEL OF TIME

Today I would like to share a quote with you which is taken from the book The Wheel of Time by Carlos Castaneda. I was looking for another book in my library and ran across this one. I picked it up opened to a random page and this was the message:"For a warrior to be inaccessible means that he touches the world around him sparingly. And above all, he deliberately avoids exhausting himself and others. He doesn't use and squeeze people until they have shriveled to nothing, especially the people he loves." I would hope each of you will think about what this message means to you personally. Might I suggest that you touch someone's life right now in a kindly, loving manner expecting nothing in return. As always I wish only the best to you and yours.

TAO TE CHING

It's been too long since I have written but like most everyone else, life sometimes throws me a big curve ball and I'm forced to deal with stuff I'd rather not have to do. And that in itself goes against what I try to impart to all of you. My beautiful granddaughter emailed me a while back and told me she had been reading from a book entitled TAO TE CHANG. Yes, my granddaughter is a very old soul who is already filled with much wisdom and truth which belies her tender young age. She suggested I check the book out because she knew I could find much in it to write about. Well, I looked in my library of books and saw the one she was talking about. I had read it a few times in the past but it had been a while since I had last looked at it. As I began to reread it I was struck once again by the pure simplicity of the teachings from the Tao. To a person operating strictly from the human ego mind these teachings may seem  ridiculous but to an open minded person they usually ring true with lots of wisdom. So thanks to my granddaughter I plan to share with you some of the thoughts from the Tao. The following quote comes from a New English Version of the Tao Te Ching which was written and compiled by Stephen Mitchell.
"Some say that my teaching is nonsense. Others call it lofty but impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves, this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice, this loftiness has roots that go deep. I have but three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the Source of Being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate with , yourself you reconcile all beings in the world."
These teachings do sound simple at first take but most of us will find a way to make them very confusing and impractical if we are not attuned to our "ONENESS" of all Life. My hope is that all of us may one day realize that this life doesn't have to be "hard" or "easy" or anything else for that matter. Life is just to be lived! And may we all live it in a way which not only brings us much joy, peace, love, and abundance, but at the same time brings those same things into the lives of everyone we meet. I leave all you good people now with the reminder to enjoy this ONE ETERNAL MOMENT cause that is really all an of us have. And if you can, right now, do a little something nice for someone just because you want to! Here's hoping we may all learn to work together to make this human life the very best it can be.

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!

PETEY

If you have been a regular reader of this blog you will know that I often speak and write about unconditional love. I suppose each one of you will have your own definition as to what unconditional love means to you. To me, it means just what it says. Unconditional , no strings attached. The minute we attach any thing else, like I will love you if........ then it becomes a love that is not totally without some attachments. And even though I know this it is so difficult at times to love anyone in this way. To some love is just a human emotion. Something we seek for and try to find in other people or other events. Something that is elusive and very fragile at best. And I admit there are all kinds of love as one would describe. A love for your child is different than your love for your mate. Then there is  selfish love. Oft times we withhold our love for another until they do as we want them to do. To me this is only a dime store love, one that will eventually fade away and disappear entirely. And on and on I could go. I suppose all of us are defining our love by the actions we take and by the things we say. I will admit it is the "hardest" thing in this 3D world to ever discover and even harder to keep alive. We are all human and therein may lie the problem as I see it. we oft times fool ourselves by thinking we are truly loving someone unconditionally but upon deeper reflection we may find it too has some strings attached. So today I wish to give you an example of what unconditional love really is. At least it is the way I define love. Let me tell you about Petey. Petey is my youngest daughter's long haired Chihuahua. He became a part of her family shortly after she moved to Texas after graduation from high school. The very first time I met Petey I found some of that unconditional love embodied in that tiny little form. From the start I found out Petey was content just to be with you. When I would arrive at their house he was so quick to come running and jump in my lap. So much energy and so  much excitement in that tiny little thing! He didn't shy away just because I had not been around for a long period. He didn't question as to why I had been gone so long. He was totally in the moment and freely sharing his love and excitement just because I was there petting him. It did not matter to him where I had been, what I had done, or what I had said or felt. That's always been petey, just loving someone because he wanted to. This past Christmas we went to Texas to share the love and warmth of  a close family. When I walked in the front door after arriving there he came. So excited so elated just to see me. And it was not only me Petey does this for. It is for everyone! Any time any place no matter the situation he was content just to lay in your lap or to lay down beside your feet, content it seems just to be close to you. When he comes up to me and I see those big beautiful brown eyes looking at me I just melt. What a treasure, what a comfort Petey is to this world. A little doggie with a heart bigger than Texas who is always showing us all what unconditional love is! I'm back home now and I miss that little fellow! He may not be human but he is so much better off than any of us will probably ever be. He lives only for love. No strings, no conditions, no holding back, just pure love at it's highest! I wish I could be more like Petey and I'm trying very hard every day to get to where he is. Will I ever succeed? I don't know but I will hold on to that dream for me. And if I am not able to always be like Petey is in this world, then I can dream about the next world I may find myself in. Here's wishing all of you wonderful folks a very happy, joyous, peaceful, healthy, and prosperous new year ahead. And my hope is that all of you  will find and experience Unconditional love and will be able to hold on to that forever! In the meantime I might suggest that if you have someone in your life right now that you love just take hold of them in your arms, look inot their eyes and let each of you experience a bit of that unconditional love. And as always try to take a moment right now and do something nice for someone--unconditionly with no strings attached. This my friends is what love is really like! I leave you now with a small part of my love to you with no conditions attached. Bless all your hearts, I do love you in the best way I know how. "HUGS"