When people do think or say the words “Happiness is within,” most are just giving it “lip service.” For those people, it is just a nice theoretical thought they drop when it suits them – usually while counseling others. They say it just because it sounds good, and they generally only say it when things are going well. Few say and uphold it when things go awry.
Mind the Gap – You are Before Thinking
The water splashed over the edge of the bucket and pooled out on the bathroom floor, running under the door.
I looked down at the puddle and a moment later heard the thought “water spilled on the floor.”
The obvious time delay in that thought arising was almost shocking, and I chuckled at the redundant comment from the “peanut gallery.” Years ago I never even noticed the delay. Today, in this moment, it was never so obvious that thought comes after experience—and quite some time after!
The awake bird gets the worm
This morning I was sitting by my sister’s pool, sipping hot chocolate, when my attention delved so deeply into thoughts and images of an event of the recent past that I did not immediately notice the robin land in the shady grass and begin to chirp. When her chirping got close enough and loud enough, the spell was broken, the dream ended, and my attention went fully on her for a moment. Upon noticing that I had been lost in thought, I do what I always do, which is to come to my senses; to feel into the body and breath, feel the heat of the sun, my seat on the steps, hear the call of the bird, notice the taste of …
When non-violent communication is violent
“You always interrupt me,” came the complaint. “In non-violent communication we own-up,” she continued… I have periodically heard about something called “non-violent communication” and while I knew nothing about it, immediately I liked the idea the name implies. But this was the first time I ran into it head-on in real life, and I clearly saw how it failed (in this case) to meet its own namesake. (Or perhaps there was confusion in its understanding, or application.) I had been communicating with a co-worker and wanted to share an insight, but when I began to address the subject, I was interrupted and the topic went in another direction. “You always interrupt me,” she complained. “Always?” I asked.
The way I met the Peaceful Warrior
The Way I Met the Peaceful Warrior I love the old zen story about the farmer who’s neighbors thought it was a bad, unlucky thing that his horse ran away. The old man’s reply? “We’ll see.” As the story goes, the horse came back with another wild horse, and the neighbors quickly switched to remarking how good and lucky that was! The old man’s reply? “We’ll see.” Then the old man’s son started training the horse for riding, but he was thrown and broke his leg. Again the neighbors switched to how bad and unlucky that was. And again the old man replied, “We’ll see.” Later the army came but could not conscript his son due to the broken leg, …
What is a “spiritual” author?
When you cruise the categories of the books entered in the “Next Top Spiritual Author” contest, you find subjects like: Art, Business, Dating, Diet & Nutrition, Divorce, Gardening, Massage, Organizing, Sports, Technology, Travel, and UFO’s. This makes one question exactly what is meant by a “spiritual” author. The contest organizers say “This competition is focused on finding authors who have a message that appeals to the spiritual market. This market, often referred to the “new thought market” offers personal growth and spiritual messages (religious messages are not considered “new thought”). Authors like James Twyman, Neale Donald Walsch, Wayne Dyer, James Redfield, Abraham Hicks, etc – have messages that appeal to this market.” To me, in the truest sense of the …
“Don’t Quit” poem
–My Father wrote this famous poem It appeared far and wide on posters, bookmarks, etc. as “author unknown.” In memory of Lawrence J. Wilcox (1940-2010) It became so popular so fast, that there was no way of correcting this, and truly, Dad was elated just knowing it was helping so many people. With his passing, it is time to let it be known that he wrote it. I actually read this poem before I was re-united with Dad (at age 19), after which time we became very close. He had submitted the poem to a publisher, who never responded, but later used it. From that he learned and shared with me a clever way to protect your work: mail yourself …
A smelly realization
On the Easter weekend I spent some time with a friend, and after emerging from the bathroom she asked me, “Are your systems working o.k.?” or something like that. As I had just been in the bathroom I “mind read”, or guessed, that she was commenting on the bathroom being smelly, and then mind read that she thought something was up with my bowels. I went back in memory to recall if there was a smell left last visit. No. Looking at her perplexedly I replied “Yes.” To which she repeated, “Are you sure?” “Yes,” I said. Then quite content to let her suspicions go, I almost turned my attention elsewhere when I had another mind read. “Why–are yours off?” …
My Favourite Videos
My Favourite Videos “Everybody Loves Raymond” illustrates how no-one knows why we are here on earth, with humour. (Refer to the chapter “Survey says?!” in “The Alchemy of Love and Joy”. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZjbBuqaT4s&feature=related[/youtube] Find out who you are now [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06tpkfKYEQ&feature=subtivity[/youtube] What is the evidence of “You”? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFYHlTV-FS8&NR=1[/youtube] Stay as I am [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBcWBKzFb1E&feature=related[/youtube] Before knowledge [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJqM8XRIFsw&NR=1[/youtube] Papaji answers “Can you show me God?” [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqOwPteS_Xg[/youtube] Detonator for the ego [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rfl-uwrmgo&feature=related[/youtube] Surrender [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDFXYCvTguE[/youtube] Absolute Watchfulness [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lri0TAOyXRg&feature=related[/youtube] Were you born? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhD51Zi-DUM&feature=related[/youtube] Forget about enlightenment [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pS_wPeDxDQ&feature=related[/youtube] You are the Holy Spirit [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhwJGTOI8k0&feature=related[/youtube] Amazing Grace [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I5unCsE8mE&feature=player_embedded#![/youtube]
Today is not the day that Dad died
Today is the seven-year anniversary of my Father’s rebirth into spirit. Notice how much less a “charge” there is, how much less suffering there is, how much more truth and presence there is in the statement of the anniversary. Today is not the day that Dad died. That day was a long time ago, and that day, that experience, has nothing to do with this day, this experience. This day is not that day, and we do not have to try to “reincarnate” that day now. If I had not been reminded, it would not have been top in my consciousness and may have passed unobserved. That is not a suppression or avoidance of any kind. It is a simply …