Who Am I? What Is This Place? Who Are All These Others?

WHO AM I? WHAT IS THIS PLACE? WHO ARE ALL THESE OTHERS?

Travel your own journey.
Travel toward your own destination.

That is the essential.

It always was.

You were born alone.
You will die alone.

All this you already know.
I am telling you nothing new.

Companions,
with or without sex or commitment or marriage,
is at bottom a side issue.

Don’t fall into simply using others,
and certainly don’t fall into letting them use you.
Always remain true to your ultimate journey and its goal.

Measure all relationships against this:
Are they helpful (EXCELLENT);
entertainment (OK, IF YOU DON’T LET IT TAKE OVER);
or obstacles (DANGER! AVOID).

Travel well.

Travelling

TRAVELLING

Here a trunk
…full of souvenirs

There a wardrobe
…full of costumes

A comfortable chair
…to enjoy the present

A mirror
…… for reflection

And an open door
…with a WELCOME mat

…for the future

“In the night the walls disappeared
In the day they returned”

This is room enough

…for a journey

A Message From Apoptl

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Notes on “A Message From Apoptl”:-

I came across this amusing yet telling image here. It tickles me.

If you are unfamiliar with Apoptl, have a look here.

Rambling Home

RAMBLING HOME

I’d rather be a grapefruit than an ape
You’re quite a bit longer for a start
And besides a word, a bunch of letters
Is no more than a handy metaphor
We can load with whatever feelings
We deem appropriate (or not)

And objects too – Case in point
He should throw away this old cardigan
Which, like it’s owner-occupier
Is starting to unravel at the cuff
But it reminds him of his mother
Who knitted it for him with kindness

Don’t do to be too weighed down though
When staying portable makes it easier
And you prefer to be easily moved
‘Cos if you can’t be moved by things
You’re missing out big style
Believe me, any fool knows that

And as for rushing about the place
Trying to get someplace else all the time
Without enjoying where you were
Or are – Just remember this
Speed, time taken, isn’t important
Rhythm, style and grace, is important

Compassion, learning little by little
And who’s in charge here anyway
All roads still lead back to roam and roaming
And undermine the disillusionment
Of pretended self-sufficiency
In self-interest and self-abuse

Guilt and shame on you
You know the rules
This coupling’s allowed, that one’s not
Hey, by whom, and anyway
We’re not done with exploring yet
Not by any means apparently

As if that jolly flickering flame
The moth’s so attracted to
Dancing her will-she-won’t she pirouette
Will do her in the end
Any good at all
Unless of course …

The world’s a message
You’re sending yourself
So why not take time then
Savouring that simple open secret
You’ll be surprised to discover
All beings kindred

Myriad spirits kindled
To cast a glow that lights the way
Thank them for their gifts
May you use them well … yet
To what final purpose?
And ultimately to whose?

Knuckle down
To a pulling up of socks
Wishing, I presume, to avoid
A rude awakening
I lace my shoes in a particular way
To maintain some illusion of control

Yesterday was Groundhog Day
Today is Choose day
Every day is Choose Day
I awake to wonder what next
And to whom to pose such a question
When to ask is contradiction enough

No point asking me, I’m afraid
I’m a stranger here myself

Welcome To The Anthropocene

This new video — from an educational project, The Anthropocene
, developed by the Planet Under Pressure conference — does a great job introducing the idea:

For a little more background, go to http://www.alternet.org/story/154750/

Every Time You Succeed

EVERY TIME YOU SUCCEED

Every time you succeed
In analysing the whole problem
To the point where you see exactly what’s wrong
And begin to investigate
Just what the answers are
You realise again
That it’s no use
To try and be clever …

Learning To Let The Heart Bleed

LEARNING TO LET THE HEART BLEED

They say you’re at your biggest
When you apologise …
All I know:
I feel at my smallest.

You both have little lies to tell
So that it won’t seem so bad,
But you accept them
Because you’re so glad to have each other back.

“Learn to distinguish between good and evil,
But never have a bad thought about anyone.”

“Then how shall I accept the triumph of evil?”

“The same way you accept the triumph of good.”

Sign

SIGN

Eat the stale rôle
Find a new world
They said
I stood at the end of the road
The sign pointed south
I turned east
The sign pointed east
I turned north
The sign pointed north
I turned west
The sign pointed west
I climbed the signpost
As a blind man a white stick
There was no more time
And only the alley was blind
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If you want to see the accompanying illustration, go to

http://winloseordraw.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/everyone-has-a-path/

Travel well and enjoy good companions.

Whose Offence?

WHOSE OFFENCE?

No one takes offence
Unless they’ve already built one
Which furthermore
They demand that you not cross

Most curious of all
They are seldom more than vaguely aware
Of any of this

Apart of course
From their justified offence

A Bare Bones Affair

A BARE BONES AFFAIR

Hello
Thank you
Sorry
Goodbye

(Miss you)