tao1776

After many years as a very devout Christian; one who prayed deeply and fasted long, one who refused to believe the rhetoric that stated that any thought or teaching that had you question the shepherd of the flock or the teachings of the Bible is a question inspired by darkness; one that sought to minister and heal and place no harm, even to those that sought to dominate any inkling of free thought....The time came when I decided to seperate myself. To silence the heavy hand of dogma. I touched upon the many paths that went up the mountain. Some were littered with the thorns of dogma and tradition. Some retained the stink of religion and others gave me cause to linger. There is a visible thread that runs through them all. O ne has to shake the tree until all the rotton fruit falls to the ground and only the edible remains. Buddhism and Taoism, Hinduism and Mystic Christianity, Sufism, and many other paths hint at that which is beyond words. Like a whiff of a pleasant perfume that l

To my dear friend Jataka, I almost feel as though I need to apologize. Often in our correspondence, I feel as though I have less and less to offer you. It's not that you ask anything of me. It is more that I feel hollow inside and void of any wisdom, insight or strength. Our spiritual life reveals that no matter how much or how often we rearrange our lives to make ourselves feel better, we realize that life is dukka, a cart with square wheels; there is little that we may do to smooth out the ride. However, in time, with perserverance, patience and perhaps good guidance, we find a way to continue...and in our continuance, the wheels begin to smooth out their edges, not because the edge is any less - we have finally learned how to roll with ride. Like an expert horseman, we bounce and flow with the horse's stride. The amatuer rides stiff and tight and finds himself unable to walk for days on end! There will be no end to life's hardships. Good times, bad times - you know we

Taoism often equates that middle way like a bird that flies across the sky, the moon that is reflected upon the water. It's effect is in the moment. It leaves no trace. There is no imprint of flight or a reflection's press upon the water. ....But This Being Human.....jeeze - considering that I was computer-less due to monitor failure since July 13th, you'd think someone would notice....miss me. Baaaa-Wahhhhh!!!! But that's okay. I still love all my blog pals. You fuckers!!!!!!

My Ford F 150 has been in places lately where a breakdown would have been disasterous. Especially when it is a tie rod that just up and falls off! Yikes! So, it was advantageous that it fell of at work allowing me to just park it. It will be there awhile as I have to replace it myself. I'm shit ass broke and I will need to rent a special tool to do the job. I'll also need an alignment. Hope to get it as close as possible because I may have to put that off too. My oldest son "let a friend" borrow his car. He never returned it. The police found it and had it towed where it still sits. No one has the $$ to pay the ransom. He will most likely lose it. My oldest daughter was stopped on her way to work because she failed to renew her registration. That was also towed. She had to scramble the next day to make it all legal again. My youngest daughter has an expired inspection sticker, a broken pipe at the catalytic converter and a bad steering rack. Oh, and the trans

Syd Barrett We have seen the void, the endless expanse and the awe became fear. Swallowed by its depth, no dark....no light... no understanding, no beauty, an awareness that even death may not provide an escape, a solution. May Syd find peace!

Enlightenment & Realization can be found in the most unusual of places. Many of those that profess to seek Enlightenment are often going in the wrong direction, their very seeking, as they cling to words, scriptures and sutras like one would a raft that is forever missing the beckoning shore. Buddhists do not have a monopoly on Enlightenment. Enlightenment is of itself, nothing more than a word. Those that have attained Enlightenment often point, nudge and suggest that this is so. However, Buddhism does map out a path that can be followed. A path that is the opposite of fundamentalism; albeit many Buddhists follow the path forever trudging the underbrush where thickets and thorns are aplenty. I have smelled the stench of religion in Christians and Pagans, as well as in Buddhists. The Buddha gives the simile of a mountain, in which he describes two friends walking through the jungle, which is a Buddhist metaphor for sense-pleasures. They come upon a mountain slope, and one friend cl

"Naturally the common people don't want war . . . but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along. . . . All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger." ~ Hermann Goering (1832-1946) Hitler's Karl Rove?

As I have said, many times.....I feel the most present at times like these....so relaxed, yawn.....

I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. ~ Ken Adelman , defense policy board member (13 Febuary 2002) Major combat operations have ended. ~ George W. Bush (1 May 2003) You have a mixture of a small number of terrorists, a small number of militias, coupled with some demonstrations and some lawlessness. ~ Donald Rumsfeld (9 April 2004) The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions. ~ Robert Lynd http://www.peacetakescourage.com/declaration.html

The lungs are almost clear. I may celebrate with a cigar... I won another trophy for the Ghia today. They go in the basement next to my "Horse's Ass" trophy that I won after coming in last after a dismal horseshoe season. Watched Jimi at the Isle of Wight last night. Jimi was found dead less than a year later. His death is not in the same catagory as that of Morrison or Joplin; regardless of what you've heard or read. I built a structure to hold my hanging tomatoes. Two plants growing downwards, one on each side. Best way to grow them. I also painted our crow that guards over our porch. A blue hammerite undertone and a satin black over it. The iron bird looks authentic. After the wettest June on record, I feel that I have lost a whole month of summer. I still spend about eight hours a week using job search engines. Tough going. How is it that the GOP touts "small government" and "tax cuts" and from the beginning of Ol George's first term, I hav