A Story Briefly Told

what meets me on a fresh, empty page is my own promise, a reflection of a selfless start before my personal world begins. There's no story told until first word marks the page. There is no personal saga until thoughts linger as a story. Writing, now, it's just words across the screen. I'll assign no meaning aside a title and leave these words behind. It's just a moment, empty, and a story briefly told. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

My Agenda

certainly there's my own agenda, a wish for happiness, ease, and peace through everyday life - yet mostly there's life, happening through currents unplanned by my own sense of doing. To the extent that I am able to surrender to these greater currents - my personal agenda falls without measure. More so, it seems, there is no point to even surrender. Life is happening, there's only currents in a stream of one existence, and there's nowhere else I could belong. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Air to Wing

air to wing, emptiness to form - one thing 

expressed in the flight of 

imagination,

and so, as well, my own inclusion.

~

it's not difficult to see - nature shows only cohesion, a birds wing is never questioned in flight, it's not foreign to air. It's the same with a tree, rooted deep in earth and reached to sky, yet at no point not belonging to and as the whole. Both bird and tree are objects in a sense, qualities unique to their present form - the same can be said for myself in observation. But can I find a line that breaks this into singular, individual existences? Is there a clear space of distinction between wing and air that demonstrates one is existing in a separate realm from the other? Finding don in my own observation, I must include myself as well within this seamless wonder. Indeed, from air, to wing, to me - it's all one thing. 

Peace,

Eric 

This Green Ascension

it's my season too - not removed in space or even

moment from blade of grass or first bud

blooming, 

belonging fully to this 

green ascension 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Bound to Fail

honestly, it's not truth I'm looking for, I'm not  in search of ultimate understanding or explanation on the why and how of the universe. My aim is poetry - a flow of words that lightly touch upon the indescribable beauty of reality. From beginning word I am always bound to fail, and it's with a smile I add each further word along. It's enough to just be an expression of that beauty, as writer, as one given in attempt to capture what the moment holds, as someone not afraid to fail at every try - it's simple, really, we are the beauty we seek to know.

There's nothing more to add. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Of Goals

of goals - this been a distinct shift, subtle, yet meaningful in their presentation. No longer do I feel in pursuit of something distant, outside my present situation. The motivation to chase is now absent. There are still clear things I wish to explore, to own, and even to achieve - but it seems more to be just another avenue of self appreciation, a means of knowing aspects of myself not yet revealed. This shift went unrecognized for some time, causing conflict in my usual chase for meaning. Things that once had a clear standard of achievement, satisfaction for completion, and effort to make it all happen, simply no longer had the same appeal. Still, I found myself in the same habit of pursuing these activities but no longer with the sense of purpose as before. They felt empty. Things have settled now, I'm seeing my own life unfold in a unique fashion that doesn't seem to fully require my own direct participation. I am pointed in a direction, by a mystery still and always unknown, and without pursuit I simply follow clues given from this great unknown. Without self assigned meaning - there is only the happiness of doing, being present to each step along the way, and the worthiness of motion for it's own sake. Perhaps the goal all along was this realization, or perhaps even this is just another step along the way. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Not Removed

to find myself not removed, life in full, expressed even as the smaller voice that whispers I'm not part of this completion. In this great belonging nothing that appears is separate from the whole. Thoughts are not my enemy, ego is not my imagined self that seeks to own my world - yet too, they are but a small part of my existence. Seeing myself, now, in the light of this completion, there is no aspect, no single part of life itself, that can be claimed as not belonging. It's all one thing, and pointless to fight against ourselves in a civil war based on a belief that we're not whole. To find myself not removed, but only life, in this moment thinking, writing, believing myself to be an ego completely on it's own - it's all just ripples in the same stream of all existence. There's nothing more to do but relax and be exactly what I am. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

No Claim as Artist

the craft of writing, the discipline, phrasing, and words - this art I take seriously and apply myself with effort to all such skills. Yet that's all I'm able to claim, inspiration itself is simply the grace of what's received. My role, and the effort that's applied, is to arrange in artful manner the gift of given words. As such, as a writer, I am as much an instrument as pen, or keyboard, I am as clear and open as first page or empty screen. There's no effort to inspiration, no petitioning for this grace to happen - only the willingness to be set aside for the important matter of allowing what's to come, without the interference of my claim as artist. I write - but only what's been given. That which gives, is always known as mystery. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Now In Bloom

now in bloom, and knowing no division - a flower fully 

belongs to earth as well as sky.

it's always, only, one thing giving way to

itself in the guise of something

other. 

we too are in constant bloom - belonging, 

undivided, to just this moment. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Collective Song

that's the voice we get from nature, our true, one voice in 

collective song,

this then too, is our original voice, not lost, but 

forgotten as a language of 

our own,

listen - we remember ourselves through the note of a birdsong, through the breeze in it's whispering brush against each leaf and blade of grass, through our own sigh as we meet the very same wind in it's play against our skin. 

it's our true, one voice - alone.

~

Peace,

Eric 

Elegant in This Same Fashion

it's a natural elegance - life in seamless acceptance to itself in all things. There comes a point of emptiness recognized and at this same point we see the fullness that it holds. Nothing can be argued as not belonging. There's no jagged edge in reality, in the spread of existence even the sharpness of our sorrow, pain, and anger are softened by their own formless nature, giving way, in their time, to the continuation of the whole. In this way, we see how a tree branch doesn't break through it's reality to touch the sky, it's not a violent act of commanding space to fit it's reach - it's the elegance of nature in full acceptance, one thing trading itself in endless form to formless wonder. So too our own touch within the world - we are elegant in this same fashion. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Any Given Moment

nothing to teach, nothing offered - only 

words written in the voice of

any given moment.

like now. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Of It All Together

it's not told - reality is the emptiness of the page, as well as these words, and then the two appearing now together. One is not separate from the other, meaning is not derived from either of these alone. So too comes our participation, we are matched the same with the emptiness of the page, our form to words, and the completion of it all together. 

It's one thing. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Nothing To Believe Here

to believe - and it's this that often keeps us limited to a life confined by it's conditions. What we believe is just a story told, first by others and then oft repeated to ourselves. Some may well serve, but unexamined even the best belief confine us to the influence of the past. This moment, here where we find ourselves now, is infinite in it's scope of possibilities. We are free. And even in the introduction of a world filled by beliefs - we remain free within this moment. Although we may believe otherwise. There's no method to remain free, no effort to regain the original grace of our innocence. As well, there's no need to disregard a single belief that may have gained our favor. Our only role is to hold beliefs lightly, to examine what may serve as a proving ground of truth, or let go as a function we're no longer meant to hold. In this way, it's not really a choice of beliefs we may wish to own or disregard - once seen in the light of examination, an inquiry of our own open nature, everything flows without need of our direct participation. Life in service to itself. Our own best belief is always towards mystery. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Of It's Wonder

its how one thing opens in appearance as another - a tree reaching to full display of sky, and further still to light as stars. There's no break in this becoming, no point of departure from one appearance to the unseen promise of what might be - just one thing, a mystery even to itself, and always giving of it's wonder. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Aware - Nothing More is Added

aware - but even this implies a presence of it's own, something apart from object that holds the world in observation. Through deepest inquiry I've found no presence that stands alone, no point of this aware space that doesn't include the whole. One thing. To say I am aware is to claim the obvious, and too this includes a subtle language that seeks to break me from the flow, reality given an illusion in the midst of play. But the truth is there is no break, only forgetfulness of my inclusion. So I say aware-nothing more is added.

And everything included. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

It's Just a Story

here's the basic explanation - we are confused by our identification with thoughts being the reality of who we are. They're not. Nor are they separate from what we are. They are the narration of life happening, a story told so immediate after this happening that they seem to be concurrent to the event. They're not. Thoughts occur through the same space that allows the world to be - we are that space. There is no separation between this space (what we are) and thoughts (occurring through what we are) It's all one thing. Thoughts happen. Events happen. Life is happening. Again, there is no separation between this happening(s) and reality. It's life. It's what we are. It's all one thing. To sum it up: the sky is never separate from what it contains, it allows for the appearance of clouds, birds, and planes. It's the capacity for all of these things to appear. Yet it remains, always, and only, the sky. And here we are. 

With one final point - 

this too is just a story, thoughts really, about what we are. 

None of it is true.

~

Peace,

Eric 

Tribe

such as it is-  you're 

my tribe, 

and we face the wilderness of

alone..together. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

For No One There to Hear

just the listening - and the 

world now a 

song

played for no one 

there to hear.

~

It's a distinction made, from hearing, where there is an individual present providing commentary to what is heard, to the simplicity of listening, just sound in the pureness of it's expression. Listening is true meditation, sound unfiltered by bias or demand, it's a birdsong floating through air to reach the center of the soul. That's the music of the world. 

What we are, in essence, is the listening.

Only after the initial play of sound, musical language, is it translated to an understanding for the mind. We are always the prior of both translation and understanding, we are a backdrop of sincerity, silence, providing space for the musical world to be. 

Just listen....

~

Peace,

Eric 

Notes on Recovery

this is about recovery - but not from anything, these aren't words of encouragement to overcome an addiction or breakaway from a certain situations and habits. This is a recovery of something that's not been lost, yet has been forgotten and unrecognized for so long and so many. Perhaps better said, this will be an uncovering, removing veils of thoughts, beliefs and simple oversight that prevents us from truly seeing essentially what we are - in this space uncovered we will see ourselves as endless capacity for our world to be. And our world is meant as personal inclusion, for it is shaped by thoughts and emotions that lead us to the world we see and believe in. We see only a world that is believed into existence. But in reality there is so much more, and so much less to see. 

In a sense, this is about addiction - we are addicted to what we believe, to our own narration of our stories. What we'll recover is just a sense of relaxation and restful awareness. It's a recovery because it's natural, always present, available and our true nature. It's what we are. So we don't break away from our addictions, we don't turn away or deny that which is occurring - addiction or otherwise. We only recognize that something is occurring, happening right now, and from that point of reference comes an inquiry - who or what is aware of this happening? 

We now become aware of this awareness, no label, no special state of bliss and wonder - just aware. And more so, it's an infinite list of what this awareness holds: breath, thought, heartbeat, emotions, appearance of another, absence of another, scents, sound....

It's endless. 

So where do our addictions belong? 

This is about looking. 

It's not about changing anything. Of course that may happen on it's own. Attention has a certain magic to it and once awareness is brought to attention there comes a sense of expansion that helps loosen our hold on what we once thought was so personalized. Nothing is truly ours if it belongs in the non-personalized space of awareness.

Not even our addictions. 

Trace anything to it's point of origin and we arrive at emptiness - find this original emptiness and we see that it is full of all that makes up the world, our own inner world and the world at large. Point from an object held within view to back towards our assumption of a viewer, an honest appraisal of what is seen. 

Our own nature is always clear.

Point to this clarity - and we are recovered. 

Or uncovered.

The rest is details, Important details to be sure, But this is our starting point. And our end point as well. Our openness, our clarity, that which we may always point to - is what we are. Recovery is always now. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Unfolding on it's Own

as it does, and as it is

right now -

the only real truth I know is 

life unfolding,

always on it's own. 

~

By no means does this discount my participation - for I am life itself displayed in thought and form, nowhere removed from particles nor stars, it's all inclusive to my own belonging as the whole. Yet I am not the one given choice in this expression, no more in charge of my direction than the seasonal grace of the first spring flower. There is the illusion of control, and that is the role I play within this understanding. I know myself as life - unfolding on it's own. 

Peace,

Eric 

When Life is Ready

there is no choice of bud to flower, only life now

ready for the spring of it's 

expression.

~

This is the elegance of nature - when conditions are favorable, light and warmth touching branches in just a certain way, we have the first buds appearing, a readiness to receive what the season offers, and blooming in alignment to the worlds perfection. 

Nothing is out of order. 

There's no rush to flower. 

It's a seamless series of endless events, sunlight reaching, rainfall, and things coinciding to bring about a single bloom. At no point does nature choose this timing, it's intelligence itself, life happening through it's own design, expressing each moment as it's own fulfillment. 

We are not removed from this, our own intelligence being one and the same that calls a tree to bloom, the sun to shine, and rain to fall. 

It's all one thing.

Our faith should be no different than the first bud of spring. 

We bloom when life is ready for

that expression.

Peace,

Eric 

How We Always, Really, Are

and this - that's the meditation of the view, of sound, and even thoughts. It's this inclusive understanding that brings us to the reality of peace. One more thing is always allowed. The sky has no limit for clouds, birds, and the reach of trees - and we too, in our way, are just as expansive for the things of the world to appear. Even our dislikes and the things we find offensive find their place within this belonging - and in this way we come to our clear sky quality. Nothing gains purchase in this openness. 

We're free. 

It's a meditation of how we always, really, are. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

In Form and Formless as it Will

it isn't only about trusting what is, the seen and known of the world - there's another faith of emptiness and the unseen, it's the same faith of every bird that greets the sky. This isn't a practicing faith, it's not a method of achievement. There is just a simple recognition that all that is now has appeared from the unseen, that every object is given it's features by the emptiness of it's surroundings, of how silence gives way to each note for a song to be, yet still and always remains silent at it's core. These words too come directly from the void, my own self as empty as a new page, but with faith in the capacity to be filled. This is really, and only, about trusting life to be - in form and formless as it will. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Accepted in The Very Moment of it's Appearance

here's the thing - acceptance is not a personalized verb. It's not something we purposely do, at least not in the sense of how life works without our interference. Everything, in every circumstance and situation, is accepted in the very moment of it's appearance. It's simply what we do, or better still, it's what we are - open to whatever life brings. We don't have to like it, we can work for things to be otherwise, or wish for things to change - and all this too is immediately brought within our calm acceptance. It's instant. We are an allowing space, our nature is to be open to every conceivable expression of life, and in this there is no separation between event or object and our spaciousness. It's here where we find peace, knowing that it all occurs on it's own, no one actively choosing to accept or deny, just this constant welcome to it all, no effort to be anything other than what we are now, and always - life, in perfect expression of itself in every moment. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

For The Appearance of The World to Be

that the world is, and that it's held within view - hints at the endlessness of our capacity. One more thing is always included, mountains to distant stars all fit neatly by sight, and no person is denied the space we offer. We are a wonder in both empty wish for fulfillment and in the rush of gifts that come to find our view. It's a seamless trade of one thing giving way it's formless nature - for the appearance of the world to be.

~

Peace,

Eric 

It's Love

we could call it love, this unconditional welcome of what is, right now, occurring - the word itself is not important, nor is our disagreement otherwise. It's all accepted at once, the immediacy of what appears and it's instance embrace is the very nature of our presence. One thing in calm acceptance of it's every appearance. So who is to argue against this? Even our best argument is already part of this belonging, and more, so is the one who argues. This, than, is love. 

It's the simplicity of what is, 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Our Only Lesson

sometimes, it seems that we get lost in the description, or an explanation leads farther from the actual experience of what is - yet reality, now, and right here, is as simple as one drawn breath and then a letting go. That's life in full happening, nothing added, no specialness or promise of something more - just one breath, and we find that even this happens on it's own, without conscious will needed for life to be. Breathing is. So this is our meditation, our only lesson needed, we are not separate from breath, no effort necessary, and life happens on it's own. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

Mote To Breeze

and even our surrender is a story told, symbolic, as if a dust mote declaring its intentions to the breeze - we too are aimless in the greater circumstance of life, our plans laid aside by sweeping winds of change and grace. This truth is revealed by our demands, desires, and prayers for life in simple plans, our wish for things to play out in least amount of fear and increased comfort. Yet life always brings the full range of what it offers, nothing excluded, and our true and only power comes in this acceptance. We are already surrendered, having never gained control, our role now is to allow, allow, allow, and see ourselves as not mere motes within life's storm, but the breeze as well in full experience as mote and storm. It's all one thing, reality, expressed as every possibility - our life, and all that happens, belongs in this as well. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

That Meets Our View and Step Through Distance

it's not lost, there's no source that isn't available through each moment and every direction of our view. We often feel a disconnect, as if we gained an understanding of our place within the world to only lose it once again in times of struggle and feeling distant from ourselves and others. Yet there is no true source that isn't now, our rebirth of innocence provided by the grace of seeing - it's here, this moment, that we realize we are the one and only originators of the world, an empty source becoming full through the space we offer. Looking back to the origin of our view, the source, we only find the world again, going forth from here, it all continues in an endless spread of our existence. Nothing is found separate from this, it's impossible to wander from a source that meets our view and step through distance. 

~

Peace,

Eric 

In Benefit of Holding All The World

it's not guessing, my own existence is not questioned, and what's explored is the nature of this existence, from my own aware understanding and by extension the world. I find myself drawn now to an easy, natural inquiry of simply seeing no drawn line of separation between myself and others, from my view to what arrives fully formed in presentation, there's no effort to discover anything that is not already fully and always present - that I am aware, and that the world appears comes to my attention in an obvious fashion. I am simply left to wonder at it all, a quiet fascination of my own expansion as the view continues to offer itself in benefit of holding all the world. 

~

Peace,

Eric