To Be Woke

it has poignant origins, to stay woke meant to keep aware of the social situations facing Black Americans during a time of grave danger and injustice. This wasn't just a small slice of time in history, and it has cultural meaning to a significant population of Americans, to be woke meant being vigilant to current tensions aimed against them, and to be caught asleep at any time was dangerous indeed. 

to get a feel for this we can listen to Lead belly's song from 1938 "Scottsboro Boy's" were he advises everyone to "stay woke and keep their eyes open". We can get a feel for this right now, 2023, by watching the news and seeing the statistically outrageous number of Black Americans killed by the police, daily, and the indifference most of the population shows towards this issue. It's not because we don't care, or at least I don't believe so, but more that that this news  has fallen to the background noise of our daily lives. 

we remain unaffected, asleep. 

we're not woke because we don't have to be. 

and it's difficult for so many of us to be awakened. 

now, to be woke holds a bit more meaning to many other Americans, it applies to women in the workplace and the inequality that's so often shown, it's to the growing loss of their reproductive rights, the erosion of voting  rights for Black American's, marriage equality for Gay couples, and so much more and more, and more, threats that seem small enough to ignore, to sleep through, and yet we would wake to such a complete loss of freedom. To stay woke means we don't ignore the plight of any, not the least amongst us. 

is there overkill, is there the possibility of being too woke and serving notice to a population that remains largely unaware of what still remains a present danger? Well, that depends - how woke would you wish other's would be if it were you who in this situation? Some believe that we are beyond the point where any of us needs to be woke, we've come so far, and America at it's core is a free and just society. Governor Ron DeSantis has proudly claimed that Florida is were woke culture comes to die and with that statement he ignores the plight of so many who are vulnerable, and might now feel afraid to speak their minds. We are not ready to fall back asleep and ignore the hurt of others, we can't be, ever, and that means being watchful to anything that might harm another, not ignoring signs of racial tension, and more so, being empathetic to the voices that call for us to awaken. 

it amazes me that it's only be a few years since the advent of "woke culture" as a popular term and that already there's a backlash occurring. But we are only a few generations removed from slavery, less so to Jim Crow laws, Gay Americans have only recently earned the right to marry, and even right now women are losing the power to determine what happens with their bodies. There's a pendulum swinging here and once it swung hard against the rights of so many, no, not just rights, but very safety of their existence. Today, it swings in the opposite direction with a bit more justice and concern for those long effected by it's previous harm, and there are some who are dismayed by what's going on, they're caught asleep and are afraid by what they sense is coming, fearful of the backlash of the swing. Yet a pendulum's nature is to settle, there's a sweet spot where love prevails and we come to care for each other through all the differences that we offer. Perhaps it's time to have a conversation with each other, truly being open, not just to our own personal concerns but to the concerns facing others. Perhaps it's time for the pendulum to settle. 

why be woke? 

because there's still a need to be so. 

let's ask ourselves why. 

~

Peace, Eric 

A True Quiet

A true quiet: 

what we want to do is hold the mantra lightly, loosely through the mind, simply thinking it and then letting go, not at all concerned for its return. Our meditation isn't based on concentration, clinging to breath or a Sanskrit world, we think the mantra, gently and with least effort given, allowing it as a faint impression playing through the mind. That's what we return to, we just keep coming back to the mantra, the quality of its sound, with its vibration carrying us deeply below the surface of the mind, a true quiet found. 

and really, that's what's always present, a true quiet between each thought, existing beneath our every impulse and desire, a silent field of pure awareness. Our mantra takes us to the primordial source where thoughts are born, their very first ripple of appearance before they're fully formed as words. At this depth we can watch them being born, coming into existence and then bubbling to the surface, thoughts now fully formed. This is our place of freedom, we're beyond the realm of choice, we're a witness here, simply presence, an allowingness for thoughts to easily come and go.

just the notion of who we think we are.

and eventually, even as witness we disappears. 

another thought let go. 

this isn't a place we reach, it's not what we strive for, and no amount of effort could ever bring us here - we hold the mantra lightly, thinking it and then an easy letting go. The role of the mind it to think, and so we let it do its job, thinking the mantra and whatever other thoughts appear. There are no distractions, we're never off track, it's all the process of meditation, every part of it, wandering mind and all. We just return to the mantra as it appears, remembering it,thinking it again, and at no point chastising ourselves for following other lines of thought through our imagination. It's how meditation happens. 

a true quiet exists within us, 

already.

our every thought appears from there.

what we do is think the mantra lightly, loosely, relying only on its vibrations.

and this quiet place is found. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Everyday

Everyday: 

that I do things everyday, certain things, not habits, but mindful activities that bring me joy - it was many years ago, maybe I was still in my teens and I can no longer recall the exact source, but somehow the message has stuck with me, deeply so, as I read that if something is important to you than you do it daily, never missing a day for any excuse nor reason other than an absolute emergency. This is less obsessive than it sounds, although some obsession will bring us to the edge of mastery, it's all held much too lightly for me to be worried about compulsions. 

again, these things bring me joy. 

so everyday I meditate, a morning session and once more later in the day, I have for almost 30 years. I have written daily for well over 20 years now, never missing an occasion to put even just a few words on a page or screen. It's the same with exercise, everyday I train, something I've done since childhood, although I can occasionally be talked into a rest day, but really, not too often. Is any of this healthy? Compulsive behavior? Maybe so, honestly I don't analyze it too much myself, and those who know me seem to understand it. 

I'm just wired this way. 

weird, most certainly so. 

 and what brings me the most joy is in simply being myself, having self-permission to do the things that are most joyful, and doing so without reproach, nor worry of social concerns. Feel free to be weird is my only message to others, and it certainly works well for me. Yet I'm not talking about success here, this isn't the key to mastery, it's not instructions on how to get ahead in the world and beat the competition. Mostly, this is about relaxing, although in a contradictory way. I don't have to do any of the things I've mention, I'm not compelled to do so, and I'm far from having a driven personality, most who know me would confirm that this is so. But there are a few things that I love intensely, quietly so, yet deeply, and it brings me great joy to devote myself to their practice. None of it is done with any great need to be better, it's not self-improvement, I'm not seeking enlightenment or even fulfillment. It's just the simple joy of doing a few things with a sure and deep pleasure, giving myself away, completely so, to the moment that's at hand and the practice that I'm performing. If I happen to miss a day I truly wouldn't be concerned, there's always another moment at play, another opportunity for the silence of meditation to reach me, for words to be expressed, or motion to be enjoyed. 

everyday...is another point of joy. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Yoga Partners

Yoga partner: 

there's two black cats, sisters, I think around 11 years old now and I've had them for about year, rescued from a shelter. Recently I wrote about the smaller of the two and her love of sunbeams, really, any small ray of light that makes an appearance within her room of choice and she will fit her entire body within its lighted hold. She has also become my yoga partner, stirring from her rest as my mat unfolds, offering a warm-up stretch and then insisting on the proper attention between my every pose, weaving through my legs during standing asanas and stretching right beside me as I practice on the floor. 

she's a yogi too it seems. 

it's the larger cat that's really my companion though, sleeping on the corner of my bed, not being the least bit concerned with my nighttime tossing, simply adjusting her position to find comfort with the change. Every morning she waits outside the door as I meditate, never insisting for me to hurry, patient, sitting in her own asnana of contemplation and only moving as I make my way down the stairs to prepare my coffee and to give both cats food and fresh water. Yes, the larger one is also my yoga partner, joining me in meditation, absorbed in whatever mantra that holds a cat's attention. She stays pressed against the door until my sitting time is over, every morning, and often again in my later session of the day. If the door is shut during any other time she will insist on entering, fairly demanding her right to join me in whatever it is I'm doing - but meditation is the exception to her rule. 

she's most definitely a yogi. 

both cats are my yoga partners, differently, as one is more attuned to contemplation and the other seems drawn to motion, with each finding joy in their individual paths of yoga. I should add that my visiting dog is also my yoga partner, Misty, a bodhisattva, a true embodiment of joy. She follows the path of karma yoga, action, committing herself to our every activity with love and rapt attention. But there are times that she's also joined me in meditation, her usual exuberance set aside for quiet moments of breath and mantra, sitting with me undisturbed until our meditation time is over. 

Misty too is a my yoga partner, a yogi of the finest order. 

I am blessed by these companions, how they found me in this exact time of needing partners on my journey, each offering a special moment of their own. 

yoga partners, one and all. 

~

Peace, Eric 

 

Wish Beauty

Wish beauty;

there are some who wish beauty to the world, artist, wanting only to share those visions that deeply stir their souls, expressing themselves through whichever means inspiration has provided. In this description I believe most everyone is an artist of some sort, different mediums for each of us, with some perhaps more subtle in their work, maybe not quite realizing their life approach is artful in its expression. 

this was a life changing realization for me, providing a mindfulness of action that was absent before - not just my writing and the desire to share, but deeper so, the little acts that could help foster a sense of kindness between two souls, living compassionately, not by choice, but more spontaneously, that my entire life was to be freely given in some truly meaningful way. 

my role is to wish beauty to the world. 

as is yours. 

with this I equate beauty with love, synonymous, that every creative act is rooted in divine origin and is expressed through a deep, committed sense of love. A parents devotion shows this clearly, how a life is crafted with this care, wishing our children a lifetime filled with beauty and providing the means for their fulfillment. I think of my own mother, an artist in the truest sense and how this showed in the little acts of love, striving for beauty in the things she created for my childhood. And not just for me, she was a teacher with a clear devotion to her classroom, putting in long hours past the schoolroom to create an environment filled with love and beauty. She was a teacher of the highest order, an artist, and she truly wished beauty to the world. 

my own art is less important in this way, I'm not reaching a classroom, nor am I a parent nurturing a young mind - it's much easier, more simple, and expressed through fewest words. My true art is listening, giving time to silence and then working with that first glimmer that inspiration has provided. I wake early for this, cultivating silence to hear the words more clearly, and then sharing because that's the role of every creation, regardless if any reader might find these words. Art is shared. That's the only goal it has, wishing beauty to the world through the very act of its creation. It's with this that I feel fulfilled, not by any sense of duty, nor by a feeling of achievement - but that I'm on point, expressing myself, sharing, and yes, wishing beauty to the world. And this seems to carryover to those little acts of my daily concerns, interactions with others, an opportunity to continue to wish beauty. 

again, it's all spontaneous, freely done and given. 

art, for the sake of love and beauty. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: 

perhaps a disclaimer here, just to note that almost everything I write is considered fiction in a way, lyrical prose that isn't meant to prove a point nor sway anyone's opinion in agreement to my own. How I write is intuitive, inspired through a deep sense of listening to a silence through which words appear, arriving to me completely on their own, and my main role here is to organize them on the page. What I strive for is a sense of beauty, with every line in agreement to my soul, that everything should flow by a certain rhythm and sound that maybe only I can truly hear or understand. That's the way it's supposed to be, not writing for an audience but only for myself alone, for the joy of words that seem to float their way to me through silence, to feel the texture of keyboards beneath my resting fingers, and then the sudden moment of inspiration that stirs them into motion, a tempo of complete absorption until their comes a pause, listening again to silence, and then words begin to flow once more.

honestly, with this, I have little concern for topic.

so my disclaimer is this: nothing I write of is important to you, not to any reader who happens to stumble by these words. My reason for sharing them is personal, meaning that it's something I feel called to do, as if art isn't finished, complete, until it's shared. And that's the only point here, I consider what I write to be art in a very personal sense, an expression of something deep within me that wishes to be heard, shared freely on a page without concern for being true to anyone else, nor having to meet a reader's approval as to what's been said. It's the effort itself that seeks appreciation, and I think that's so for any artist, that here is a moment with the soul laid bare, expressed without reservation, fearless, even though it surely will be judged. This is why I've learned to walk away, to give myself completely to the moment of my writing, sharing, and then be free of those concerns, at least the best I'm able. 

my attention now belongs to another morning's writing. 

so really, this is less of a disclaimer as it is another expression, an inspiration to write about the act of writing and what means for me to share. 

it's not an explanation. 

just another morning's worth of words. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Motion of Self-discovery

Motion of self-discovery:

yoga, in regard to the practice of asanas, has been described as the motion of self-discovery, that by moving into a pose, settling into stillness with a soft focus on breath and posture, we enter into a realm of understanding and intelligence, coming to know firsthand the fiction of the body, how it is truly made of space and motion and not a solid thing at all. Yoga moves us into this understanding, slowly easing the body into revealing ourselves as a structure of mystery in the midst of emptiness. 

indeed, it's the motion of self-discovery. 

for me, it's the Sun Salutation that seems to bring this revelation to light, a soft, beautiful flow of events with only a brief pause between each pose, just long enough to catch the underlying stillness that allows my body the motion that it needs. This is how I discover the fiction of the body, how it only appears to be a solid structure, that in reality there are layers here, subtle fields of energy, thought, intelligence, and deepest yet the pure joy of my true existence. 

it's through motion that I come to this discovery, being revealed, and if I proceed, deepening my attention as each asana flows in seamless order - there's another body that makes itself known, both larger and more subtle in its presence, energy, pure, and organizing the potentiality of my form. This is what guides my physical body through its functions, the wisdom of its communication between cells and vital organs, the true cause of my appearance. 

my other body is prana, energy, the pure intelligence of my being. 

and one more, another body, one that knows itself as aware, consciousness itself, and that really this is entirely what I am, the only true body of my existence. This is the bottom line, motion takes me no further than right here, simply being aware, vast, spacious. What's I've found is that yoga is the art of letting go, surrendering the notions of my body, the fictions that it holds, and to give myself to the motion of self-discovery, what's revealed, even as it's shown in mystery. 

the secret is to let go of all of these bodies, surrendering myself to motion...

and the stillness resting just beneath it all. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Umwelt

Umwelt: 

it's a German word, umwelt, and it designates a specific world, an environment unique to every organism, keeping us self-centered in way as to what we're capable of experiencing outside of our limited point of view, our personal worlds. My umwelt is different than yours, and as a human it's completely inaccessible to another species. More so, it would seem, it goes even further to cells of the body, perhaps even molecules, each possessing a world entirely of their own while still belonging as part of a much larger body.

worlds...

within worlds.

perhaps infinitely so. 

of course it seems there's some crossover, an overlap of worlds - I will never really know the umwelt of my dog's experience, with its rich environment of smells and the sharpness of sounds that remain unheard by my own ears. Yet I note her joy of exploration, sniffing information, listening to sounds that are so obvious to her but still beyond my comprehension. That joy crosses over to me, giving me pleasure to watch her roam and explore, and with that we create another world, one completely of our own, a world made entirely of what we share together. 

an umwelt made by love, joy, an experience of different worlds...

that's now shared between us.

our umwelts don't really separate us, not even as a species, they expand our worlds even further, offering us a glimpse of something larger than we experience alone. I have no idea of what it's like to be a dog, such a different world than my own, foreign to my perception as well as to my senses. And I can't experience your world either, not really, as even empathy has limits in its ability to deeply understand another, although it does draw us closer together, softening the borders of our inner worlds. But again, it's worlds within worlds, infinitely so, umwelts of what's shared between us, newly created worlds with every moment we're together. 

yes, my specific umwelt is capable of holding you. 

and with this...

a brand new world is now created. 

~

Peace, Eric 

My Spirituality

My spirituality: 

so often I write about my love of early mornings, the deep silence of these hours, my ritual of breathwork and meditation, and then writing as I enjoy my single cup of coffee for the day. It's something that I cherish, perhaps the most meaningful aspect of my life - truly, it's my spirituality, expressed in a ritual of morning that carries forward all the way to night as I prepare for bed, another day spent living creatively, devoted to the ideals that I value so deeply. My spirituality is personal, a connection to whatever source that comes to me as inspiration, urging me to be kind, compassionate, committed to being of service through my use of words, teaching meditation, healing with the breath, and working with the body for a greater sense of simply being alive and enjoying life in motion. 

that's my spirituality, a practice of life, creativity, the gift of inspiration.

and for me it begin in those early hours, it's the time that I've committed for those rituals, a performance of devotion for the things that I find meaningful and wish to cultivate as aspects of my life that show themselves through the rest of my day ahead. I am better for having woken so early, for finding time to explore my own inner quiet and how it matches the silence of the morning. Through my spirituality I have discovered myself as an artist, finding that all language is poetry, each word that's written is an act of love, a commitment to the emptiness of a page and it's capacity to hold whatever thought is given, unconcerned with anything other than its wish to be fulfilled by my own inspiration. 

yes, that's my spirituality, honed through years of practice. 

I've made this spirituality mine, or perhaps I should better say that inspiration claimed me as its own, lured me here through silent morning hours, providing me with just the right words to use and ideas to write of, expressing myself in ways that eluded once me before. Spirituality isn't something that we do, it's who we truly are in our own most quiet hours, with our scriptures being whatever it is that inspiration whispers to us in the deep silence of our minds. 

my morning ritual is holy, but only as it for me, not meant to be offered as a way for others to follow. My only urge is for you to discover your own path, to find your spirituality and the rituals you might find holy and will sharpen your connection to the source of inspiration. 

whatever the path is, wherever it leads...

it's yours to walk alone. 

~

Peace, Eric 

A Shift of Light

A shift of light: 

just a shift of light against a flower top - and then a sudden sense that I'm alive, aware, and somehow joined as both light and flower, being everything at once, as well as something uniquely more lasting no longer than the briefness of this moment. 

just a shift of light.

but the world seems different now.

it's an epiphany without need of explanation, a small grace of awakening, a gift really - I saw myself completely in this moment, as a splash of light against a flower top, and that I was as much the source of this illumination as I was a petal in a reach for light. And all without any sense of an observer being present, no perimeter of a witness, only a brief boundless instant of clear participation. Life...simply happening, flowing, shifting, and aware. 

yes, amazingly, even light's alive, an energy of endless giving, love. 

and then gone, or I should say my sense of self returned, instantly weighing the importance of this moment, deciphering the grace of my epiphany, including myself as a witness to it all. It was no longer just a shift of light against a flower top, it was enlightenment, an ego's claim of great significance and meaning, my own declaration of awakening. 

but not really, it's just a game that's played - in reality I remain a shift of light, momentary, a brief illumination to an endless stretch of life. 

the though of I - is simply an appearance in I am...

and again, it's just a shift of light against a flower top. 

~

Peace, Eric 

How To Find Ourselves

How to find ourselves:

it's about how to find ourselves, how to find our truest, deepest, most authentic self, it's about finding ourselves as presence - and that seems to be the effort of meditation, of self-inquiry, and other means of inner exploration. And yet presence is exactly what we are right now, at all times, without any effort required for our sense of being alive, curious, and present to our current situation. Meditation should be a joy, relaxed, a celebration of our awareness. Inquiry provides us with an avenue for our curiosity, exploring the dynamic nature of our presence, being witness to our ever changing expression, and perhaps the real question of inquiry should be - who am I now, and now, and now? 

with the answer always changing...

even as our presence remains the same.

here's how to find ourselves as presence - relax, and here we are, alive, aware, a flow of breath, a sense of unique beingness, the process of an energetic body, thoughts and the inner stillness of the mind. They're all aspects of who we are, anyone of them brought fully to our attention would lead us directly to presence, and not a single one is a truth completely on its own. 

presence is a mystery.

and knowing that...

we're found.

being a mystery all along. 

~

Peace, Eric 

A Bindu

A bindu: 

cosmologist tell us that the entire universe expanded almost instantaneously from a single point of infinite energy, a singularity, and that all potential material for the construction of matter emerged at once. Even space itself was created for the reach of this design. So from near nothingness, a bindu - and now all that we behold. I like to think of it as less of a Big Bang and more as an immense whoosh of pure existence, not as an explosion of energy but as an expansion of infinite faith for the universe's creation. 

and all from a single point of energy.

 from a singularity. 

a bindu. 

bindu is a Sanskrit word for point or dot, it's a singularity of consciousness, not just as a beginning point for creation, but as existence itself, right now, as well as its continuation. Everything emerges from here, existing here through every self-created moment, and eventually merging here again for a new potentiality of reality to be expressed in a mystery of creation. This is our own personal Big Bang, a whoosh of consciousness in its expansion, our entire universe created at once. 

a bindu, existing now, within us, always. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Breath of Fire

Breath of Fire: 

my mornings begin with breath of fire, Kapalbhati in Sanskrit, and it's a fast paced, rhythmic breathing technique, a pranayama method, that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system to prepare me for the day ahead. There are many benefits to this breath, including a quick increase of energy, strengthening the nervous system to help better handle stress, stronger lungs, and cleansing the body of accumulated toxins. It's also an important ritual for me, awakening my mind to it's creative potential, priming me for writing, and invoking inspiration through the channel of my breath. 

breath of fire connects me to my muse.   

this is done right before my morning meditation, it's preparation, helping me to be at once sharper in concentration, as well as more relaxed as I sit and begin silently, gently, thinking my mantra. It's been well over 20 years of this same practice, the breathing pattern a bit different now, but the ritual has been the same, serving me well as I haven't missed a morning of writing in all these years. 

it seems the breath invokes a higher inspiration. 

my breathing practice is three times a day, and therapeutically as needed. The first session, using the breath of fire, is to awaken me, to help prepare me for the coming challenges of the day, cleansing my mind so that I'm better able to receive fresh ideas and inspiration. In the afternoon I use a more neutral breath, one that's meant to level out my energy, reduce that day's accumulated stress and bring me back to center, allowing my day to continue with a greater sense of ease. The last session is devoted to a peaceful mind, unwinding from the day, casting my nervous system into a parasympathetic state of deep rest and relaxation. Every session is important, each one serves in some important way, yet this last one is vital in its role of leading me to deep and peaceful slumber. It's here that I shed accumulated stress, surrendering the energy of the day for a nights complete rest. Truly, it seems the next day's potential begins right here, before the morning's breath of fire there is a night still ahead, with the promise of rest and rejuvenation, and this breathing session is a means of its achievement. 

this is a seamless practice, each session leading to the next in a structure of importance, small moments of mindful breathing throughout the day, using a natural function for its highest potential of healing. Most mornings begin with the breath of fire, although at times I will sometimes use another, stronger, breathing pattern, this is how I start my day, devoting just a few minutes to a practice that offers so much value to me. The importance of this is understated, I am literally breathing the day's potential here, my response to how it all unfolds, vital measures of my health and peace of mind being breathed with these moments. 

truly so, it begins with just the breath. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Equanimity is Yoga

Equanimity is yoga: 

equanimity is yoga - those are the words that captured my attention in my recent rereading of the Bhagavad Gita. A similar passage is also found in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, which has also been part of my current study. It seems that every time I go back to these books of perennial wisdom I am struck by another aspect that calls to me to consider and explore more deeply now, as if I'm ready now in a way that wasn't quite before. Every part of my practice has deepened, I've devoted myself to understanding yoga though it's  most subtle meaning, and Krishna's words to Arjuna invoked a strong urge within me, a desire to know more and better understand the equanimity of yoga. 

I'm not new to this concept, it's a quality that was cultivated for years  through Shamatha meditation, a practice of concentration that leads one towards Vipassana or insight meditation. Yet it's a quality that seems easily lost, forgotten, as life holds us in it's sway, our minds readily absorbed through all of life's passions and sorrows, likes and dislikes, pleasure and suffering. Yoga doesn't tell us to be unmoved by any of this, but to simply return to center, beingness, our original nature. 

equanimity is yoga. 

this is clearly demonstrated through asanas, movement, and how we so easily fall out of balance as we try to hold a difficult pose. Equanimity is returning back to center, smiling with every attempt even as we increase the measure of our concentration. It doesn't matter if we can hold the pose or not, the length of time isn't of any great importance, only that we smile through the effort, appreciating the joy of being in motion, balancing, that we have this ability to even try at all. Equanimity is knowing that sometimes we fall, losing our balance, failing to maintain a stable posture - and yet always, deeply, we remain established at true center, beingness, never straying once from this position. 

equanimity is this reality, who we truly are at center. 

and yoga is simply its practice. 

a reminder of who we are. 

even as we lose our balance. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Humble

Humble: 

really, we should find ourselves humble, and most especially so as artist of any kind - it's though these creative expressions that it's seen so clearly that we are not solely responsible for words or  the brushstrokes of inspiration, that a greater hand than ours guides us to these ideas. An artist is fortunate to be able to lay claim to their creations, and yet deep within we know that they are not ours alone, that every aspect of our work has been gifted in someway. Of course this doesn't dismiss the hard work that takes place, nor the dedication that's required. An artist deserves their praise and admiration. But the talent isn't ours, it's innate within body and soul, a creative mind and the desire to use it for the pursuit of higher inspiration isn't really a choice that's made, it's simply what an artist was born to do. 

we should be humble by the faith these gifts display.

and honestly in this way, we're all artist of a kind, gifted by ideas and inspirations that guide us through our lives. The only real difference between any of us is in how deeply we've come to listen to that inner voice that steers us towards our highest creative ideals. For me, it's not really a choice of discipline, but more a path of joy, I'm happiest at my desk, keyboard right before me, earliest moments of the morning and my coffee at hand. I know that words will soon arrive and it's just a matter of making myself ready, to be prepared for words and making it easy them to find me each morning. I am here, a writer, a willing instrument to be used by inspiration. I'm humbled by the part I have throughout the entirety of this process, realizing that so much of my time is simply meant for waiting, listening to the silence through which words find their way to me, patiently, and yes, joyfully. This process is in play right now, at this  very moment, with words making their way to me, and I arrange them on the page, properly, and with great with care and honor, humble as I do so. 

it's all such a gift, quite literally so, none of this is my own doing, it's just what I was called to do and for some reason, a mystery really, my soul responded. I easily find myself humble, knowing that I'm simply part of such a larger process here, and yet still I get to sign my name beneath the prose. None of these words are really mine, every single one was gifted to me, rewarded through my patience, appearing from some larger source of inspiration. I have no idea how any of this works, but I continue to show up each morning, joyful, humble...

ready to receive words.

they know exactly where to find me. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Writing Finds Me Here

Writing finds me here: 

writing finds me here, present to the beginning emptiness of the page along with my desire to participate in its fulfillment of words and meaning, perhaps even a few lines of striking beauty, or a particular thought that offers some keen insight. I never really know what's to be written, not even as the words begin to flow, writing remains a mystery until the very end and the page is filled. It's similar to meditation in a way, surrendering any sense of control for something larger to be involved, a greater creativity than my own that stems from a vast inner-world of silence. This is where words arrive from, not from a thinking mind, full of plans and with a set agenda -no, words come from silence, from the truest sense of inspiration, strictly from the spirit world and then gifted to the page. 

writing find me here, in the mystery of it all. 

grateful to receive this gift of words. 

really, it doesn't matter what I write of, I'm always happy just to be within the process itself, involved, thick in the midst of inspiration. The less I control is always better, I've learned to be patient, my eagerness restrained by hard gained wisdom. Writing always happens on its own, or at least that's how words first appear, not through my effort, but only by surrender, letting go of any belief that I have some control. I am only here to arrange the words once they've been given, providing some structure to their flow. It's the easiest job of all, and it's always with a self-knowing smile that take credit for the words. 

writing finds me here, already surrendered...

ready for the gift of words. 

~

Peace, Eric 

We Introduce the Mantra

We introduce the mantra: 

we introduce the mantra gently and easily, not to disturb the present flow of thought, but only to allow another option, a vibration for the mind to naturally find attractive and listen to for a certain length of time. The mantra itself is just a thought, a faint impression that passes on to a silent place beyond the point of thinking, where stillness permanently resides and allows for every thought's passage. In this way we we don't seek to end the mind's natural process, nor undermine it's natural role of thinking - mantra meditation is simply an ever easy method of allowing the mind to return to its preferred silence completely on its own, not using the mantra against the flow of thoughts, only giving a moment of our attention to a vibration that works in silence's favor. 

it's that easy, truly so. 

we introduce the mantra gently to the mind, not chanting, no endless repetition of a magical word - it's all about a vibration, a sound without any given meaning and how it echos through the mind. It's not wielded as a weapon against another thought, it's not meant be used as a replacement for thoughts we find disturbing or that hold our fascination. Meditation is a natural affair, thoughts are not off limit, nothing is forced or even altered by our effort. We introduce the mantra to our mind, always gently, never as anything more than a faint impression, and we place our faith to its currency, the value of its vibration, and how it carries us to silence without any great effort of our own. 

and that's how we meditate.

of course this is just one means of meditation, mantra based, Vedic in origin, ancient. It's worked through the ages for the purpose of a peaceful mind, not transcending thought, nor as a tool for awakening to another state of being, but to simply and only be at home exactly where we are right now. Our peace is ever present, natural, and found here, no effort needed for its return. We introduce the mantra for the pleasure of its vibration, the quality of its silent nature, and for the ease of simply listening as it echos through the mind. 

and with this...

we find ourselves in stillness. 

~

Peace, Eric 

How Writing Sometimes Happens

How writing sometimes happens: 

it's rare that I have nothing to write of, no idea formulating at the back of my mind that readies itself as I reach the keyboards and begin my morning ritual of writing. But it does occasionally happen and I've found myself being okay with this now, more so, seeing it as an opportunity for patience, for being still, and to truly listen to the silence that precedes my every inspiration. It's really just another form of meditation, replacing mantra with sips of coffee and false starts of words that only wish to play against the page without any real sense of commitment, appearing in clusters, yet never following through to any larger theme at all. I'm fine with this, it's how writing sometimes happens - and that I'm here, facing the page, waiting, returning back to the ever present silence...

it's what writers often do. 

this is also an opportunity for my own creative play, there's nothing serious to write of now and I can allow myself the freedom of any expression that comes to mind, no need for any theme or grand inspiration - I use this time to explore thoughts that present themselves to me, to write about the process of creativity, filling the page with a stream of conscious explanations on how writing sometimes happens. I've found that this brings me great joy, writing on the wait for inspiration, on accepting silence as the source of words, and the art of patient listening. It's become a standard theme of mine, useful, and fills the page with a morning's worth of words. 

and yes, it's how writing sometimes happens. 

so to tie this to a larger point, giving this prose some sort of meaning - a writer shows up everyday, whatever time is set to mind, and their only true role is to be present, to accept silence as the source of words, and to find themselves comfortable waiting for their appearance, playing with the false start of inspiration without any sense of frustration, remembering that it all a process, another form of meditation really, and that we always return again to silence. This is where inspiration finds us. It's how writing sometimes happens. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Something Extraordinary

Something extraordinary: 

we're not sure exactly what it is, but it's something extraordinary, some quality of events that gives us an edge of consciousness beyond any other life-form, that somehow we're different, more aware of what we truly are and our place within the world. The chemical actions within our brain is different than other animals, as is its size and complexity, and yet this only explains that process of our thoughts, not really explaining why this difference has occurred. It's here that some might turn to philosophy or theology for their answers, with claims that we've been blessed with divine providence over the world, or some might say we're only smarter animals by a certain measure of degrees, and that we still belong within life's natural order. I'm not a scientist, nor a philosopher and no theological theories fit my views. 

I'm conscious...and aware that this is so. 

something extraordinary indeed. 

so the question for me isn't how I found myself here, or even to ask why - those are inquiries of science and philosophy and for me it's enough to just be alive, aware that something extraordinary has occurred, a miracle really, a gift. I am bewildered by my stance here, a mystery, every moment seems so spontaneous, with life is so freely given, everything simply appearing, and that I'm somehow in the very midst of it all. 

for many years my question was - who am I? 

and now, through the effort of continuously asking, I can honestly say...

I don't know. 

but it's something extraordinary, and completely natural as well, belonging fully to the circumstances of my surroundings, part of the environment itself and that includes an all pervasive intelligence, consciousness. Do I have certain proof of this? It's a bold claim to say that consciousness is all - and yet I only have my life to offer, the mystery of my own existence and that it includes my conscious understanding of the world. I have no answers, no speculations, just this life amidst the seamless display of my awareness. 

I don't offer this as proof.

only that I am...

and it's something extraordinary indeed. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Seen as Maya

Seen as Maya: 

the world is seen as Maya, illusory, confining us to our senses - and yet this description doesn't deny reality, there's no claim that what we see, taste, and touch isn't real, only that it isn't the final say in what is ultimately true.  Quantum physics asks a similar belief from us, describing a manifest world that has its origins as a vast emptiness, not even space or time existing, only an energetic field that somehow gives rise to vibrations, particles emerging, dancing the world into existence. Nothing is really as it seems, or at least as we perceive reality to be, it isn't a solid world at all.

everything's a vibration.

dancing.

seen as Maya.

so does this matter? Does knowing the illusory nature of the world make any difference to the reality that we take for granted? I think so, and certainly the yogic seers who first noted the state of Maya believed so, and they offered us different means of seeing through the clouds of illusion. What they don't offer us is an escape and this is because none is really needed. Maya is reality, only differently perceived. There's no reason to deny vibrations, recognizing the inherent emptiness of a tree doesn't cause its beauty to diminish, but only adds to the magic and mystery of its appearance. Science often sees reality as random, events that happen by chance and carry on to a conclusion that we quantify and measure. Seen as Maya - and there's magic here, not chance, nothing random, but things spontaneous emerging, falling back withing their energetic field of origin, and arising once more as another new appearance. 

seen as Maya...

and it's a magical world. 

with nothing to be denied, no issue of escape - we experience it all, every sorrow and infinite pleasure, beauty, loss, grasping for something permanent for us to hold. No experience is denied us, everything belongs here. Seeing reality as Maya doesn't cause any sense of loss to lose its sting, but only sharpens the beauty and temporary pleasure of the things that we treasure, deepening our appreciation. Seen as Maya...and we truly cherish all the beauty that appears within the world, however briefly its been given for us to hold, and even our sorrow is now seen in the poignant light of love. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Fifth Limb of Yoga

Fifth limb of yoga: 

perhaps what fascinates me the most is the subtle, deeper meaning of these terms, such as pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga that generally translates as withdrawal of the senses. This is the limb that takes us within, a bridge between the more physical means of yoga and its internal observations. Taken literally, we are meant to withdraw our senses from the outer world of stimulation and distraction and turn attention towards the infinite field of awareness that exists within us. Some may say that this is the true beginning of yoga, the inner-work, our initial approach to meditation and the bliss that's being offered. 

and here's where it grows more subtle, that we're not asked to truly withdraw from the world, nor to abandon the activities that give us pleasure, but simply to observe their incessant tug at our senses and how they keep us focused on the surface of our lives, never questioning their worth or if they truly bring us joy. That's the fifth limb of yoga, pratyahara, observing what pulls us away from our inherent sense of peace and satisfaction, seeing how and where our suffering is born, and being witness to how life unfolds through the lens of our attachments. Nothing needs to done here, no drastic changes made, only observing ourselves with compassion, lovingly, bringing notice to the all allowing field of our awareness. Change happens on its own through our continued effort to bear witness to reality, just being watchful as to how we engage with the world, smiling as we lose ourselves to the grip of our attachments and smiling even more as we return to the reality of our awareness. 

the fifth limb of yoga is a process really, being witness as well as the observed, not splitting between the two, but truly seeing how reality unfolds in seamless wonder, that life flows through this field of awareness, unattached to any outcome other than the simplicity and joy of its participation. Pratyahara is the practice of viewing ourselves in the light of this awareness, withdrawing from our attachments as a means of being more fully engaged with life, gaining a deeper commitment and appreciation to the reality of who we truly are. 

the fifth limb of yoga...is simply bearing witness. 

~

Peace, Eric 

As a Sunbeam

As a sunbeam: 

of my two cats, sisters adopted from a shelter almost a year ago, it's the smaller one that always seems to find the sunbeam, having a special talent of finding warmth and light, tracking the sun's reach as it travels through the living room, stretched out and basking in its rays. I will generally find her wherever there is a spot of sun that lights the floor, gradually shifting towards wherever the sunbeam next appears. What I especially love to observe is when she accidentally discovers a new sunlit spot, walking through the room for whatever purpose she has in mind and suddenly finding herself in a place of warmth and light, collapsing immediately in a delighted stretch and offering her belly to the entire length of sun. I know I'm witnessing an act of sheer joy and pleasure, spontaneous, and it extends towards me, reaching me in the same manner as a sunbeam and a delighted cat. 

I am touched by this same light...

even from a room away. 

thinking of this now, and it's still an hour more before sunrise, but I know that there's a reach of light that heads in this direction, hitting the glass plane just right, perfect in its timing, and my little cat will be the first of us to greet it. She's patient, light always finds its way to her, and she shows her  appreciation in a deep stretch of joy that covers every inch of a sunbeam's offer. She will contort herself to fit exactly in its lighted spot, it's truly a bask of pleasure, not changing her location until the eventually sun moves on. 

and what I think of right now is of her appreciation, that one joyful moment of light and warmth, lasting only as long as the length of the sun's travel through the room. She doesn't lament the sun's motion, each sunlit position is a new discovery of joy, another place that offers her a moment to stretch within its light, every sunbeam is unique and holy, meant for her alone, and she'll adopt her posture to fit fully in its length, content with what is given. 

all of this extends towards me, the same joy and light...

reaching me as a sunbeam.

and I find myself content,

exactly where I am. 

~

Peace, Eric 

It's the Body That's the Soul

It's the body that's the soul: 

really, it's the body that's the soul, or as much part of it as any ethereal spirit might be, being that it's a true home made of the elements created by dying stars and the expansion of the universe itself. The body is what we are in a very real way, earth dust breathed to life, a creation of exquisite beauty and precise function - we are bodies infused with soul, not separate in anyway, but belonging fully to our home here, to life itself...to creation.

it's the body that's the soul. 

and if we think of rebirth than it's the body that's reformed, elements near immortal in their use, already here for an eternity, particles that once gave form to ancestors, ancient structures, and further still, even before space and time existed, just a singularity compressed of infinite energy - there was the potentiality of our bodies, the raw material of our creation, and the very soul of our existence. In some form...we've been here all along. 

so how could we not honor the body, see it as soul and immortal in it's own way? We are embodied in the truest sense, nothing but life, elements of light that once burned as stars, and now burn brightly as our bodies - we are universe, earth, creative dust and clay. We're everything, our bodies have been been every speck of creation at some point in time, molecules existing now, lending themselves as our present form, have been around since a single cell crawled from an ocean;'s floor and sparked a creative evolution. Our bodies are more than possibly imagined, they're timeless in their way, temporary in form, but ongoing as the soul of our existence. 

yes, it's the body that's the soul. 

~

Peace, Eric 

We're Generous

We're generous: 

by our very nature we're generous, each cell devoted completely to its particular function, our organs working for the benefit of the whole system, how the heart pumps blood throughout the entire body  without concern of ever running empty. Even our breath returns itself to air, with every exhale providing carbon dioxide for trees and plants to use in respiration. We are designed to be giving, composed of elements created by dying stars and particles that came to existence just moments after the Big Bang's initial expansion, we're universal, made of recycled parts, and will again be used by nature. 

and none of this is a conscious decision.

it's simply what we are. 

 we're generous. 

yet also, we're forgetful of our nature, not always remembering our true generosity of spirit, or how we really function for the benefit of the world. We've come to believe that we're separate from each other, from our environment, and that it's somehow best to look after our concerns alone. It's a false notion, a selfish fiction, denying that by our very nature - we're generous, built entirely for giving. The whole purpose of any spiritual practice is to remember what we are, returning ourselves to service just be relaxing as our original nature, no conscious effort needed.

it's what we are.

generous by our very nature. 

~

Peace, Eric 

Already Enlightened

Already enlightened: 

it's the body that's enlightened, already, and without need for seeking anything beyond the present moment of breath and heartbeat, the easy function of every organ, and coherence of its system. Every cell knows of its divine nature, that it has a purpose, holy and pure in its order, it's practice, sadhana, being to provide structure to a particular point within the entirety of the body, and in this each cell is in service to the whole. Even the mind is enlightened in its way, more than just a brain located in a lofty command center within the head, the mind is found throughout the body, it's the intelligence of blood flow and the wisdom of digestion, our body is the mind, seamless in its connection. It's the body that's already enlightened, through parts and whole structure, completely so - and this is realized by just relaxing, allowing ourselves to simply be the body, nothing to transcend, being at ease with who we are. 

that's the enlightenment we're searching for...

already present as the body. 

and yet there's a larger body too, we're more than the appearance of a single form, our true body continues on as earth and further still to the reach of every distant star. Our enlightenment is this realization, our completeness, knowing that we don't end with the touch of earth and air against our skin, that it's only the point of our continuation, opening as sky and extending deep within the ground, rooted and at once expanding past the boundaries of our hold. 

it's the larger body that's enlightened. 

we are this single body, from cells to stars, seamless in our order. It's this body that's already enlightened, and it's who are, right now, at this exact moment, and no amount of searching ever brings us any closer. So our only role is to join this sadhana, a simple practice of being at ease as body, honoring ourselves too as the body of the world...and further still...

~

Peace, Eric 

Energy of Being

Energy of being: 

it's not really so esoteric, a mystery yes, but not something outside our intuitive understanding - prana is simply the energy of transformation, it's what sparks the single cell within a mother's womb to develop as a baby, it creates the toddler's sudden urge to walk, and hormones of its teenage years. Prana is the energy of cells, communication throughout the body, change, and the animation of matter into life. The easiest definition is to say that prana is the cause of motion, the drive behind every transformation, and the vibrancy of our existence. It's the energy of being. 

prana is the science of attraction, drawing particles together to form atoms, and then atoms combining in a bond of molecules, further we have the interaction of these molecules forming cells and onward to the tissues of our bodies. We are the creation of prana, an energetic structure, a bond of attraction. It could be said that prana was the whisper of motion that caused the Big Bang, the urge for the universe to evolve and continue to expand.

and more intimately so, it's the energy of being, our life-force, animating our existence. It's the breath and the gift of life that it carries, a subtle charge that brings us to awareness, causes our conscious understanding of who we are within the world. We are, everything is...because of prana. 

it's that simple. 

pranayama is the art of recognizing this gift, devoting ourselves to a moment of deep appreciation and drawing this energy fully into our bodies through awareness of the breath. It's the practice of giving notice to this subtle energy of being, opening ourselves to its potential, giving us cause to further expand through the possibilities of life. Breathing is a gift and pranayama is its unwrapping. We breathe ourselves into existence, with every breath being our connection to the divine. 

prana is the force that ties this all together.

it's the energy of being. 

~

Peace, Eric 

It's Not Ours

It's not ours: 

it's helpful to not think of creativity as being ours, or at least not in the way that we normally do, as if it's a quality that should always be present at our command, responsive to our certain needs, and blaming ourselves for times it might falter. Yes, we are creative, it's innate to the very fabric of our existence, it's what we are in essence and through expression. Yet it's not a quality that we own, with some possessing it in finite amounts and others in clear abundance - it's not ours, not exclusively so, it's a gift of simply being alive, a mystery, and always in display in some unique and curious way. But it's also taken for granted through virtue of its constant presence, seldom given notice for the world that it produces, small wonders that we're given such as trees and grass, grand views of mountains, oceans, and the company of others, even our bodies are a gift of true creation, a cooperation of events inspired to show us as alive. Creativity isn't ours as a quality to reach for...

it's what we are. 

many ancient societies believed that creativity wasn't a human virtue, but something given from the gods, prayed for, rituals performed in order to be received. It often seems fickle when reached for, present at times and then vanishing before a particular need. This is shown in Kipling's quote on the creative notion of Daemons, a separate source of inspiration that must be invoked, courted and coaxed for its appearance in our lives - " When your Daemon is in charge, do not try and think consciously. Drift, wait, and obey" It's a lovely quote and one I'm in complete agreement with. But what's best realized is that the Daemon is always in charge, present now, and is actually who we are, not a separate quality, just an aspect of our life, deeply hidden, yet always working through our presence. 

and this is also what we surrender to, our Daemon, creativity itself, giving it free expression without any of our personal demands. We drift within this creative source, waiting only for inspiration to revealed through the pleasure of it's timeline, obeying the sudden whim of its whispered urge for action. This is creativity, it's not ours, not in the sense that we possess it...

it's what are by divine essence. 

and it's always in display. 

~

Peace, Eric 

A Magical World

A magical world: 

I find it interesting to consider the differing philosophical thoughts on consciousness, from scientific materialism to the what's considered the more mystical views of monism or panpsychism, all philosophies on how consciousness emerges and the primary role it plays in the world. It seems odd to me that any one of these views could be seen as any less spiritual than any other, that materialism itself doesn't rely upon the magical belief that randomly arranged matter somehow gave cause for consciousness to emerge completely on its own. This magic doesn't make it any less scientific, it doesn't deny the plausibility of its occurrence, but only enhances the mystery of it all, how randomness and chance play such significant roles in the creation of consciousness. However viewed....it truly is a magical world. 

as for myself, I'm prone to mystical thinking, drawn to the ineffable, and feel completely at home in mystery - again, science only enhances how I feel, not detracting at all from my sense of being in a magical world. It's amazing to consider that an entire universe happened by chance, everything perfect in its order for our world to occur, and that somehow, miraculously even, it was all arranged in such a way that life emerged, more so, a particular life that holds it all with such reverence, joy, and deep appreciation. Materialism proves that life is precious, showing the presence of mystery within every moment of existence, perhaps even God, not by name nor actions of a divine creator, but simply by description, how life emerged through such a magical way. 

of course this is a stretch, it's just my own take through the use of lyrical prose to spin a scientific theory to suit my mystical direction. Science seldom deals with God, nor does it need to in order to make such incredible advancements of its theories. My only point here, if indeed I even have one, is that every explanation of consciousness remains in the realm of magic and mystery. To think of how it has possibly occurred only deepens my appreciation that I'm able to consider anything at all, bringing me deep joy that I'm able to explore such a magical world, and reverence for this life that I've been blessed with. 

no matter how conscious emerged...

it's no less a magical world. 

~

Peace, Eric