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Life Lessons in a Time of War |
Written by Brian Donohue
Wednesday, 23 November 2005
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Don't be a believer; be hard to pin down. Shun predictability; avoid certainty; retreat from the glare of fame—whether it shines toward you or from an alluring box (a television or a photograph in a tabloid magazine). The sun has an entire galaxy to illuminate; you need only enough light to direct your life on earth. Therefore, let moonglow be your model. Let the nurturing warmth of the feminine become your guiding energy, no matter your gender or sexual orientation. Ask for help in all your dealings and decisions, and don't worry about where it might come from, or how. Or whether it is there to begin with. Asking will do you no harm, and cost you nothing in time, money, energy, or self-esteem. Every life is a crucible of Nature—a vessel in which light is made matter. The mixture is heated with the fluid energy of Sex; so whatever you do, don't pour an icy morality onto that precious heat source. If you lack a human lover, then make love with cosmic forms—you'll know them when you feel them. Let your liquid light pour warm and abundant, back into the fire of the universe from which it and you arose. Whenever you think you have the Answer, ask another question. When you think you've solved The Big Puzzle, turn within and rearrange the pieces. The stars in the firmament are not our goal, just our guides. The same is true of teachers and leaders: they are not Masters or Rulers, just passing presences—landmarks along the path. Note where they point, what they say, and then go on by them; looking back occasionally, fleetingly, in love and remembrance. Squeeze conflict and suffering with all your being, as the winepress does the grape. Drink the nectar they offer you whole, and allow it to ferment in silent darkness within you. Then release them. Do not allow yourself to be intimidated via threat, accusation, or guilt, by those you love; nor by anyone with a greater title, a higher income, or a grant of institutional power. No matter our differences, we come from the same Source. Cry out, like an injured child, against the ball and chain of servitude—corporate, governmental, or familial. Do not be ashamed to protest any injustice, no matter how small and no matter how isolated you may appear in your feelings. Anger spoken clearly, brightly, will never degenerate into warlike rage. Be deeply aware of the nearness of death, and then dwell upon Life. Life is still the only adventure we know; all else is speculation. What we know of death is that it is almost certainly not an ending—even from the standpoint of the most mechanistic Science. Death is merely another shore that we touch along the Great Journey. It is therefore no ending, but just a turning point in the movement between dimensions. Persevere. Feel the temptation to quit, to give up and retreat into solipsistic silence or the apathy of grudging compliance; and then go on. As long as you draw breath—and maybe even after your breath is stilled—you cannot be defeated. Look within yourself, and kill a demon a day. The more you destroy within, the more will your life be filled with the wisdom of gentleness. The bodies of dead demons rot into the earth and nourish the growth and blossoming of Compassion. A flower held meekly aloft and recognized with a noiseless exclamation: this is the true self that you already are. Accept this, and open yourself to it. It is your destiny. When the nightflower opens under the breath of the Moon, every war is ended; every tyrant destroyed; every wound healed; every need fulfilled. We are, all of us, only this. Finally, be grateful. Let gratitude suffuse your being; let it become your breath and the pulse of your blood. You needn't be thankful to God or to anything or anyone else in particular: just be thankful—to nothing. And Nothing will hear you, and respond. Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com |
About The Author:
Brian Donohue, M.A. is a psychotherapist who works with the ancient Chinese oracle, the I Ching, to help people in solving problems with health, money, relationships, and work. His website, I Ching Counseling, contains free information, articles, and references on helping you to develop self-awareness, mindfulness in living, and increasing personal growth. His weblog, Daily Revolution, applies psycho-spiritual perspective to the problems and events of our world and times. He can be reached for appointments or referral at his Contact page.
Brian Donohue, M.A. is a psychotherapist who works with the ancient Chinese oracle, the I Ching, to help people in solving problems with health, money, relationships, and work. His website, I Ching Counseling, contains free information, articles, and references on helping you to develop self-awareness, mindfulness in living, and increasing personal growth. His weblog, Daily Revolution, applies psycho-spiritual perspective to the problems and events of our world and times. He can be reached for appointments or referral at his Contact page.You are welcome to publish this article free of charge on your website, newsletter, or e-zine, provided:
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