Spiritual Formation

1

The ‘ol yellow cat’, was the most honored of the barn mascots on the farm. He lived a long and full life before I had to put him to ‘sleep’ for renal failure. But! The day before I delivered a lethal dose of barbiturates intravenously, Yellow mustered all his strength, kissed his barn buddy, the dog Erasmus, good-bye and defied his feline nature by taking a swim in the pond!?.

I have never seen that behavior in a domestic cat in my life!

The Ol Yellow cat was given a full service of mesquite pyre, and a place in the farm annals of ‘signs’-things are not as they always appear.

An outbreak of bubonic plague in 1665 sent Isaac Newton back home to Woolsthorpe. He welcomed the isolation; the plague years were the most productive of his life.

“There is a vital agent diffused through everything in the earth, a mercurial spirit, extremely subtle and supremely volatile.” I. Newton

The contrast between thinkers like Newton , who believed a sacred secret knowledge had once existed but was lost, and our modern mentality , which claims those who came before us were hopelessly superstitious, is stark.

History has painted Newton as an agent of science that was bastion against mysticism, the practical application of the Unknowable-nothing could be farther from the heart he exposed in his journal writings. His experiments, drive to find truth, dodging the Church while pursuing God all served into his makeup and contributions to the era; although, the end of his contributions to mankind from insights came to an end after he achieve fame in London. No more struggle no more ground breaking theories.

Isaac Newton: Magician, Parabola, vol. 45, Winter 2020-2021:Soraya Field Fiorio

I’m just saying————-J.E.W.

“If you don’t want an elephant in your room, don’t become friends with an elephant trainer”.

“If you don’t want an elephant in your room, don’t become friends with an elephant trainer”. (Sufi mystic)

For some of us who have suffered with anxiousness, depression, inner turmoil -we turned to ancient paths of Spirit. The voices had become to many to contain, especially upon discovery they were not our real Voice.

It seems during exasperation, and or extended practice, one is given a slender peep into letting the ‘personality’ slip into the Personality of All—-the struggle is over.

The way to constructive protest is loving the one you disagree with as much as you love yourself, knowing behind the duality is Unity containing you both as one.’ (Para-Ram Das, Remember Now Be Here)

I try to read enough news about the corona virus to see what is required in the area I happen to be in and how human behavior maybe reacting-way to much for me to research. I would like to mention just a few personal experiences from dealing with the corona family in veterinary medicine over my career and some human behavior that is striking to me.

I started the post and it quickly became a scientific discourse-something I’m not qualified for. I will mention one sentence in a news article I saw, “while masks are being required on the beaches in some areas, one is recommended to remove your mask before swimming or water activities”!

This reminds me of the embossed warning on our PLASTIC CANTEENS the US Army provided me in the later 70’s, “ this canteen is not to be heated over open flames”! Both of these statements seem almost humorous, unless one happens to have a frozen canteen, starving for water and under enemy fire, or dives into water with a surgical mask on!

This just reminds me we humans need help to remember the obvious, and we need to laugh at ourselves during ‘battle’-it seems to keep the senses clear and engage the reality coming straight at us.

“Long may you run’, Neil Young

may your bullets be dodged, and your mask be unnecessary soon-until then, find a place to laugh out loud!!!!

There are several larger gathering of folk in the camp ground today that are obvious family reunions around the 4th of July. There is one thing in all the gatherings here that is striking-little laughter among adults and high camp site cancellations.

It’s time to sit and ask, ‘who sits?’

So, we came to the line-the one for release from this gravity into expanse

It matters not we held tight to the illusion of control, containment of it All

All came in the form of Big Love,

The All powerful form of Love

Disguised in the foliage of form

Oh dear, now that you let go, breath deep

You join the untethered souls of all creation

How daring you were to live here among us all!

Bye

Ibbie White

0130 AM Pacific

Jan 24, 2020

Left Kauai as a pure soul

Bye dear

[delayed till Now]

We learn to ask at a young age, ‘is this world a safe place’? Some of use even after decades of asking are still not quite sure.

This is becoming a spiritual practice, naming the food groups in Wal-Mart. This morning, and many times during bike travel, I will find a Wal-Mart open 24/7 to fit my schedule and needs.

I use to be a purest and avoid Wal-Marts at all cost, but then one day I saw the shoppers as they were, not the affluent of this country in any measure. I needed to study these stores and learn to practice-compassion, empathy and ditch sympathy. This is the lab of the human predicament in America.

The lab topics I have found in Wal-Mart Supercenter are the following, but not limited to: nutrition, plastic wear, clothing, electronic gadgets, health needs, religious literature, supplies for all avoidance and addictive behaviors. I come here for my appetites and I attend church where my country worships.

I suggest walking through Wal-Mart in a prayer of compassion for shoppers, workers, and manufacturers of products being consumed and sold. Do not buy anything! Do not form opinions or judgements even in the face of injustice, just hold it in your heart space and walk the store….

This could be where American shops, it could be where the ‘worship’ of this country is evidenced. It could be how we eat and treat our sicknesses. It could be where we find our containers to hold our possessions.

“Some of these won’t leave without prayer and fasting”, J.C.. Do I judge those buying cheaper versions of my same purchases? Where else can you do more good for America than walking the isles of a Super-Center in humility and compassion? This is indeed the thermometer of the masses .

‘Judge not lest I find myself judging myself with similar condemnations’, J.E.W. . The ‘inward facing path’ is ever available, seldom visited.