The Living Room

Stimulation Sleep and Death

Posted on January 17, 2011 by giri23

Its 1.30 am here and the deathly silence is broken by a clear bird song. I am listening to the greatest of all composers. A composer that never plays the same tune again. I have to thank my unconscious need for stimulation for having kept me up till now but a short while ago, I was chiding myself gently for being taken over by the “need for stimulation”. I go through these spells once in a while. Acceptance is seeping through the many layers of it. Television and the internet are the two main sources of it. Food comes in a close second and the need for sensory stimulation comes a close third. Once the wheels are set in motion, its hard to pull away.

This also happens when there is over-indulgence of food in my life, which was the case over the Christmas period and I can almost feel the momentum slow down as each day passes by. So I learn that over-indulgence leads to a craving for stimulation, especially when it is corrected. Its not even that I deny food, just that food doesn’t have the same power over me anymore but my senses crave for stimulation in any form.

At the same time, professionally I have just seen quite a few deaths recently (“natural or expected!”….. come on people!). I dont know if it is a co-incidence but each encounter with death seemed to slow the momentum further. Nearly all expected and one very unexpected, which was that of a colleague who retired. 2 months into her retirement she drops dead! She had been a health fanatic. The only certainty is death.

Its easy when writing to see the logical sequence of events which wasn’t apparent until before. Fighting off sleep I add stimulation into my system, all the time being dimly aware I dont need this stimulation. Observing it seems to do nothing so I choose to go into it completely and that is how I see it slowing down. Day by day the sleep pattern is correcting itself.

So this early morning journey into contemplation has brought me to the junction of Stimulation, Sleep and Death. Many a times I have hung in that limbo and watched a stimulating thought meet death, and in meeting death my body surrenders to sleep.

Sleep well my friends.

Love

Giri

Posted in The Armchair, The Crystal Mirror | Tagged distraction, Sleep | 4 Comments

Beyond the mind

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Glerikud

If your mind goes wild, just go beyond it’s limits: Try to imagine that you don’t exist. You can imagine that your body does not exists, or the planet, or the galaxy, but you can’t imagine that YOU don’t exist.

What do you think that means?

Posted in Glances | 1 Comment

Just another lie

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Michaela

Once you have seen, really seen, you have to live it.

There is no doubt about it, and no hesitation. You have realised that you have been living in a dream state and waking up, as well as getting out of bed and starting to be real, is the task ahead. The only question is – how quickly do you want things to change. Because everything, absolutely everything, will and everything that has been hidden, will come to the light. To see the Truth and to start living a a congruent life condition each other. What seems like a process however, is not. Either we are awake – or we are not. Sometimes we cannot help it and glide back into unconsciousness, many times we will get stuck or the ego will fool and trick us into falling for a lie. It does not matter, it is just part of learning to let go of everything that is untrue.

But why is it people want to have it so badly, seek and look for it everywhere, only to shy away from it, once it is close ? It is the fear of letting ourselves be seen as we are. Go naked, without armour, protection and defense and be exposed to what we think is an inherently dangerous, hostile life.

And that is just another lie.

Posted in The Window Seat | Tagged spiritual awakening | Leave a comment

choosing God’s path…..

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Michaela

choosing God’s path
you’ll be agile
and filled with life
beaming once again
back to the heavens
your seat is reserved
way at the top
shame on you settling
like a shadow
on lowly dirt

From Rumi: “Dancing the Flame”
Translation Nader Khalili

Posted in All things Rumi | Tagged Teaching of Rumi | Leave a comment

You don’t have to understand life

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Michaela

It is a special treat to listen to Rilke’s words. This is from a reading of the great Viennese actor Oskar Werner.

Du musst das Leben nicht verstehen

Du musst das Leben nicht verstehen,
dann wird es werden wie ein Fest.
Und lass dir jeden Tag geschehen
so wie ein Kind im Weitergehen von jedem Wehen
sich viele Blüten schenken lässt.
Sie aufzusammeln und zu sparen,
das kommt dem Kind nicht in den Sinn.
Es löst sie leise aus den Haaren,
drin sie so gern gefangen waren,
und hält den lieben jungen Jahren
nach neuen seine Hände hin.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1898)

You don’t have to understand Life’s nature

You don’t have to understand Life’s nature,
then it becomes a grand affair.
Let every day just of itself occur
like a child walks away from every hurt
and happens upon the gift of many flowers.
To collect and the blossoms spare,
that never enters the child’s mind.
She gently unties them from her hair,
where they were kept captive with such delight,
and the hands of the loving, youthful years
reach out to embrace the new.

(tr. Cliff Crego)

Posted in Books & Poetry, Rilke's Reality | Tagged Life, Rainer Maria Rilke | 5 Comments

Only in our doing can we grasp you.

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Michaela

Only in our doing can we grasp you.
Only with our hands can we illumine you.
The mind is but a visitor;
it thinks us out of our world.

Each mind fabricates itself.
We sense it limits, for we have made them.
And just when we would flee them, you come
and make of yourself an offering.

I don’t want to think a place for you.
Speak to me from everywhere.
Your Gospel can be comprehended
without looking for its source.

When I go toward you
it is with my whole life.

I, 37 Rilke’s Book of Hours
Translated by Anita Barrows & Joanna Macy

Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Poetry, Rilke's Reality | Tagged prayer, Rainer Maria Rilke | 1 Comment

LoL

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Michaela

The need to label what we feel…

Posted in What's the craic ? | Leave a comment

What I always have wanted to ask…

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Michaela

This is a new category based on an idea from Marta. A question will be posted asking for input and counsel regarding a specific challenge. Please use the comment section for your response.

Q5: Where are we going, when we say we go “inside” ?

Your words of wisdom will be appreciated.

If you have a question, please feel free to email it to me and I will post it accordingly.

Previous questions can be found here

Posted in What I wanted to ask.... | 2 Comments

The Tao is the Way

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Michaela

Verse 23 is about true intimacy and being at one with all things. To be at one with all things requires to lower the guard and open up fully and completely. Embrace life with everything it has got and take it into the heart. It does teach us how to do it – just be one thing at a time. If you are quiet be quiet. If you are sad, be sad. If you are worried, be worried. If you walk, walk. If you write, write. One thing at a time and full attention to whatever it is we are doing, feeling your thinking. Yes, even thinking. No fear. No shame. No expectation. No hiding. Just being there, allowing the Tao to embrace us, engulf us and unite with us. Because we are the Tao.

23

Express yourself completely,
then keep quiet.
be like the forces of nature:
when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.

If you open yourself to the Tao,
you are at one with the Tap
and you can embody it completely.
If you open yourself to insight,
you are at one with insight
and you can use it completely.
if you open yourself to loss,
you are at one with loss
and you can accept it completely.

Open yourself to the Tao,
then trust your natural responses;
and everything will fall into place