I sure would enjoy a smoke about now, addicted? maybe, its one of the thing I receive pure pleasure from, because of my genes? who cares? I want a smoke! it makes me happy. Ya, it really makes me happy.
What do ya think of that?

Interesting Dr. Chopra. This subject profoundly affects the entire free-will v. determinism dilemma, and of course we know how important free-will is to the Christian theologians; because their moral edifice stands upon the doctrine that we all choose to do “good” or “evil” because our free (and fallen) inherent nature necessarily requires that we have to make such choices. We are choiceless in that we all have to make choices! Nice irony. So if there are genes that not only predispose one unto alcoholism, obesity, sexual orientation, etc., but actually guarantee that one will become thusly enthralled by these genetic forces, then the notion of free-will becomes gravely imperiled, and what hath we then of morality and redemption.

It is quite an interesting affair how one chooses between two, or more even, profoundly alternating wants. Should I drink or not (even knowing one good “bender” could very well end in the loss of my physical freedom: “get high get stupid!”), should I eat a bunch of chocolate even though I want to lose weight, do I light this cigarette or not (even knowing how dastardly evil they are), and so forth so on. There are certainly physical, mental, and definitely even spiritual forces at work in all we do (or choose not to do!) . . .

To think that a spirit of undesiring can conquer all our humanly foibles is powerful. This is the crux eh, for that is what caused Satan her/himself to fall, because he/she wanted something more, or, “other than” . . .

Consciousness exploring consciousness; we shall never be able to overcome our subjectivity, we shall never achieve true objectivity in this quest, for the obvious reason that we are all consciously affected by our consciousness.

Having taken so long to overcome myself I intensely yearn for nothing more than freeing my consciousness altogether from the societal and self conditioning that keeps one doing the same things that get one the same results. Aye, to hell with the madness, my soul craves beyond measure liberation from these physical pacifiers that impede my hearkening unto our shared soul of One.

Our collective consciousness of quiet contentment that resides simply within a Spirit of undesiring love

undesiring love

hmmm

peace

I care!

Here ya want a cigarette Tammy? NOT!

He-he

love always

He probably doesn't think anything "Of That" You have the choice to do with your life what you will - it is no responsinility of anybody else.

Ultimately what Scientists and Doctors are looking for - is the cure to the "Human Condition"

Taking Drugs or being Fat are just another possibility in the field of all possibilities. If you look at all of this a purely honest sense you can see easily what these things are.

Chemicals are a basic function of the Universe they are abundent in different forms spread out all over the place. Life exists and so does the possibility that a chemical can find its way into the brain Via smoke Inhalation and cause altered states of awareness and lead to addiction.

The same with food, The body must store fat in orer to survive. For Insulation and also as an energy resource.

There is no mystery really to any of these things. It is what we are as human beings. It is the nature of the being.

Listen to this....

If say tomorrow I discovered that If you mixed Water with birds eggs and drank it, you were able to fly and I told my local newspaper about it...

How long do you think it would be before everybody was flying?

If it is possible then people will do it. It is not a case of they maybe shouldn't do it or Should.

Should people be allowed to Clone Human Beings?

Probably not but they will.

Should people Smoke?

Considering the damage it causes to the body - Absoloutly not.

Will People Smoke?

Of Course

Why?

Because it is possible to smoke Tobbaco or pot or anything else.

Should people Murder other people?

No But People will murder other people.

Because it is possible to kill someone else then it will happen.

You Can't be alive and not have these things you see.

This is what the God game is about you see. It is the nature of everything as a possibility. Even trying to stop drug abuse or murders is also just a possibility.

The Murdering and the Drug abuse is possible and at the same time the education and prevention of it is possible also.

People who partake in either side of this conflict are in most cases sleepwalking. They cant see past where they are located.

If it were some how possible to suddenly open their eyes, they would begin to question what the hell they were doing. Untill then the sleepwalking continues.

I must say that Deepak has done more than anyone I know to try to open peoples eyes to this sleepwalking. Where ever I go I try to direct people toward his teachings and mention his name in different circles so that the message of a revolution in current consciousness may begin on a very large scale.

This new evolution in consciousness will also bring about its own challanges for people just like Drugs, Addiction and Killing are the current set of challanges for mankind the next set of challanges for that step in evolution will be equally as testing.

God is tough!

Love

Simon xx

Aloha Deepak and Everyone...

Interesting events taking place at the same time. Did it all begin when creating the polio vaccine from the kidneys of the monkeys, that created the aids virus, has now full circled where we are acknowledging we don't know what we are doing? Is it time we begin to be still and know the hundredth monkey theory works:) The monkeys always ate dirty scrounge potatoes. Then one monkey out of know where begins to wash his potatoes, then the second monkey, and then pretty soon the whole island and all the other islands, without any physical contact begin to wash their potatoes. Can it be 2012 is happening? And we will find out we are all seeded reptilians?

love patty

Plasticity reigns over rough and rigid conformations.

How amazing then is our soft skin?

How wonderfully simple to feel the slightest touch of a feather.

We are ticklish, but our "God is tough!", eh?

Eye to eye contact is felt as well as seen. It can also make your heart race.

Wiggle your toes, and try, oh! Do try to remember the day you first discovered them.

Your sense of humor makes you a silly specimen. Use it or lose it :~)

i want an experience i'm not having

there is no store that supplies this experience

i cannot find it anywhere

i cannot control its arrival

i can only imagine it

what if i never touch it?

can i be happy without it?

do i have it already

no or yes

I think the mind controls it all or consciousness as that's what I prefer to call the mind (i.e., not the brian), but the One Mind.

If we knew that we could fly, we would fly. Same as if one believes that they can fly, that person could overcome gravity without effort or a second thought of doubt.

Love, Char

PS: Hey, I now have internet at home, which took me about 3 hours to figure out with this old 1998 eMails and what was on it. Plus what I ordered did not come today. I do have DSL high speed coming! But I could not wait for the software (CD) and I did not know that I had ordered the this, as that's not what I picked at work, so now I have to order a good modem and if it doesn't work, at least I have this dial-in set up. It wasn't too bad, but I had to believe that I could do it all by myself and not give up .. well maybe God helped some :-)

Love, Char

One thing intrigues me in this study of genetics is that if all Muslims continue to intermarry, then is their faith due to their genetic composition or the environment which raised and reared the offspring? Likewise, the same with all those who are predisposed to use yoga, is it genetics or environment that caused this experience to happen? One practices one religion due to a y or an x chromosome? Makes me wonder?

To be honest, after reading about consciousness and perception, and an Australian neurologist who does not believe in sight or sound, beauty or ugly, but does believe in particles, I wonder what else science will teach us. If it is true that human flesh and soul are two separate entities, then genetics really has no bearing on the properties of the soul at all, has it?

Is this all a tad too much?

Mist of thoughts
Foggy flow of ideas

An area on the path, strange, not expected
A mythical realm I think, as I feel it
Right under my feet

The old mental-fox was worried
Silence was inserted by slice under the breath
Even with this care, visions stay blurred

An old-time as it was felt, easily non linear
Yet an attaching-force not helping
Shooting non-stop pain and love

A bit without my acknowledgement, a whisper came out: "show yourself! Who are you?"
Inside a twist came a vertigo, under a force-pressure and I felt on my back

The clouds were forming shapes of lands, many far lands
After a moment of contemplations I had a vibrant impression to be part of an ocean-blue
A sentinel pointing my final destination...

We don't know how to model the way our brains process information. Our attempts so far have said more about us than about the way we process information.

We said the brain was like a big machine in the industrial revolution. In the information age you see the brain compared to a computer everywhere you look.

The brain doesn't work like a clock or a computer.

It's possible that a nanocomputer is a better model, but even that is probably not nearly a complete metaphor.

The latest literature on this indicates that the brain has particular regions that deal with particular kinds of functions, but the analogy of the brain being a big switchboard breaks down because the same neurons are not always connecting to the same other neurons, or even storing the same information in the same location the way that a computer uses a hard drive and a memory stick.

The idea of brain as a simple wire grid just doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Something far more complex and organic is going on.

We don't know.

I am wary of invoking "consciousness" as an explain-all problem solver, not because I don't believe in consciousness (I do), but because I find the process of exploration and discovery of how the brain works to be highly fascinating, and full of beneficial potentials for humanity. Because of that I don't want to jump to a conclusion to grab for an easy answer.

Maybe genetics won't ever answer "the big questions".
But so what? If genetics helps man fight disease, live longer and stay healthier, and understand the earth's ecosystems better, then the field is worth pursuing.

Deepak,
I had to do some research: "Genes are composed of DNA, a molecule in the memorable shape of a double helix, a spiral ladder. Each rung of the spiral ladder consists of two paired chemicals called bases."

This looks like an uncoiled kundalini ladder with two pairs of positive/male and negative/female forces. Is that holographic or what?

If genes determine hereditary traits what "family" line does one claim? I am connected to angels and my genes want me to express their Nature. Heredity is more than flesh and blood. How about heredity including light lines and blood lines?

Thanks for the inspiring post, Deepak.

Trish~~

I have been walking my selfmade (stone) labyrinth in nature, just now, pondering about addiction.

Could it be that addiction and judgement are two sides of the same medal?

Seen through the eyes of a child, everything is as it is, the child does not even know what those words mean.

Brings me back to indoctrination that is a kind of judgement too. And of the fact that we go through four phases in our life.

The first phase is to play and learn

The second phase is to love and fight who's wrong and who's right :) Survival of the strongest or fittest?

Then, in the third phase we think we know and portray our vision and teach 'others' of it. We all believe we know the truth and try to convince others of it. Judgement and indoctrination again.

Fourth phase is (perhaps) to unwind again from the 3 other phases and returning to seeing things through the eyes of a child again?

My own ponderings, for what they are worth :)

So in the end all is valuable and is as it is?

Humans being human
whatever we are
wherever we came from
how near how far

Made of atoms
the tiniest of dust
that creates happiness
compassion and even some lust

From a pixie, Miss Hippie
to a Deepak to all
To poets like Keith and Jean and Mieke and many others here, hey Heath with your pictury words
and me a goof ball

Our genes get mixed up
so we're not all the same
if I was like you
then that would be lame

But we are all different
and science can try
to find out the reasons
for how and for why

and yo how can addictions be any more 'bad' than compassion?
how can compassion be any more 'right' than addiction?

we dance the dance with two or more
to do the things we've done before
all these things that make us human
are celebrations that keep us zoomin'

humans being human beings

from pain comes compassion
from struggle comes knowledge
from suffering comes enlightenment
but.........
peace comes from peace
and...........
everything is everything............already

may a peaceful revolution over take us all

derek

Mieke
I had not read your comment before I posted, it had not shown up yet. I just got back in from walking the dogs and read it.

Yo

Some of us never grow, meaning me of coarse, have stayed a child the whole tome.

derek

Some of us never grow up........

oh and it's not tome or tomb of coarse
it's time
it's time
to check my words more close

Thank you dear heartphone for this post.

My earlier post was an attempt to describe the feelings I have and the state of mind I am in when I feel compelled to turn to my substance of choice for relief, which for the most part is food.

I want an experience I'm not having, which means I'm judging the experience I am having to be inadequate. But still, I long for this other experience, and every attempt I've made to achieve it has failed. I can't just go to the store and find it there on the shelf. Oh yes, there's the thing I'm looking for. Wonderful, let's go to the check-out lane!

Nope.
And even if I believe that this experience is coming to me because it is a deep and true desire of mine and I can imagine it vividly, I still cannot control the time of its arrival.

Next thought... maybe I'll never get to have this experience. Ouch that hurts.

Then... okay, time to go with the flow and surrender to the mystery. I can be happy without this experience. I can stop judging the experience I'm having as inadequate.

Wait a minute, maybe I have it already. It is within me. It is already right here.

But which is it. What I long for involves flesh and blood. So how could I have it already? I don't see my desire standing before me, can't smell it, hear it, touch it or taste it.

The uncertainty is what I'm left with.

At certain points along this emotional and mental ride, I might turn to my substance.
~longing for something
~looking but not finding
~feeling out of control
~fearing I'll never get it
~uncertainty about the process and the outcome

And what brought me out of this funk? My little boy says, 'Mom, I want to ride my bike,' his first bike with training wheels. Pedaling down the road he goes, me walking, sometimes jogging to keep up, by his side. And he shows me the world through his eyes. And I'm in the present again.

But ya know, even a baby takes this emotional and mental, to the extent the brain of a baby thinks, ride. They long for something, they cry looking for it, they have no control, if they don't get it, they cry louder and panic, if they still don't get it, confusion and uncertainty set in.

Maybe an infant's longing for food to survive cannot be compared to a woman's longing for relationship. But even an infant longs for love and touch and needs these as well to thrive. Science shows this.

What becomes of a baby whose needs are not met by those he is dependent upon? Does she gradually lose her ability to just be in the present, trusting the process of life? My son has no need for addictions, because he knows he can be who he is, express who he is, whatever he is at any moment and his needs will be met with love and honesty.

My hope is that meeting his needs with love and honesty, now and throughout his childhood and adolescence, is the key to his continuing to live his life in the present moment, trusting the process of life, without the need to harm himself with any substance.

So the question is, are these basic needs which are universal to all of us, for both physical and emotional well-being, a product of our genes. And if they are, are our genes altered in some way when our basic needs are not met. And if so, can we 'fix' these altered genes so as to return us to a state of optimal health, physically, emotionally and mentally.

Are our genes the way the field expresses itself? I can see why we would want to explore this more. And in the meantime, more research on the effects of meditation on addictive behaviors. How cool if doctors began prescribing meditation to their patients. Just take your prescription to the local 'pharmacy' and leave with a meditation cd that addresses your addiction.

Thanks for this forum : )

Peace
Sharon

derek~
i was writing my post while you were posting yours.

I love it

smiles all around
~sharon

Hi Derek,

Thanks for your reply :)

"Some of us never grow up"

When I was working as a secretary for a couple of guys, we used to talk about all things of life (and in the end nothing lol). One of these guys told me that there were people who would always be a child, that they would never grow up. With this remark he meant me and I was ever so devastated with that remark because I thought at that moment that I was judged in a negative way.

So I have been unsure of this very fact until I received rescue from "above" that it doesn't matter what one does, it is always as it is, not good not bad :)

So in that sense I guess I have stayed the same through time :)

Love,

Mieke

Hi Sharon,

Yes I had thoughts in the past about this in the same direction as you have been describing.

This is my experience of it during my life, so very subjective and perhaps only relevant to myself:

Yes, during a certain period in ones life these basic needs are a product of our genes. For me this lasted until I was 34.

Then something happened like what one can call a sudden explosive insight and my genes changed from one moment to the other.

I have had an experience in which I was convinced that I knew everything there was to know. Unfortunately at an age where one is still too vulnerable to oversee and to react to it in the appropriate way. Again subjective.

But I knew and never lost that knowledge that whatwever would happen in my life from then on, I was protected. I had received a certainty that I have never lost. I still have it, yet I cannot explain to others what it is.

I have been blogging here for three years. In the beginning I was convinced of my own truth, found much back in Deepak's books which I have been reading from the moment they were published, which has been long after I had that experience.

Yet, being always vulnerable and reading so many comments of everyone here, I slowly but surely became convinced that my truth is only for me personally and that everybody has his/her own truth.

I have come to respect everybody the way he/she is and radiates his/her own being.

For a certain time perhaps our genes are the same, but the other side of the medal is that we all are soo unique as can be.

And this I suppose results from what our experiences in life are and have been.

Well, this post came straight from my heart.

Whether it is true for someone else, how would I know.

I only know I haven't a doubt in my life anymore.

Much love,

Mieke

Very interesting I say. Voices echoing throughout creation creating:

yes.

peace

Dear Deepak

The issue is humans are more complex, mathematically, than a chess game, etc. - not 'less complex.'

We have so many inputs, so many points upon which inputs can act, we are recursive learning machines. Until, and that includes if, we get the complex tools in place needed to track all the inputs, all the points and all the recursion and learning, we can only understand human behavior intuitively. Intuition is another word for learning to recognize recursive patterns that are too complex to be measured or mapped. We can't even predict the weather, yet weather systems, which are also recursive and complex, are less complex than the human mind.

love, h

Hello Mieke,

I am nearly in tears at the genuineness of your words to me. I feel I have found a place where I can truly express myself. And I've noticed that 'myself' changes with each post and each response. There is no black and white answer. There is only me in this moment, and you, and derek, and each other person, each of us unique and each of us changing. I get glimpses of moments when I have no doubt. And I am inspired to hear you always feel that way.

The universe hit me over the head at age 23. But instead of my genes changing suddenly in that one moment, they have been changing gradually over these last 20 years, with occasional moments of great insight dotting the scenery. Last October, when I began reading Deepak's books, my consciousness opened to a new level. But as I've said, I still feel like an infant in many ways. At least I'm here. I've made it through the birth canal and my eyes are open. And my heart is open.

Thank you for reminding me that we all have our own truth. And that's the beauty of it. That's where the peace lives.

I love you, Mieke

Sharon
: )

Sharon, Mieke

Oh that moment. There is a liberation from the strings attached by society. There is a liberation when the maps we use to make sense of this world are shredded and used for kindling.
The is liberation when beliefs can be changes like t-shirts.

There is responsibility when we realize we create everything we know, see, feel, taste and experience, we are the creators.

From this experience comes freedom to play
From this experience comes acceptance
and compassion
and humility

The knowledge of good and evil is like a heavy cloak beautifully crafted with pockets to hold more and more knowledge. It is carefully tended to for any small rips and has become so comfortable that most dare not take it off and be exposed but it has become so heavy.

Slipping it off can be the most enlightening experience.

be more awake when sleeping and more sleeping while awake

derek

I'm really slipping today
I miss quoted myself

be more awake when dreaming and more dreaming when awake

I wonder why I wrote it different?

maybe because there's no black and white, and words bring so many images to mind

sleeping could be peace or just being...

to be more awake to peace and more peaceful while awake

to be more awake to being and to just be while awake

dreaming could be creating...

to float easily between sleeping, dreaming and wakefulness, until they almost become one... or do actually become one

a possiblility?

(the cloak hangs on me by a thread. time to let it fall)

Good Sunday afternoon All

Mieke, your post got me to thinking about addictions. When you think about the nature of addictions, what we become addicted to is the 'experience' of a higher state not to a substance or thing. The substance or thing simply subdues the lower energies. That's why I think we can also become addicted to the higher states of meditation. Nothing wrong with that...more healthy I think.

So I guess the cure for addictions is to stay in that higher higher energy of Love. Just thinking out loud here.

Hello Mississippi, it's a beautiful Sunday afternoon to dream and just Be.

bonnie

Hello Bonnie,
Yes it is :)
My son wants to go see "Space Chimps", so we'll be dreaming about outer space today.

Happy travels in the outer realms!

Peace,
Mississippi
(sharon)

Hi Sharon,

Here a song especially for you :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbi2i0j0k9M

I have just listened to it and it brought back so many wonderful memories :)

Hi Derek, well you may be slippery some times but you sure know how to dream :)

Bonnie, you are so right and i happen to be in the exact environment at this moment.

The Universe has woven it this way :)

Love to you all,

Mieke

Life After Death - The Burden of proof and a Nine Year old Child.

Today quite a remarkable thing took place. I had planned to go and visit my relatives in the heart of Cumbria With my nine year old son Lewis.

He is a typical kid growing up with the world upon his shoulders with an obsession with Computer games, Doctor Who and all the regular stuff.

I have never tried to influence his beliefs or lecture him on spirituality - it is something he will have to work out as he goes along as far as I am concerned and I will be there as much or as least as I am needed to be for now.

So this morning for the 2 Hour Journey he brought into the car his Nintendo DS games console and a selction of his favourite games for the long and boring journey. His Dad (Thats me) brought along his own stimula which was some Cd's a friend had given to me to listen to a few months ago. I thought this would be a good oportunity to take the time to listen to them on a long journey in the car. The Compilation was.... "Life after death - The burden of proof by Deepak Chopra" Most of the things I listen to on the Car sterio, Lewis just sits there oblivious to. As the Journey went on today I saw him stop playing his game and begin to listen to the voice he could hear. He was captured totally to the point where he shut off his DS and sat up listening to the stories being told and the voice of Deepak Chopra. At one point we stopped for fuel and the radio had came on in place of the CD and he asked to have it turned back on.

I asked him at one point of the Journey what did he think of What the man was saying on the recording and he replied "I think it is good, but I only understand some of it"

I never asked him but I wondered what bits he did understand. It seemed to me like he had identified in Deepak Chopra's talk something that he recognised profoundly but did not even need or have the compulsion to understand it verbaly.

It was a great experience and one that will stay with me. I spoke with him for a while after and we were not speaking about the CD at all. We were talking about going to see a new movie out at the cinema, The one about the space probe. Out of the blue Lewis said to me Can you take me to see the Movie "The Love Guru"

I said is that because Deepak Chopra is in it?

He replied "Who is Deepak Chopra?"

I said "You have just listened to him all the way to Cumbria and back"

He said "I thought it was Jack Black was the Love Guru"

"No it is Mike Myers"

I can tell you with the upmost honesty that I have never talked about Deepak Chopra with my son ever, this was the first time I had ever played his voice to him. He does not live with me and never reads anything on Intentblog that I have written or posted.

As far as I know he had no Idea who Deepak Chopra was even as he listened to him in the car, he just sat listening to a voice and yet in a later conversation he come out with "I would really like to see the movie the Love Guru" and who is the Movie the Love Guru based upon????

I am never spooked by reality; because I am reality

but today was pretty remarkable.

The last thing I told my son about Deepak when I took him home tonight was that what ever happens in the future. How ever his life changes to always remember to listen to Deepak Chopra; because he is the wisest of the wise and will always teach you the path of happiness and love.

I think Deepak has become as much a hero to him today as Dr Who is - and that is a really big hero for someone like my son.

When he went back home to his mum he said "I wonder what Deepak would say about loosing my friends from school" as some of his closest friends have left his school and moved to another area. He misses them and he feels sad that they have left.

I said I would ask Deepak and maybe he would send him his answer one way or another.

Love

Simon xx

Ok me you and derek, your to funny! your making me laugh! and I like it!

Crazy day, I now have 2 baby crows I'm feeding.
Crows mind you, sweet little baby crows, dropped off by the yard guy Dale yearly this afternoon. Yup, is this a sign or something?

Name thy newfound friends Hugin and Munin Tammy!

Thought and Memory.

Wow Simon that is like wayyyy kewl! Great!

peace

Thank you so much, Mieke.

"lovers found a place
they like to be
love and understanding
everywhere around
Mississippi roll along
until the end of time"

You have memories of the Mississippi? I'd love to hear them sometime.

Simon your story is wonderful and magical. My son and I take trips like that fairly often. He's only 3 3/4 (yes I still count in the quarters) but I think he would enjoy the sound of Deepak's voice and gain something from his energy.

Tammy, I found this cool website and it talks about crows.

http://www.animalspirits.com/index1.html

I didn't know crows carried this symbolism...

* Guardian of the place before existence

* Ability to move in space and time

* Honoring ancestors

* Carrier of souls from darkness into light

* Working without fear in darkness

* Guidance while working in shadow

* Moves freely in the void

* Understands all things related to ethics

* Shapeshifter

Does this strike a cord in you?

Thank you all for being here.
So happy the universe brought me here.
Sharon

I like those names Craig, those are perfect! Ya Sharon I do feel honored to be the mama of twin Crow Babies hehehe : }

Thank you for being here too.

Love

Happy to oblige Tammy.

Working on a poem but she took me inspiration.

Ooooo, woe is me . . .

Hi Sharon,

When I meander in the labyrinth, i am the river, i am the rolling along to the sea, the middle, that place where lovers like to be :)

It could also have been the Ganges.......

The mentioned song came into my mind again, after reading your 'nickname' here. The song originated in the flower power generation with which i grew up.

The Dutch group that sang this might very well have been there at the Mississipi river, but the universal message in this song is why it became such a big hit in the second half of the seventies/beginning eighties of the past century.

I do have wonderful memories that came alife again listening to that song :)

The creative awakening of a whole generation....

Thanks for sharing your memories, Mieke, and for picking out a song just for me. How cool :) Do you think another creative awakening is here or is it an extension of what began then or...is it something else?

love,
Sharon

ps where do you call home?

Home is truely where... The Heart is.

One of the greatest things that I ever understood was the revelation one time that I never move anywhere.

I am not here or there but always the case.

Love

Simon xx

This man.....

I put my finger on him now.....

Like a an ant I put my finger towards him in timeless space...

"This Man"

Or was it that Man?

But abyway the man I am pointng to...Him.

This man he walked the streets of this town and the time was "a time" not neccaserily "This Time"

But time was there as was the man.. This man I point toward and am speaking of.

His hair it was of much growth and had fell from its strands much dust. Dust and moisture that had once even formed the solar system in a time beyond reckoning of days it swarmed within his hair and without his hair till it came and went like the breeze of the wind.

A Barbershop he looked upon as his mouth was dry and more dust sprinkled from his hair. The haircut he had always wanted to feel. His thirst cou;d be in the puddles of tomorrow but now he could buy the Harcut that may be a token to another life.

As he entered the barber shop he realised that this was no ordinary barber, but was the shop of an enlightened master. The barber had no hair and was all smooth with a great smile. Much like Buddah the hairy man thought was the barber whome welcomed him to the chair.

"You have no Mirrors in this barber shop?" asked the hairy one

The barber shook his head with a fat smile and wacked his cloth and sharpened his shears.

"How much do you want to loose?" asked the barber from his bellied voice.

"Shave me clean and bald like yourself" replied the man.

The shears lanked and spun around the head of the man and like deadly lighening the blades spun the hair to the floor.

After the barber had finished the man stood up in the chair feeling his head and how different it felt with no hair attached with its dust.

"How do I look" asked the man to the Barber.

"You look the same way you looked when you came in"

The man was upset and demanded a Mirror to see how different he looked now he had paid for the haircut.

"There are no mirrors here" said the barber

"What kind of a Barber cuts hair without a mirror?" asks the man.

"Who would look for a thing that isn't shown? You are - without the mirror as the river is - without the fish. You ask me how do you look, You Look as you looked. This is the barber shop of truths and I say again.....You look the same way as when you came in here and looked"

The water was crisp and it tasted fresh and free as this man washed the dust from his hair after he drank and then mounted his donkey for the long journey to continue.

Love

Simon xx

i look as i look. i am as i am.

why am i crying, Simon?

love,
sharon xx

i look as i look. i am as i am.

why am i crying, Simon? why do i feel sad?

love,
sharon xx

i feel yucky too sharon, it'll pass. It always dose, think I have a little bug, atticus my 2 year old has had a runny nose today. feel better, love you.

thank you tammy, you are so sweet. my son, nick has a cough and is not feeling well either. i'm sure that's part of it.

i think i'm also struggling to find my peace. i've felt more connection with you people here than i've felt with anyone in my life. and i'm sad that i can only connect in spirit, in thought and in feeling. it's beautiful to be able to connect this way. these are the connections i've been missing in my life. but i guess i want it all, to connect in these intangible ways and to also connect in the tangible ways... to see, touch, hear, smell and taste. to have the full experience of connecting with people.

am i missing something?

love you sweet tammy

any thoughts are welcome...

my own perspective, I'll share it with you.
Sometimes I cry so hard that my body writhes in much pain. I realized that I am connected so deeply to all the pain and suffering on the planet, that it just comes with the territory. Hell I called the suicide hot line a few times just to scream in pain to some that would listen, it helped.
Its a collective pain, you know kinda what Christ felt for the body.
( everyone and everything on the planet ) I know that in scripture it says, when the pain comes like labor pains, the return of the Massiah is close at hand, I am not really sure what this means, but I know its good! Peace is promised and I know one way or another we'll get there.

I am sorry your sad, I feel your pain, know I am with you, and I love you.

Know that your heart is pure and you are created in the perfect image of GOD, it says that in scripture too, and it helps to remember.

Thank you Tammy. Your thoughts, your understanding and your love have helped me, truly. I can see that I feel the pain of the universe sometimes. And when our pain is great enough, maybe that's when we will choose peace, collectively.

But sometimes I just feel the pain of not having someone real, someone right here that I can look straight in the eye, hold, talk to, listen to, laugh and cry with and just share this experience with in the flesh. A friend or more than a friend, either way, just someone who's right here.

I am so greatful to have you, and everyone else here, to share our love and support with each other. And meeting you all, all you kindred spirits, connecting with you in such a meaningful way, is what has brought these feelings out with such strength. I feel the connection is so strong it's almost as if you are right here. But, alas, you are not.

Thank you for sharing your love. I love you :) And I do feel better.

All is well sharon.

peace

Hi Sharon,

When one has real deep understanding - it is impossible to be alone. Nothing can leave you, you see. Even if the closest person to you dies they are no less than they were when their arms were about you. an quick explenation to this is... Think of a great moment you had once right now. Now feel how it felt to be in that moment. That has never left you - you see? The world and everything in it including myself is all temporary you see. People, places, experiences are shifting along with the tide. The wonderful people I have loved and met, the great moments I have lived through all exist with me forever. They become permentant in me outside of an impermenant world. This Love exists forever but my shoes will not, This Love will exist forever but my husband/wife will not. This love will last forever but me as my body will not. People sometimes say that they wish a particular moment could last forever - but the truth is that it actually does last forever, the moment of experience will stay with you even when the material that represented that moment has perished and gone with the tide.

The first step to realising this is to understand that how you feel in times of sadness or when you feel depressed is not your natural state.

It is an unatural state to be depressed or become less than < by emotion.

Know this without question.

The Natural state of being is prior to all depression. What is further is that this state is always there even at the bottom of the barrel. That is why some people fall into the deepest realms of depression and fall out of the other side as enlightened people because they went so far into the depths of their own misery that they came to a point where they had nothing left but the Misery and the natural state of being and at this point they were able to understand and be aware of the Omnipresent state of being and the powers that being has. When this was recognised they chose to remain in the natural state and the misery was as if it had never existed.

Your natural state is always Now and is the worktop that all unatural states rest upon.

This worktop is perfectly even and smooth; But it can become cluttered if it is allowed to become cluttered.

Or it can become organised with positive content placed onto it.

So the first step to overcoming sadness is recognising the natural state and when depression creeps in; to be in a point of light that says "No, this is not my natural state. I am not this, I am not that. I am without question"

Remain in your natural state of being despite all else.

One might say "How can I do this when I have four kids, the bills to pay, The Dog to walk, My medication to take, The dishes to wash, a boss whom I hate, a salary that is too low and nobody who loves me?"

Well my answer to that is quite simple. Your natural state of being is managing the Universe right now. It performs all of the millions of functions that keeps your body alive and at the same time it is infinately aware of everythng in existence. Your problems are less than trivail to your natural state and the problems will flow along with everything else and revieve the rght amount of attention effortlessly when you remain in that state.

So - know the natural state of being and also remind yourself when an unatural state comes into your field of consciousness.

You can't try to get in touch with your natural state; the trying and ideas of trying such as through religion etc are Unatural also. You are it right now.

That state that preceeds all other states of being, when you breath inward and at the moment the breath turns to exhale the natural state is right there prior to all else. If you stop breathing for a moment and give up all need for searching, all anxieties, all ideas of what you are and be in complete stillness - what remains there is your natural state of being. It is the worktop for all else that you believe to be yourself, Including depression and so forth.

Know this as your natural self and then things will start to change for you in due course.

Love

Simon xx

Hi Sharon,

I live in the Netherlands. I agree with Simon that Home is where the heart is.

What you are going through (and perhaps Tammy too) was called in my days " growing pains ".

It is quite a responsibility when you also have children to take care of.

My solution at that time was to find something one could do together with one's child or children that gives pleasure to all.

Just like when your son wanted to ride on his bike and you "jogged" with him alongside.

I found it at that time with the (game) computer. During those days my children were in the age of 5 and 7. I could buy a very cheap one from the parents of one of my son's friends.

I was a full time mother and didn't have a clue about computers. But together with my children we just started to try out all kinds of things.

I soon found out how great it would be to make computer games myself instead of playing them.

Since then I have been hooked to this hobby and everything I needed for it just came my way, until today :) When I look back at this now, i can truly say that at that moment I had found my dharma.

What I also did is going with them to swimming lessons and in the long school holidays we went to the swimming pool, then afterwards (with good weather) had a picknick in the woods and then I would take them to a playgarden. So we were away every day of the week. They simply loved those days and still talk about it to me.

What my daughter is now doing with my first grandson (who is 5), is taking pictures of himself and herself or of animals or flowers. Then, with a photo editing program she turns them into a black and white picture and prints them out.

My grandson and friends love to colour them in and now when she wakes up in the morning she looks at a mirror of herself on the table, coloured by her son :)

When you look in the mirror in that way I can promise you that you will not feel sad anymore!

There is no need taking the burden of the whole world on your shoulder. Just be creative with the possibilities you have and feel the gratitude that arises from it :)

Sorry for the long story.

The creative awakening is in me, everyday, in you everyday, in your generation, if you are able to see the simplicity of being creative :)

Life for you at this moment is a cycle. When you are at the top, your feel exalted, then you travel downwards and you feel sad again, then you travel upwards and feel better until at the top you feel the best again. If you become aware of this cycle in yourself you will be able to handle it all better and better.

Then knowing all this will automatically lead you further on your path.

Hope this helps a bit, much love,

Mieke

Talking about cycles.

What I did once was visualizing them with a large piece of soft clay that will harden after a while. You mould it until it is a big circle, then you start carving circles in it, for instance like a spiral or like a labyrinth. Then you let it harden and afterwards paint it.

If you manage to carve a labyrinth in it and paint that afterwards, it will become a very rewarding play toy. You can fingerwalk it towards the middle and from the middle back again. It makes you feel calm and centered after a while. For me this still is a very nice playing tool to center myself :)

You can see a picture of my clay labyrinth on my website:

http://www.heartphone.org/possibilities_of_the_labyrinth.htm

And Sharon..... I forgot to tell you the most wonderful and rewarding thing that happened recently to me.

I went to that same playgarden with my grandson and we both had so much fun. Memories a lot lol

My daughter who lives in the town where that playgarden is, happened to work at the Municipal office at that time and she was able to convince the people there that this playgarden should stay where it was because it had a great function for all the children in her town :)

thank you all, craig, simon, mieke... and tammy :)

i am home sick, literally and i suppose figuratively

but i am not alone, never. i am sitting at the computer, barely, a little shakey and a little wobbly. i am absorbing all your words, thoughts and love, sinking in the the very core of me. and i know i will say more when my strongest thought isn't, "lie down, sharon."

i am in good hands

craig, your poem is beautiful. thank you for sharing your self.

derek, it's so good to see you :)

and now to lie down, grow, let go and be.

i know a smile is waiting for me.

i love you all,
sharon

Big smile: :)

"The sky is the limit they used to say
But no-one believes that anymore today
Because even space is discovered more and more
And that it is a circle too, to me for sure"

Inspired Designs Inspired Poems

Hey Craig,

It makes me very happy that you are inspired by those lines :)

Love to you!

You are in Good hands - Only when you are in your own hands Sharon. Understand that.

Sympathy and love are two very seperate things.

Love is the hanging branch , Sympathy is the quicksand into which you have already fallen.

I will not give you my pitty but I will share your pain when ever you are ready.

Love

Simon xx

Click my name to see and hear the song and the movie City of Angels.

When I lived in Canada a very sweet soul introduced me to this..

Its Great. brought me back fron no mans land!

Love

Simon xx

Burn it off - with the fire of life!

Craig, Mieke,
You are refreshing like
an ice cold drink of water
on a 100 degree day

I'm ready Simon. All I've ever wanted is someone to share my pain. And like the angel, I desire the entire experience of life. I know it is all right here. Burn it off!

Much love,
Sharon xx

Mieke,
And before I go to bed for the night, I am feeling better physically as well as mentally btw, thank you for all your thoughts on sharing simple fun with my son. We do this now, but you have given me more ideas. He is the joy of my life. He is always showing me the simple truth of life, whether we are laughing or crying, we are sharing the simple truth of who we are with each other.

And you are right about my life at this point being a cycle. You describe the experience perfectly, downward spirals and upward again. I am so much more aware of this cycle in myself as I get older and I am getting better, as you say, at handling it. Talking about it here has helped move me along even more.

I am going to get some clay as you suggest. That will be a wonderful experience for Nick and me to share. We can each make one. He will love it. And so will I. :)

Much love returned to you dear Mieke,
Sharon

PS You said "Since then I have been hooked to this hobby and everything I needed for it just came my way, until today :) When I look back at this now, i can truly say that at that moment I had found my dharma." What has changed for you today?

Interesting Story Unfolding as usual it is a story behind it that is most interesting.

The story supports Deepak’s contention which is why I am taking the time to post something about it.

There is this DNS exploit and DNS is essential for the Internet to work using names rather than numbers. Even more if DNS is poisoned you may go to a site that appears to be the correct site but is really an imposter site which is great for Phishing. This is not to be confused with a Worm that began Circulating for a Windows DNS Vulnerability last week.

1) DNS cache poisoning vulnerability exploit rediscovered and kept secret, similar to older known vulnerabilities and may have been pointed out once before.
2) Latest discoverer Dan Kaminsky's works with CERT and software vendors to create patches ready on July 8th
3) Story gets a lot of attention July 22nd on Slash Dot (technical people Socratic Dialog) people start speculating tossing out ideas.
4) Dan Kaminsky asked the public researchers to "not speculate publicly" about the vulnerability, in order to buy people time.
5) Halver Flake puts it all together, sums it up blog July 22nd
6) Somebody from the Matasono Security group that knows the flaw sees Flake’s musings, and figures the cat is out of the bag and posts more detail on their blog but is motivated to remove information from blog very short time later.
7) *But once you put something on the net one cannot take it back
8) Information quickly resurrected on Slash dot from RSS feeds and Google, and then even further evolved understanding arises from collaborative dialog.
9)* SECRET DNS vulnerability naturally made globally public by collective effort.
10) ESTIMATED time for root kit and programmed exploit to be developed 4 Days by some unscrupulous programmer(s).
11) Time left for world’s DNS servers to be patched 4 Days
12) Number of servers estimated to be patched in time ???????????

My guess is 30% will be patched, if all the ISPs get their servers patched then it might not be so bad. The patch is not a simple patch and it can be difficult to apply to production with proper testing done first.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next two weeks if anything.

Citizens should ask themselves a question they are paying billions to Homeland Security People, The Technology Czar, and Air force Cyber command to protect the country IT infrastructure. Yet we have a few people actually doing it that are not even getting paid for the value and benefit they provide that established entities fail to do. What is wrong with this picture and how incompetent must the management be? These government outfits are black holes for money producing little value for the people, and are an obvious source of inflation.

Then again there are only a few hundred of us on the planet that actually understand the systems everyone is using at the deeper layers..

We can pretty much assume these intelligent people some of whom we might call the Technorati or Digerati, that actually comprehend the systems, and have more holistic intentions will be taking over the planet, correcting the systems with a new design and transferring control to a new uncorrupted authority because current the establishment is impaired by egoic intention, ego barriers and are quite ignorant. : )

There are many deeper ramifications here.

Oops wrong thread, but there are no accidents?

Hi Sharon,

I only recently found out how much more there is to explore in myself, next to this 3D computer hobby.

My kids are settled now, I love to see and be with my grandchildren once in a while but there is still a need in me that wants to widen my horizon.

By discovering the labyrinth some five years ago I have become quite interested in its history and I had already some wonderful experiences with it during these past 5 years. If interested you can always read about them on my website.

I now have met some other people in my country who have the same interest. I hope to have more contact with them in future and that we will be able to do some more things together.

I want to make labyrinths in nature and one opportunity has already manifested iself on my path. Designing them in virtual reality has already given me great pleasure as a preparation :)

Now I am ready to manifest them in reality.

I wish you and Nick lots of pleasure and satisfaction with this clay experiment :)

All the best to you and everyone, hope you all will be able to deeply enjoy the wonderful power of manifestation.

With love from the heartphone, always in all ways!

Hi Mieke,

I first learned of the labyrinth last November in Dr. Chopra's dvd "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success". Then I discovered several months ago that the nearby university, where I graduated, has one. They recently built it and it is apparently the type that can be moved. So on nice days they bring it outside and on bad weather days they take it inside. I still have yet to go there and see it and walk it. Now that you have brought this to my attention again, it's like the universe is saying, 'Sharon, go check out the labyrinth!' So I will. :)

Oh Mieke, I wish you the same, lots of pleasure and satisfaction in manifesting your labyrinth. Maybe one day I will get to walk it.

Thank you for all your love and all your wisdom. You have helped me move along on my path.

I love you!

And hope to meet again... through your website or my email.

Love infinity,
Sharon
MississippiHippie
:)))

hmmmmm