Meditation

Meditation is not the means to an end.
Meditation is the end, and the beginning and the middle.

Slave To Your Own Mind

Americans Imagine that they are free.

They feel free to buy the things they're

told to buy.

They feel free to vote for the meaningless

candidate of their choice.

They feel free, wearing the clothes that

everyone else wears.

They think they have their own opinions

based on brainwashing and propaganda.

They feel freedom of worship of 

non-existant gods. 

They think if they possess guns, their

freedom is protected.

They think their education helps them to

be free. 

They think their government provides

an environment in which to be free.

They think the rut they are in 

is a wide highway, 

or, when they retire, they'll be free.

They think the entertainments they

are force fed are a sign of their freedom.

They think that because they can still

catch a fish in a stream that the 

environment is doing just fine.

Slaves to their own minds, clueless

of the invisible bars that keep them

caged and tamed.

The Difference between East and West During The Dark Ages

The East had: Zoroastrianism, Hinduism,
Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism,
and Shinto.

The West had Christianity and the Plague.

The Discontinuity Of The Continuity

Life is eternal.

It just manifests in various temporary

forms within that eternity.

The Meaning Of The Term "Dark Age"

The term "dark age" refers to the times

the world is now living in. The term comes
from Hinduism, but is familiar to the Buddhists,
and is refered to in Christianity as the "end
times", (Christianity is linear), so people for
millennia have seen this coming.

So, what does it mean?

There are two terms that refer to experience
that are relevant. One is "natural order", which
refers to the tendency of nature to balance
and regulate itself in a harmonious, self-per-
petuating way. The other is "common sense",
which refers to humans ability to see things
clearly and relate to them in accordance with
natural order.The term "dark age" refers to the
breakdown of the natural order on the macro
level, as well as the breakdown of common
sense on the micro level.

The breakdown of the natural order is evident
in the whole world. The creation of radioactive
isotopes is the epitome of this phenomina.
These are elements not naturally found in
nature, that have no use in the natural order,
and only serve as elements of destruction of
that order.  Althought it may be the essential
metaphor for this breakdown, the breakdown
is seen in the imbalanced way humans treat
the environment altogether, and, it's subsequent
decline.

The breakdown of common sense is also
completely manifest in human society. Instead
of a goal of an harmonious relationship with
nature, which also indicates harmonious society,
human ego has metastasized into grotesque
form, intent on conquest and control, totally
self centered and self destructive, with absolutely
no concern for the natural order.

What will happen? There is nothing that can be
done to reverse the current trend on the macro level.
This is the dark age, the age of darkness, and that's
that. On the micro level, however...on the individual
human level...something can be done. That is, one
can wake up to the current worldwide situation and
not be a contributor to the problem....a news anchor...
a Hollywood actor...a child molesting, psychotic
politician...a New Age Guru...a soldier...a CEO...the
list goes on and on. So, on the micro level, we can
see that the dice are loaded. There are so many
people exacerbating the darkness of the age
because of their unconscious relationship to the
situation that exists, that they seem to have the
momentum.

As stated by Gurdjieff:

“It is precisely in unconscious involuntary

manifestations that all evil lies. You do not yet

understand and cannot imagine all the results

of this evil. But the time will come when you

will understand.”  G.I. Gurdjieff  1916

The truth about Fukushima

http://www.zengardner.com/pacific-terminal-decline-fukushima-legacy-terrifying/

Ear Of Corn

They cook up corn in the market

in various ways. I've never partaken

until today, but, the time was right.

I got an ear of corn on a wooden stick,

slathered with mayonnaise, drenched

in shredded cheese, with a sprinkling

of a sharp red powder. 

The corn was not like midwestern sweet

corn... the kernels were more meaty, but,

it was cooked well. All that fat from the

cheese and mayonnaise made it a meal.

It wasn't like the first time I ate sushi, which

was love at first bite. But, it was new. I don't

do new much anymore.

Bad Poet

You try to tell the truth.

You may be drunk and wrong. 

You don't care 

about that part.

People get wisdom from

people on the street.

How am I different?

I love where this is going...

I'm just not sure I can get there.

Any art that's good is going to

piss some people off.

We know this.

Poetry is the way I discovered

what I am. You want to argue 

with this?  

Poetry is what I clicked into

as an intelligent human being

where I could express myself

freely pissing into the wind.

The ones that understand 

language, that love words,

might connect with me.

This is not where I hoped it

would go. It's not bad enough.

Old Man

Old man

sits at computer

not quite knowing

how he got there,

meaning, he's too

old to be using this

piece of machinery.

It's been around for 

a while, yes, but he's

been around too long

by now to understand

much of anything, really,

especially technology.

I was a Luddite before

I got old. How do you

stop an avalanche?

Get in the way?

Trope

Futility is the mother of convention.

Good Night (for Dylan Thomas)

I will not go gently into that good night.

I will frog walk clumsily into the ocean

knowing the time is right.

Koan

Whatever you do....
do what you do.

Love Poem

Love.

Is this a poem about love?

or, is this poem, itself, love?

I'd love to know...wouldn't you?

I'm feeling love right now....

for no apparent reason.

Part of it, as I examine it, seems

to be just life love....meaning

you don't need an object to love....

love just happens, like food,

like shit.

Addiction To Love

Seven billion people 

speak louder than words.

There's no doubt 

we're in deep...

no food....can't eat...

you like to think you're

immune to the zoo...

oh yeah...closer to the truth

you're a part of it too....oh yeah...

Gonna have to face it,

you're addicted to you.

Audition Exile

In some of the Chinese

dynasties, courtiers seeking

office would remand themselves

from the court, and repair to the

countryside to write poetry to prove

their lack of ambition for office.

That's how I feel.

Difference is, there's no court

to go back to....

kinda a rep-remand... a rap on

sliding scale of time....another alarm

clock, like the rusting gat in the old

hitman's hands of Corso's poem that

tells you how long you've been there.

Man... (for R.A.B.)

You may have heart failure coming on

which may be a blessing....

I may have to live a few more years of uncertainty

because nothing appears to be terminal yet, 

all though, we know, that could change at any sec.

I hope I don't run out of interest in the internet....

although we know we're running out of everything.

Yes, I'm not too happy we're still not gone.

Good Follow Up

So, the meat goes on, as long as 

homeostasis gives a crap.

Trope

Humans are like hamburgers

applauding themselves

for being tasty.

Let's Put It Simply

The U.S. Constitution states

that when government get's

corrupt, (and, when has it ever not?)

It is the right for citizens to alter

or abolish it. (and, isn't it about 

time now?)

Entropy

Even remembering food I've eaten
fills my belly mentally.

Nourishment centered in core mass
but mind sucks the energy very fast.

Don't cook...hardly can eat anymore.
How healthy can I get now to the point
where it would matter?

You can try to avoid the body going down.
Stavros Narcos did,  and it got him nowhere.

The Ottoman Empire didn't want to go down.
It didn't for many generations....Hitler was
another matter.....

but, we, in our bodies are exactly the same,
no matter how high we rose.....no matter how
far we fell.

This is the meat of time.
That, for one thing, time is cyclic,
not linear.  Humans seem to have
forgotten that mostly.

Human society is now based on addiction......
so, chose your drugs wisely.

Your Surreal Message From Mexico for the Day

I smell like cheese....mixed with the smell of old

furniture....I didn't know whom to tell.

Haiku 669

I won't send you no

more Ikkyu poems right now.

Time has become short.

New Style Koan

You know what's awesome?

When I wake up and see the sun

and I don't have to.

Fukushima

F. U. shima

hello, world

get the message....

no one gets out alive.

Short Story

I was working at Pheasant Run Playhouse, west of Chicago on North

Avenue....between freshman and sophomore years at Carleton. It

was a mob place, so, that's why I figured we got jobs, my brother and I. 

Oddly, the highest decorated Illinois veteran of WW2 also worked
there.  I was sweeping up by the pool, and the Beatles Hello Goodbye
was on the music....in lounge chairs there were Farrah Fawcette and
Lee Majors.  I paused...stunned. They saw me looking at them. they
were smiling...I feebly raised my hand and waved, and they waved
back, grinning smilingly....that was nice.

No...they saw that I recognized them while my back was turned 

towards them....so, it was a double take....

that's why they were smiling when I turned around....

Save The Planet...Kill Humanity

Yes, I agree...

I'd gladly go to an euthanasia

center if it gives my daughter

tax benefits.

And, I didn't waste my life, so,

I'll gladly move over.

Just don't turn me into food.

Far Fetched

It doesn't matter

you, me, John,

whatever we thought was happening

was far fetched, although, not without

its truth.  Even now, the truth is more

clear....and, so are we.  Even that happens.

Poan

I'm six years old.

That's all I ever wanted to be.

Not Really A Poem

I sing happy German  drunk song.....

"I'm so happy German drunk song!

I sing me whenever I'm this way!

Hello Bavaria! Alsace-Lorraine!

Ja, du bist  drunk as a German, so ja, 

you are one!

Sing with me! Fall over a table! And

then, get up, if you are able...we don't

call ourselves the master race for nothing!"