Sunday, January 09, 2011

What if We all Just tried a Little Harder?

Dog Poet Transmitting.....

My good friend Dr. Glenn Dormer is visiting me here in Italy and although the weather has been remarkable this winter, the last few days, the sun has been shining and upwards of 70 degrees. Weird things have been happening like they once did with regularity. Glenn’s a clean freak, so he’s in the kitchen a lot making it cleaner than it usually is because I am not a clean freak (grin). I try but it’s sporadic. I just don’t have that gene. I always thought it would be nice to have the money and make a couple of Indian (from India) people members of my family and give them a piece of everything I get just to help me keep my life together. Some people just like to keep a neat household but I don’t have the time. I’m busy working at all of whatever it is that I do and there are not enough hours in the day. That’s a good thing.

Now I’m thinking that someone, somewhere, is thinking that visible wants to abuse people from the 3rd world. The truth is that visible loves Indian food and cooks it for himself anyway and it would be great to have people speaking musically around him and harassing him to keep his shit together. That’s the truth and I’m not cheap; if I am anything at all. I would love an extended family.

Let’s go back to Glenn for a moment. Glenn is an MD and is now becoming a psychiatrist and that has got to be fun for him being around me because my understanding about mental pathologies dwarfs his and he will be the first to admit it at this point, given the ones that he has, which I bust him on routinely (grin). There’s nothing like spending time in high end, Guantanamo-like mental institutions that will give you a feel for crazy, if you’re paying attention.

Anyway, Glenn is in the kitchen doing his thing yesterday and a plate just decides to explode while he’s standing there. It defies all logic and reason that a plate would just commit suicide, without anyone touching it but that happens around me at least once a week and every visitor has seen examples of this sort of thing. So Glenn is a little freaked by this and I guess that’s got to be interesting when you are about to become a psychiatrist. It’s a good thing I’m not Hannibal Lecter.

My dog Poncho is here and he’s got his own pathologies. He loves my car. He sits out there and protects it. His whole life is based on the chance to jump up into my lap or -and that is BIG OR; to go for a ride so that he can howl like a banshee when we pass a dog. I think that has freaked Glenn out more than anything. I know he’s thinking that I should control my animal but Poncho has a small margin of being and I am indulgent. The sound doesn’t bother me at all but it bothers everyone else. Susanne puts him in a box in the Touran because he truly does go ballistic.

I’m one of those people that understands what that dog needs. Who am I to deny him? He wouldn’t hurt anyone if I let him out of the car but people are afraid of him for some reason, same with me and I’m not going to do anything either, unless I absolutely have to.

A couple of weeks ago two young thugs showed up at my house deep in the country and it was pretty apparent they were looking for opportunity. I could have gone a lot of ways with this. I could have been resistant, right from the getgo but I was truly curious what they thought they were up to. By the time we were done they didn’t know what they were up to and they went walking away really quick. My only concern was that they would harm my boy Poncho but that wasn’t in the mix anymore by that time. I won’t give you the details because it makes me look good and I hate being responsible for that (grin).

It’s not easy for me. So much is happening that I can’t interpret or explain. Every day now is like some kind of godawful challenge that I always feel like I failed. In the end just having Poncho near me is the best I can do. I can truly say I will miss him when he’s gone and sooner or later he will be but... I won’t miss me; not at all. That’s the one thing I am consistently trying to get rid of.

I’m going to break with tradition tonight on my radio show and have a guest in; cause I have a guest in and lets go back to that. I have a neighbor named Geno who lives across the way and he has at least twice my property and he works it all by himself. He’s a real rustic and his English is non existent and my Italian is better but not up to the mark. We don’t talk much but we like each other; all my neighbors are solid and decent people, which means we generally leave each other alone. Geno is in a lot of pain these days. I have seen that but not said anything but since Glenn showed up he came over and told me how bad his shoulder was hurting. Did he know that I have trained in the area of bodywork? I don’t know.

I gave him some manipulation and now he is here every day since, because he does hurt a lot. I told him it would take six days to fix his problem but it’s not going to fix his problem. It is just going to defer it because of his posture and his belly. How do I explain that to him? I do my best. He’s already much better and you know... it’s like that dog I picked up by the side of the road who turned out to be one of the smartest dogs I have ever seen...The Little Guy. Now he’s the beloved pet of the best dog handler in Baden Wurttemberg. They made a whole book of pictures and tales about him, which must have cost them something and they gave it to Susanne and I as a gift.

I could have driven by that dog. I had an excuse. There was a man walking near him. I could have convinced myself that the dog was with him. But who would own a bedraggled little thing like that that couldn’t even climb up on the sidewalk. It turned out he wasn’t more than 5 weeks old. I said to myself, “You know visible, this is what makes you different” and I stopped and took that doggie home. Today I can say that that was one of my good moves. You should see this dog now. If we all gave the dogs in our life a better shot then we would be better people. But we’re not. Are we? It doesn’t seem like it because the world I hear about does not match my expectations; not hardly.

If we would just go the extra inch; forget mile, we would reap rewards beyond measure. I reap them every day, not that I actually appreciate it because I never meet my own expectations. I just don’t ...but I have had a few bright moments where I have done the right thing and... my readers... my readers... it is all in our grasp if we were not such fucking lazy cowards. I know we don’t mean to be. I know we all imagine ourselves as heroes and then curse ourselves in the night when our honesty proves to be too much for us to resist, when our conscience gets at us. I’m asking for a little more from all of you right now. I’m asking you to do what I am unable to do and have damned myself for. I’m asking you to be a little more like the man I wish I was. I’m asking you to show how I can be a better man and make all these words that I use, worth the time it took to write them.

It just is not easy and it hurts so much of the time but my pain is nothing compared to the pain of the people I see around me and I don’t do as much as I could but maybe I am fooling myself about that because I can’t do anything at all. I only live on borrowed power. Anything I do achieve occurs because I get out of the way. Anything else I might presume is just vanity.

Go the extra inch or yard, okay? I can’t do this by myself. I can’t do anything. I’m not asking for myself. I’m asking for you in your place. There has never been a time when your efforts will pay off so handsomely. If there was, it was ten’s of thousands of years ago. You don’t have to do anything for me. Do it for yourself. Don’t spend the rest of your life regretting what you should have done, just do it when you have the chance. Do it for Poncho. Do it for The Little Guy. Do it for Black. Do it for your brother and your sister. You are never doing it for anyone but yourself in the end. You just don’t know that until the end.

End Transmission.....

Radio show tonight.

48 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Les,

Ask the Doc about Borderline Personality Disorder. I've got it and maybe you do too. ....Hmmm, sometimes I act crazy; I dont know why. It can make life very unplesant from time to time. It's recurring and there is no known cure.

Sincerely,

Tom FRUM

Anonymous said...

Reading your prose is like reading something I might have written Les.

Even the doggie story. I have a cat story.

I won't tell it here, it's your blog, but what I AM trying to say is that your writing can sometimes bring tears to my eyes, ya know?

Tell Geno "La mia amica Milena mi ha preghatto di dirvi che dovette perdere un po di pancia..."

PS: Still trying to find this magnet I saw on a fridge many tears ago and since then have not apologized for my mess: "Boring women have clean houses."

Funny you should have mentioned you're not a clean freak in this post. Nor am I. Oddly enough (cue sound of Corelle plate explosion), not 15 minutes prior to reading this, I wrote something similar to the above to a woman who's a member of the FOLV group. She needs to wake up to that fact... Maybe that's why she asked to join. Just so I could post that to her wall...

Anyway, I digress as usual.

We could all use a little kindness. Those 2 guys who were probably up to no good until they came up against you and walked away confused were no exception.

Watch that video on my wall, the 17 foot Croc or Gator or whatever that beast is. Remember that old story about the croc ferrying the guy across the river? And the ending of that story? It's the croc's "nature"...

Yeah, well the croc can apparently be turned if you have the COURAGE to try, in the face of danger.

Les? Shine on you CRAZY diamond...

Anonymous said...

You nailed it once again, buddy!

Anonymous said...

" Don’t spend the rest of your life regretting what you should have done, just do it when you have the chance. Do it for Poncho. Do it for The Little Guy. Do it for Black. Do it for your brother and your sister. You are never doing it for anyone but yourself in the end. You just don’t know that until the end."
Beautiful meditation. Thank you, LV.
Especially poignant in the light of the thousands of dying birds, fish, and others.
I've been trying to say this to those close to me.
I hereby become a member of your wished-for Extended Family.
You won't recognise this IP address, since I'm not where I usually live.
Perhaps I shall be able to visit you some day, and help you clean up!

Best to all who come here for fellowship.

A Learner

Visible said...

If you haven't heard what Patrick Willis. has done with my work here it is. There are a dozen more pieces coming and I got to say, he probably should have written this because he has more authority than I do.

Anonymous said...

Your, my, OUR words and thoughts are the dirac field behind this divine manifest. We are its necessity. Identification with a particle entraps the self identity in IT. We surely do NOT want That. I "let go" and "move on", so as to free up the flow of time space mind matter and energy arising from the sublime. I struggle not to be disoriented by the ultimate non-direction of flowing but sometimes I am hit in the gut with terror that I may be alone, that no one else appreciates and what if I should die? I let that go too, largely due to LV and the Project he fronts out. You right on man

Ghana said...

Dear Les,

I too sit with you, T FRUM and so many others. You are a salve though... please understand this. I got it last too. My son Cody asked me, Why are we really here with all this suffering"? I paused and got slammed in the noodle loud and clear in what I thought would be your voice Les, "You are here to alleviate suffering from someone everyday." You are spot on and thank you.

Ghana

Anonymous said...

May cows stay in front of me; may cows stay behind me; may cows stay on both sides of me. May I always reside in the midst of cows.
Hari Bhakti-vilas 16.252

kikz said...

les...

quite impressed w/you and patrick willis...

some musical compositions that may render an even more elegant meld... albeit a little less 'synthetic' in vibratory resonance...

extensive discography, although i have no idea as to copyright considerations.

two steps from hell;
youtube has many of their works...

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


p.s. my little bit of recent good. thurs, we adopted another kitten frm SPCA. :) wish we could've saved his sister also.

Anonymous said...

Wow Les... I tried to get through the Headzpace compilation, but I just couldn't.

Maybe 15 years ago, but not today.

You mentioned that it's hard for you to believe that was you, and I understand. I don't have webpages of stuff saved to read over, only reels of film looping around in my head.

It can be a distraction from the work at hand, so best to compartmentalize that stuff. (I have a friend who is very good at that, and then completely forgetting it, but I don't suffer from DID. As far as I know. I understand why some people must develop this disorder or go out of their minds though. Very necessary in order to survive certain traumatic events in their lives...)

My movies are mostly fading, thankfully, with age, and I'll be damned if I'll do anything to "restore" those disintigrating pictures. I would surely be damned.

So yeah, it was too rough to see where you were then.

You're a brave guy.

Em Pee

PS: Jeez, did you live in Durban? Me too...

Anonymous said...

I spent the day yesterday bemoaning my lazy ass self for not being who I had hoped to be by now. And for not being grateful for who I turned out to be. And for not trying hard enough at being a better spiritual person. You were peaking in my windows again, weren't you Les?

I am getting each and every day, just how magical life is right now and how it's my loss for not taking the time to tap in and be a part of it.

If I can't do it for me, I sure as will try to do it for you, Les. God knows you deserve it, if just for your words you wrote today.

You saved many of lives besides little doggies, I'm sure.

Today, I'm going to try that inch more.

Much love to you Les, and many thanks for the push forward.

MR

Ben There said...

I don't make New Years resolutions (because every day is the start of a new year anyway) but this time I have made a bit of vow to myself. And it's something like what you are talking about in this post: to get that little extra out of myself. To quit making excuses for what I know I need to be doing. To quit wasting time. To not miss an opportunity do the little things that seem to add up and make a big difference in the end. It's hard to define but it's got something to do with being a better person and trying to achieve my potential...whatever that may be. I know what I want it to be.

Nice post Les. By the way, I think something has hacked your Facebook account or something. I got a comment from you that doesn't seem characteristic of you at all.

nina said...

One aspect of the dog you did not mention, so permit me, is that they are, in addition to procreation, the most obvious manifestation of reincarnation to the human senses. That work by the way has been titled Soul sharing, Reincarnations and Transmigrations over its lifetime.

I'm not so big on felines having been rather put out with them ever since a Mountain Lion took down my little Louis. But an interesting thing happened around 6 months later, the old man brought home stray Basset pup with Louis' markings, colors and disposition. So we sort of just picked up where we left off, pure love.

I'm sure things like this happen to you too Visible, all the time.

Were not those creeple eyeballing your crib, the very same car key thieves who caused such long ripples of chaos?

Anonymous said...

"What if we all just tried a little harder"?

"Why can't we all just get a long"
Rodney King (the motorist)
(after LA cops kicked his ass)

When I read your title why did that spring into my mind? Man sometimes I wonder about myself.

Fud

Anonymous said...

Les, this is the first time I believe I am leaving a comment for you.
I have looked at and listened to your shows for these many years now, and yes, I've done even beyond what you've asked all of us to do, but for a different reason. I cannot imagine living my life without the sheer joy of seeing the outcomes of helping others, and what's more, sometimes, what comes down the road for everyone, even if it's 2, 5, 10 years later on! It is my joy when I see folks, animals, wildlife, succeed in achieving their high mark. I think their Karma may surely rub off a bit on you, for your hand in their matter-of-factliness.
I also have to say that I've never let anyone stop me either, in what I KNEW that I had to do. This came from an overzealous mother who didn't much care for animals, and most other people. I never let her limitations define what I thought was right for myself. Sometimes folks might take advantage of you, but as you get older, you learn to be polite, and give them as much help as you can tolerate to lose when they..don't use your help or advice.
And that's ok too. You can only do so much for some folks.

At any rate, I try as I may, because life is too joyous when we all win. Blukat

Anonymous said...

new world order death cult
children skinned to bone
indigineous cultures savaged
minds in all alone
broken nations shreiking
deceived and made to pay
failed by institutions
infected with dismay
talmudic scholar rituals
cabalistic pig scribed lies
new world order death cult
from the truth it hide's
the moment of fatality
reactive will exact
new world order death cult
inside itself is trapped.

..peace..

Mark said...

If ever there were a time to act on your conscience, it is now.

I still don't know why I'm here, but being here feels good. I think it would be a good idea for DW in Tahoe and anyone else who reads this who also happens to be in my neck of the woods to plan on coming out to Forbestown Road sometime soon, and I will be the chef.

We can talk about whatever needs talking about and, who knows what might come of it? It's easy to do nothing, and so is being afraid. I'm not afraid anymore, but I still find it too easy to let Les carry the ball, as he's so damn good at it :-); only, he can't be the only one.

I have nothing particular in mind, only where two or more are gathered...that sort of thing. As someone noticed, I have an open mind.

Thomas said...

in my HUMBLE opinion:

Bashing oneself will only prolong the teachings. Acceptance is primary, then comes willful change. (as soon as we blame ourselves for something, we keep that thing manifest - it has to be let go // don't try to hold on to the water, just let it run // dropping it all just means you have to pick it all up again). Many are the forces that try to put pressure on the light and we can all just do what we can. Doing more will come if we will it (and work at it, of course). Intention and Action.

I will try, for your sake.

Recently, I have thought that maybe the most powerful thing to do is to enlighten (both knowledge-wise (i.e. regarding worldly matters of lies, ego-trippin' blood-junkin' maniacs and general corruption), but more importantly emotionally, so to always always bring it higher - putting fear in peoples lives is oh so easy, releasing them from their mental chains is a bit trickier, and needs gentleness & compassion). People are so very afraid, so very uncertain, so very lost - they do not wish it so, inside, but are very protective of their propaganda-conditioned memes and false knowledge and only by accepting and forgiving them their ignorance can we begin to help them. We are not here to spread more darkness, but real knowledge is also light. Mode and tone of delivery is crucially important.

bla bla... but I blabber. Every day is an opportunity to try a bit more, grind the crystal just a bit shinier. Thanks Les.

Blessings all :)

Anonymous said...

tap of resonation
bursting through the wall
chords of allways everywhere
notes of all in all
expressions of the sunlight
bound in earth vibrate
concentrated beams of essence
higher nature wake
infinate eternal
lantern glow in beams
weaving light in patterns
loving truth redeems
streaming through the winter
warm of loving touch
brush the all around
a breeze of ever rush.

..peace..

Anonymous said...

Dear Les,

I feel like I'm in your kitchen now, helping to clean up the suicided plate, and telling you I DID go the extra mile. In fact I went 1500 extra miles to get my two dogs and two cats out of toxic Houston and up to Cleveland Ohio where we're all playing now in the clean white fluffy snow. It took 14 years of accumulated retirement money to do it, and 6 months to get a job that I start tomorrow. Sure, they're spraying the chemtrails here too, but Lake Erie is cleaner than the Gulf of Mexico and the offshore breeze won't give us benzene poisoning. At age 63 it was a big move, but since my animals don't know how to drive or read road maps, it was up to me.

You are right again. If you just sit around and wait for someone else to make changes for the better, it ain't going to happen. So you have to try harder and get the hell outa Dodge when the time is right. And do it for your dogs and cats. They will live happier and longer, which will most likely do the same for you.

Anonymous said...

Politician and a circuit judge shot. hmm

long john said...

yeah, i know more than bit about going the extra mile, and stepping in when no one else around cares, or will. its now become so automatic for me that i hardly have any life of my own left. its to the point now that i spend way over ninety percent of my waking hours, every single day without ceasing, taking care of things that benefit other beings. i barely even have time to eat one meagre meal. and by the end of the day i'm usually too tired to even take a shower, so i often go for a week or more without one. i really have little or no life of my own anymore. all the heavy shit i did and went through in my earlier years was a piece of cake compared to how things are for me now. and as Les knows, thats some serious shit. other people have no idea. thats also why i don't post here very often. i just don't have the time. my days are spent in continuous struggles and constant labors from the moment i wake, until late in the evening. the only time i have to get on the net is after 11 pm. this situation i have got myself into was not deliberate on my part. this all gradually crept up on me beginning about 12 or 14 years ago because i really started going the extra mile(s) and doing whatever it took (especially when i knew that no one else could or would). now its to the point that my life is not my own anymore. i am telling you all this so you know that, once you begin to really give your all, your heart in compassion and selfless service, you may end up losing yourself - losing whatever life that you think you have, and there is no turning back. you become free and clear of many things, but you also pay a serious price. a lot more than you suspect. however, knowing the way i am, i don't think it's possible that i could have gone any other way. it is said that God doesn't give you a burden heavier than you can carry. the thing is, thats fine if you are a lite-weight. but the closer you get to God, the heavier the weight becomes. the alchemy of it is more than you bargained for. and the price of gold is still going up. in my case, its now beyond the point of all reason or choice. so do be rather careful what you take on, and what you wish for.

To Mark:

nice to hear you have arrived at your new place. i am about 50 miles north-west of Oroville, via Hwy 99 north. however, these days, it is a bit difficult for me to get away, but you are welcome to come visit me at my humble abode first - for starters - and then see what happens from there. we could exchange phone numbers via email.

Erik said...

Hi All,

Part 2 of Paul Levy's story on the evil wetiko virus is now available (thanks Bho):

THE GREATEST EPIDEMIC SICKNESS KNOWN TO HUMANITY: PART 2

In the comments from this article someone mentioned this also very valuable information about Non Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg.

Here's a Youtube about it:

Nonviolent Communication Part 1 Marshall Rosenberg

Have Fun!

OneLove

Mark said...

mphanson55@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Mark & Long John,

I would be thrilled to meet you. Mark: Let's set it up. Anyone else?

DW in Tahoe

TheSparkle said...

Nina. Wow. Last night I had the thought that maybe dogs who have been with us before might come back to give us another chance so to speak. 20 dogs and 9 semi-exotic cats here now. I can't really tell if any are 'repeats' though. I have invited any back who care to come, however. :)

DumbGoyNot said...

Hey Les,

I like what Mark said:

"If ever there were a time to act on your conscience, it is now."

And I keep having a remembrance of your statement that we should make sure we don't allow ourselves to do anything stupid. I also have a recurring remembrance of Dr. Eugene Narrett's statement that TPTB are purposely trying to cause the general public to be sad and distracted. So I make it a point to try to make sure I don't do anything too awfully stupid, and to make sure that I don't let myself get too sad or distracted. One thing I would add to this list of gems is to recommend that we don't allow ourselves to get embroiled in any busy agenda, especially any agenda of the religious/do-gooder variety. And I try to make it a point to listen to let my conscience be my guide because by doing that I won't be doing anything stupid, and I won't be too sad or distracted, and I won't get involved in any stupid agenda.

A couple of times while I was reading your article I felt like I wanted to cry. I hardly every cry anymore, maybe once every year or two. I broke my back on New Year's eve of 1990 (going into 1991) and it almost severed my spinal cord and it somehow affected me emotionally so that for about five years afterward I would start crying at the drop of a hat. It was really embarrassing, especially if it happened in public. Then after about five years all of a sudden it went away. So now it's almost impossible for me to cry. But your essay almost did it for me, I think because I can so well relate to where you're coming from because parts of my background are so similar to yours. We're lucky to be alive.

See ya,

DumbGoyNot

Anonymous said...

Hi Les,

In regards to your clean freak, psychiatrist friend, it reminded me of a book that I read - Personality Plus by Florence Littauer. He is characteristically called a Melancholy person. Here is the link to the review - http://hubpages.com/hub/personality-plus-book-review.

It is a very good book to understand people and of course it is based on the character of the elements in our physical self - earth, wind, water and fire.

All of us have these in ourselves. Only the percentage is different. For example if a person has more element of fire in him or her, he or she would be considered a Choleric person or in the case of your friend - a Melancholy (according to the book).

These characters could be inborn, but also could be nurtured by our parents.

And I am still thinking whether you are a Choleric (Fire) Melancholy (water) Phlegmatic (Earth) or Sanguine (Wind)person.

But alas, I do not know you very well.

As to doing good to others, nowadays if I am at FAcebook for example, I will only give advice or comment positively. That is the least I can do.

Salam

Nur Ilahi

Mike in the Land of Prepositions said...

Any major dude with half a heart surely will tell you my friend
Any minor world that breaks apart falls together again
When the demon is at your door
In the morning it won't be there no more
Any major dude will tell you

Mark said...

Long John

I understand what you wrote regarding the pitfalls of service to others. You didn’t fill in the details, but I get the idea. Be careful what you wish for. I’ve seen some action myself. I don’t know why I’m still alive, and as for what roads I’ve traveled, I will keep it to myself. It doesn’t really matter, not now. We are all in this together, like it or not.

There’s a recurring theme in my life. I like to make people laugh, and it makes me feel good to help people if I can figure out what they need. But most of the time when I try to help, I get bitten. That’s just the way it is. When you help someone, they feel indebted, then they resent it, then they hate your guts.

But that fact has never stopped me from continuing to do it anyway. I can’t help being what I am. I didn’t make this world the way it is, but I do live in it, and I will continue to function in a way that makes sense to me. And if I burn a hundred bridges in so doing, I do not care.

It’s really cold up on this mountain right now. Everything in my refrigerator is frozen stiff. My dog is having the time of his life, as this is dog country. Tomorrow I’m filling the propane tank out back so we don’t freeze to death. My son and daughter need me right now, and they are my #1 concern. They love this place too. I have to go buy some furniture, because we didn’t bring much.

Let’s try to get together in the spring.

Erik said...

This is even better than the previous video I linked above in my comment.

It is a video registration of a full day introductory training in Non Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg (founder of Nonviolent Communication) himself.

Here you will learn - in a fun way - the 'jackal' language of the wetiko, and how to turn it into 'giraffe' - the language spoken by empathic humans.

- it's all about needs and feelings -

The Basics of Non Violent Communication 1.1

Erik said...

Spiritual Basis of Nonviolent Communication

Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D.

Is spirituality important in the process of Nonviolent Communication?

I think it is important that people see that spirituality is at the base of Nonviolent Communication, and that they learn the mechanics of the process with that in mind. It’s really a spiritual practice that I am trying to show as a way of life. Even though we don’t mention this, people get seduced by the practice. Even if they practice this as a mechanical technique, they start to experience things between themselves and other people they weren’t able to experience before. So eventually they come to the spirituality of the process. They begin to see that it’s more than a communication process and realize it’s really an attempt to manifest a certain spirituality. So I have tried to integrate the spirituality into the training in a way that meets my need not to destroy the beauty of it through abstract philosophizing.


What does God mean to you?

I need a way to think of God that would work for me, other words or ways to look at this beauty, this powerful energy, and so my name for God is “Beloved Divine Energy.” For a while it was just Divine Energy but then I was reading some of the Eastern religions, and Eastern poets, and I loved how they had this personal, loving connection with this Energy. And I found that it added to me to call it “Beloved” Divine Energy. To me this Beloved Divine Energy is life, connection to life.

What is your favorite way of knowing Beloved Divine Energy?

It is how I connect with human beings. I know Beloved Divine Energy by connecting with human beings in a certain way. I not only see Divine Energy, I taste Divine Energy, I feel Divine Energy, and I am Divine Energy. I’m connected with Beloved Divine Energy when I
connect with human beings in this certain way. Then God is very alive for me. Also talking with trees, talking with dogs and pigs, those are some of my other favorite ways.

Erik said...

Well, the cat's out of the bag anyway ...I posted this already at Nina's, so I might as well post my 'story' here also. See if it might help someone.

As I explained earlier here, I now look upon this story as one of 'life's hard lessons' and I am glad it happened. I needed this 'two by four' to snap out of my ego driven material life ...

After 3 years of lurking at Nina's I posted my first comment, Nina asked some direct questions, here's my reply:


Nina, I am a 52 year old native Hollander, with a passion and a gift for languages.

In the past years I have been in the 'smack middle' of our healthcare system for (colon)cancer treatment, and I survived ;)

However, since they 'goofed up' a simple follow-up operation, my life was (again) turned upside-down and I started scrambling for my 'training wheels'. I had nothing left but time ...

Through Origami and your place, I was able to get back on 'the rails'; thank you and Les and both blogs visitors for that.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes, if a person is truly seeking with a service attitude of realizing and accepting that everything belongs to God, then God blesses them with a special mercy of removing many if not all of their material possessions and desires. This greatly enhances their opportunity to achieve the highest goal of human life. Bkakti.

This is often seen as "getting what you wished for" in a material context but in a non-perverted spiritual way this is realized as Grace.

I'm certain long john, with his long and enduring practice of bhakti, knows this and I for one am thankful for his words.

All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!

Erik said...

- Continued from previous comment -

I would provide a link, but it is behind a registration, I think the story is too important and and of such exceptional clarity not to publish it here...


How did you develop Nonviolent Communication?

Nonviolent Communication evolved from my attempt to get conscious of what this Beloved Divine Energy is and how to connect with it. I was very dissatisfied with clinical psychology because it is pathology based and I didn’t like its language. It didn’t give me a view of the beauty of human beings. So, after I got my degree I decided to go more in the direction of Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.

I decided to look at this side and ask myself the scary question, “What are we and what are we meant to be?” I found that there was very little written about this in psychology. So I took a crash course in comparative religion because I saw they talked more about this question. And this word “love” kept coming up in each of them.

I used to hear the word love as many people use it in a religious sense like, “You should love everybody.” I used to get really annoyed at the word love. “Oh yeah, I’m supposed to love Hitler?” I didn’t know the words “New Age Bullshit” but I used what was my equivalent then. I tried to understand better what love means because I could see it had so much meaning for so many millions of people in all of these religions. What is it, and how do you do this “love”?

Nonviolent Communication really came out of my attempt to understand this concept of love and how to manifest it, how to do it. I came to the conclusion that it was not just something you feel, but it is something we manifest, something we do, something we have. And what is this manifestation? It is giving of ourselves in a certain way.

What do you mean, “giving of ourselves”?

To me, giving of ourselves means an honest expression of what’s alive in us in this moment. It intrigues me why every culture asks upon greeting each other, “How are you?” It’s such an important question. What a gift it is to be able to know at any given moment what is alive in someone.

To give a gift of one’s self is a manifestation of love. It is when you reveal yourself nakedly and honestly, at any given moment, for no other purpose than as a gift of what’s alive in you. Not to blame, criticize, or punish. Just “Here I am, and here is what I would like.” This is my vulnerability at this moment. To me, that is a way of manifesting love.

And the other way we give of ourselves is through how we receive another person’s message. To receive it empathically, connecting with what’s alive in them, making no judgment. Just to hear what is alive in the other person and what they would like. So Nonviolent Communication is just a manifestation of what I understand love to be.

nina said...

Hi Sparkle.
It seems that invitations are helpful, but not necessary if you showed all your love in the past and cannot help but continue to love completely. We could compare it to a river seeking the easiest path in which to flow. That would certainly open up the channels for souls seeking the best environment in which to thrive. There would be another aspect to this which is our own evolution and the animals we were and knew in past lifetimes. Its a wonderful subject, isn't it.

Erik said...

And then it dawned on me ...

I have now created a blogpost on Siamese Mirrors, TMHO a must read

Spiritual Basis Of Non Violent Communication

Will do 'cleanup' afterwards ;)

Anonymous said...

found are the words to say
exactly how to feel
spontaneously play
angelic realms of heavenly light
beacons of divinities sight
have the knowledge of all

while an unsuspecting eye
only sees a lie

prana flows through Mother Nature
possess the light of the Divine Father
together
on and on
through the rivers to time
lays us down
on solid ground
truth is found

riches and fame
can come at a cost
of the very thing
which cannot be lost
even though
it seems chaotic and gleam
remember to remember
you're inside a dream

lighten up celebrate
your inherent right
to self create
sounds of fate

seek the truth
you are the youth
LOVE is true
inside me and you
make the choice
live a life of conscious noise
for once we consumed
to fill the void that we knew is sorrow filled and blue
forgive yourself open the door throw away the whore
woods may be holy when you see yourself as folly
the union of self and self alchemical wedding of best and best
sexually divine energy shall rise and heal what has been concealed
as time twists to tell poetic poems caught in hell
know thyself it shall end well

Anonymous said...

embracing equality
resonating compassion
opening focus
melting distraction
afirming intensity
of cultivating concern
swirling in motions
the oceans do turn
tuning of paradise
touching the wonder
fire hearth warmth
rush of the thunder
consciously stirring
beaming in change
lifting a heart
life inner raise.

..peace..

Anonymous said...

Les,

Beautiful post.

I've been a mechanic for 30 years and was fortunate enough to open my own shop a little over a year ago. I keep prices low to help others because we all need it. Just paying my bills, but as long as I can continue to put honesty and integrity first I'm enjoying my life of service to others.

Erik,

My study and use of the Medicine Wheel,the Sacred Circle,allowed me to make connections that are to many to list.
My connection to The One hits me at different times and places- in the spirit;anytime.
in nature; hunting, fishing, looking for arrowheads- mostly in the natural world.
Example: when I walk out the front door of my shop, the sun touches me on the left side of my face, while taking a drink of water, I feel the gravity pulling me to the earth. while the wind caresses the right side of my face (4 elements- ALL ARE ONE)

To all,
I look forward to Les's posts and all you all's comments.
Thank You,
Feels good.
Walking Hawk

wv.skingeli
It's sometimes what other people look like when you eat way to much of a great thing.

long john said...

Mark,

thanks for your comment. i can see that you are still in the process of settling in. so for now, take care of whatever you need to do. i will be sending you an email later on today (tuesday). then we can talk on the phone.

there's no need to wait until spring. i can't get away from my place for more than part of a day, but you could come visit me. and its probably a little warmer here and you could check out my area. for sure, the weather is a lot nicer here in the spring and summer, but some days in January can be pretty sunny too. just feel free to come over for the day and hang out.

i used to live in and around Chico in the late 80s and 90s, and my wife's family has been around this area since the very early 1960s.

i am also quite familiar with your neck of the woods. are you in or around Palermo? or are you more east up in the foothills, like Cherokee or Berry Creek? we know some folks over there.

there are also some good folks out around my area as well... organic farmers and such. and we have lots of olives, almonds, oranges, figs, apricots, apples, plums, cherries, grapes, kiwis, pomegranates.

anyway, we can connect and discuss the details on the phone. so keep an eye out for my email.

Visible said...

I have felt like my body was on fire for the last week. This is why I haven't done much. Dealing with this has been something beyond my humble human strength. I'll return, I suspect, but it is very hard to carry on at the moment. When I say fire, I mean fire. It will pass. In the meantime, my days have been filled with sunlight. For everyone experiencing winter, we don't have it here. Lord Surya and his regent Vivasvan have been magnificent; and that's all that counts.

Neko Kinoshita said...

Long John,

Pardon me for saying so, but I resemble that remark about “continuous struggles and constant labors from the moment i wake, until late in the evening.”

I steal the time to post now and then, and sometimes go for days without getting a chance to catch up or comment at all.

Still digging out of the snow in the alley,

wv: stabl – Sometimes my emotional state isn’t too stabl

Erik said...

My oh my, what a beautiful comments here. Looks we heed Les' advice and are really 'stepping up to the plate'
(before the plate bursts ...(grin))

Kalu, thanks for the beautiful poem; mind if I 'steal' that one for my FaceBook?

Of course the same goes for you Neil, but given your proficiency on all the blogs that by now goes without saying, doesn't it? ...


About being careful what you wish for,
let me share with you all what I call my first 'WTF moment';)

After being treated for my cancer, full monty ... both radiation- and chemotherapy ...the doctors decided my stoma could be reversed with a small operation. I was delighted because that meant I was diagnosed 'clean'.

Being released from hospital it started to dawn on me that a lot of unresolved issues would come to the fore now; I still had to settle both my divorce and my companies bankruptcy, which where put on 'hold' because of my illness.

I was not yet ready for that, so I cried out "I need more time"

Well, the Divine would of course 'grant my wish' but the way how was kinda unexpected ...

My gut started leaking and the inflamation it caused in my tummy made me almost starve to death ...

That was two years ago, I am still revalidating from my starvation at my new farm and on Wellfare, so in the end I did get "more time' indeed ...

So ... 'be careful what you wish for';)

Visible said...

A new Smoking Mirrors up-




Somewhere Down a Dark Road.

Erik said...

Hey Walking Hawk,

Thanks for your thoughts ...and affirmation

30 years mechanic, and your own shop, that's interesting ... maybe we need to talk. Shangri-La is currently without one.

I am an 'expert' in all kinds of rapid prototyping; only I don't have a CNC shop (see my previous comment for reasons why ;)

Visible said...

There's a new Reflections in a Petri Dish up-




It's a Long Hard Highway and I don't know Where it Ends.

Unknown said...

Upon reading your site today, I began to weep...why? You make me want to be a better woman.





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