Farm sitting in Indiana - something I do for friends each February while they go to Florida for a bit of respite from the cold winds, cold temperatures and ice and snow. This amounts to making sure pipes don't freeze and the care and feeding of the domestic pets.
It is beautiful here on the farm. I love the Indiana countryside in winter - the lacy, leafless trees and the outlines of the gentle, sloping land become apparent without the dressings of leaves and farm crops. The howling winds and snow bring back good memories of childhood, playing outside until the last light of day, sledding, skating, not even noticing the cold until the thaw begins inside the warmth of the house, fingers, toes and nose tingling as the body returns to normal temperature.
This is my fourth year of farm sitting. The previous years' domestic pets included two elderly dogs, Otto the beautiful silver German Shepard,and Liza, a gentle Huskey mix, and a variety of barn cats who have come and gone over the years. Last year, Otto and Liza both went to the place where good dogs go when they die and in came Felix, the classic German Shepard puppy and a new round of barn cats.
Otto and Liza mostly hung around the barnyard, sleeping in the snow and on the frozen ground, coming inside at night and sleeping on the back porch. In the first couple of years, Otto was still able and willing to hike the long farm lane back into the fields and down to the stream/ditch, but last year, due to failing hips, he was unable to make the trek. Liza was always crippled with old joints but would slowly make her way as far as she could, usually meeting up with us as we were returning. I worried about her getting stuck out there but she always made it back, and we would try to go more slowly with her but she was so slow, usually we went on back and sure enough, she would come hobbling home. Trying to keep her from the walks was of no use, and I figured, she enjoyed it or she would retain her spot on top of a snow drift or in the yard somewhere.
Now, it is a new world order on the farm! Now there is Felix, the full grown, huge puppy, who, when looking at him, one would not know he is only 10 months old and so, would expect much better behavior, but Felix is a puppy and acts like one. What is required is a lot of time and attention, consistency and lots and lots of love and calmness. Felix is very smart and learns quickly, and is very eager to please. He is my new buddy and I shall greatly miss him when my time on the farm is over.
It has been like having a toddler all over again - keeping him away from things he would love to tear up, just for the curiosity of it; puppy proofing the porch so he can be safe and successful there, long walks to expel some of that endless energy, and leash working with Brian, the trainer, to help him have better manners and learn some boundaries. Boundaries such as not jumping up in my face nor nipping at my hands every chance he gets. Learning how to be calm on the porch and not jump incessantly at the door. Sitting, staying and heel. These are the things we have been working on.
It has been hilarious watching Felix learn about ice, and it has been inspiring watching him learn the boundaries of his farm. I feel like a young mother, at home most days with my toddler and so, whenever I get around people, I talk incessantly about him, what he did today, what he has learned. All I need is a wallet filled with pictures to further bore the people who have the misfortune to invite me over or out.
But working with Felix has helped me learn about myself. Helped me practice patience, calmness, and unconditional love. Even when an old pillow got destroyed and billions of foam pieces were strewn about the back porch, even at the beginning when he would jump up and bang into my lip, causing it to bleed and swell, even when, before I figured out the best way to barricade the many boxes and items my friends have stacked on the porch, sneaky Felix would figure out how to get to them and knock them over and drag the box contents out all over the porch and yard. One day I found a bra and a pair of long underwear in the yard - where did these items come from? Only Felix knows for sure.
But with time and patience and work, Felix has calmed down, no longer jumps or nips, and has transformed into a loving, fun and fairly well behaved dog. It has been great practice for me to be his calm teacher, singing Buddhist mantras out loud as we walk the fields - Felix just looks and cocks his head from side to side - realizing that his mistakes are not intentional nor malicious, but simply mistakes made on the path of learning. With time and patience and work, perhaps I shall transform my own life into one where I become more loving, fun and fairly well behaved.
Teachers are everywhere, even in the form of 10 month old puppies.
Namaste, Felix!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Us
We are part of a vast, living being that includes everything that is. Each tiny cell in our body contains a neutron that is orbited by electrons and protons, a mirror of our tiny solar system and all the vast galaxies and universes that exist in the infinite field of all that is.
Our existence is a manifestation of energy, a tiny bubbling up of form that contains energy, so minute and instantaneous in the vastness of energetic existence.
We contain within us the ability to control matter, our own matter, in our short blip of existence in this form. We contain within us the knowledge, at the cellular level, as part of the infinite vast field of All That Is, to transform our manifested form into anything, any form, health or dis-ease. We contain within us, everything that is.
How do we do this? Everything begins with a thought, that elusive form of energy that scientifically can't be proven to exist, but certainly it does - thought creates the paintings by the masters, the absolute best and most horrific parts of our existence. Cells "think" as well, and perfectly implement the purpose of their existence - liver cells know exactly what to do, brain cells, etc. When cellular thought gets discombobulated, then it becomes aberrant and forms dis-ease.
So, what is the purpose of our existence? To know ourselves as everything that is, God if you will. And in order for us to function perfectly in knowing our purpose, we must fill our thoughts, which transfer into our existence, with thoughts of such; with thoughts of only those things that take us to our highest and greatest good. This is what we must draw from the infinite field. Thoughts of ourselves as God. We must perform, and use what is available to us, and that is everything that exists, in such a way to bring us to that end. If we can truly do this, we are a perfectly "humming" cell, in perfect existence with everything.
When we draw in those thoughts and ideas that cause dis-ease, then we become dis-eased. If we choose to focus on that which keeps us from knowing the true nature of our existence, then we withdraw from that perfection and begin to wither and die. A temporary fix of the body won't work if the cells of the body aren't filled with the energy that takes them to their perfect existence.
The millions and millions of thoughts we have throughout our lifetime create us and our reality. What we focus on, we become. What we cause becomes part of us. This can be instantaneous or take many lifetimes as we carry similar thought patterns with us from lifetime to lifetime. We can realize this on some level, and this will move us along to knowing the concept of the true nature of our existence. But if we ignore this precious information and continue to focus on that which takes us from being the true nature of our existence, it will take us so much longer to reach that perfect state. We will continue to clog our own beautiful energetic existence with low vibrations that keep us from our most perfect state of being.
Fill your life with only those things that take you to your highest and greatest good. Know yourself as the same as God, use this knowledge to help uplift your fellow man. Watch as you create your perfect life, a life in which your being is the only thing that matters.
Our existence is a manifestation of energy, a tiny bubbling up of form that contains energy, so minute and instantaneous in the vastness of energetic existence.
We contain within us the ability to control matter, our own matter, in our short blip of existence in this form. We contain within us the knowledge, at the cellular level, as part of the infinite vast field of All That Is, to transform our manifested form into anything, any form, health or dis-ease. We contain within us, everything that is.
How do we do this? Everything begins with a thought, that elusive form of energy that scientifically can't be proven to exist, but certainly it does - thought creates the paintings by the masters, the absolute best and most horrific parts of our existence. Cells "think" as well, and perfectly implement the purpose of their existence - liver cells know exactly what to do, brain cells, etc. When cellular thought gets discombobulated, then it becomes aberrant and forms dis-ease.
So, what is the purpose of our existence? To know ourselves as everything that is, God if you will. And in order for us to function perfectly in knowing our purpose, we must fill our thoughts, which transfer into our existence, with thoughts of such; with thoughts of only those things that take us to our highest and greatest good. This is what we must draw from the infinite field. Thoughts of ourselves as God. We must perform, and use what is available to us, and that is everything that exists, in such a way to bring us to that end. If we can truly do this, we are a perfectly "humming" cell, in perfect existence with everything.
When we draw in those thoughts and ideas that cause dis-ease, then we become dis-eased. If we choose to focus on that which keeps us from knowing the true nature of our existence, then we withdraw from that perfection and begin to wither and die. A temporary fix of the body won't work if the cells of the body aren't filled with the energy that takes them to their perfect existence.
The millions and millions of thoughts we have throughout our lifetime create us and our reality. What we focus on, we become. What we cause becomes part of us. This can be instantaneous or take many lifetimes as we carry similar thought patterns with us from lifetime to lifetime. We can realize this on some level, and this will move us along to knowing the concept of the true nature of our existence. But if we ignore this precious information and continue to focus on that which takes us from being the true nature of our existence, it will take us so much longer to reach that perfect state. We will continue to clog our own beautiful energetic existence with low vibrations that keep us from our most perfect state of being.
Fill your life with only those things that take you to your highest and greatest good. Know yourself as the same as God, use this knowledge to help uplift your fellow man. Watch as you create your perfect life, a life in which your being is the only thing that matters.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Heads down!
Every day, I have the opportunity to walk across a small college campus to my workplace. It is a lovely campus, layed out around a long mall, lined with big hardwood trees and nicely landscaped, the flowers changed seasonally and the wide expanses of grass kept neatly mowed.
During class change, the area is alive with students, heading back to their dorms or over to get something to eat, or to wherever college students go between and after class gets out.
I remember my college days on campus, greeting friends, playing frizbee, hanging out, laughing and talking, meeting new people, experiencing so many exciting and new events. It seems to be fairly similar, and not much has changed over the years, except for one phenomenom that I have noticed: these days, most kids walk across campus with their heads down, both hands on their cell phone or ipod, completely focused on whatever hand held device they happen to be using at that moment, completely missing whatever is going on around them in the world outside that small, amazing technological piece of plastic. Their ears are plugged up with earphones and those wondrous cries of the cardinals go completely unnoticed.
Of course, not all students are using electronic devises as they walk across campus, but recently I decided to just pay attention, see how many actually are walking around, heads down, rapidly pushing the tiny buttons in this new form of communication, and I was amazed at how many there were: some walking in groups but without any interaction with the people they were actually walking with, many solo, not looking up at all, shoulders hunched over, complete focus on the tiny screen of the new language of texting.
I walk by many students that I know, without any smile or greeting or realization that I walked by them. Sometimes, when they are in the line for food, I mistakenly think they are talking to me and respond, only to realize that they are talking with someone in some other location, and feel rather silly at the realization of this.
One young womann I work with came to work one day with her Ipod securely lashed to her belt, earphones securely plugged into her ears. I greeted her, but she did not hear me. I had to tap her shoulder and I politely asked her to remove her Ipod while she was at work. She smiled at me, but it was clear that she had no idea what I had just said. When she finally did remove the earphones, she seemed miffed that I asked her to remove her Ipod while at work. "I can hear you just fine", she said, and refused to turn off the device, replacing the one earphone that she had grudgingly removed to have a conversation with me. She turned her back and went on listening to the music that even I could hear faintly from a few feet away.
What type of world is being created here? A virtual world where nothing is real, where the natural environment can be tuned out forever? How can we hear the voice of God if our ears are plugged with earphones and the music is so loud?
Will the songs of the birds cease to exist if there is no one to listen to them?
During class change, the area is alive with students, heading back to their dorms or over to get something to eat, or to wherever college students go between and after class gets out.
I remember my college days on campus, greeting friends, playing frizbee, hanging out, laughing and talking, meeting new people, experiencing so many exciting and new events. It seems to be fairly similar, and not much has changed over the years, except for one phenomenom that I have noticed: these days, most kids walk across campus with their heads down, both hands on their cell phone or ipod, completely focused on whatever hand held device they happen to be using at that moment, completely missing whatever is going on around them in the world outside that small, amazing technological piece of plastic. Their ears are plugged up with earphones and those wondrous cries of the cardinals go completely unnoticed.
Of course, not all students are using electronic devises as they walk across campus, but recently I decided to just pay attention, see how many actually are walking around, heads down, rapidly pushing the tiny buttons in this new form of communication, and I was amazed at how many there were: some walking in groups but without any interaction with the people they were actually walking with, many solo, not looking up at all, shoulders hunched over, complete focus on the tiny screen of the new language of texting.
I walk by many students that I know, without any smile or greeting or realization that I walked by them. Sometimes, when they are in the line for food, I mistakenly think they are talking to me and respond, only to realize that they are talking with someone in some other location, and feel rather silly at the realization of this.
One young womann I work with came to work one day with her Ipod securely lashed to her belt, earphones securely plugged into her ears. I greeted her, but she did not hear me. I had to tap her shoulder and I politely asked her to remove her Ipod while she was at work. She smiled at me, but it was clear that she had no idea what I had just said. When she finally did remove the earphones, she seemed miffed that I asked her to remove her Ipod while at work. "I can hear you just fine", she said, and refused to turn off the device, replacing the one earphone that she had grudgingly removed to have a conversation with me. She turned her back and went on listening to the music that even I could hear faintly from a few feet away.
What type of world is being created here? A virtual world where nothing is real, where the natural environment can be tuned out forever? How can we hear the voice of God if our ears are plugged with earphones and the music is so loud?
Will the songs of the birds cease to exist if there is no one to listen to them?
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Rain Creek
Sitting by Rain Creek this morning, I was struck by many things. It was so quiet, except for the sounds of the myriad of birds and the occasional splash in the water of an aquatic creature. I thought, this is how it sounded before there were any motors, the sound of the day was this...... it seemed strange to think of a world where the only sounds were natural, no man made motors or TV or cell phone or anything, except the sounds of the natural environment.
Then I noticed that as far as the eye could see, there were no power cables or poles, only the marshland and the trees and the grasses and clouds and the sky - even though this is the natural environment, it seemed so strange to not hear or see those things that have become such a part of our everyday life.
I watched a pair of small martins feed their young and take turns flying over the marsh, collecting bugs to give to their unseen babies, nestled safely in the martin box Gib has put there for them; beautiful small birds, their song so soft and subtle but complex in the range of notes, almost clicks, that they sing to each other and their young. I watched the red winged blackbirds perched on the rushes, offering their loud and distinctive cry, scattering the seed of the velvety brown plants as they take off and light, heading back and forth to the unseen feeders that I know are by the house and that I have been watching them frequent.
I watched for the ripples of the unseen aquatic creatures as they spashed at the surface of the marsh, most times the result of the water disturbance being absorbed quickly by the water lillies and therefore, going unseen by me.
I watched a hawk soar overhead but fly beyond my site line, no doubt to a field where the prey could be more easily seen and captured.
I saw butterfies fly their lilting flight among the tall grasses and and down into the fern covered bottomland and flies, misquitoes, beetles and water bugs making their way in their protected habitat.
I thought about how beautiful this all looks but with the knowledge that Rain Creek is polluted, as are probably each and every body of water on our planet.
I sat there for quite some time before the first plane went over and I was brought back to the world of the internal combustion engine, the industrial world that is the downfall of all things natural, and possibly, no probably, the downfall of everything.
But for now, I shall enjoy the beauty that is Rain Creek, and continue to try to come to terms with something that seems so totally beyond my control or the control of anyone who would take action against that which is killing us. Because beyond changing the thinking of the industrialized civilization's power brokers, there IS nothing we can do.
I hope my grandchildren are getting to see what is left of our natural world; I hope their parents see the urgency in allowing them to reallize the sacred beauty and connection of everything living, for the future will certainly be one that is devoid of anything we would define as natural, and I want them to know how it was and how it could have been if we had only listened to that which we destroyed.
Then I noticed that as far as the eye could see, there were no power cables or poles, only the marshland and the trees and the grasses and clouds and the sky - even though this is the natural environment, it seemed so strange to not hear or see those things that have become such a part of our everyday life.
I watched a pair of small martins feed their young and take turns flying over the marsh, collecting bugs to give to their unseen babies, nestled safely in the martin box Gib has put there for them; beautiful small birds, their song so soft and subtle but complex in the range of notes, almost clicks, that they sing to each other and their young. I watched the red winged blackbirds perched on the rushes, offering their loud and distinctive cry, scattering the seed of the velvety brown plants as they take off and light, heading back and forth to the unseen feeders that I know are by the house and that I have been watching them frequent.
I watched for the ripples of the unseen aquatic creatures as they spashed at the surface of the marsh, most times the result of the water disturbance being absorbed quickly by the water lillies and therefore, going unseen by me.
I watched a hawk soar overhead but fly beyond my site line, no doubt to a field where the prey could be more easily seen and captured.
I saw butterfies fly their lilting flight among the tall grasses and and down into the fern covered bottomland and flies, misquitoes, beetles and water bugs making their way in their protected habitat.
I thought about how beautiful this all looks but with the knowledge that Rain Creek is polluted, as are probably each and every body of water on our planet.
I sat there for quite some time before the first plane went over and I was brought back to the world of the internal combustion engine, the industrial world that is the downfall of all things natural, and possibly, no probably, the downfall of everything.
But for now, I shall enjoy the beauty that is Rain Creek, and continue to try to come to terms with something that seems so totally beyond my control or the control of anyone who would take action against that which is killing us. Because beyond changing the thinking of the industrialized civilization's power brokers, there IS nothing we can do.
I hope my grandchildren are getting to see what is left of our natural world; I hope their parents see the urgency in allowing them to reallize the sacred beauty and connection of everything living, for the future will certainly be one that is devoid of anything we would define as natural, and I want them to know how it was and how it could have been if we had only listened to that which we destroyed.
The Space Tour
The tour ship slowed so the passengers could get a good look at what the guide was pointing out.
"On the left, out the window, you can see barely see Earth, which is now surrounded by a layer of orbital debris. Although many of you may not realize this, Earth was once a beautiful planet, in fact, they say, this is where we came from. Hard to believe that the garbage planet was once our home.
"Once a vibrant, living planet, where humans and other creatures, such as birds, land animals, and water creatures lived, it has become the waste dump for many space communities. If you can find an old hologram of what Earth used to look like, you might find it hard to believe that this once beautiful planet was taken down in a short period of time by a civilization created by the humans that once lived there.
"This particular civilization actually believed at one time that the planet was theirs to use up and in a very short sighted period of time, our fore bearers completely destroyed their own habitat and took all the other living creatures down with them. After completely depleting their food, water, and air resources, a small colony of humans was able to escape and founded the ancient colony they called "Hope". As we know from our history - were you paying attention? - these humans suffered many hardships and were ostracized for the behavior that they had exhibited on their own planet.
"Made to design systems for survival that were sustainable, the humans were taxed beyond the realm of their own knowledge but a few survived and were allowed to start their own community under the watchful eye of the Keepers of Life. Gradually changing into creatures who were much more like us today, they learned how to live in harmony with every other living creature in their new homeland and their colony flourished to become one of the most beautiful, harmonious communities in the planetary system.
"You can visit their community, which still exists today, on the tour called "Believe".
"And now, out the right viewing area..............."
"On the left, out the window, you can see barely see Earth, which is now surrounded by a layer of orbital debris. Although many of you may not realize this, Earth was once a beautiful planet, in fact, they say, this is where we came from. Hard to believe that the garbage planet was once our home.
"Once a vibrant, living planet, where humans and other creatures, such as birds, land animals, and water creatures lived, it has become the waste dump for many space communities. If you can find an old hologram of what Earth used to look like, you might find it hard to believe that this once beautiful planet was taken down in a short period of time by a civilization created by the humans that once lived there.
"This particular civilization actually believed at one time that the planet was theirs to use up and in a very short sighted period of time, our fore bearers completely destroyed their own habitat and took all the other living creatures down with them. After completely depleting their food, water, and air resources, a small colony of humans was able to escape and founded the ancient colony they called "Hope". As we know from our history - were you paying attention? - these humans suffered many hardships and were ostracized for the behavior that they had exhibited on their own planet.
"Made to design systems for survival that were sustainable, the humans were taxed beyond the realm of their own knowledge but a few survived and were allowed to start their own community under the watchful eye of the Keepers of Life. Gradually changing into creatures who were much more like us today, they learned how to live in harmony with every other living creature in their new homeland and their colony flourished to become one of the most beautiful, harmonious communities in the planetary system.
"You can visit their community, which still exists today, on the tour called "Believe".
"And now, out the right viewing area..............."
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Hot Dog Palace
remember that guy from the Hot Dog Palace?
he came in there that day
and said, he could eat 100 hot dogs in 5 minutes?
said he would do it for nothing
just to give the Palace the free publicity.
that one poet started screaming at him
told him to shove the 100 hot dogs
right up his ass.
that was when Dwayne, the manager at the time
remember him?
grabbed that poet and told him
he was sick of his shit
and threw him out through
the open air window.
then Dwayne told the hot dog eater,
"look what you made me do"
and the hot dog eater said,
"man, I didn't make you an asshole"
I kind of forget what happened after that,
but all I know is,
in the fracas, someone stole the tip jar
and I went home without any money
and Dwayne had to close the place for a couple of days.
and the hot dog eater
ate 100 hot dogs over at the Weeney Wonkle,
but it took him 8 minutes.
he came in there that day
and said, he could eat 100 hot dogs in 5 minutes?
said he would do it for nothing
just to give the Palace the free publicity.
that one poet started screaming at him
told him to shove the 100 hot dogs
right up his ass.
that was when Dwayne, the manager at the time
remember him?
grabbed that poet and told him
he was sick of his shit
and threw him out through
the open air window.
then Dwayne told the hot dog eater,
"look what you made me do"
and the hot dog eater said,
"man, I didn't make you an asshole"
I kind of forget what happened after that,
but all I know is,
in the fracas, someone stole the tip jar
and I went home without any money
and Dwayne had to close the place for a couple of days.
and the hot dog eater
ate 100 hot dogs over at the Weeney Wonkle,
but it took him 8 minutes.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Tranquillo
More and more I realize that there are no outside influences that should affect my ability to move through life with ease and calmness, taking each new event, each moment as something that is happening for the first time ever, and seeing the wondrous miracle in that.
Would it be possible to remember this if I were severely injured, or being horribly tortured, or cold on the street somewhere with no place to sleep? Would these events even occur in my life if I came to the state of being as I described above, or would I be in a state of existence where injury, torture or homelessness did not even occur or exist? Some sort of parallel universe that we could slip into, with the same cast of characters, only operating and living in an existence that we cannot even begin to understand or if we do understand, put words to.
What is there when the body is gone? and the house is gone and the money is gone and the television is gone? What if we were left entirely with ourselves without the existence of any material thing? Including our body.
My friend James says, then we would cease to exist. If there is no outside influence to tell us who and what we are, then we simply do not exist. No biologist to trace our evolution, no archeologist to trace our civilations, no sociologist to trace our societies, no prohpets to trace our meaning of existence.
But we do have all those things, all those things that define who and what we are. What if we blocked out all that information and just looked at what was left - what would that be? And how would you know?
Would it be possible to remember this if I were severely injured, or being horribly tortured, or cold on the street somewhere with no place to sleep? Would these events even occur in my life if I came to the state of being as I described above, or would I be in a state of existence where injury, torture or homelessness did not even occur or exist? Some sort of parallel universe that we could slip into, with the same cast of characters, only operating and living in an existence that we cannot even begin to understand or if we do understand, put words to.
What is there when the body is gone? and the house is gone and the money is gone and the television is gone? What if we were left entirely with ourselves without the existence of any material thing? Including our body.
My friend James says, then we would cease to exist. If there is no outside influence to tell us who and what we are, then we simply do not exist. No biologist to trace our evolution, no archeologist to trace our civilations, no sociologist to trace our societies, no prohpets to trace our meaning of existence.
But we do have all those things, all those things that define who and what we are. What if we blocked out all that information and just looked at what was left - what would that be? And how would you know?
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