Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Chit Chat, snacks, religion, the oncoming cold

-a Tim Horton's™ chocolate walnut crueller, cut in half, buttered, slathered thickly with cream cheese (a decided improvement);

-a few grains of Nescafe™ instant coffee, because it's better with a whiff of the real thing, in a hot mug of barley, rye, chicory and beetroot Krakus™ instant coffee substitute (it's 9:30pm) with 18% coffee cream;

-under a Sunbeam™ electric throw on the low setting, it's cosy in this cold basement apartment, or probably crucial to survival and not-freezing-to-death this Winter;

-Ruined by Reality by the Internal Medicine Doctor at Mad House Madman leaves my heart thumping in admiration and sadness;

-I'm thinking deeply on how attractive Zen is, the promise of fast enlightenment, and how while I read a number of books on it avidly years ago, I've never felt called to it because of its inherent harshness, preferring a tradition that combines Sufi mysticism, Bhakti yoga, Sikh warrior discipline, and an odd mixuture of esoteric Hinduism and Buddhism, or, perhaps, and this makes me smile, sensual nothingness;

-I believe that we can only be indoctrinated into a system by that system: a person enlightened in the Zen™ tradition is only enlightened in that tradition, they are not individuated in a Jungian™ sense, or a saint in a Catholic™ sense - to be individuated one needs to undergo the long process of Jungian analysis; likewise, to become a Catholic saint, one needs to undergo a long tradition of Catholic prayer and worship. Someone enlightened in the Zen tradition is a master of that tradition, but no other; the same for the Jungian, who can't claim their individuation is akin to Zen enlightenment; and the saint can't claim anything other than Catholic canonization. While I know that mastery in any tradition is wonderful to aspire to, I prefer an eclectic blend that suits my idiosyncratic temperament, being true to the idolization of individuality in my era, though I know advertising has mapped me as a 'type';

-a recipe for slow cooker apple, pear and cranberry crisp sits freshly written from the NET beside me and I keep looking at it, almost tasting the fruit and brown sugar and oats, though I won't make it until tomorrow;

-a photograph from last Summer of a statue with half of a set of arms missing that my friend, Anne, bought at a garage sale; I am sure it is a rendition of the Tibetan Buddha "Chenrezig," the Lord of Love. Please correct me if I'm wrong;

-I am pining for Summer, even as Winter begins its harsh encrustation of snow and ice and frigid wind.

8 comments:

  1. I like your analysis of those trademarked paths to enlightenment. I keep hoping that there's some reachable unity underlying them all. Maybe the way to reach it is just not to worry about it too much?

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  2. Richard, ah, but religion is, by its nature, undemocratic. Each religion is the antithesis of democracy. Isn't that one of the reasons so many battles and wars are fought in the name of religion? No religion can offer a way into the underlying unity, the ground of being. They're all too autocratic, dictatorial. In this piece I was playing with the trademark symbol- ™ - and considering them as advertising conglomerates and as 'consumer choices.' Not that I don't find any religion or spiritual system also beautiful, and having profound wisdom too- there's a lot of beauty in each one. But I think, in the end, we're only talking about "mastery" in each particular sphere, not a blanket, well I'm an 'enlightened zen monk' therefore I'm also a 'Catholic saint' because they're not the same at all.

    For "some reachable unity underlying them all"... how about Physics? All the mystery and beauty of the universe and its miraculous structure is there without the possessiveness and jealousy of single-minded religions... but then, physics can't teach ethics, or can it, I mean in terms of ecosystems it can. But in terms of not hurting each other, really not.

    It all gets so complex one wonders if there needs, afterall, to be an answer. Perhaps not, perhaps only a way to negotiate through...

    Your comment was so succinct & went right to the heart of the desire and its issues...

    Thanks! xo

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  3. LOVE™- yes, yes, yes, MB! The only way... xo

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  4. Anonymous10:09 PM

    Hi there. Saw your comment about length and smiled. Thanks.

    Oh, and what's with the tiny, raised TIM that I see after love?

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  5. Anonymous10:10 PM

    woops, that was me, Pru.

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  6. Anonymous1:47 AM

    A fabulous post~this~Miss Brenda~and I float with the photograph and the green and wood fencing against the backdrop of the statue~which~I might say~appears quite content~

    One of my main attractions to Tao~is how it is what it is~and flows like an energy underlying all that we know~that no matter the discipline~it is there~waiting~and is perceived in many ways~Tao, the simplicity of it~like OM~brings a Light, you know?

    "But to give it a word, is important to some...and the word is OM~[Moody Blues] Tao is like that. It has no need to be mastered, it is simply perceived~and followed~on might say.

    I hope I make some sense. I am very tired, and yet inspired by your post~You must forgive any babbling.

    Blessings~

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  7. Dear Laurieglynn, yes, you do make sense. Much of this post was about mastery in particular traditions rather than about omnipotence in all. No 'one ring to rule them all,' but then I'm not a deist (while emphatically believing in all Gods and Goddesses world-wide). The underlying flow of energy that doesn't need to be mastered, it just is, flow with it, yes, the Tao is a unifying force; I think of it as the primal energy, which everything emerges out of, dies back into, the ground of being. And it can't be mastered, or contained, or controlled by anyone; it's free for everyone. I would love to see a religion emerging that's truly democratic, and accepting of all other religions- I think individuals are/can be, but the holy texts! Too much war-mongering territorial battle cries too often for this woman... sadly. Which is probably why I feel most comfortable in the Pagan traditions, which are the undercurrent to the mainstream, and individual, unique, hidden worship. I could go on & on! Forgive... xo

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A Pulsing Imagination - Ray Clews' Paintings

A video of some of my late brother Ray's paintings and poems I wrote for them. Direct link: https://youtu.be/V8iZyORoU9E ___