Friday, December 28, 2018

As 2018 Comes to a Close

Reading back through my journal this morning (and thereafter through this blog to the very beginning) I note that I have been blogging/writing online for 20 years now; some of the earliest scraps, poetry/fragments go back even further... to the early 90s and even as far back as 1983 and "Burwood"... One thing that strikes me very powerfully is the continuity in terms of the spiritual content of these writings and the connection to the Work or the Great Wisdom tradition that forms the basis of all religion. My inner life has deepened and is ever-maturing as I near 60. The past two years have been insightful and meaningful. And yet, I am still "just a beginner" when it comes to the business of awakening. To some extent a foundation has at least been laid for this structure still needing to be built. But a foundation there is, to be sure.
“How does it feel to be you?” This is one question the comedian and actor Bill Murray fielded during a press conference at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival after after the screening of his latest film St. Vincent. I’m going to guess that most people would’ve seized up or given a light-hearted answer and moved on to the next question, but Murray used it as a teaching moment, of sorts, about being present. Thankfully, the folks over at Vulture recorded his answer. Listen to Murray’s dharma talk here: “Let’s all ask ourselves that question right now: What does it feel like to be you? What does it feel like to be you? Yeah. It feels good to be you, doesn’t it? It feels good, because there’s one thing that you are — you’re the only one that’s you, right? So you’re the only one that’s you, and we get confused sometimes — or I do, I think everyone does — you try to compete. You think, damn it, someone else is trying to be me. Someone else is trying to be me. But I don’t have to armor myself against those people; I don’t have to armor myself against that idea if I can really just relax and feel content in this way and this regard. If I can just feel… Just think now: How much do you weigh? This is a thing I like to do with myself when I get lost and I get feeling funny. How much do you weigh? Think about how much each person here weighs and try to feel that weight in your seat right now, in your bottom right now. Parts in your feet and parts in your bum. Just try to feel your own weight, in your own seat, in your own feet. Okay? So if you can feel that weight in your body, if you can come back into the most personal identification, a very personal identification, which is: I am. This is me now. Here I am, right now. This is me now. Then you don’t feel like you have to leave, and be over there, or look over there. You don’t feel like you have to rush off and be somewhere. There’s just a wonderful sense of well-being that begins to circulate up and down, from your top to your bottom. Up and down from your top to your spine. And you feel something that makes you almost want to smile, that makes you want to feel good, that makes you want to feel like you could embrace yourself. So, what’s it like to be me? You can ask yourself, “What’s it like to be me?” You know, the only way we’ll ever know what it’s like to be you is if you work your best at being you as often as you can, and keep reminding yourself: That’s where home is.” https://soundcloud.com/vulturedotcom/bill-murray-on-what-its-like-to-be-bill-murray http://onbeing.org/blog/bill-murrays-dharma-talk-on-what-its-like-to-be-you/7353

January: Pausing and Giving Thanks

Today I pause for a moment to remember to be grateful, and give thanks for my body, my being, my loved ones. Too often I seem to be so busy ...