Sunday Stream (196) ~ 1st Stream

[mtmynd]

Six years ago this month, I wrote my first Sunday Stream. I called it 'Sunday Stream'. I posted it on Litkicks, a site many of us here on S8 first got to know each other.

Sunday Stream was an idea of mine that was, (and still is), a way of streaming my thoughts about whatever they are at the time. I had often wondered if I could write, or more correctly 'capture' my thoughts on various subjects. We can all agree that it is much easier to think than it is to translate those thoughts into words that describe those thoughts.

After over 200 such Streams I would like to go back to February 9, 2003 ... this is where it all began (with minor corrections) -

Sunday Stream

The major religions of the world rely upon the 'revelationary words' (that's not a misspelling) and deeds of a man. Krishna-Blue, Moses, Siddhartha, Jesus, Mohammad all spoke of the divine that holds all eternal life - a life without end, a life without beginning...the heaven in which god resides, and all the other poetic phrases that seeks this essence of being that lies within all of us.

From the words of these men religions have been born. These religions are the blind men touching an elephant and describing the beast that they feel, each religion believing that it is they that hold the key to delivering their flock to the throne of god. The disciples of each religion are following the doctrines set forth by those that have taken each man's words and prescribed a path to follow that they feel closely resembles the path of their choice of 'saviors' to free them from the bonds of life and aid them in their journey to god and heaven.

Somewhere in China a follower of Buddhism came up with Ch'an. Fuck all this ceremony and reaching to a man's words for salvation. Fuck all this holy doctrine and different schools of Buddhism...all the bullshit with the nonsense that accompanies religions. No more was this person going to do such crass shit. No, he decided to go to the heart of the matter - the meditation that Buddha went thru. He decided to abandon all just as Siddartha did - there was no satisfaction in formulations to freedom. Just as Siddartha gave up the path and knew he had to find enlightenment within. Ch'an Man threw it all away and went to that same place - within, and thru meditation he too, found his own enlightenment, his own nirvana, his own communion with blissfulness.

Zen is meditation. Zen is abandonment of doctrines. Zen is not religion. Zen is transformation of Self. Zen is beyond words, henceforth the koans. Zen is Self discovery thru awareness of one's own existence and all the crap that we have become. Zen is a cleansing, a washing away of years of accumulated indoctrinations that have stifled one's own personal growth. Zen is the path of pure freedom unencumbered by minds insistence to question. Zen is not a search but an acceptance of one's inner being.

How many of the world's religions have begun from the experience of their 'originator'? All the major religions began from men that have had "the great inner-awakening" from which they have preached to others to get out of their ruts in life. All these men have done one thing, the common thread: meditation... sweeping away the cobwebs of the mind to see clearly the oneness of life. No tricks, no deceptions, no lies... just meditation. No shit.

_______

cecil
2.22.09

[Artguy]

So when will we see a published book...The Collected Streams Of A River???

[mtmynd]

I've given that so much thought I'm burned out by the idea.

But really, i haven't thought of a catchy title or cover art.

Thx, Kurt

[Arcadia]

six years? wow... no shit, Cecil!!!!!! I can help you with the spanish-translation-crossing-the-border edition (it would be great!!!).

thanks for this first stream & saludos!,

Arcadia

[mtmynd]

"I can help you with the spanish-translation-crossing-the-border edition (it would be great!!!). "

That would be wonderful, Veronica! La idea me gusto mucho, amiga mia.

Muchisimas gracias!

[stilltrucking]

In my heart
beyond my rational mind
I know this is right on Cecil
But I am
Still a wantabee "zennist"*

*I think that is how SooZen spelled it

[Nazz]

February 9, 2003 ?? That's when it all began ?? Hey, that was two days after I first logged onto the big LK. You mean I've been along for this ride right from the beginning? Wow. I think I remember this one. Maybe. I certainly remember the one a week or two later about War and Peace, a meditation on the impending Iraq invasion. I still have a printout of it somewhere, pretty sure. Where did the time go? LK was endlessly fascinating to me in its previous format-- not so much now. I liked a lot of what Levi had to say re: extremism will not solve extremism, and such.

The place had a Zen flow to it, just crazy. Those were some crazy threads that ironhands (remember him?) started on the P&P board-- "I know you peaceniks don't want to go to war, but how do you propose to deal with the problem of Saddam's grave threat"? Yeah. Manufacture a fictitious problem and then attack people for not being willing to "solve" it. Great. Oh those were some sprawling threads. But I digress...

Anyway Cec, congrats on the six-year milestone, and keep on streamin'.

[mtmynd]

truck: "But I am
Still a wantabee "zennist"* "

me too, truck. some day...

i'm a zennist player, taking swings at thoughts on the court of ideas.

nazz: "...congrats on the six-year milestone, and keep on streamin'.

Thx, Mark. six friggin' years. you'd think i'd have something better to do with my life, eh?

[Nazz]

Ahh, it happens, that's all.

I mean, look at me!-- still stewing about political internet arguments from six years ago! That guy named mot juste used to rile me up!!

But that whole experience catalyzed my own "literary revolution", as makeshift as it is and complete as it never will be. I marveled at those first 'Streams of yours-- they "hit me over the head". I was wrestling with all of the things you talked about. Sometimes they still hit me on the head. Sometimes I can just float along. It goes like that, that's all.

[mousey1]

I remember going to Litkicks when I first came on-line, which was March 03, I believe, and I had thought I'd join, but for some reason never did, but I used to sometimes just read a bit, who knew I'd meet up with some of you folks here...glad I did.

And how time truly flies. Six years I've been peering into this computer screen. What an eye opener! An education!

Sometimes up stream, sometimes down stream, but never stagnant! Your waters calming are.

As always thanks for the read, and the row down memory lane.

[Doreen Peri]

Wowow~!

This was your first Stream? This is too cool!

I can't believe it's been 6 years. Unbelievable how fast time flies.

Then again seems almost like a lifetime ago, yanno?

200 Streams.... amazing.. that's probably 2 books ... maybe more.

You should be as proud of yourself as I am honored to continue reading you.

[mtmynd]

Please accept my delayed "thanks! mnaz!" to your reply some time ago... time does flow whether we're in it or not, eh?
_______

"mouseyone, mouseyone, o where have you been..."

what a pleasant surprise to see you out of your nest and exploring the new year with a curiosity made for wonderment. i awed... or i may be odd... but why quibble over sound when meaning is where all understanding lies (!!, how can understanding lie???).. and the lesser mysteries continue to wo/manifest themselves with or without observations.

thx, my little gray-hooded friend, for returning to the banks of the stream... you're looking goot!
_______

Doreen..? Hey! Doreen? Yes!! It is you... what a nice way to begin today.. not only mouseyone but Doreen Peri, here at the Stream place...

Thank you so much for your comments. Indeed, 2 books or more. I've been thinking (again) about that... perhaps a little book -3x5" or so... blue cover (aqua blue of course)... fit into a pocket, even a shirt pocket unobtrusively... but font size? hmmm... a little investigation would be called for ...