"And so it is. Philosophy ultimately leads to no answers but many unspoken questions. Why? Because we take the intellectual approach to realization and those paths are but diversions from the ultimate causation of being. Philosophy has the intellectual possibilities of mental exercise, but the essence of our true being must transcend the intellect and into the realm of mystery, the profound mystery of existence,the metaphysical realms and beyond...beyond the perpetual asking of the mind."cecil 8/22/02
I came across this piece I wrote and wonder why. Why don't I? Why can't I? Why isn't ? Why, why, why... I might be a "why-ner". It drives me nuts sometimes... it's probably what drives most people nuts - those that ask why and those that have to listen to those that ask why. There are so many other things to think about.
The world is vast and so are it's mysteries. The universe is every thing so "why" not just enjoy it? Who cares about solving all these whys? All of the why's does not make one wise, only a wise guy. Wisdom is the fulfillment of why... and conversely, the elimination of why.
We need balance in our lives - not too much this or too much that... just enough, and that includes asking, even if it is we that are asking ourselves. Balance is the key... balance is the knob that opens the door. There is no "key" per se, only a knob that simply needs turning - quarter turn and the door opens. No lock, no key, just the effort of turning the knob. But we make this simple task into a difficult series of why's. No need to ask why. Take why and toss it. Move on. Take it in... take it all in... without why. All the answers that why conjures are there and have been all the time. The answers are there without asking why. Just be awake... be alert... be in the now. All the whys simply dissipate into the ethers - swallowed by all the answers before they become questions.
This practice does not make one less intelligent, but it does make the intellect more alive.... it even swallows intelligence banging away seeking answers where there once was none. No whys, no problems. Just be each moment and there is no carrying the past, there is no lugging intelligence around... all those pat and savvy answers we use when approached by why are just extra luggage on the journey thru life.
When why becomes problematic it's time to regain balance. We regain that balance when we become attuned to Now. Now seems dumb, at least on the surface. Try to speak to someone in the Now. They seem out of it. But it is you that are out of it ... out of the Now. Have you ever cheated yourself while making love? Your heart and soul is not into it... your mind is elsewhere. Your partner knows that something is not right. They know that you are not in the Now. The erotic current is not running thru the both of you. Unplugged because of other things... the job, the finances, the bills, tomorrow's meeting, the deadlines, no cream for the morning coffee. You are not in the Now. And that cheats your well-being, your mate. Not being in the Now when making love is not making love but faking love... cheating because you are not in the Now. Try masturbating when you are not into it. Impossible. A waste of time and energy.
Take that same concept and see how you, see how they, see how so many cheat themselves of the joy of being Now. People walking the streets, driving the freeways, wondering the aisles of Walmart, so many of them with their heads and minds so far from Now that there is little concern of others - we bump into each other or ignore others pain, we have auto accidents, we push and shove to get ahead and get even. Where is the Now? Not why is the Now... but where is the Now?
Awakefulness. Mindfulness. Nowness - the state of being Now. 'Tis a precious gift to be in the Now. When in the Now our compassion increases, becomes more acute to those in need. Being in the now brings about giving, giving of ourselves to those that need us, need some one. We all need that - to need someone. But first we need Now and then so much other extraneous luggage falls by the wayside. We become less burdened, we walk lighter upon our feet... almost like floating. Remember the feeling of being in love? When you walked about almost as if you were flying, the feeling was effortless. You were in love and that was your Now and you radiated a beauty, a calm, a joy that others took notice of. They liked it. It's good to be around those in love. It is even better to be around those in the Now. The Now is not mono-love but omni-love - a love of life, a love of being, a love of all that transcends the mundane that we find ourselves in. When we are awake, when we are in the Now all the shit is but manure enriching the garden of life and all that we see is the flowers that bloom from the manure.
Now is not a philosophy but the way of awakefulness that asks not why for that would put mindfulness back to sleep into the dream of the mundane that most take for reality. To be in the Now is to be one with life, beyond all philosophies, beyond all religions, beyond the intellect where intelligence knows mind as a part of Being not being apart from Now. -
Cecil
20 February 2005
Gakko Bosatsu (Bodhisattva of the Moon)
G'day friend... g'day.
