Our Journey; Awakening

In seeking understanding
& answers in our life;
I’m convinced we must first
embrace the right questions;
Or more importantly,
the right approach
to our way of asking.


For wisdom & happiness
always seek
a constructive response.
Then undoing happens naturally,
like a clear sky, by letting go.


In all situations,
receptivity will suggest;
“Perhaps there’s another way
of looking at this”.

With right intent we can ask any important question.
Each & every moment we are seeking to know what can I do?
When we are sincere & honest the best answers will come.

Some would like to say our doing is the problem.
Yet we are never without it; for even our not doing is also doing.
Our knowing or not knowing is also part of our doing.
With appreciation, seeking understanding each moment,
Right feeling, kindness & acceptance; is always the answer.

We are asking every moment; what can I do?
Seeing trees & sky; ask what can I do?
Hearing birds; ask what can I do?
Seeking & finding the beloved; ask what can I do?
Just feel each moment with every cell in your body.
Know this is what we can do right now; just be awake.

The Way of the Mystic’s Journey Exploring Ageless Wisdom

Religious traditions seem to be in ruins in the eyes of many modern people. After all what has been the fruit born by the various traditions. Religion is often seen, primarily as an old artifact or like a dry bone, for two sides to fight over. It seems few individuals are very deeply engaged in a meaningful spiritual journey. Religion is admired primarily as a curiosity, to be applied as custom dictates, yet its spirit is seldom integrated with our thought, feelings & actions; thus our decline in working ethics. Artifacts are not living things. So at best an artifact religion may acts as a drug, numbing pain, but such is far from a cure for the causes of our suffering.

On the other hand throughout time immemorial, bright curious seekers have attentively observed all aspects of spirit & nature with conscious qualities of wisdom and joy. Ages ago this “seekers journey” lead those great souls to awaken, to the highest realms of immortal presence. They fulfilled the soul’s ultimate purpose on the path of return to where we came from. Intuitively we all hope & feel the soul is on a journey home, to our fulfillment in peace & happiness. This hope is the seed of the soul’s yearning and doubt is the root of all our needs and sorrows.

What then are the essential factors, of the ever new, ever present, living path of ageless wisdom?

First of all, there is an essential nature; the ineffable nature of divinity, which ultimately all Mystics and true religious traditions rest upon. This divine nature comes to be called God. Because this essence is beyond time & space, it is also beyond conception and the faculties of though or word, therefore it is inevitably misrepresented by any attempts of intellect to describe or constrain it. Embracing the possibility of a singularity, beyond time & space, with no possibility of any other, is essential to the mystic way. This singularity with no other is hinted at by terms such as God, the ineffable, the infinite.

Secondly everything else therefore is temporal appearance only, like clouds in a clear sky, or waves upon the sea. This is the nature of time & space. Like breath or wind appearance is always moving, ever changing, that is the nature of things. The universe must be an infinite sky, with ever changing galactic clouds. This creation of time/space is a mystery I cannot comprehend. I can only suggest to myself that this is an expression of infinite nature. That infinite nature is a presence which can not be excluded anywhere, that is to say the ineffable wholeness without another is omniscient & omnipresent. This is the ageless birth of beginningless/endless presence; Pure eternal “being” suggested by terms such as Sat-chit-ananda. Here already a shadow forms; the eternal dance of a temporal universe in endless space.

This creation of duality is the basic dynamic of all things. It is the mother of all possibility; mother of infinite possibility. It is vibration, pulsation, force & energy. It is creativity in pure conscious mind.

Now we have a foundation for Body, Mind & Soul. We can consider the nature of universal, ageless, wisdom, the way of knowing, the way of mystics. We can call this religious consciousness, which means pure sacred mind; knowingness. Like a mirror pure mind faithfully reflects whatever appears before it, but itself remains unchanged. It must be universal, all inclusive, without divisions, simply faithful & true.

Now in a world of duality, near & far, here & there, every coin has 2 sides. So here we find the roots of night & day, light & dark, demon & angel; thus the separation of religions. But I would suggest, really there are not, in essence many religions; rather I suggest there are only two types of religions. The clearest way I know of describing these two primary views can be expressed by their opposing views of God. One type, of religious belief, sees God as a Judge; measuring the worth of all things. The other religious view, sees God as a Healer; sanctifying and fulfilling the worth of all things. This is the basic opposition between religious views. Our beliefs, supporting one, leads to destruction; while the other leads us home to heaven. The path to heaven is the way of the mystic.

What is the opposing nature of these two views and the paths they lead us on? One is doing, the other is undoing. One seeks glory in constructing a great edifice, an idol of power, the other seeks to remove the veil which hides the eternal light; which illumines and fulfills the purpose of all things equally. One competes, the other serves. One condemns, enslaves, the other awakens & liberates.
One is blind profanity, the other illumined sanctity. There could be no more clear distinction, yet we mostly seem blind to these qualities, because truth has become veiled by doubt, fear & confusion.

The vital question then becomes; how do we recover from the results of our misperceptions & misconceptions? It would be as simple as turning in another direction; that is to move toward the light, instead of putting the sun on our back. Consider Plato’s analogy of the cave, when we face the wall of our materiality we forget the nature of reality outside our imprisonment of temporal duality.
So we have forgotten our true nature and have created an idol of form & separateness, which leads us to be lost in a wilderness, one we seek to escape yet know not the way.

The way is to turn; to go a different way. To each moment calm your self and look clearly at the step before you, do not act rashly, without clarity & purpose. Every thought or action has a result, this is the law of Karma; it is not to judge you, punish you, or bind you; rather it is to assure you that you can, by your choices, become free. Free of fear, doubt, & suffering, by healing thoughts & actions. Every step toward the light enables you to discover the way to your liberation & happiness. So be glad, and rightly so, when you know you are on a new path which leads you home.

Will you simply accept, that there may be a different way; the way of the mystics, who are those fearless enough to move forward, with an open heart, not judging as in the past, living ever in the present, awakening to ageless wisdom, which is ever new, and leads to a temple of a new Aeon.
Then you know you are on the path of the mystics, leading to ageless universal wisdom; the true heart of your divine nature and the only means of your divine awakening.

Nothing about the mystic path should be eternal, or foreign to you. You must practice this way in relation to every aspect of your life. The way to practice awakening, is in how you relate to everything you see, hear, smell, touch, taste; all your thoughts, feelings and relationships. See the nature of reality hidden within all these things. “It” is conscious light shining like a rainbow full of joy, love & wisdom. Your very own true nature is reflected everywhere. Your own mind veils every thing . If you lift the veil of your habit thoughts, you will see differently what is vibrant everywhere, oneness clear & bright.


Here is the path;
Imagine you are walking alone in nature
during the peak of springtime, on a beautiful high mountain lane.
You recognize that off to your right,
through the trees is a broad vista of the valley below.
Just ahead you notice a small side trail heading that way;
should you take it; why not, it's going your way.

Very shortly you move through the trees, and break into an opening
overlooking the vast expanse of a high mountain valley
maybe a thousand feet below.

There the wind whispers in your ear stay awhile.
So you find a seat and listen to the quiet wind come from afar.
Wind and tiny birds are the only sounds you hear in timeless expansive peace.

After awhile so content, with quiet expansive mind filling space,
you have noticed before you, a single wild rose swaying in the breeze.
It seems a lovely joyful dance to you;
so lovely your heart swells with the immensity of this grand scene
and little rose; such beauty all.

What strikes most deeply is this gift;
if you had gone the other way, this moment would never be.
Perhaps no eyes would fall upon this rose to acknowledge its loveliness.
And the rose doesn't seem to care, it may return again and again,
hoping to catch the eye of God.

And today in this timeless sacred moment you, the rose, the valley, the mountain
are all vessels for divine mind, so fully present in this moment here;
as it always is, potentially in every single moment, in every single place.

This is the mystic path,
the divine presence you seek and it is always everywhere.
Your path when you allow your awareness to awake to it,
in any & every precious moment.

This awaking is not external to you, coming on to you,
it arises in you, it is being you, now and always;
only you are forgetting what's there in you always.

Just remember the temple you seek is in you always;
any moment you may open the door
and enter that sacred space of communion
with the divine in your heart.
Now & forever carry that knowing with you;
be it and you will share it.

Bhima Noel

A Universal Dharmic Way

Phaeton - The son of the sun-god Helios. When Phaeton ("the shining one") finally learned who his father was, he went east to meet him. He induced his father to allow him to drive the chariot of the sun across the heavens for one day. The horses, feeling their reins held by a weaker hand, ran wildly out of their course and came close to the earth, threatening to burn it. Zeus noticed the danger and with a thunderbolt he destroyed Phaeton. He fell down into the legendary river Eridanus where he was found by the river nymphs who mourned him and buried him. The tears of these nymphs turned into amber. For the Ethiopians however it was already too late: they were scorched by the heat and their skins had turned black.

“The story of Phaeton has given rise to two latter-day meanings of "phaeton": one who drives a chariot or coach, especially at a reckless or dangerous speed, and one that would or may set the world on fire.”


The Myth of Phaeton displays a symbolism similar to what’s found in the Bhagavad Gita.
Phaeton is the son of Helios the Sun who drives the solar chariot across the sky. Phaeton however insists on trying to drive himself; and scorches the earth as he loses control of the powerful steeds. In the Gita Arjuna chooses Krishna as his chariot driver, which unknown to him assures his victory. It worth considering the mythical, esoteric symbolism of the Sun, Chariots and horses; but that is not my intent here. I’m more interested in delving into the question; how do we discover “proper, constructive, enlightened” direction in our lives?

Here we are in a modern world and our vehicles are not chariots, but we must still drive wisely & carefully. That is the key; as we journey though life if we do not seek or accept the guidance of wisdom,
Our journey will be wild and perilous. Much of our life’s path will be out of control and our surroundings scorched and decimated. How can we discover what plays the part of the driver of the sun in our lives; who or what is the proper driver of our solar qualities. These are questions worthy of our exploration.

I’m sure there are many books, chapters and verses on Solar Mythology. Look them up if you will. Everyone seems to want to talk about cosmological myths of destruction. Certainly we see there are forces in the universe which seem to us either to be benevolent or malevolent. I wouldn’t discount them, but what importance do they have for me unless I see them in my daily life?

Without much stretch one can say that the captains of industry are like Phaeton, thinking they can master the forces of nature, only to crash and burn our ecosystems and environment. But in our personal lives there are qualities we all possess which have a much more immediately relevant impact our on lives perception and state of mind. Perhaps if we focused more on mastering our own personal and interpersonal forces we wouldn’t be so focused on changing the world around us.

Looking at it in this way solar symbology takes on a very direct significance for each of us. Each one of us is carried though life with a body vehicle, or life energies and consciousness driving these. So what is the proper director of these capacities?

Esoterically, Sol is represented and expressed on different levels, in our lives and in our being. Energetically it represents the life force in our body, our inner fire, our passion. On a mental level Sol represents the light which guides us and illumines our way. This light represents our higher intelligence, wisdom itself. We have these capacities, but are we aware of their true nature and how we can be more fully access and utilize our highest native capacities.

Phaeton didn’t know his father, so when he found out who it was he felt he had something to prove and thought he could represent him well, driving his solar chariot. Even though he was strongly advised against it, he displayed a greatly over inflated sense of ego by his inability to receive the wise advice of his father. You can see in this myth an archetypal symbol of soul evolving self. The challenge of developing capacities while under the tutelage of a mentor. Ill prepared and over confident Phaeton was thoroughly overwhelmed, he crashed and burned. This is just how we are when we are unaware of the true nature of our being, and are thus unable to perceive the nature of forces and conditions in our life.

Direct guidance from divine beings is hard to come by, yet we do have instruments which when well attuned provide clear enough perception of the challenges before us. Our higher capacities are inherent, but our ability to access these subtle capacities of consciousness must be refined by developing a spiritual ethic nurtured by honoring qualities such as honesty, discernment, and humility. So it would seem to me the fall of Phaeton is a cautionary tale suggesting the essential nature of Lawfulness, our eastern Dharma, by displaying the inevitable disastrous outcome of ignoring the mentoring advice of our higher Bodhic mind. This is the Universal Dharmic Way. See; Bodhi Mind

Wisdom Fellowship

For sometime now; when I hear what to me sounds like an outrageous social issue; such as the worlds current conflicts and economic problems, I’ve thought of creating a separate social issues weblog, apart from any Rosemont issues, because I didn’t want to detract from the purely spiritual quality of universal fellowship. After all universal fellowship can only truly prosper in an atmosphere of peace and justice; and these blessings depend upon the fullest application of wisdom; which is never found in the presence of greed and exploitation as we see today.
Then looking at it another way and for the very same reason I realized there may be some value in addressing social issues from a different perspective, which I’ve decided to tag as wisdom fellowship. Not to say that I am wise, but to say it may be wise to step back and look at some social issues as issues of universal fellowship which as I suggest depend upon justice in order to establish peace.
Right now, in April of 2009, I’m so tired and frustrated in hearing about the world’s drug problems, terrorism and ocean piracy, not to mention the outrageous problem of piracy in our financial markets. If as a culture those in authority and the so called elite can not even see the shame and hypocrisy of it all, then it seems certain our culture in headed toward collapse. All these wars on terrorism, drugs, ocean piracy, and the middle class are all absolutely wrong headed. In the manipulation of our obsession with war we’ve given up the must important war of all, the war on poverty, because winning that war depends upon us destroying greed and exploitation.
Now it seems we’ve submitted to an exploitive war machine like in some science fiction story with a heartless robot intent on taking over the world, to enslave humanity, because we are incapable of solving our own problems. It seems our culture has become overwhelmingly self destructive, because all these wars are really wars upon our selves. Suppression is made necessary because people loath submitting to oppression and exploitation; which destroys both morals and moral. When struck, our animalistic survival instinct reacts by striking back and thus we have fallen into a primitive archaic state of violence without reason or wisdom.
All the problems we face as a race result from humanities greedy narcissistic, indeed fascist urge to control everything by suppressing and exploiting “the other” whom we fear and denigrate. Perhaps it’s true we can not trust those who see us in the same way, but at least to begin changing the state of affairs we can at least respect them. As North Americans let’s consider our neighbors to the south in Mexico and beyond; many U.S. citizens are or know Latin Americans and they are good people, so as always people are not the problem, all people problems stem from dysfunctional relationships. When people are put apart, demonized, or criminalized no solution is possible. So with drug dealers and North American drug users, it’s not a war we need; instead we should hear the problem as a cry for therapeutic help. Drug users of all types, including alcoholics and tobacco users, could be issued prescriptions as part of their therapeutic treatment intended to free them from the harm of abuse or addiction.
What is the problem in Somalia? I’m guessing it’s poverty as in much of the world. Why don’t we fight poverty instead of fighting the people who suffer from it? It’s the same with the drug market. People oppressed by poverty see financiers exploiting their communities and countries and learn from these examples. The western world and China too should put its own house in order, for I am certain we can not afford to send an army or navy against every oppressed person in the world.

Mind Candy for the "New Age" Marketplace

When I was 16 my family moved from my childhood home; so I recognize that change is one of our life initiations. This transition created circumstances which enabled me to recognize and embrace my life’s spiritual journey. Now this was more than 40 years ago, and I’m still discovering the nature of this journey.

Throughout my entire life I’ve assumed and sought the presence of a teacher student relationship. If nothing else life itself is our universal teacher. Never the less one forever seeks a mutual relationship with another, a higher being. I believe loves universal yearning for togetherness is a path all life shares. The lovers yearning for a relationship with the beloved is the very nature of heart consciousness.

This mystery is the great secret of life; the very basis of life’s journey; a journey of return to our home in union with wholeness, completion. That experience is found only by entering the holy temple of peace and immeasurable joy. This journey, to enter the temple of awakening, is the only goal worthy of life’s fulfillment. The mystics of all times and places understand this purpose and seek the way to its realization.

So traveling though life, guided by the silent teacher of inner perception one often seeks to find that relationship in person. This itself is one of the most important lessons in life; to discover the nature of seeking. Life seeks sustenance, understanding, joy, and fulfillment. Life’s goals are universal; what differs are preferences and understanding regarding the nature of fulfillment.

A child, left to their own devises, might eat only candy, maybe different kinds of candy for variety; stopped only by pain and suffering. Then drink water or something until it was ready for more candy. Now the body will know it wants and needs more, but needs may be overridden by desire and eventually conquered; so even innate intelligence can be suppressed by desire. While desire is primal because we all seek happiness, fulfillment, true fulfillment which includes the peace of wisdom, requires intelligence.

Mostly what I see in “the New Age Marketplace” is a lot of mind candy. Perhaps I’m being too cynical, but for effect here’s something to consider. What is the difference between the old age marketplace and the new age one? Perhaps the old sells things and the new sells ideas. But let’s face it what’s always been for sale is ideas of how to be happy. The point is it is finding that makes us happy, not constantly seeking; especially seeking that which can never really lead to lasting happiness anyway. Even in relationship it is never the other person that makes us happy. As suggested before it is the fullness of knowing lasting joy and wisdom that brings us peace. In finding peace our purpose then becomes to find it present everywhere, to find it shared with everyone.

The point I’m getting at is that; if something is to be truly new, it must be different, transformed and transformative. Just buying and selling ideas is nothing new. Something New Age would have to be; embodying, manifesting and sharing something totally different from what has come before. And that would be transformative relationships.

Looking at my relationship with teacher and beloved, I then look at the marketplace and find so many new age teachers who have discovered the answers to life. People, many who after reading a book, or having a dream, are suddenly awakened and called to teach, while I after 40 years am only trying to become a more worthy student of life. No wonder they have something great to sell, while I only have intent to offer.

He who seeks, or seeks to be, a candy man is a narcissist not a teacher. Rather we might seek to offer each other opportunities; to share, embody and manifest something new. That which one should offer is something most of us fear, because we are afraid that none of us are worthy, and so we can’t trust ourselves or others. Yet we must learn to be trustworthy and so learn to trust as well. What we fear is relationship; relationship which matures into community.

If you look at our culture you will see how incredibly immature our relationships are, if we truly have any at all. Everybody is just trying to get their own way. This might be OK if our ways were mature and constructive, but mostly they’re not. Our relationships are not mature because we avoid communication. True communication must be constructive, transformative. If we talk only to control and defend, to build barriers, that is not communication it is aggression and conflict, not fellowship. True communication requires us to be defenseless; to be defenseless we must be fearless.

If one seeks to discover a truly transformative relationship with life itself; leading to the community of wisdom, peace and joy, one must find the presence of the teacher in every moment, and first become a worthy student; a brother, sister to all. One self declared is never a worthy student, teacher or friend.

The Essential Unity of Humanity

The Essential Unity of Humanity

Here are the issues I keep coming back to. Culturally from the time of Columbus the post medieval world has dealt more directly than ever with this issue of the relationship of our world cultures. Mostly we have responded in very primitive ways leading to virtually endless war. No modern person could ever convince me that this is, in anyway, a useful means of resolving any issues of our conflicting interest today. As a result of applying, basically an aggressive fascist mind set; to politics, economics and religion, the modern world appears virtually crippled on all levels and unable to realize its innate creative potential.

Now it has often been suggested that “we ourselves are the world”. Nothing mankind does happens outside the aspirations of us as individuals. The seeds of all negative emotions arise from us as individuals. In some way, if only by our acquiescence, we are supporting our own destruction; just as if we were poisoning or cutting our families, or shooting drugs, or assaulting our neighbor. We are it seems in fact acting as a criminal race. We can either reform our behavior or die in disgrace, this seems clear, in fact indisputable to me. There can no longer be any claim or excuse of ignorance. We don't know any better?

Undoubtedly, among thoughtful caring people, there must be universal values equally indisputable. Many things can be disputed, these beliefs we do not yet share, where there is no agreement. But we don’t even really need a long tomb of endless universal laws and punishments. Ignorance, causing conflict is punishment enough for all our failings.

May us just agree that true love and wisdom are priceless gifts of mercy we all cherish. Mercy is the fact that, though gifts of love and wisdom are priceless, they are available to all whom humbly set aside pride of self and bow to the presence of goodness pulsing in our hearts. Goodness is divine presence, which cannot be shut out except through embracing ignorance, the hellish delusion of our separateness, which worships conflict.

Be not a hypocrite or fool who condemns ones brother or sister; for as we judge so are we judged. Good sense and honesty make us think like scriptures; do not as a fool twist the truth. Act rightly; or you condemn ancestors and children alike. Be not a scourge upon the earth; there is no greater shame or poverty. Be not among the self condemned who curse the day they were born and engender celebration the day they die. You can condemn no other; you condemn yourself. Follow not that way.

In all things, measure your ethos with wisdom. Wisdom is nonviolent; though it destroys ignorance, in the same way as darkness flees from light. Love, the fruit of wisdom is like water which is cool and life giving; it quenches fire and shapes rock. All these words you have heard before. Has your heart been as though dead and cold? I think not. Then fear not.

Friends say “all we need is love” but you doubter rather tremble in fear. Where is your heart? If you would stand brave, fight fear; fear of your brother, fear is the hatred that consumes your soul. Fear you have destroyed all that is good. Fear not, for what you call God is good. Good is what destroys hatred, fear and doubt. What is done is not your task. You rule only the kingdom within the dome of your skull; do not think to usurp any other power which is not given to you. Nothing else is yours, yet when wisely there you will be welcome, to be received with infinite grace, love and happiness. There is no other key to your salvation. There is no other way.

A Song of the Soul

Insights which impress us most deeply align with the mantram beating in our hearts so I call this:

A Song of the Soul
The Heart of the Matter

Don’t you feel there must be a “Oneness” beyond any other?
An ultimate wholeness of which there is no other.
All that we see and conceive of, seems to emerges from the great beyond, “Beyond all conception”
and thus it is called indescribably pure,
void of limits and also infinitely full of all possibility;
transcending thought or number,
beyond the confines of time and space;
One God of all,all,all, beyond name and form.

Ageless wisdom with no beginning and no end lays latent in the “One beyond any other”.
Within the wholeness, enfolding infinite space and eternal matter;
there rests the very womb of time and space as we know it.
We see all atoms ruled by the laws of time and space; and thus subject to individuality.
In our own little selves; though ever so close to one another; like the atoms, we remain ever apart.
Though spirit may seem far from us; only “there” in spirit, beyond our separateness may we be ever as one.

Ageless wisdom again and again becomes embodied in the lives of people, through the cycle of necessity. Having awakened the powers of love and wisdom, latent in all;
The Compassionate elders of the human family return to help guide others, to end suffering and confusion.
A few, who host their highest spiritual nature, are know as Avatars; the Progenitors of great spiritual families.
They are the greatest revivalist, restoring knowledge of ageless wisdom.
They create no religions for they know truth is one forever.

Aspiring souls first know and love this one as Mother/Father friend & beloved.
This is the journey we share with all, upon “the path of our return” to where we have come from.
Thus even now on this journey we are together, though we may seem far apart.

Let us not be buried in this field of matter.
Soul will not fondly lie in a grave.
Flowers will not comfort us.
Thus the wise awaken foresight.
Someday we must set this all aside.
Let us give now freely, with nothing to be pried from our hand.
Now is the time to practice letting go;
letting go of conflict, fear & doubt.
The wise know we give little to receive so very much.

There is a door before us.
Unchained to our burdens we are free to enter there.
And find a place of peace where love and wisdom rule;
Beloved; wait, to greet us there.