poetry in motion

unrequited

how much longer must i squat

before i submit

the spirit rot

beneath the bar

chained to the pain

addicted to the quest for perfection.

its a dead end my friend

alas in vain

muscle and might i will not gain.

o god of iron yes set me free

let me go

its not me.

Polarity

Why must so many people divide persons and things into categories (i.e. stereoyping). Is it the simplest way to view "the rest of the human race?" Does it arise from a psychologic need, or is it simply the easiest way to avoid mental exertion?

Liberals are ..., Conservatives are ...., Religious people...., Muslims are ..., Jewish people ...., College professors ..., The media ..., and ad infinitem. How about "He's a pretty nice guy, except he's a communist"; or "stay away from him, he's a born-again."

All stereotyping stems from prejudice, based on prior teaching(often mythology), formative environment, and maybe specific experiences. Most people, it seems to me, use personal anecdotes to reinforce previously held beliefs.
Wouldn't it be more respectful to give each human being the dignity of being an individual who can think and act for himself?

The thinking is similar when it it comes to situations or ideas in pertaining to life in general. Most people [it seems to me] initially see solutions in terms of polarized trains of thought: we must do this(extreme measure), or do that(other end of spectrum). Some follow this train to the bitter end, others proceed to find a solution somewhere between the poles.

One example is Darwinism vs. Creationism. In today's world, the two can coexist in harmony; with the understanding that neither the terms [Darwinism(evolution), or Creationism] represent a coherent or unified set of principles or beliefs. The more accepted theory of evolution today does not equate to Darwinism as postulated around 1850. Nor does Creationism necessarily equate to a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis (in the Christian Bible). Theories evolve over time, and an individual can develop his own theory which contains elements of different theories. Once again, the naming of a theory usually just serves to establish a broad category which may be convenient but also serves to polarize people's beliefs. After all, a theory is a unified set of principles that purports to describe some aspect of reality; thus by definition does not represent a set of proven facts.

These simple thoughts represent a plea to all to strive for a truly open(and active) mind. This entails the willingness to temporarily discard all predjudices and examine a subject objectively using something akin to "the scientific method."

End of Today's Lecture

The Wisdom of Will Rogers

"You know horses are smarter than people. You never heard of a horse going broke betting on people."

more philosophy

"Our relationship with God is like the relationship of a drop of water to the ocean."
Yogi Shanti Desai, of Ocean City, New Jersey.

Since there are very few if any original ideas, it is pointless for me to fill up blogspace with my personal observations. It is really just an exercise in ego for me to do so, mostly with self serving and superficial motives. In doing so I am only borrowing others' ideas and displaying them as if my I had some part in developing them; or trying to present myself as a messenger of "truth".

Thus the emphasis on quotations which over the years have had a profound effect on my thinking.

"The universe that we see is a projection of our own mind."
Yogi Shanti Desai, YOGA Holistic Practice Manual

life

pain builds character;
character builds faith;
faith can move mountains.

(author unknown)

thoughts in rhyme

to persist
or to desist;

to ride
or to decide;

to hold
or to fold;

to stay
or to go away;

is it the sands of time or
the healing hands of time?

coming home

famous quote:

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965),
from Little Giddings, a poem.

Satanstoe

"The foundations of great events are often remotely laid in very capricious and un-calculated passions, motives, or impulses. Chance has usually as much to do with the fortunes of states, as with those of individuals; or, if there be any calculations connected with them at all , they are the calculations of a power superior to any that exists in man."

James Fenimore Cooper(1789-1851), in his preface to Satanstoe.

New Surroundings

LAKE OTSEGO

----- o'er no sweeter lake
Shall morning break or noon-cloud sail,--
No fairer face than thine shall take
The sunset's golden veil.

This portion of a verse by John Greenleaf Whittier( 1807-1892 ) appears in a book entitled "James Fenimore Cooper" By Mary Elizabeth Phillips, published 1912.

By "googling" the verse I found no references to Otsego in connection with the above verse, however on Project Gutenburg I found the poem "Lake Kenoza" containing the identical verse referencing Kenoza vice Otsego. Lake Kenoza is in East Haverhill Massachussets, of which Whittier had fond childhood memories. "Kenoza" is purported to mean "pickerel" in the local Native American language at the time.

I must do some research to find out if this is a mis-representation , or if there is a valid historical basis for the substitution which appears on the surface to be somewhat bogus.

In either case I think these are beautiful words.

Please enlighten me if you have any information about the verse(s).