All Things But None

It is one of the greatest mysteries of life that we are born with perfect bliss in our being and we remain beggars because we never look into ourselves. We take ourselves for granted, as if we already know all that is within. That is a very idiotic idea, but it prevails all over the world. We are ready to go to the moon to search for bliss, but we are not ready to go inside ourselves for the simple reason that we already think we know. And we don't know ourselves at all.

Socrates is right when he says, 'Know thyself.' In those two words the whole wisdom of all the sages is condensed, because in knowing thyself all is known and all is fulfilled and all is achieved.

We don't have to become perfect – we are born perfect. And we don't have to invent bliss, we only have to discover it. It is not such a difficult matter as people think; it is a very simple process of relaxing, resting and slowly getting centred.

The day you stumble upon your centre, suddenly there is light all around; you have found the switch. It is just like groping in the dark room – you go on groping and then you find the switch and light is all around. But you can sit in darkness for the whole night, crying and weeping just underneath the light switch. And that's actually the situation; we are crying and weeping unnecessarily.

So those who have known have a very strange feeling about people. They feel great compassion but they laugh too. They can see the absurdity of it all – that you have it already but you are running hither and thither for no reason at all. And because of your running, you go on missing it. And they have great compassion also, because you are suffering – that is true, although your suffering is simply foolish.

This absurd, ridiculous life pattern has to be changed completely. Look within, and if you cannot find anything there, then look outside. But I say categorically that if you look within you will find it – find the Kingdom of God, the perfect bliss, the absolute truth. Nobody is an exception, it is an absolute law. Look within and you will find it. And with it comes freedom and great fragrance. Life becomes a dance, a poem, a constant ecstasy; moment to moment it goes on growing.

Text by Osho

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To reconnect with ourselves, to reach within – sounds like a beautiful place to be. In life, we all have the passion to seek, and yet, I believe that what we're truly after is something we already possess. We have the answers... but since there is time, we long for more – much more. And it's never enough, or so it seems.

We know the destination. But it is all about how we take the path.

xo, r

Amethyst purple, rosy-shaded red, tangerine orange and baby soft blues... The early skies from this Tuesday morning was particularly gorgeous and spectacular. Just one look, you know there was a silver lining in there somewhere. I was heading west and had to look back several times to see its magnificence. Truly sublime!

Another year. It has only been a week but it feels like 2 months since we rung in the new year! Actually I went to bed on New Year's Eve at 11pm and woke up at 1am... I looked at my alarm clock with the glow-in-the-dark hands, smiled, then went back to sleep.

Not sure how much I'll be writing this year. I used to have plenty to say in my old blog. Remember Mrhappysad? Black background [oooh!] with white text? These days, I think my mind is a bit more clearer, less crowded [or is it empty?!]... maybe that's why I don't have much to say. This morning I even took out the background image. I like the openness. I always have.

No resolutions for me. I'm just happy that we all made it through another year and everyone is still healthy. Keep it up everybody!!! But my grandmother had a couple of falls this past month and the last one gave her a big goose-egg on the back of her head! :-( Poor grandma. When we fall, sure, no problem, we get back up. But when you're 97yo, it can scare the life out of you... But day by day, she's getting better. I'll go see her again this weekend.

So lately I haven't been writing much, nor taken many pictures, but I have been reading every night. I know I know... My life isn't all that exciting, but I can still be excited about life itself? Yeah? :-)

In 2008, many troublous times for everyone, so I hope 2009 will be a quieter and prosperous year for all... Every nation and country, every city and town, every one and every body. Did I miss anything? Finding the silver lining... it's out there.

Anyway, I re-read something from Dogen today, so I'll just leave you with that! *hugs to everybody*

xo, r

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Enlightenment is like the moon reflected on the water.

The moon does not get wet, nor is the water broken.

Although its light is wide and great, the moon is reflected even in a puddle an inch wide.

The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.

Text by Dogen

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Currently listening:
Nuno Malo - Star Crossing

Pink shirt n' a skinny black tie taken in a poorly lit room. Muted. Well it's sort of my new 80's look! I'm gonna try to bring the skinny tie back! You just wait! I'll be sporting a different one to work each and every day next week! woohoo!

Yeah, sometimes little things get me excited! ooh! Have a great Sunday everyone!

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Currently listening:
Bow Wow Wow - Baby Oh No! [Special Extended Version]

Went to the Photo LA show this weekend. My 4th year attending. Good times. Many wonderful photographers' work displayed. A good few of the artists' work stood out, but I don't recall the names. Here's one: Olivo Barbieri! Made aerial photography that looks like miniature models. Trippy! But again, I don't recall if his prints were there, but I did see photographs that used the same technique. Whose work came first? Dunno! We all all pondering whether the landscape were real or fake. Quite interesting to look at, for the moment.

Well, that's it for today. I hope everyone had an awesome weekend, and Happy Monday! Oright, I'm gonna play 80's music all week, and I'm wearing a tie today! Go me!

A photo a day for the week. Silly innit? This set-up doesn't look much like the 80's though, dang it... but I'm still keeping the theme going with the music! Like I said before, I haven't been taking many pictures lately, so at least this little 'assignment' will get me using my camera a bit. Hmm... after this, what's next!?! Any ideas?

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Currently listening:
Alphaville - Forever Young

Gaah! How long will this last! ugh! This is most silly, but I feel like I must continue! Three. More. Days! :-) Now, what's for dinner... hmm!!

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Currently listening:
The Flying Lizards - Dizzy Miss Lizzie [Extended]

Sam over at Green Acres recently mentioned something about his music player on his blog. It got me thinking [again!] whether I want to have the music from my radioblog to come on on auto-start or not. At times, I still think it's a tad rude to blast the music whenever peeps come to the page, but I don't do it every day. Or should I?? *looks up & pinches chin* jk!

Previous versions of Radioblog used to have this feature where you can generate a link in the body text, and when you click on it the song would start playing. I miss that. So I think I will keep annoying you cuz I like my music too much, and that I'm too lazy to click to activate. One good thing about the radio is that when you set the volume once, it'll stay at that audio level.

Anyway, I love this song by The Furs. It makes me feel all good and happy-like. Shall we dance?

Heaven
Heaven is the home of our hearts
And heaven don't tear you apart
Yeah heaven is the home of our hearts
And heaven don't tear you apart

There's too many kings wanna hold you down
And a world at the window gone underground
There's a hole in the sky where the sun don't shine
And a clock on the wall and it counts my time

And heaven is the home of our hearts
And heaven don't tear you apart
Yeah heaven is the home of our hearts
And heaven don't tear you apart

There's a song on the air with a love-you line
And a face in a glass and it looks like mine
And I'm standing on ice when I say that I don't hear planes
And I scream at the fools wanna jump my train

Yeah heaven...

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Currently listening:
The Psychedelic Furs - Heaven

Darn traffic took forever tonight. I got tired of it and stopped by Costco just to see what's good to get. I bought some fish and a wedge of cheese. Oooooh! Exciting innit?

And this photo... By far not the most exciting. Maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow. Don't you just love this song by Marc?? Time to make dinner! Night night!

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Currently listening:
Marc Almond - A Lover Spurned [Extended Mix]

Yay, my little assignment / experiment has finally come to an end! Who knew I would last a whole week. Not sure what took precedence: Me needing an excuse to take pictures or me daring myself to wear a tie [and be geeky] all week long!? Doesn't matter now, cuz on both counts, I had fun. All the photographers I see out there, they all have their 'series' of photographs... Like a set of photos just on, say, chairs... trees, bridges, or whatever. I guess that's how it works. So for me to do this little project is a start of a good habit. I'll certainly do more, but not with myself mind you.

Continuing with the 80's music theme, there were so many to choose from: The Lightning Seeds, Pete Shelley, Talk Talk, Electronic, ACT, Bronski Beat, Bananarama [Hi Jef!!], Altered Images, Toto Coelo [remember them?]... Alas, so many to choose from! But then I thought of Limahl! haha! 'nuff said! The movie came out back in 1984 and I was a young adult then, so it didn't really make much impact on me, but the song did for some reason.

Okay, next time I think I'll post a video! Not of me mind you! :-) Have a great weekend everybody!

xo, r

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Currently listening:
Limahl - The Never Ending Story [Extended]

This morning, I dreamt that Alec had died and I just remembered I was crying, and crying uncontrollably and then I cried some more...

In the middle of my tears I was able to tell myself that it'll all be okay, even if he's gone, he'll still be with me... I've lived a long life and with all the lessons that I've learnt, I've grown to be strong! But that didn't do any good because in my mind I knew, physically, I will never get to see him again. Never will I feel such love again whenever he speaks to me or make me laugh. I thought about not ever again will I find a person like him, yet I might find another companion named Alec, but it will not be the same. Nothing ever is. It was the saddest dream...

The dream felt so real and so intense, and I only cried. Then I finally woke up and turn to the other side and there he was, sleeping soundlessly next to me. I teared up a bit because I was so happy that it was only a dream. Then I thought about how empty my life would be without Alec... How frailty is life?

When my mind was cleared while still lying in bed, I thought about reality – this phenomenon that surrounds us... Sure, one can be free and our mind can take us places, but how free are we absolutely? I woke up, [and how cliché!] but might this all be another dream [or fabricated reality!] I weave?

This moment, I've come to the conclusion that reality is bitterly cruel – like a dream in which we never wake! And yet life itself is something so beautiful and utterly different...