want truth? drop opinions

Nothing wrong with having an opinion.

Just, don't bother having any.

Feel, sense, prefer or don't. No need to formulate into an opinion.

Stay clear.

Opinions are a cultivation too precious to afford.

not yet human

I like Pierre Hadot's book Philosophy as a Way of Life, Spiritual Exercises from Socrates to Foucault. Reading Arnold I. Davidson's introduction, this on p.20:

For ancient philosophy, at least beginning from the sophists and Socrates, intended, in the first instance, to form people and to transform souls. That is why, in Antiquity, philosophical teaching is given above all in oral form, because only the living word, in dialogues, in conversations pursued for a long time, can accomplish such an action. The written work, considerable as it is, is therefore most of the time only an echo or a complement of this oral teaching.
(--Pierre Hadot, "Preface," in L'Enseignement oral de Platon, p.11.)

The forming aspect of philosophy suggests arriving at a shape of being human that is recognizable and responsible to surrounding environment and emerging humanity into this appearing world.

We are not yet human.

We seek form.

It is an exercise and practice of becoming and

Being

Human

what about being here

"You can't experience not being there forever," said Alan Watts.

a formula for meditation

As it was

in the beginning

is now

and will be

forever

there’s a new precedent

It feels that nothing has preceded this

Nothing has

And this is the result

Grok this nothing

One who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so

Advent.

Something’s coming.

Could be Christ child.

Could be another hysterical tetrarch -- an executive leader of one of the four seats of power who will attempt to gobble up, privatize, and cannibalize the other three -- legislative, judicial, and remnants of free press -- for his benefit and favor.

Watch out!

Reading        2 ROM 13:11-14  

Brothers and sisters:You know the time;
it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep.
For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
the night is advanced, the day is at hand.
Let us then throw off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day,
not in orgies and drunkenness,
not in promiscuity and lust,
not in rivalry and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision of the flesh.  

(--First Advent, 2nd reading, readings of the day)

We think desires of the flesh means sex and intoxicants. Well, yes. But, more so, usurpation of  private choice, private thought, private act.

If Christ means communion (not correction), then this tetrarch means punishment (not democracy).

America has for a long time pretended not to favor tyranny and treachery. That pretense fades. Overt strongman control rolls into town. Swooning adherence to the bullying puppets and bully pulpit becomes job one for both the affirmers and deniers of such rise-up controlling interests in personal charism and cauterized closing of wounds on slashed bodies who disagree with rule by one/few master/pure know-betters/shut-your-mouth insinuators instead of the represented many and different, struggling to survive plurality who wait and wonder.

This is not a time of servile yes or obsequious pandering to faux-fascist demagoguery. This is the time for awakening.

The writer of Romans gives a new and uncredited point of view and course of action: "and make no provision of the flesh."

It is time to gather provisions for the long and difficult upcoming winter. 

"No"

We must enter mu and embody mu.

Works of darkness whisper 'yesss' as they strut toward Washington to be sworn. So, too, sheep are herded into delusion to be shorn and sacrificed.

Something strange this way comes.

I'd rather Christ.

Or Buddha.

Some authentic Bodhisattva:

bo·dhi·satt·vaˌbōdiˈsätvə,-ˈsət-/noun(in Mahayana Buddhism) a person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so out of compassion in order to save suffering beings.

The suffering, so unseen in plain sight for so long, is about to burgeon and overwhelm.

Our response to the koan of this arriving anomaly will be:

no --

unsay that portentous predictive; embody awakened caring action!

Let no become now until we have won the simple yes of co-relational and common communion.

Balsekar is fine but Orwell is spot on

Sunday Evening Practice reading on volition and the totality.

Oh dear, Animal Farm's Napoleon has squealed a mistruth and his dogs are in a frenzy to ensure it is heard as truth. Gotta love fiction...