is thought neurosis?

Machu Picchu, National Geographic

spacedance flickr

com·ple·ment/ˈkämpləmənt/ Noun: A thing that completes or brings to perfection.

I see that my favorite vast-as-ocean/is-god-soul theme occurs in more than one of the texts that I've been reading.

"It is necessary to swim in the sea of darkness to recognize oneself in relation to the reflection offered by diving into that sea, but not because you have been punished, not because you have even necessarily strayed- although the sea is dark, and the sea is heavy, and there are pleasures in the sea. But essentially it is because in order to recognize oneself, in order to be of use to the ones who made the sea of darkness and made the light, you must be honed. You have to learn how to swim well- to glide through the water-without any more absorbing it, but instead leaving a trail of starlight"

-Aguia Branca, in Essential Light: Transmissions For Living Through The Heart

I offer myself as one part of a larger light on our shore, the shore where bask those they that are love. May my actions complement that which is impenetrably dark, and in times when I am lost, may my darkness contemplate light.

mantram mantram mantram mothers mothers mothers

This evening, i looked to Eknath Easwaran's The Mantram Handbook. In explaining the concepts of a montram, Easwaran writes:

"The popular etymology of the word mantram gives us some clue what it means to have the Holy Name at work in our consciousness. Although Sanskrit scholars may look askance, it is said that mantram comes from the roots man, "the mind," and tri, "to cross." The mantram is that which enables us to cross the sea of the mind. The sea is a perfect symbol of the mind. It is in constant motion; there is calm one day and storm the next. We see only the surface, with hardly any inkling of the strange creatures that lurk below or the tremendous currents that sweep through the depths. From where we stand on this shore, the far shore is so completely out of sight that we find it hard even to imagine that there is another shore."

I connect well with this metaphor, perhaps because i think of the mind and soul as transient as water. The mantram seems to give a more clear context to as why spiritual texts are relevant. Lately, my friend Diana and I have been using the Buddhist mantram 'nam myoho renge kyo' which if I remember correctly translates to something along the lines of 'my self submits to the supreme mystical law of the sacred lotus sutra.' So here I am, returning to the lotus.
More about 'nam myoho renge kyo' at Soka Gakkai International.

Another mantram I've regarded as useful is 'fuck everything.' Caution with this one, though, use the 'fuck everything' mantram only during moments when the universe is expanding. Those are the times I feel the need to reiterate the pain of a boy who lives in some universe that is always contracting and expanding at will. If you can relate to that at all to this scenario, try saying 'fuck everything' over and over again in the shower, and some of the pressure to exist may be alleviated.

I am hoping for a healthy recovery for my mother who has just completed surgery, and lots of rest for my father who takes very good care of my mother. Mothers are Goddesses. Much love to all Goddess Mothers.

3 objects, 3 poisins, 3 seeds of virtue

this is a blog i've created for myself and my friends to keep track of our progress in our spiritual lives.