"in that I’ve chosen no form for the Book of Mind Because everything has no form, and when you’ve finished reading this book you will have had a glimpse of everything, presented in the way that everything comes: in piecemeal bombardments, continuously, rat tat tatting the pure pictureless liquid of Mind essence" Jack Kerouac.
I have been reading a lot this morning and sorting photos, a Sunday occupation. Debating whether to find Kerouac's 'Lotus Sutra'. Apparently K wrote a great deal but died at the age of 47 years old with liver disease. Caused through alcoholism. Paul kept a lotus seed which he once showed me, you can plant it over my grave he had said jokingly. But I could never find the seed.
I came across Steve Marx's long essay or talk on the above, see here. I see on his blog that he also writes of Leonard Cohen's term in Buddhism. They are playing 'Hallelujah' at the moment on the radio, coincidence or not?
I often wonder several hundred years hence whether such hippy people as the Beat people will transcend to Jesus like figures, worshipped for their insight and seen as great minds. though the sceptics of today's suburbanite minds will mutter it was all down to drugs. The mind is a frightening place sometimes for many people but it is the social milieu at the moment that weighs so many people down.
I also wonder was it this time of hippies from the 1950s that our questioning of whether Christianity had a right to existence in our own minds. The questioning went on and people sought other religions to fill in the gap. But why is there a gap? Is there really a void there, or something we have yet to discover in our own minds. Questions, questions.
There was a discussion on Radio 4 on Bishop - Mariann Budde's sermon to Trump, and the American preacher refuting her. you will find it at 27 minutes on this programme. Also discussion of Kerouac and the 'ceasefire'. How we all wish for a cease fire and for the Palestinians to rebuild their lives but will it ever happen?
Well the pure pictureless liquid of mind essence, does not exist in my brain which often has images floating through it and music flows gently through as well at the moment, distracting in its simplicity - Arvo Part - Spiegel im Spiegel. So calm it lilts the mind to something that is not there.
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| Old Hawthorns. There roots firm in an old stone shed |
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Stachy plant or Lamb's Ears - frozen  |
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| My romantic grandson who took Ellie to Amsterdam (or was it Copenhagen) to propose |
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| Tom at an earlier age throwing stones into the pond when he had been told again and again not to throw stones. |
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| Summer flowers |
That poem was beautifully read, and the last line: 'I get down on my knees and do what must be done' brought the lesson home to me. No one is willing to get down on their knees and do what must be done. Anywhere.
ReplyDeleteWe, and I mean world leaders are scared of upsetting the apple cart, so they smile sweetly at this upstart dictator and plot quietly elsewhere. Much of what T says is used to goad a reaction, how much will be implemented remains to be seen.
DeleteMy mother called Stachys donkeys' ears which is how I still think of them. She only had a small garden but I'm sure that the flourishing plants I have in my garden came from her via three other of our homes.
ReplyDeleteThat is how i have always thought of them Ruta. They are one of the classic silver leafed plants to tone down the more colourful flowers.
DeleteI have spent the afternoon working in the kitchen and pondering 'Buddist emptiness' which would seem to be the opposite of mindfullness. I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteThat is the whole point of religion it is mysterious Debby ;) It is the journey that is important not the end.
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