Sun beats

The sun beats down on Barcelona: last night I sat at a beach-cafe and played backgammon with a friend as the sea lashed upon the shore. I saw an exhibition of lost ruins; sat in the Citadel park by the grand fountain; quietly rested in the house of shadows (conservatory); then wandered endlessly through the many streets.

Knowing a place through endless rambles, going nowhere. Just ever so breezy, breezy and deep.

With the desires of.....being in Barcelona?

I fly today to spend a week in Barcelona, visiting friends. First time in a new city for me...more tastes to savour.

As a parting post I'm leaving another audio poem: this one is called 'With the desires of one' and is the opening poem in my latest collection, which was completed this week.

Bon Voyage

Everybody’s place

After the 7/7 events in London I wrote a response...as did many others.

This poem - called 'Everybody's Place' - can be downloaded as audio here.

Again - 'Quicktime' is needed.

A woven tapestry

As the world surprises me more, I also learn to become less surprised. This passage of time flows like a falsehood, as orchestrated events pass for meaning.

I came across an amusing story today: in 1980 Saddam Hussein was presented with the Keys to the City of Detroit, as an honourary blessing.

The tapestry that is woven around us is as a game. We play it at our peril.

Let us not become embroiled in deceit. Be true to thyself, and none shall say otherwise.

Two Births

I went to London to see Friends both alive and dead. I ate dinner and had lovely moments with various friends; then sat at the feet of the fresh grave of another Friend. To tell the truth, there was no difference. Life & Death can be equally present if we shift ourselves away from the five-senses. It is a continuation...

Birth is like death to the baby that is pushed from comfort into the squeeze of the narrow birth-canal; as death can be as another birth out from the womb of the physical body again.

We should attempt to live in all moments. There is nothing to lose but your-self.

We are here for something much greater than the both of us.

Snippets of a reply

The Question of what keeps people together is myriad...

...marriage for many is a committment on many levels: family, economic, social...etc....Love + respect are ideals that some don't have the luxury for. There's love there - but its of a different kind. It's a kind of reliance...to be together so long they wouldn't know how to live apart...

...You spend so much time with a person that you get used to them - you become in-tune with their presence, and you entangle yourself with their presence, and this entanglement becomes an organism...sometimes it swallows and engulfs as well as feeds...

...To love and respect is higher functioning which is the rightful way for all humans, sadly so few of us either aspire or attain. Yet it is truly within our domain.

...still learning

Moments of intuition

"During [these] periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights which give so much joy and delight."
Fritjof Capra

This is the balance, the immersion, the moments of clarification after the mind has been puzzling for so long on an issue. For this reason the evenings are always for my-self; for reading, reflection, private time. Mornings and afternoons are for work. Is this a luxury? Does this mean I'm not being worked hard enough?

I don't care. I didn't come here to write some words and look clever. That's the duty of real scholars. I'm just part-time, and passing through.

Like charlatans

"In complete control, pretending control,
with dignified authority, we are charlatans.
Or maybe just a goat's-hair brush in a painter's hand.
We have no idea what we are."

Rumi

We are all, in our way, charlatans - maintaining the pretence. Yet we have to be: charlatanism is a facet of life, what keeps us veiled yet laughing - the phenomenal as the bridge to the real. We are the fakery, the false gold that exists to show there is real gold. Whoever is afraid to let go, will cling to the sinking ship even when it rests on the ocean floor...when the waves are calling.

If you have the burning determination, jump into the ocean. If you prefer safety, stay on the shore.

Yet don't deny we are charlatans...

No greater thing in life

Today I received the news on the death of a great man - Sayed Omar Ali-Shah. Thank you for the journey so far - you deserve the rest: may your spirit be blessed.

'There is no greater thing in life
than that secret sense of harmony
that unites us briefly
with the great mystery of others
and allows us to travel alongside them
for part of the way.'

Alvaro Mutis

Looking for the Bees

Being fond of all things 'bees', as well as consuming copious amounts of honey, taking propolis, and researching the behaviour of bees - I came across this lovely book titled The Beekeeper by Maxence Fermine. It was an easy yet sublime read - using the metaphor of looking for bees as symbolising the inner search for fulfilment.

Cosmic Law

Here is my latest podcast/audio of one of my recent poems: it is called Cosmic Law.

Again, you will need Quicktime to listen to it.

Dying of thirst

Love perfected and whole, you arrive.
Words throng my soul, but none come out.

A traveler meets his joy
and his despair at once.

Dying of thirst, I stand here
with springwater flowing around my feet.

Rumi

Beautiful Chants

I have often listened to musical interpretations of Gurdjieff's compositions. My main source has been Keith Jarret's 'Sacred Hymns of G.I. Gurdjieff' which is wonderful piano work. A second, though less preferable source, is 'Gurdjieff & de Hartmann - Piano Works'.

However, I recently came across and purchased 'Gurdjieff; Tsabropoulos - Chants, Hymns and Dances' which combines compositions from both Gurdjieff and Tsabropoulos (a Greek composer), with piano and cello - and this is the most beautiful version I have found so far. Enchanting, relaxing, etheral. Warmly recommended - and another great product from the ECM label.