Today's DailyOM Offerings...
June 16, 2010
Enlightenment
Van Morrison
1990
Van Morrison has always radiated beautiful strength and soul, as far back as the 1960s with classic albums like Moondance and Astral Weeks. Mixing the folksy, Celtic balladeering of his Irish homeland with the cathartic R&B/soul of the United States, Morrison's voice is a force of nature, beautiful, and full of what Ram Dass would call "fierce grace," the loving but powerful voice of a benevolent king of ancient times, one as heavy as the earth's core yet as light as a dancing leprechaun. Enlightenment is a great example of his craft, a look back at decades of searching and then finding that it's okay to express doubt about one's meditation skills as long as you're honest, open, and happy. There's no enlightenment durable enough to survive past this moment, and the chance to start over is ever present.
Jumping out of the gate with a pumped Memphis-soul horn section, electric bass, drums, and piano, "Real Real Gone" is pure classic Morrison, a harkening back to the radio-friendly days of "Brown-Eyed Girl." For the beautiful "So Quiet in Here," Morrison takes it down a notch to expand his meditative howl into the ether, this time reflecting a profound sense of peace and joy over the little things: "This must be what paradise is like / So quiet in here / So peaceful in here." Chiming piano, shimmering strings, a soulful bass, and steady brushed drums create the ambience, and you can feel the warm wind ripple your shirt on the mountaintop. The title track includes humble koans: "Chop that wood / Carry water / What's the sound of one hand clapping? / Enlightenment / I don't know what it is." But, of course, in admitting that he doesn't know what it is, he achieves just that, and what more beautiful vision of enlightenment can there be than the simple perfection and haunting be! auty of Morrison's joyful voice noting: "I'm in the here and now / And I'm meditatin' / Still I'm sufferin' / But that's my problem," over harmonica, piano, and that groovy bass?
When poet Paul Nurcan chimes in to celebrate "In the Days Before Rock and Roll," praising the vibes created across the radios of the world by the likes of Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and “the Killer” (Jerry Lee Lewis), we realize that for Morrison, gurus are where you find them; in his case buried in the grooves of vinyl. No one can tell you anything different if your heart knows it's true. Enlightenment, Van knows what it is because he never lost it; it was always right there on the radio, in his LP collection, and it's moved through and into him, and into us through his recordings. Enlightenment shows Morrison finding peace perhaps with the Buddhist concept of thoughts without a thinker; singing into the mystic and letting us feel the full joyful roar of the universe as it loves us through our love of Van, and he's real, real gone.
June 16, 2010
Actions Speak Louder
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
You may have difficulty determining whether others are telling the truth today, and thus feel anxious when engaging in interpersonal interactions that revolve around matters of importance. Though your skepticism can help you protect yourself from those seeking to deceive you, your dubiousness can alienate you from people whose intentions are sincere. You may find that you feel more confident among your peers if you take their actions into account when examining their integrity. Should you find that others’ deeds do not correspond with their words, consider confronting them to determine the root of the discrepancy. You will also likely become a better judge of character today as you gradually become familiar with honest and dishonest body language.
When we are uncertain as to whether the people in our environments are being entirely honest with us, we can learn much about their intentions by carefully observing their movements and the choices they make. Often individuals whose opinions or purposes do not correspond with their words cannot help but reveal their true thoughts in their actions. As we see others behaving and acting in ways that are not in accordance with the assertions they make, we can use this information as a guide in our interactions. The more aware we are of how others act and react, the better equipped we are to both connect with honest individuals and avoid being hurt by those with fraudulent intentions. If you take both words and deeds into account today, your capacity to identify the truth will increase.
June 16, 2010
A Refuge of Your Own
Creating a Garden Sanctuary
Think about creating a garden sanctuary to reconnect with nature and honor yourself and mother earth.
Each of us has been blessed with an innate need to celebrate and glorify life. At a most basic level, we honor the forces that came together to bring us into being by caring for our bodies and our souls. To truly rejoice in existence, we must also learn to cultivate loveliness in those special places that replenish the soul. When we create a garden sanctuary, we are reminded that we are a part of both nature's essence and something more. An outdoor retreat is a place we can surround ourselves in nature, beauty, and the life force. It is not difficult to create a sanctuary-we should endeavor, however, to create sanctuaries that speak to us as individuals.
Whether we have a yard, a grassy corner, a patio, or a porch at our disposal, our creative potential is infinite. Any of these spaces can become a magnificent garden. When we feel drawn to specific themes such as Zen, angels, paradise, or the ethereal, we should explore them. Décor and furniture crafted from natural materials like wood and stone blend seamlessly into nature. Yet we can also augment the natural world by filling our garden sanctuaries with statues, bells or gongs, or colorful flags. Running water, like that in a created stream or fountain, helps energy flow smoothly. If space is a concern, crystals and mirrors can fulfill the same function. Hidden features like concealed swings and reflecting pools veiled in shadow can surprise and delight. As your garden sanctuary evolves, remember to invite the elemental spirits of nature to assist you in your efforts to create a small pocket of harmony, beauty, and peace in your own backyard. If you have not already felt th! eir presence, sit quietly in your garden and reach out to them. You will feel these earthly guides at your side as you continue to develop your sanctuary.
In the refuge of brilliant color, sweet scents, and stillness you create in your garden, the burdens imposed upon you by a sometimes hectic world will melt away. The splendor and tranquility of what you have brought into being will entrance you, allowing you to forget the constraints of time and space. No matter how large or small your garden sanctuary, the time you spend reveling in its pleasures will refresh your spirit and provide you with innumerable opportunities to celebrate life.
Enlightenment
Van Morrison
1990
Van Morrison has always radiated beautiful strength and soul, as far back as the 1960s with classic albums like Moondance and Astral Weeks. Mixing the folksy, Celtic balladeering of his Irish homeland with the cathartic R&B/soul of the United States, Morrison's voice is a force of nature, beautiful, and full of what Ram Dass would call "fierce grace," the loving but powerful voice of a benevolent king of ancient times, one as heavy as the earth's core yet as light as a dancing leprechaun. Enlightenment is a great example of his craft, a look back at decades of searching and then finding that it's okay to express doubt about one's meditation skills as long as you're honest, open, and happy. There's no enlightenment durable enough to survive past this moment, and the chance to start over is ever present.
Jumping out of the gate with a pumped Memphis-soul horn section, electric bass, drums, and piano, "Real Real Gone" is pure classic Morrison, a harkening back to the radio-friendly days of "Brown-Eyed Girl." For the beautiful "So Quiet in Here," Morrison takes it down a notch to expand his meditative howl into the ether, this time reflecting a profound sense of peace and joy over the little things: "This must be what paradise is like / So quiet in here / So peaceful in here." Chiming piano, shimmering strings, a soulful bass, and steady brushed drums create the ambience, and you can feel the warm wind ripple your shirt on the mountaintop. The title track includes humble koans: "Chop that wood / Carry water / What's the sound of one hand clapping? / Enlightenment / I don't know what it is." But, of course, in admitting that he doesn't know what it is, he achieves just that, and what more beautiful vision of enlightenment can there be than the simple perfection and haunting be! auty of Morrison's joyful voice noting: "I'm in the here and now / And I'm meditatin' / Still I'm sufferin' / But that's my problem," over harmonica, piano, and that groovy bass?
When poet Paul Nurcan chimes in to celebrate "In the Days Before Rock and Roll," praising the vibes created across the radios of the world by the likes of Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and “the Killer” (Jerry Lee Lewis), we realize that for Morrison, gurus are where you find them; in his case buried in the grooves of vinyl. No one can tell you anything different if your heart knows it's true. Enlightenment, Van knows what it is because he never lost it; it was always right there on the radio, in his LP collection, and it's moved through and into him, and into us through his recordings. Enlightenment shows Morrison finding peace perhaps with the Buddhist concept of thoughts without a thinker; singing into the mystic and letting us feel the full joyful roar of the universe as it loves us through our love of Van, and he's real, real gone.
June 16, 2010
Actions Speak Louder
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
You may have difficulty determining whether others are telling the truth today, and thus feel anxious when engaging in interpersonal interactions that revolve around matters of importance. Though your skepticism can help you protect yourself from those seeking to deceive you, your dubiousness can alienate you from people whose intentions are sincere. You may find that you feel more confident among your peers if you take their actions into account when examining their integrity. Should you find that others’ deeds do not correspond with their words, consider confronting them to determine the root of the discrepancy. You will also likely become a better judge of character today as you gradually become familiar with honest and dishonest body language.
When we are uncertain as to whether the people in our environments are being entirely honest with us, we can learn much about their intentions by carefully observing their movements and the choices they make. Often individuals whose opinions or purposes do not correspond with their words cannot help but reveal their true thoughts in their actions. As we see others behaving and acting in ways that are not in accordance with the assertions they make, we can use this information as a guide in our interactions. The more aware we are of how others act and react, the better equipped we are to both connect with honest individuals and avoid being hurt by those with fraudulent intentions. If you take both words and deeds into account today, your capacity to identify the truth will increase.
June 16, 2010
A Refuge of Your Own
Creating a Garden Sanctuary
Think about creating a garden sanctuary to reconnect with nature and honor yourself and mother earth.
Each of us has been blessed with an innate need to celebrate and glorify life. At a most basic level, we honor the forces that came together to bring us into being by caring for our bodies and our souls. To truly rejoice in existence, we must also learn to cultivate loveliness in those special places that replenish the soul. When we create a garden sanctuary, we are reminded that we are a part of both nature's essence and something more. An outdoor retreat is a place we can surround ourselves in nature, beauty, and the life force. It is not difficult to create a sanctuary-we should endeavor, however, to create sanctuaries that speak to us as individuals.
Whether we have a yard, a grassy corner, a patio, or a porch at our disposal, our creative potential is infinite. Any of these spaces can become a magnificent garden. When we feel drawn to specific themes such as Zen, angels, paradise, or the ethereal, we should explore them. Décor and furniture crafted from natural materials like wood and stone blend seamlessly into nature. Yet we can also augment the natural world by filling our garden sanctuaries with statues, bells or gongs, or colorful flags. Running water, like that in a created stream or fountain, helps energy flow smoothly. If space is a concern, crystals and mirrors can fulfill the same function. Hidden features like concealed swings and reflecting pools veiled in shadow can surprise and delight. As your garden sanctuary evolves, remember to invite the elemental spirits of nature to assist you in your efforts to create a small pocket of harmony, beauty, and peace in your own backyard. If you have not already felt th! eir presence, sit quietly in your garden and reach out to them. You will feel these earthly guides at your side as you continue to develop your sanctuary.
In the refuge of brilliant color, sweet scents, and stillness you create in your garden, the burdens imposed upon you by a sometimes hectic world will melt away. The splendor and tranquility of what you have brought into being will entrance you, allowing you to forget the constraints of time and space. No matter how large or small your garden sanctuary, the time you spend reveling in its pleasures will refresh your spirit and provide you with innumerable opportunities to celebrate life.