Be Here Now damn it : )~

[andybuildz]

Yeh well, thats almost what my man Ram Dass said. A lot of us remember his book back when called "Be Here Now". A whole lot of time has passed since then.
I spend a week with Ram Dass every year....at least till the past cpl of years...since he's been sick and doing his thing from home nowwhich is in Hawaii.
His newest book relating to the original he calls "Still Here". Its about growing older and his stroke. A real fun read if you get the chance. Ram Dass has always spoken in all seriousness but ALWAYS with as much humor.
I believe Oshawa was probably a lot like that as well...I don't find too much of that in any of these boards for some reason. Maybe its just me. Maybe I expect more than there is...I donno. Sometimes I feel like I'm just jawin' with myself. Thats cool though...I DO spend a whole lot of time alone...doing my work as a carp/builder/renovator/yada yada yada.
Humor is important in my life...very important. It's sort of the gel that keeps the whole mix together in the pot and allows the food to flow through me. Its what keeps my eyes bright and my heart strong and puts a skip in my steps...ya know what I mean? Its like during my meditation practice. When all the ever so serious residues start to empty from me...it reminds me of whats really impoertant in life...and my meditation takes over at that point. Its my mantra if you will...given to me by Ram Dass and my genetics.

During a conversation with Ram Dass and friends I stood up and asked RD about the use of LSD and the like vs the use of meditation as another tool to raise one's consciousness. I had told him about something I heard his old cohort during their Harvard dayz Tim Leary say while I was living up in Millbrook NY with him (Tim). Leary compared meditation to LSD as in comparing walking from Millbrook to California vs using a plane...lol. Good comparrison, just very different if you ask me. I think the other people in RD's presence were uncomfortable with my question...lol...RD laughed and said that the use of anything to bring us to a higher form of consciousness was perfectly fine with him. His feeling was such that "for him", he prefered the long walk and I had to agree. You learn IMO a whole lot more when you get to see the scenery.... once again,IMO.
The indians for instance might not agree..it all depends where youre coming from. There really isn any right or wrong. the only thing thats right is honesty within your being.
I've used just about every tool there is in trying to expand my consciouness and have settled on my meditation practice not to say I haven't taken in other sites from time to time. Matter of fact I just got back from Negril Jamaica where I spent some time up in Orange Hill (thats up in the hills of Negril away from the touristy area). There's a whole lot of natural products up there to experiance...well...I reckon those stories can wait for now...
Anyone else wanna share in this topic???
Namaste' y'all
avi yama dass aka andy : )~
WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

[Klara]

ok, so you and I hog the site for a while til someone else jumps in. I noticed there are over 1000 members here, all are just lurking????

Humor is exactly what Patch Adams is all about - I loved the movie with Robin Williams, tho remember hearing from some source that even that was too Hollywood. You noticed the calendar of his (Patch, not Robin) speaking engagement, one is planned for NY?

Humor is about being light - and open to life - and daring to be different -what's amazing is that he used this for all kinds of serious medical conditions - but after Norman Cousins bringing it to the world, it all does make sense. I once had a friend who had the ability to make others laugh, he said he just puts everything into an extreme light. I tried the Yoga Laughter that's supposed to also be very healing, but didn't care for the forced feeling of it. Just didn't sit right. so I agree 100% with the philosophy, but not sure of the how's - ok, I can smile plenty (people say I do) but I want belly laughter - is it something you're born with?? a talent?? learned?? a mind set which first needs to be tweaked, like getting rid of judgmentalness, so could laugh at everything??

But for healing, Patch talks about lots of things - what you already talked about, honesty, and humor. But also about relationships, having lots of friends, real friends. I think alot of us are alone, and I do believe it's not right, oh sorry, no right and wrong, it's not healthy - where's the give and take, where's the sharing and opening of heart, where's the being concerned for another human being, where's the letting go and compromise, where's the playing with others???? Again, I'm certainly not talking about I got it folks so should all of you - I think I spend more time alone than with others, and no, I don't have loads of people I can call friends. And yes, I feel it's a big lack in my life. But where I am now I don't want to fill my life with just noise - I want real - so for now I am ok with being more alone time.

I also agree with the walk choice - today I had to leave my car in the garage - and I hitched home - got to stop in several places on the way back and it was nice, because I'm always driving past these places, but never getting out and walking there. Also wonder why we are always in a hurry to "get there?" What's wrong with here??

Just put Ram Dass's site into my favorites and will read at leisure. Thanks for that.

Klara

[andybuildz]

>>>I also agree with the walk choice - today I had to leave my car in the garage - and I hitched home - got to stop in several places on the way back and it was nice, because I'm always driving past these places, but never getting out and walking there. Also wonder why we are always in a hurry to "get there?" <<<<<<<

Now that you bring that up....it IS amazing how we pass things by and never see all thats there...actually...hardly see anything thats there when it gets down to it.
All we see is what we want to see which is not seeing at all if you ask me.
I've done that...walked...lol. I mean walked when I didn't have to or really even wanted to. I did it because I thought I should. It amazed me all the things I passed so many times and never knew were there. Thousands of times. Its really really amazing and then you stop and think...you think how often you do that with other things in your life. Opportunities that you let pass you by. Real good ones. I suppose age is something that lets you realize all of this. Maybe thats what they call wisdom. Its not something you learn from a book. You just need to pay attention. BE conscious.
The laughter thing...I think it most certainly is about not taking things so seriously. Its like the walking thing...when you put labels on things you limit yourself. you don't see all the avenues and streets. All the choices you really DO have. MAy sound very simplistc but sometimes ...maybe more times than not simplicity is the key to life. Like in the Buddhist tradition. Or for that matter like the Chineese say about art work. Its whats in the empty spaces that are so important. We don't need to fill up every square inch.
You have to empty it before you can fill it like in meditation practice.I think I keep repeating that phrase. Must be a reason...lol.
When you think back to all the times you stress yourself out over something...for sooooo long and then...after the time passes, you realize the stressing outs more a waste of time and only hindered your journey...but people keep doing it..over and over and over. Maybe thats why wars exist...suffering...even "dis"eases...we create a lot of them. I really believe that. For example...when we get sick and keep stressing out...we become even sicker...its true.
We need to laugh at things more...lighten up and relax. I don't mean fall off the face of the earth forever but to gain some more perspective rather than dwelling.
I think it comes back to meditation practice...for me anyway.
Its important to empty it.
Its important to laugh at it.
Its important to love it.
And its important not to get caught up in all of it.
Be well
Namaste'/Shalom y'all
andy aka avi yama dass : )~