Stardust (for Katrina)

Until I came down from the trees
I never knew the use of knees;
Until the forest primeval was gone
I never imagined a horizon!
The Sphinx was my first taste of meat,
translucent to the dawn
through its brow stars shone;
the riddle remained incomplete.

Pull the arrows from St. Sebastian
and he'll surely die.
Rest assured Neptune has rings
And more moons than meet the eye.
Lady Chatterly's gone with Lord Greystoke
To dig at Olduvai…
Watch them shine… wherever they touch
stars are born… they are you and I.

Lately I've seen Jefferson Airplanes
writing WOODSTOCK in the sky.
Still, how many know the real reason
that Peter Pan can fly?
Yes, like Tarzan, he is half-wild,
of hunger for innocence hatched.
But Peter Pan was an unwanted child,
born with no strings attached.

You see, the story never ends:
there is always a Golden Goose--
(call it the Cosmic Egg if you choose)
--let King Kong live and reproduce,
Let Hadrian have his Antinous.
Sinbad the Sailor is just another pretty face
until Oscar shows him Dorian's head--
Liz Taylor has her chance to humanize his race
James Dean rises from the dead.

There is no greater miracle or bliss--
expand with the universe: YOU EXIST!
Nothing you can kiss or hold
is a more splendid spiral than
the singularity of your soul
the stardust of your empty hand!

Latest Book Cover Layout for Golden Phallus!

Latest Book Cover Layout for Golden Phallus!

2.26.12

Dear Friends:

Many exciting things now unfold and in some ways I cannot push the river! Golden Phallus is now due to be available early March , instead of the first day. Here's the latest layout for the new book cover, one that bookstores could shelves, most people can purchase without feeling awkward, and yet it conveys something of the extraordinary contents:

Though I liked the previous candidate for the cover, with the colored image of the Egyptian god Nefertum on it, the publisher at Lethe Press felt it was "too academic" and my primary advisor, Tom, felt it "too Egyptian," despite the fact there's quite a bit of Egyptian stuff in the book. There's a lot of other stuff too! Including 66 drawings by Yours Truly!

This book is designed to help men of all sexual persuasions to feel totally comfortable in their bodies and to celebrate our innate capacities for physical pleasure as a divine and evolutionary gift!

Meanwhile, also be sure to check out the 3-Part Interview on YouTube about the book, if you have not seen it. Tell other folks too! Wow!

My premiere on YouTube HERE! ... Plus Part 2 and Part 3!

Peace & (((HUGS)))

Bruce

Intelligence of Heart

Dear Friends and Loved Ones:

As the riverboat vibrates to life and begins to push away from the dock, moving out onto Lake Buchanan, a sense of adventure arises within me, though we sit at tables within glass windows shielded from the chill winds outside. I've got my sketchbook open and I draw glimpses of certain aspects of my surroundings: parts of the boat, birds flying across the choppy waters, intriguing banks of grey clouds, gnarled branches of drowned trees revealed due to the low level of water.

Because of 2 years of drought--and despite some recent rains--the boat will not be able to move up the Colorado River into the Canyon of the Eagles. However, we do see great blue herons, cormorants, pelicans, gulls, ospreys, and some fascinating geography... plus it's simply magnificent to be out there on the water despite the cold and wind.

After a cruise of several hours, when we get back into the van and start the drive home, swirls of snow begin to spin down--something quite rare here in the Hill Country of Texas! This thickens to clumps of flakes, and such frozen precipitation speaks to something inside me--for one thing, my years of living in Colorado where most winters brought plenty of snowfall.

Making sketches connects the external experience of these intriguing surroundings within myself in the process of drawing, as I decide what and how to draw and create the simple sketches... which is really not a matter of thinking, rather it's trusting something within me. It weaves me deeper into the experience.

The ancient Egyptians spoke of a quality they called "Intelligence of Heart," which they considered more important than brain smarts. This quality combines intuition with gut feelings, and trusting yourself to know from within you. It involves listening... sometimes on deeper levels than we often do, given all of the distractions of our modern lifestyles.

It really helps on this rapidly changing planet to reach deeper inside at times, as we will do in just over two weeks with the workshop I offer, "Reclaiming Your Ancient Egyptian SOUL." This can be like finding an important piece of yourself that you may have misplaced--or it can simply be fun!

Trust yourself to know. Don't miss this chance to share a really special experience! RSVP by February 29th to secure your place. For details: http://www.9realities.com/egyptian_soul_workshop.html

Peace & (((HUGS)))
Bruce
http://www.9realities.com/homepagebooks.html
_________________________
Nada Te Turbe*
      -- Theresa of Avila
*(Let Nothing Disturb You)

The Jumping Spider is a Quantum Hero!

I'm reading in the bathroom--Anne Rice's superb new novel The Wolf Gift--when a tiny jumping spider appears on the page! Where from? Can't say. Maybe I was so absorbed in the story that I failed to notice his arrival.

My concern is for his safety, as I'd hate to harm him due to careless handling while I read the book. I try an intense little puff of breath, hoping to blow him off onto the nearest wall. He crouches down, like a determined mountain climber in a gale force wind, refusing to get swept away.

I smile at him, and decide to simply pause in my reading and enjoy his miniscule presence. Then in the blink of an eye, he's jumped. I see him beside the sink. Did not see him in motion mid-air, it was too fast for that, rather, it seemed he was suddenly elsewhere.

Sort of like how--on the quantum scale--we're told that certain packets of energy jump between levels of excitement in a discrete way. They don't glide there, float there, or even fly there. They jump, instantaneously. That where the terms quanta and quantum come in, meaning whole, or indivisible.

My tiny arachnid buddy seems to do this, as he again jumps and reappears closer to the faucets for filling the sink. Seems is the operative term of course. I know he didn't make the transit instantly, not literally. Still, on his scale, he's so quick, it looks like it to a titanic creature like me!

The whole thing is indivisible anyway, in that actually no separation exists between me and this tiny spider--we are One. In fact, I feel honored, as he's a magnificent creature with a fascinating face and incredible mobility. He's totally worthy of admiration.

This little guy reminds me of how the tiniest things can tell us a lot when we pay attention. In fact, sometimes the nuance gets lost in the "bigger picture."

Thanks, little buddy!

And Blessed Be!

Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On

I've got a new favorite film--though of course, I have many favorite films!

Among those still and forever is Across the Universe directed by visionary, mega-talented genius Julie Taymor… like plenty of her projects, it's a bit too unusual for mainstream success, until DVD release, at least. There are exceptions, as she was behind the Broadway musical production of The Lion King. Recently she was notoriously fired from the Broadway production of the musical Spider Man thingy. She was probably too visionary for that one?!

One of Taymor's loves--quite clearly--is Shakespeare, and her film Titus, based on Titus Andonicus, is a bit too grisly for my liking, despite exquisite film making. But then, the good ole Bard himself often went overboard on the tragedic aspects, and I'll confess much of a fan of He From Avon as I am, I'm largely over the tragedies. I mean, life can be tough, but seldom quite so bad as to leave so many folks tortured, insane, mutilated, and a pile of bodies, as in Lear or Hamlet, or Titus for that matter.

Far more to my Bardic taste these days are the more ambiguous, light-hearted A Midsummer Night's Dream and the totally rich mixture of what some consider his finest script, The Tempest.

Now I'm in process of frequently worshipping Taymor's recent film of The Tempest. I mean, what's not to consider great, remarkable, astounding and gorgeous about this film? I was not su sure initially how I'd react to a "femalized" Prospero as in the Prospera of Helen Mirren. But then, Helen Mirren can do no wrong in my book, either. And she can do no wrong in how she ruffles through the pages of Prospero's Book of Magick… Mirren rules and rocks!

Speaking of which, there is one other Tempest interp that will always remain supreme to me: Prospero's Books, the genuinely enchanted film of Peter Greenaway with the literally incomparable Gielgud as Prospero. That film is an actual Magick Ritual that rocks your socks off and blows your mind. Plus it's got more nudity, bobbing breasts and bushes and dangling penises than any other film I've ever seen, as the island spirits appear as a parade of naked folks more fabulous than any Fellini vision!

Only back to Taymor's recent masterpiece. Every note is true. Filmed mostly in Hawaii on Lanai, it also stars the adorable remarkable Ben Whishaw as Ariel and Djimon Honsou's Caliban. Well, everyone here is extraordinarily fine.

Likewise fun and fascinating is the documentary included, "Raising The Tempest." Something I notice is that even I do not always catch the exact drift of every line of Shakespeare, even delivered so naturally as this… and it doesn't matter! Shakespeare's language has no bottom line and is usually somewhat multi-leveled anyhoo.

So, if I've rave too much, you're probably already gone to some other place on theNet--if not, do your best to catch this film on NetFlix or somewhere.

You will not regret it!

Peace & (((HUGS)))
Bruce

Oneness IS Ineffable!

I’m quietly excited, thrilled, enthusiastic to note that there has been what some call a “quiet revolution” in spirituality, the renewed and expanding appreciation for the awareness of Oneness, or non-duality. The important point here is the recent Renaissance of Oneness in contemporary spirituality.

A core teaching of the Vedas and Puranas from ancient India—probably even the Indus Valley civilization the preceded Brahmanism and Hinduism—Advaita or “not two,” sometimes called non-duality or Oneness, always eludes the grasp of the mind, at least in terms of thinking and language. Language is inherently dualistic, yet there appear to be increasing numbers of people who enter a state of Oneness and some remain there much or most of the time thereafter.

I consider such likely cases as Eckhart Tolle, Gangaji, Byron Katie, Ihaleakala Hew Len, Don Miguel Ruiz, Tony Parsons, Jeff Foster, and others. Earlier in the last century the great sage Ramana Maharshi entered Oneness and never emerged. His followers now often worship him, at which he would laugh! Those who experience Oneness (still not quite a valid term!) and remain, tend to be authentic, in some ways utterly ordinary, yet humorous, ecstatic, playful, and totally human.

To speak of this is challenging, or rather, perhaps in reality it’s impossible. Words may point in that direction? Perhaps. I’ve noticed that some such people offer a practice, such as Don Miguel (the Five Agreements) and Ihaleakala (Ho’oponopono), while others such as Eckhart and Jeff simply point towards it with humorous, eloquent ineffability and surrender. That’s a good word in this realm, “ineffable,” as it means “beyond words” or “inexpressible.”

The thing is, you need not seek to be enlightened to “get this.” In fact, the truly One insist there’s no such thing as enlightened and not, inherently a dualistic concept. Plus, seeking only separates you from what you may seek. Oneness means nothing is separate from anything else. However, simply to glimpse it for a moment can change your human experience thereafter. You’ll no longer need religion or an intermediary between you and the Source. It’s everywhere and always, in all things. Everything is sacred; everything is alive. We are stardust.

In fact, it seems that more and more people, probably thousands every day now, or more, enter Oneness, for at least a moment, or longer, or forever. It’s transforming the world, a dualistic, limiting belief at a time. Even “duality” is not bad, when you start to catch on, Oneness embraces that and multiplicity too.

Questions are not necessary. “There are no answers, and that’s the answer,” as Gertrude Stein said. Or as Ramana said, “Non-duality is neither non-dual, nor dualistic.”

Delightful. Delicious De-lovely!

What to Expect: "Egyptian SOUL"

Dear Friends and Loved Ones:

IMAGINE: Warm afternoon sunlight shines upon an  altar where golden images of Egyptian deities gleam, fragrant fruit and flowers are arranged as an offering. Ancient music plays, and a lovely voice begins to sing in a language that no living culture had spoken for over 2000 years… gently you are guided on a journey deep within you.

According to those ancient people, your Central Soul (one of its Seven Sacred Spirits) is your HEART. This spirit, the Ba, appears like a little falcon with a human head that wears your face--and what on Earth does this mean? Here's how you can find out...

The "Reclaiming Your Egyptian SOUL" workshop on SUNDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2012 can be enjoyed either as an intellectual and educational experience, or inner and spiritual conscious expansion, or both, of course. A bit of imaginative time-travel is mixed in. The whole thing is conducted in a "sacred space" in the shamanic and magickal sense.

Egyptian SOUL is designed to be user-friendly and fun, participatory as well as informative and offers inner work to do for personal growth and expanded awareness. The 3-1/2 hours are roughly divided into 1/2 hour intro, and 3 sections of about an hour each. In the introduction, a guided visualization and musical background will take you into "Eternal Egypt." the timeless archetype of the ancient culture and religion.

The 1st hour focuses on Egyptian Creation and cosmos; the 2nd on the core mythology, includingf Isis, Osiris and Horus, the original Trinity; and the 3rd, a tour of of how Eternal and Historical Egypt fit together and are One inside of you.

You are provided with a mix of things to do and practices, guided meditations, and the sharing of information, images, and wisdom unfold the process. You will not be lectured a great deal, however you will receive an attractive packet of beautiful, original printed material, imagery and charts I have created to bring to life central concepts of ancient Egypt.

Like every great heritage, ancient Egypt has become a global legacy that is now crucial to reclaim as we move into a challenging future. Don't miss this great opportunity to experience Bruce's first workshop event at Heart of Texas Yoga in Wimberley--RSVP now! REGISTRATION ONLY UNTIL FEB. 29TH, 2012.

May the Eye of Wisdom and Health open for you!
    For details: http://www.9realities.com/egyptian_soul_workshop.html
   
Peace & (((HUGS)))
Bruce
http://www.9realities.com/homepagebooks.html
_________________________
Nada Te Turbe*
       -- Theresa of Avila
*(Let Nothing Disturb You)