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| An empty cup-before dawn the beggar rejoices |
Dear friends and family -
I pray this blog finds you healthy and happy during these special days. My present to you: a heart wide open sharing love.
A friend wrote saying she loved the picture I was painting of another land - inviting her/you to share this journey with me. Of course we all see though different eyes, but imagine getting into your car everyday, going to the market as you always do . . . and then, like changing channels on the TV, the next day you’re living in a foreign Asian city, riding on your unlighted Mary Poppins bike, going as fast as you can down the busy road at dusk, weaving with the scooters, speeding past the slow moving cars -- you come to a busy intersection and instantly scan the rhythm of the flow and without a pause turn across the traffic--and onto a shortcut through the crematorium on your way to market - wondering like I am now wondering: “Who is this person?” Seriously--our lives can change that drastically and suddenly you’re like me--riding a bike with more confident wild abandon than you ever would imagined.
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| Three Kings Monument |
So here I am in Chiang Mai--mastering the bicycle street dance and as my legs grow stronger, as I remember my way though the streets and alleys, the city has become smaller. What once seemed like a major outing has become an easy bike ride. I think of all my years living on Kauai--if I had had this experience before--I would have saved thousands of dollars not filling up at Chevron. Now I love riding my silly old basket bike and . . . the feeling of non-attachment it brings: the freedom from the consumer compulsion of needing and wanting bigger and better. I don’t need a car, or even a fancy bike -- I’m happy with my empty cup. Before dawn I rejoice.
Every Monday morning I ride across town for my massage. I arrive when Phong opens up for the day. This week I sat with my cup of tea, feet in a hot bucket of herbs, and I watched as she fed a flock of pigeons. (as she does every day, along with her dogs and cat and human relatives).
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| Glad free gift of love |
She told me that if she forgets to feed the birds they actually come in her shop looking for their meal. This picture of the vegetables is outside of Phong’s business. There is an altar in the plants where she places food for the “spirits,” and kneels and prays before her offering, before she begins her day. The vegetables are not for sale. I couldn’t translate her answer, but apparently it is free for whomever may need to eat. My ego is humbled by the daily routine of this dear woman.
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| Historical Phong |
I’m fascinated with the Buddha nature. From my point of view it seems that for Phong not one day is more special than another, not one person or animal is more special than another. She gives freely with an open heart to everyone every day without reservation, without asking for or even thinking about anything in return. There is no ego. There is no story to tell. She just gets up every morning and feeds the pigeons, and the old white Buddha dog and then, heals the body of whoever lays before her. Yeah! Me!
I don’t know quite how to live up to that example . . . but the point is, especially as we enter the most auspicious year 2012, to put our vegetables out on the front porch; to share whatever it is we have been blessed with. My eyes have opened a little wider being here. It’s not difficult to see, feel and experience a different energy in a country like Thailand - with its long established monk culture. Like Phong, people are familiar with giving to those less fortunate; sharing whatever they can with those who have no money. In the hard cold realities of the American culture, where each individual is set up to work and often struggle for their basic needs, and face poverty if the work isn’t there or the struggle fails, our culture or society for the most part has lost track of a basic truth: There is only one of us--we’re all interconnected as a human family; each and every one of us but a guest sharing a short amount of time on this beautiful Mother Earth.
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| My previous home California garden |
Many of us are aware that the economies of the world are most volatile at this particular time in history. A global power play is happening as we speak—and the whole human race is caught in the crossfire. (click on the link below if this interest you) I used to want to rebel, but now I pray and send healing love to those attempting to win at world Monopoly--who use their power to abuse, control and/or manipulate their brothers and sisters--the people. I pray that those whose agenda supports any form of attack, control, slavery, thievery or war will finally open their eyes, change their minds and embrace what I call the original Human Mandate. Everything else aside, humans were designed to be conceived in love, birthed in love, suckled and nurture in love, raised in love and matured to return love back - to live a life loving everyone and everything, as Phong does. This is the true human way, or so I imagine. Everything opposite love -- is simply an abomination against humanity, the result of a societal mental illness that somehow became acceptable. We can change that - right now. We can - I will - chose LOVE above anything else. I will vote for love in every way I can and turn my back away from the expression of the opposite. We are not required to love insanity when that insanity is curable. Love is always the answer; it is alway the cure.
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| The cover of my novel |
My particular “love cure” manifests in sharing a story about love: Shambala - The Path to Paradise. I thought I finished this 400 page novel back in September--I hired an editor--but as I was accepting important feedback I suddenly moved to Thailand. Once here I realized how far away I really was from completion. I continue to be fascinated with the gift of this story and the life it possesses.
I woke up one morning dividing the book into three parts: The Mystery - it starts out as a Portland, Oregon detective story - before beginning the journey we must investigate our self. The Magic - the characters finally consciously surrender to allowing life to unfold as it will. They meet the Immortal Master in Japan. The Miraculous - the characters go to Tibet were miraculous things happen - on the path to paradise. I’m using this editing time to honor the story with respectful writing - a learning curve (after nine years of writing novels) I hope to master as quickly as I have bike riding through busy Chiang Mai traffic.
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| Temple down the street |
At this Christmas time and into the New Year I support and pray for a world overjoyed in peace and love . . . with all the wonderful blessings of Christmas everyday for everyone, everywhere - a world of goodness and beauty without end; a thriving garden, water pure and sweet, air clean and fresh, with baskets of abundant fruit and vegetables for everyone to freely enjoy. Yes! A world of Love! This is the world we must insist upon . . . and it begins right now . . . with me loving you . . . (pass it on)
Listening to Bob Marley - One Love, One Heart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g
I wish you all a very merry Christmas. I hope all your wishes come true.
David Dakan Allison
ps. If you have Skype feel free to call any evening: Thailand 0843701406
pss. For only those sincerely interested in truth - my Christmas gift would be David Wilcox. Click on his site and be prepared for a history lesson that will blow your mind: Read the articles on the right side. http://www.divinecosmos.com/
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