A RELIGION OF SONG-LINES

Bob Dylan once quoted a lyric to Sam Shepard that went “You must learn to leave the table when love is no longer being served! Just show them all that you are able! Just get up and leave without saying a word.” 

Bob said he did not know who wrote it but it was a good lyric. Sam agreed. Bob added, “you gravitate toward people who’ve got something to give you and maybe you’ve got somethin’ they need.Then one day you wake up and see that they’re not giving it to you anymore. Maybe that’s the way it is…Maybe the rhythm’s off.”

So, what if the whole of life is that. The life you have is a rhythm for now…and it is always now…a song-line to walk or dance to; that’s the Australian aboriginal’s idea. And it is so simple anybody who wants to can do it to a tune he knows well. I mean to say, life is a sure bet! Never was any need to gamble. Oh-oh! I am getting it that the Tree of Knowledge in the Bible was the big gamble...I wanna do it my way relying on knowledge which is always quite limited. All God wants us to do is dance our own song-line that’s playin’ inside us.

I was jolted to read of the conversation between Sam and Bob because all my life I had thought of myself as extremely out of step with everybody because when it comes time to leave a party…any kind of party one can attend…I just leave without a word. It always is that way. I cannot do otherwise. Often the idea would strike me that what I am doing is rude just leaving without thanking the host or hostess for the party but I do it. I want to add that never once have I had a hint from anybody that that is a fault of mine. I mean it never has been a problem to be so out of step with good manners. So, my point in raising this is to propose that when one does a thing solely because he or she cannot do it another way no matter what then in that case one cannot fail ‘cause the singer of your song-line is that powerful and love is no longer being served. That is my religion. The whole darn thing! It’s fair. It’s lovely. It’s possible. Makes the impossible possible all right. That is a good religion based on a good lyric. 

Bob and Sam went on to agree that women and men have different rhythms and the two are actually one rhythm…and like God and the Devil they are a part of each other. One cannot do without the other. That feels in complete harmony with the religion of song-lines.

 

 TWO OLD FRIENDS MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME

All righty, then. I have no need to be named. Talkin’ to me is like talking to yourself anyhow. I live in this world just as it is and make it up too. Do both of them things. And I’m really everbody. 

You're crazy! That’s for sure. But that’s what’s happenin’ here all right. I am talking to myself. You have been a surprise to me this day! Most of the boys who meet a girl like me with whom they can act themselves without having to think about it first- throw that girl away.         

Hell, Girl, you bring out in me somethin’, when alone, I never would guess is there.  My own rainbow.                                                                                          

The two embrace.  

Kiss wildly.

 Name?

(Shake of head)

You must have a name.

How come?

Well, I see you are here and everyone here has a name.

What does a name matter?

We need to be able to identify you for our records for one thing.

I do not wish to be recorded.

We must have proof you arrived and the date of arrival. How old are you? 

Just newly born. Still being born. Will be until I die.

You are going to have to cooperate if you intend to be a part of the social system.

Not interested in belonging to anything, thank you.

See here. I can see for myself you are here and must do my job.

Look, you, I have been trying to tell you that you can see I am here and that is enough for you to know the truth of my arrival and my presence here. In fact, if you insist on asking questions of me and writing reports soon you will be more aware of what is not so than anything true. In that case you will no longer be able to simply know I have arrived and stand before you. You will see only your imaginary image of me and treat me as that. May I go on my way please? I am in a hurry and hope you do not mind. Leave your questions in writing with my parents and if I decide that answering any of them is appropriate I will answer them at that time. 

 An Inventory of Troubles

The Questioner from inside the brain asks the brain: “Why are you in conflict?

Here I am. Age about 40. A man. Very confused. So confused am I that I begged for help from some folks who told me they had been as confused as me and found freedom from it. I wanted that, too, finally. Up to that moment I had rather die confused than accept help. Getting help on life’s tests was cheating had been hammered into me at school. So, my brain began to reply to the Questioner by saying, “It’s been hammered into me all my life”. What do you expect of such a poor fellow as Me?” As the brain moved on in answer to the Questioner it discovered so many ideas it had in it that were so fierce it began to hurt. It ended up at I cannot stand myself. I had been sent to Sunday School as a lad to study the life of Jesus Christ and was asked by a parent at home, “Who do you think you are, Jesus Christ?” Then I was punished in front of friends from school. I was crushed to have failed so. That was my brush with religion as I understood it to be.

I do not need to go through the long list of the many ways I thought that I failed to measure up to what a man is supposed to be for all people to understand it. I was stranded in a world in which I am unworthy doing my best to become worthy or at least to hide as much of my unworthiness as possible from the authorities whoever they are. And I resolved to change. Many elaborate plans were made. Failed to change time after time. 

The important thing my brain told the Questioner was that it had been loaded with problems to solve from the earliest days of life. What can be expected from such an abused brain? It was predetermined to fail. More and more confusion and conflict was its certain destiny.  Suddenly, like a flash, I forgave my brain for even trying to manage such a goofy life and began anew. What would follow was completely unknown to me. Had to be.

But on this occasion I act, now, knowing all of time, the past, the present, and the future, are contained in the now. All problems require time and all time is contained in now. It is called by ancestors renunciation. Nevermore will I load up my brain with problems of its own. All are mine. Removing myself solves the problem instantly. This is my brain speaking. Problems imply time for their solution. I deal with them now! It has become impossible for them to pile up. My brain is free now.

I am what I am and it’s all I can be. I am fully appropriate to live a human life by my nature which is human when my brain is completely free of problems…not a single one does it carry. Free, it solves every problem by removing the cause

                                   immediately!

 

Note: What is not to be explained in words at all is the experience of someone who vanishes and does not want to be found. Or, what is an authentic human being (as opposed to a sponge) really like? The only treat I’ll toss is -creative. Find for yourself the difference between invention and creativity! It’s so much fun!

 

IS AMBITION GOOD FOR HUMANS?

The lack of any ambition at all does not prevent the love of doing. These two are not dependent upon each other. They are entirely separate. In fact, conflict in one’s life is most damaging to health and ambition is a great source of conflict and confusion among people. Actually trying to become prevents freedom.

A wife with ambitions of her own married to a husband who has ambitions of his own will conflict often. It must be so. What is ambition? I want to become. I am not enough now but later I will be. The moment  I set my sights on a goal I set a most terrific limitation that excludes all other possibilities. They say an archer will miss the target until she lets go of any need to strike it for a reward or prize. Neediness blurs the vision. One is nervous. Do not agree with me. Question everything. Find out. It is your life. Ambition is an eight-letter word. What is really written here goes deep and includes every possible action a human will take in a lifetime. Good to know the way that works for you. But you have to do the work necessary to find it. Nobody else can give it to you. A friend knows this about you. 

I want to say a bit more. I did not need to write this. It was in line with my purpose. My purpose is not laid out before me as a plan into the future (which is nonexistent) it is felt now. See, the past and future are in the now. Understand the archery example and grasp the message…the shot is now and the future is now. There is no separation. The shot is a whole work, a part of which, is the role of the eye. It follows that the shooter and target are one. And the purpose is felt now. The most admired performers of any kind are the ones who say I do not do what I do to be rewarded because it calls up the love of doing in all people.

 My note: It seems when anyone grasps that the past and  future and present are in the now there’s no going back. The whole being comes awake to live. Love is present. Time a servant. All things work together for good. Anything is possible. A coded message may appear unconsciously to carry the truth of it to the same unknown place inside others. (2022)

 HERE GOES

So, here goes. If I am simple and I cannot plan that, to be simple, it happens or it does not, but if it happens I will hear someone insult me or feel someone is ignoring me or recognize a look of disapproval or an absence of any attention at all and instead of being upset about it I respond with “what can this person actually do to me, hurt my ego?” Immediately I know that to hurt my ego is no loss but a gain. I am thankful for that benefit I might otherwise have hurt over. When hurt there is no telling what response will follow. Then I know, by golly, this feels so nice and I remember I have at times suffered pain in this circumstance and here I am happy as a peacock. Following that will be some deep rejoicing for the simple fact I am just me and I have nothing to lose. When in this place I am creative and being creative is not anything I can plan to be and anything is possible for me. I want to share this. There are two of me, both present. Which is going to be the priority? I cannot plan on a result with any effect so…what is it I learn about freedom here? I see a bit of something in me that wants freedom but on my terms and know that is not freedom at all. I want to share this. What is that about?

Seems to me life is not about "what do I get" but "what do I have to give".