The Tree of Life

The sage continues, “There is an ancient story that used to be told about the tree of life, until it was changed by jealous men who wanted to confuse and punish the masses. You see a long time ago there were people who lived by a simple code and they ate from the bounty of the earth without much thought of jealousy and separation. They walked always with their beloved throughout the world. The men of the clan would go about naming things that they called their own and the women of the clan would do the same. They consorted with all the animals and talked to them and named them. And in council it was decided what names would be used for different things and there was very little disagreement about the nature of things. Peace was had by all. Then one day there was discovered a massive tree that grew in the very center of their tribal lands. It was uncertain why it had never been noticed before. The entire world seemed to depend on this tree. The great rivers that they played in flowed from its roots. And the sky itself was suspended by its truck and branches. The men called it Father and the women called it Mother. A great fight ensued that lasted longer and was more terrible than any other fight that had ever occurred. So the men threatened to take away the sun, and the women threatened to take away the rain. And the Tree started to die. It was decided that no one should go to the tree. It was forbidden! And no one could eat the fruit anymore! And no one had the right to name the tree.


So the animals got together and decided to play a trick on the people. They convinced the men that women were sneaking to the tree on the full moon and the women that the men were sneaking to the tree on the full moon. So on the night of the full moon the animals climbed into the tree and waited for the men and the women to arrive. By this time the men and the women were very estranged from each other and hostile. They arrived at the same time and immediately started to accuse the other of sneaking to see the tree, of calling it their own, of naming the tree.

The animals in the tree waited till it almost seemed that the fight would get violent. And then they all started to shake and stamp. The fireflies lighted their tails. And the people fell silent for they had never heard the voice from the tree.

“Who dares to come to my tree and claim to own it. I am neither Father or Mother. I am neither yours or the worlds.”, cried the animals in a thunderous voice that came down from the highest branches of the tree.

The people fell to their knees in fright and shame. They were humbled by the supreme being that was communicating with them. They decided to share the tree, to not worry about ownership and who had the rights to the tree. Peace was restored.

This story used to be told by all the peoples of the world. Maybe someday it will be told again. He chuckled as he remembered the animals laughing with busted guts at the silly humans that fell for their sublime and ridiculous trick! The horses kneeed and the elephant roared with laughter. Even to this day the birds talk about this in their chatter! He chuckled again and again.

The young aspirant

"What is the Ultimate truth of existence" asked the young aspirant, "Is it stillness?"


The sage replied."The ultimate truth? Yes! It is Stillness,

 but it is a stillness
stiller,
than the stillest stillness distilled.

Essence Design

This picture is a 3D rendering of a landscape design that I put together for a client. You can click on the picture to see a larger version. It has been really interesting working with them as I get a chance to develop skills and learn about landscape design and installation.
I should find out soon if I have been accepted to the Masters Degree Program in City and Regional Planning. If I am I might be off following another passion of mine in sustainable design. Here are a few excepts from the statement of purpose that I put together for the application. It explains a bit about my interest in sustainable design:

The possibility of transforming the world through sustainable design has intrigued me for many years. I pursued the application of this idea through extensive study and experience in organic agriculture, alternative building techniques, and community living. As my experience with these systems expanded I came to realize that on a deeper level all issues can be resolved from a design perspective. A further exploration of the source of problems revealed that the decision making process and world view of the individual can have a big impact on the outcome. The opportunity to undertake the MCRP Program will serve to further my understanding of the relationship between design and quality of life in the built environment.

My career goal is to help people live better through the design of sustainable systems such as farms, neighborhoods, urban areas, and private enterprise. In the future I see myself working on projects that are on the ground with hands-on design components such as scale, aesthetics, and relationships. These projects would include ecological, agricultural or production elements; financial elements such as business planning and budgets; organizational components such as management and management structures; and social and relational components.

That was quick and dirty summary of my interest in sustainable design. On a related note, it has been quite interesting to integrate the work from the spirituality perspective with that of sustainability. There is definately some confluence of ideas here that is pretty interesting. It seems to me that many of the principles of spirituality can also be applied to sustainability.

Is Organic more spiritual than conventional?

Do you agree,or disagree? That question should raise some hairs!@? It seems so interesting to think about what motivates people to 'go green'. Is it just a trend, or is it essential to our survival? From the perspective of environmental degredation and resource depletion it sure seems innevitable that at some point we must
change in a way that is compatible with nature. This compatibility factor seems to be what sustainability really boils down to. A fancy way to describe it would be 'Harmony'.

So back to living the dream in the here and now. To turn the dream into reality I have started a consultation practice in the areas mentioned above. So far a few projects have been keeping me plenty busy, so God willing, and with a little luck the list of clients and projects will begin to expand. If you have any contacts or ideas in mind please let me know!

I have named my consultation practice:

Essence Design

Am I enlightened?

Am I enlightened?

Of course!

So are You! 

It seems so obvious that the question is already a thing of the past. I say this because there is no more searching, no more waiting, no more need, and no more grasping. Of course these things all still exist, it is just that they are recognized as they are: Paper Dragons.

What I used to live within, the mind, with all it's definitions and separations, I am now, ecstatically transcended, beyond.In the full recognition that what one’s fundamental nature is: Sat Chit Ananda, there is no more separation. Therefore there is no ‘I’ to experience enlightenment. For me this moment is supremely blissful, for you it may fall like a gentle rain, or as the grace of God, or as the dynamic flow of life. We are all on our own paths. We all experience this differently.

Also this is not a final enlightenment if you will, because in the recognition of who we are, even the idea of acheivement melts away to reveal another game of the ego. Either way it is the same, because there is no attachment to the words as they fall from the mind and are captured on this page. There is no grasping, no tension.

So the tension is yours. Release it!

And so it is.

Down a sweet and soft path we must go. It is an inner journey and so must be done alone and in silence. I don’t mean that you cannot speak or sing. The silence is in the mind. Having transcended mind it is abundantly clear that the mind must serve the will of the Self. Otherwise it is a tyrant at the helm. The Self is whispering in your ear. Can you hear its sweet and melodious voice?

Come with me on a journey to the heart. Feel the soft green grass beneath your feet, the rays of sunlight pouring out into the garden, the sound of laughter; these are all images of purity. Follow them. Follow them down into the heart. Sit still and meditate on the sweet color of green. Wash your entire being in this bright green glow.

Now let it all fall away. Loosen the mind. Let the image fade to a clear sky. There is no image.

Only to let the mind relax and to stop interfering in the natural, ever present, unfolding of what Is. It is a deep and slow song. It must be concentrated on in an effortless pose, both in body and mind. So quiet the mind and then listen in utter stillness. This vast stillness, this limitless ocean of bliss, is who we are.

We are the totality that includes all else.

The aspects of ourselves that are transient come and go. Our transitory body is the Earth and all the people and plants and animals and our personal body is our greatest vehicle to truth. Without it we could not taste the sweet nectar of what is. We are humming birds in God’s garden collecting sweet bliss, reveling in the joyous sanctity. Hari Om.

A Question for my readers

Thank you for taking the time to read my posts. I hope you have enjoyed visiting my site. It has certainly been a journey for me. I have so many great memories and experiences that I am happy to share. I amazes me to think how diverse the world is, and how each of us follow such different paths.

I am just now beginning to move into a new phase with my blog. In a way I was starting to feel a bit burned out with trying to conjure up new and exciting stories. I also started working so I have not had as much time as in the past. So now I will attempt to move into a more down to earth approach.

So, here is my question:

What impact has reading my blog had on you?

You can email me at terryhooker@earthlink.net or comment here for others to see.

I do hope you have enjoyed the blog so far! I have always envisioned the blog being a chance for me to share my stories and help build friendships and community so your comments are very much appreciated. I know it takes time to develop ideas and write them down, but don't be discouraged, just type in what ever comes to mind.

   

The Natural Way

Yet again I am reminded of the TRUTH: my true nature is sat chit ananda (Existence Consciousness Bliss). Looking for answers in the world of form is like trying to touch images on a movie screen. It is like looking in the wrong place. The solution cannot be found. What is found is always relative and subject to changing and drifting and shifting. We might find peace for a moment or a day or a year, but the dance of Maya will go on and on. Flowing with the dance and making choices is a joyous part of life, but the real solution, the real final truth, the final magical and definite answer, is that the only dependable, stable, solid, lasting, durable thing we have is the truth of our nature: sat chit ananda.


So we have again the great division of the one. The one truth is sat chit ananda. There is no need to challenge this. It is what it is. Meanwhile, the dance of Maya is unfolding and moving within the one. We may not have “chosen” to be born, but we have a choice about how we are going to flow with the dance. This is the level of figuring out the details of what our intention is, and what we want to do with our lives, and how do we respond to the many issues that arise in this human life. We are multi-dimensional beings. We are microcosms of the entire universe.

So the "inner" world can be at peace, completely free, resting with assurance in the reality that our ultimate nature is pure and stable: sat chit ananda, and at the same time our "outer" world can be a tumultuous chaotic mess, always shifting and changing.

This paradox of balance and chaos is expressed in the Bhagavad Gita as equanimity.

Enjoy.

The waves are calling me

The waves are calling me

Towering, emmense, cushing

and then...

calm and sultry

and warm...

I can feel the sun on my skin

and the slow rocking of the boat

The mystical sensation pours over me

moving through my body

It is calling me...

To the sea!

To the sea!

It is calling me.

Someday I would like to write to you about my adventures aboard Luna in the Channel Islands. I spent 6 weeks sailing there with the company of friends at times and also alone. The many days I spent alone were some of the most magical times of my entire life. Alone on the sea, and at the islands has to be, without a doubt, the most sublime experience!

Of course it was horrid at times: when my hands felt like meat hooks from hour after hour of trimming sails and holding on during windy passages, and when my whole body ached from lack of sleep and exhaustion.

But when the sun was shining and the weather was calm. I would go ashore and meditate on the beach, listening to the sound of the waves. So sweet to sit and wonder at the mystery of living. What power is such that it can create islands and waves and sea shores? What wonderful blessing to be able to breathe and move and dream! To dream! What a blessing to be able to penetrate to the very core of what it means to exist!