www.theburninghand.com
  • Chop Wood
  • This Is Me
  • Rule of Life
  • Meditation
  • Mother
  • Book
  • Contact
  • Trail
  • Lessons
  • Dance
  • Maharaj-ji
  • Baba Ram Dass
  • Poppy
  • Quantum
  • Greta
  • Wendell
  • St. Dorothy Day
  • St. Max
  • Sabbath-Day
  • St. Francis
  • Praxis
  • Tribe
  • St. Francis
  • Making It Sacred
  • Sanctuary of the Heart... Daily Prayers

The Fire and the Rose are One

10/8/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture

And all shall be well and

All manner of thing shall be well

When the tongues of flame are in-folded...

Into the crowned knot of fire...

And the fire and the rose are one.


-- T. S. Eliot, Little Gidding, Four Quartets


There are essentials for the "life-pack" of the modern mystic / activist: if one legitimately anticipates awakening "into the crowned knot of fire..." One must begin with an active sense and vision of "Unity", or Oneness: perceptions and opinions must each and all be "massaged" with the truth of Oneness: differences must yield to this higher wisdom: illusions of separation must likewise surrender to this essential mystery and truth. Observer and observed are One: perceiver and perception alike are under the "umbrella" of One: the patterned waves are all existing within an invisible wholeness that is neither / and both "here and there"... Collaboration is the synergy of Communion... on every level, the mystic / activist is called to live within this synergy...

The "I" who is reading this, is called to the disappearance of "self" in the discovery of the "other": this is essential practice! "Self" must "vanish" in Love for the "other": our previous learned boundaries of relationship must be increasingly experienced through the new lens of "CSC" -- collaboration is the synergy of communion: one touches, not a boundary, but a Person and the Divine... The politics of division, the economics of exploitation, and the religions of domination all await the transformative power of Oneness as experienced by the mystic / activist. It is this collaboration in the synergy of communion that is the One Reality: cause and effect are not independent of the whole. All that we call "natural", is a symbiotic network of matter, minds, bodies, and consciousness: with the core question being, "How do I lessen the pain in the world?" 

This core question, "How do I lessen the pain in my world?", is a daily practice: and the sure step "Into the crowned knot of fire"... which is the vocation of the mystic / activist. Oneness is a modern expression of the ancient Tao. The Way of Lao Tzu is an excellent guide into the mystery of the One Reality: there is an ethic and an aesthetic which grants access to the collaboration in the synergy of communion... The "natural" human is "crafty" in the face of an ever-advancing technocracy: like lovers and poets who can embrace the daily moments of life with radiance: like workers of the soil who live gracefully in the flow of the seasons... Looking around with even a smidgen of honesty, the modern mystic / activist recognizes this truth: very few people live in obvious bliss: looking around with even a smidgen of integrity, the modern mystic / activist makes this simple decision: there simply has to be a better way... I am going to find it... And the fire and the rose will be one...

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Robert Daniel Smith was privileged to serve the homeless and marginalized for 30 years in California. He is living now almost within shouting distance of the Twin Cities. He is a poet, artist, writer, and long-time  Companion of the Way still dreaming... 

    ​Recommended Reading:

    ​Son of Man by Andrew Harvey


    ​Be Love Now by Ram Dass

    ​Be Here Now by Ram Dass

    The Rebirthing of God by John Philip Newell

    The Hope by Andrew Harvey

    The Return of the Mother by Andrew Harvey

    ​Creation Spirituality by Matthew Fox

    Loaves and Fishes by Dorothy Day 

    Sacred Pleasure by Riane Eisler

    Occupy Spirituality by Adam Bucko and Matthew Fox

    Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

    The Self-Aware Universe by Amit Goswami, Ph.D.

    Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran

    The Wisdom Jesus by Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault

    ​Living the Eternal Way by Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian

    Listening For The Heartbeat of God by John Philip Newell

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    September 2010

    RSS Feed

Copyright (c) Michelle Smith   All Rights Reserved  2017
Photos used under Creative Commons from tejvanphotos, heather aitken, PixFav.com, Rennett Stowe, Never Edit, dsgetch, Jeffrey, spiritchasa, red line highway, luciefly, np&djjewell, Milton Keynes Museum, pmarkham, Wonderlane, Flikkersteph -4,000,000 views ,thank you!, KOREA.NET - Official page of the Republic of Korea, homethods, igo.rs, Daniel Dudek-Corrigan, WarmSleepy, MizGingerSnaps, niiicedave (back from AK USA), rachel_titiriga, neotint, mRio, regan76, Chilanga Cement, Goldmund100, nevil zaveri (thank you for 20+M views:), Sasha Y. Kimel, Evoflash, ianmalcm, National Farm Worker Ministry, CapCase, Larry Lamsa, nathanborror, philozopher, iamathis, keepitsurreal, Elvert Barnes, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, *ErinBrierley*, archer10 (Dennis) 85M Views, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, recommendgroup3, normalsanik, philwarren, Rod Waddington, Nic's events, edenpictures, ell brown, Eneas, skugga2shadow, PiConsti, matsuyuki, Lucie Bluebird-Lexington, Christiaan Triebert, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., Schwarzkaefer, K. Kendall, satanoid, Rod Waddington, Adrian Thomson, Rod Waddington, Neon Tommy, Javmorcas, EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, hams37, DigitumDei, Dean Hochman, Rob React, Marion Doss, Celestine Chua, Bold Frontiers, Bobfantastic, Daniel M. Hendricks, The National Guard, micadew, Pero Kvrzica, Pan American Health Organization PAHO, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), Abode of Chaos, zugaldia, jorgemejia, 1nativeTexan, A. Strakey, STUART_BURNS1, Jan Tik, erix!, greensefa, Meanest Indian, miketnorton, eliduke, K. Kendall, willthomas7, Southbank Centre London, fuseboxradio, alden0249, Chuckfranky, **** j a z z z i ***, eliduke, kevin dooley, iz4aks, Loco Steve, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, geckzilla, InSapphoWeTrust, PhotoHenning, Miradas.com.br, srslyguys, otterbeintheatre, Sasha Y. Kimel, Dick Thomas Johnson, justin, cattan2011, Rebecca Harms, ** RCB **, jdg32373, thisisjamesj, Glyn Lowe Photoworks., www.ilkkajukarainen.fi, eugenenoodleman, swong95765, WarmSleepy, scazon, albany_tim, hoyasmeg, austinevan, Easa Shamih (eEko) | P.h.o.t.o.g.r.a.p.h.y, Filipe Moreira, Old Sarge, BlatantNews.com, .shyam., puroticorico, Jim, the Photographer, rajkumar1220, mike.benedetti, Lost Albatross, babasteve, Alex E. Proimos, Falling Heavens, cliff1066™, pixiduc, To Tuscany, Space Ritual, Walt Hubis, qwrrty, Geoff Livingston, nyoin, jeffreyw, Cea., tibchris, Friar's Balsam, Pink Sherbet Photography, Trilok Rangan, cscott2006, Kris Krug, spratmackrel, Celestine Chua, Shashank Mhasawade, AlicePopkorn, mhiguera, waitscm, mikekwaan, Lost Albatross, rajkumar1220, Alan Cleaver, philipmatarese, @jbtaylor, Anosmia, ryPix, Illusive Photography, Beverly & Pack, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Paul Lowry, Ben Sutherland, kamshots, National Farm Worker Ministry, k763, Wonderlane, BAMCorp, bm.iphone, QuotesEverlasting, markbyzewski, greensefa, DonkeyHotey, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), VinothChandar, jamarmstrong, Ian W Scott, olcoge, carulmare, eleephotography, rajkumar1220, AlicePopkorn, billy verdin, Melody Campbell, PixFav.com, cyberien 94, symphony of love, Cory Kipa Photography, Mulligan Stu, Jack Heart, creativedc, yummyporky, Liz Henry, beaumontpete, Karen Eliot, Formula_d, cuatrok77, Eneas, Monica Arellano-Ongpin, YIM Hafiz, AlicePopkorn, dalbera, TausP., Song_sing, Duncan~, Ed Coyle Photography, h.koppdelaney, L. N. Batides, oseillo, K. Kendall, omnos, francesco sgroi, akshay moon, popejon2, Waiting For The Word, DeeAshley, rajkumar1220, mira66, NASA Goddard Photo and Video, Jean-Luc Toilet, Morgaine, Јerry, silviostarr, mahalie, jGlidePhotoATL, bixentro, AirHaake, VinothChandar, niyam bhushan, tedeytan, Kıvanç Niş, kevin dooley, secretlondon123, mike 23, christian.greller, OliBac, quinn.anya, goat_girl_photos, yeowatzup, revmags, jlwelsh, doubledareyaa, bberburb, Cea., clkohan, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), garlandcannon (on hiatus), kdinuraj, TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³, Raphael Goetter, omnos, jeet_sen, rajkumar1220, gbaku, Pink Sherbet Photography, payneshut, timmarshall, cutemosaic.com, Balaji.B, Morgaine, sadeog, DrStarbuck, michaelvito, VinothChandar, Emily Stanchfield, ninja 4 life, Carly & Art, The Jewish Agency for Israel, McD22, Ashok666, Zanastardust, grahamc99, Sharon Mollerus, dental ben, WarmSleepy, Flikkesteph, quinn.anya, h.koppdelaney, Katrin Lorenzen, ernenn, Fairy Heart ♥, Spirit-Fire, Lynda W1, Bob Doran, miheco, micadew