The Way of a Simpleton
1.
Unadorned by definition, not limited by creed,
this is the simple Way -- the way of a simpleton!
That which you "know" must be unlearned --
that to which you cling must be set aside,
if your heart is determined to be mined for jewels.
Nothing continues as the beginning
and Mother of every living thing!
Beyond form, yet she lives within every form --
free from attachment, she compels every attraction.
The Mother is the Holy Secret, the hidden unity
within every appearance of difference --
the folds within folds within folds
and gateway to Only One...
2.
On the surface it might seem
that Beauty within Beauty within Beauty is so
only because of the attention that is given
to what someone else has named "ugly" --
and that what is good
is because someone has called something else "bad".
Yet everything originates from the very same Secret!
Every opposite is someone else's opinion --
but beyond opinion and proclamation of an "other"
is the mystery of the mirror before your face!
You are neither good nor bad, tall nor short,
high nor low, strong nor weak, beautiful nor ugly:
you are "just" the Divine Rambunctiousness
at play in the universe!
Accepting your Place, you can be delightful
and you can serve without claiming credit.
Others will make a lot of noise
with their endless duel of mirrors -- but you
can relax and have a good laugh,
and so you will last forever.
3.
Keeping to the simpleton's way
frees you from the need to carry a concealed weapon!
Not lost in the worship of money
frees you from the need to advertise your corruption!
The simpleton lifts up from the back,
and so never steps on the person ahead --
the simpleton sleeps deep in the Heart of the Mother,
while the fool counts his inches
and is never satisfied with enough!
4.
The Way is a cobalt blue bowl
sitting on the floor before you as you meditate --
it is always empty and always used,
always full and never forgotten -- this Holy Secret
is the Mother of every living thing.
She is the pencil that writes the Name --
she is the oil that slips the knot --
she is the shade in the afternoon sun --
she is the blanket and lover for the night --
she is the whispered word as two become One.
If I were you I wouldn't trust these words:
for they are the ones that gave birth to the gods...
5.
What are the limits to the sky?
Where does the earth end?
These questions are not as useful as
"How can I help you?"
The simpleton extends her mirror
further than her arm can reach, and so
can take in the view of those around her -- while
the powerful walk around with their mirrors
smashed against their noses -- and they
propose that you get in line and follow them!
The space between the simpleton's wisdom
and the pronouncements of the powerful,
is about the distance between here
and never there -- the Mother knows this,
and so would draw you to her breast,
while those others will be lucky
to even catch a glimpse of her toes...
6.
Though the wind be still,
it never ceases to move.
Though the Mother seem distant, she lives
in the still point between every breath
of every living thing. This "Place"
is the threshold to Paradise.
Never seen, yet
it is the fertile ground of every possibility.
7.
What purpose do you ascribe to your life?
What meaning do you seek in the ruin of your flesh and bones?
Why do you seek "forever", when this moment
and this breath, is worthy of perfect love?
The simpleton can rest in the shade of desire
and not be tempted to power -- not attached
to "purpose", "meaning", and "forever",
the simpleton loves, laughs, and serves:
and is thereby opened by the pomegranate
of "purpose", "meaning", and "forever".
8.
The Holy Secret that you seek
is like a hearty bowl of soup shared with family and friends.
With lusciously buttered bread in hand,
the simpleton has no need to leave the Table!
The deep satisfaction of "enough"
is the perfection of the simple gift of "this day".
Listen to the conversation of "enough":
How are you?
How can I help you?
After dinner, would you like to go for a walk?
Can we sit around the fire and tell stories?
Why don't we plan a neighborhood party for the children?
When can we volunteer at the Soup Kitchen again?
True power is selfless service, while
the power of the "wise" always needs someone to hurt.
9.
If you haven't figured it out by now, let me explain:
the way of the simpleton is the way of "enough".
Overflowing your coffee cup
will either burn your hand or make a mess.
Washing your dishes and then storing them on the floor
makes as much sense as pants on a pig.
No one addicted to "more" can ever be satisfied
and is therefore unfit to lead... (a culture
of addiction can't be lead anyway)...
so a return to the way of a simpleton
is enough wisdom for the truly wise.
10.
Have you ever rejoiced as birds in the spring?
Listen to their chatter and song!
They live deep in the rhythms of Nature,
content with what each moment delivers.
Strong winds, gentle breezes --
time to fly, time to hold on tight.
"Enough" is always the entry-point
to the core teachings -- can you ever be satisfied?
The ancients would sit under their hats
and teach the children, "Not two. Not two."
Nowadays, the way of the simpleton
is virtually forgotten -- and the people always
find themselves with the short end of the stick.
Are you able to travel through time
with the dropping of your head and visit those same ancients
and so learn to recover your lost mind?
Are you able to become the Mother
and so give birth to the Universe?
It is all so simple,
when there is "Only One"...
11.
Where is the home of the Mother?
What fills the empty spaces of both atom and universe?
The cobalt blue bowl on the floor before you
has the answers to those questions -- and many more besides!
Since the bowl appears to be empty -- the question then becomes
how to access those answers? Look out your window,
is there really either a "here" or "there"
when in your mind you can be both?
Empty is as empty does:
linking nothing and everything into Only One...
12.
Ah! How delightful to be body as well as mind!
A rub here and a rub there
and contentment can become a considered possibility!
The way of the simpleton
is to rejoice in every pleasure center -- without
staying so long that attachment is born.
What is attachment? Attachment is
the need to place limits upon the love of an other...
on the other hand, love is the alchemical reaction
of mixing freedom and forgiveness as one's daily drink...
13.
The way of the simpleton anticipates the likelihood
of judgments and insults as frequent companions --
the ancients were oftentimes driven out of their own towns!
Grabbing only hat and staff,
they accepted the loss of everything as potential gain...
"How interesting!", they considered the behavior of their friends...
Holding onto only that which is most useful,
the ancients could welcome humility
as their companion comedian and guest!
Sitting by, as the river flowed, they could await
the day of their return -- loving everyone,
they had no need to hire a public relations advisor...
14.
If you think you'll search for the Mother,
she will evade your intellectual grasp.
If you think you'll write a song for her celebration,
you'll lose the will to sing.
If you think you need to know the why of this,
I will tell you... but first you must
try to catch your breath!
Do you have it? Good! Now hold it
until I get back to you tomorrow...
15.
The way of a simpleton embraces
every question as friend, not as foe.
This friendship relaxes the mind
into the delightful confusion of staggering possibilities!
One possibility is that Consciousness
is the "string" that ties together the disparate parts
of both atoms and heavenly bodies...
Another possibility is that Consciousness
is not a "force" like gravity
but a Mother's compassionate touch and glance...
The way of the simpleton
is both endless quest and pleasant conversation --
keep with the simple and remember to have fun!
The way of the simpleton
is the Embrace of the Mother of All Things
as the One Love Consciousness --
in the Orgasm of Relationship Without End...
this knowing is by unknowing
this surety is by uncertainty
this wisdom is by mystery
this essence is best unspoken...
(but perhaps you should just forget this --
that is what the ancients would say,
if you want to avoid a world of trouble...)
16.
In the ancient days
when the Earth was Mother of Life,
there was a balance visible everywhere --
this balance ruled the affairs of the human community
as the seasons ruled the lives of all the creatures...
The ancients knew the virtue of patience --
anxiety never hastened the time of the rising sun.
The ancients knew the virtue of honesty --
a lie could never heal someone who was hurt.
The ancients knew the virtue of hospitality --
and so were always prepared to share
with a stranger, a neighbor, or a god.
The ancients knew the virtue of kindness --
and so could welcome their days with anticipation.
The ancients knew the virtue of conversation --
listening deeply to the dreams, fears, and stories
of family, friends, neighbors, and strangers
they arrived at the core of community
and could welcome everyone home.
The way of the simpleton
is the steady practice of the five virtues --
and so she arrives one day, quite unexpectedly,
at the the door of the Infinite...
17.
The simpleton prefers honest work
to the disguises of the "professional".
What is the purpose of "titles", when
the Universe began with Nothing,
and only awakened to the Mystery of "What if?"
after a self-identification as "One Love"?
But if you still want a title, or a sign for your door,
become this: "Servant of One Love"...
18.
When the way of the simpleton is forgotten,
someone will inevitably think, "Now it's my chance!"
He will organize for power
and try to sell you "The Rule Book of Heaven" --
he will organize for money
and try to sell you "The Rule Book of Poverty" --
he will organize for sex
and try to sell you "The Rule Book of Guilt and Shame".
When you grow tired of paying for his oppression,
you have but to wake up, on any morning of your choosing,
and claim as your birthright this remembering:
my identity is one with the Infinite,
my nature is one with the Divine!
The way of the simpleton
is to Think, Speak, Teach, and Act
from her birthright remembrance,
and so she is always free!
19.
The way of the simpleton
is a life of ordinary days
within sight of the Mother's yearning gaze...
welcoming the morning caw of the crow
is enough holiness for the day...
engaging your life as a fiery sun:
become a passionate pouring of light,
warmth, and wisdom upon the earth...
living down to the name of simpleton:
with an open heart reflected in open hands,
and in the sufficiency of Only One...
One heartbeat of total surrender to One Love
holds for that instant, the entire manifested Universe --
become that heartbeat, become that heartbeat,
become that heartbeat... become that...
heart... beat... heart... beat... heart...
20.
A simpleton speaks:
I look around at the successes of my friends
and begin to wonder where I went wrong!
They all would say "yes", so I would say "no".
They all would say "no", and I would say "yes".
They all went to universities to get great jobs,
I settled down by the river to study the Universe...
They have such stories of success --
and I've lost everything several times over...
They appear to be so happy and content
building their lives with strength and order...
while I drift like a small winding stream,
stopping only to caress a boulder or study a cloud...
I am called from the dish sink
to greet the folks coming into the Soup Kitchen for lunch...
A veteran with one leg stands first in line,
I smile and shake his hand...
An addict living on the street with MS is next,
I smile and shake his hand...
Leo and Jason are drinking partners -- they sway
into my smile and handshake...
Irish Bill tells me the same joke he's told me all week,
I smile and shake his hand...
Eleanor is sick again, but couldn't stay home,
I smile and shake her hand...
Annie is still sleeping on the street,
I smile and shake her hand...
A dealer draped in jewelry comes in,
I smile and shake his hand...
A carpenter out of work is embarrassed to be here,
I smile and shake his hand...
Connie comes in with her beautiful children,
I smile and shake their hands...
The line forms and continues down the street...
Farmworker youth come in to volunteer,
I smile and shake their hands...
With all this extra help, I get in line
for my bowl of soup and bread.
I pick a table and sit with those gathered...
After the last soup pot and dish are scrubbed,
I wipe down the counters, sweep and mop the floor...
and wonder what to cook tomorrow:
with 250 meals today, there still could be more coming...
a walk through the pantry and glance in the refrigerator,
reveals the need for another miracle -- I wonder who
will walk in tomorrow with that surprise,
and what will it be?
I sit alone now in the dining room,
and ponder my earlier ponderings...
I conclude, "Whew! What a blessing to be different!"
I hold my beads and love them,
as I thank the Universe for landing me in Chinatown --
and this particularly beautiful Place...
Like the bubbles
in the Soup Kitchen sink,
I burst into Secrets,
and then laugh at myself as I walk out the door...
21.
The way of the simpleton
is like the way of water -- always going down...
this essential movement is a great virtue --
and the beginning of wisdom...
This way really isn't a secret,
although it can seem so because it is mostly hidden
from the view of those in a hurry "up"...
Sometimes in ages past, the ancients would say,
"You must become as a water-strider. Watch and
learn how to rest in the flow and how to move
only when the moment is right... become one with
the water: breathe as it breathes, serve as it serves".
This is how the ancients viewed the Universe...
Why should you bother reading this?
I could say because I know you are not satisfied,
but really, it is for a much better reason...
22.
In this day and age, tenderness is not considered
a valid guide to public policy -- yet, how simple
everything could be if we just cared about each other!
Be gentle -- and trust in the Mother of the Universe!
Be kind -- and trust in the Mother of the Universe!
This is the core teaching of the way of the simpleton.
If you meet resistance, follow the water-course way:
drop by steady drop, and you shall overcome,
by seemingly doing nothing!
If you have lost everything, consider the way of the lark:
she keeps nothing for tomorrow,
yet knows the satisfaction of this day -- everyday.
If you have much to say and no one who will listen,
consider the way of the willow tree:
bowing and bending to kiss the earth,
perhaps that could be enough for right now?
The way of the simpleton
is the way of the natural, the deep rhythm of the Universe...
By not forcing,
by not hoarding,
by not coercing,
the simpleton lives in harmony: an artful example of One Love.
(And that harmony is still the hunger of every age...)
23.
Reverence for the feminine is the natural way...
Recognizing the Face of the Mother
in the Mystery of Life and Death:
in the green rising of spring,
in the fertile swell of summer,
in the gracious harvest of autumn,
and in the welcome home of winter,
is the essential wisdom of the ancients.
The way of the simpleton
is the way of the empty cup:
in this day and age, the student
comes to the teacher knowing that he knows
and so can never learn. Yet, on occasion
a simpleton arrives at the door of her teacher,
and before knocking drops her head
into the basket with the garden flowers --
and so enters as an empty cup
ready to be filled with the sweet tea of grace...
This has always been the way,
and so it remains until both the heavens
and the earth shall pass away...
become one with this Mystery,
become Only One -- and see for yourself...
24.
The way of the simpleton
is the work of surrender to Only One
and identification as One Love...
work: because we are each many --
identification: because union is our need.
Yet, the work is as easy as moon viewing,
and identification is as simple as plucking
ripe fruit from an over-laden tree --
both just require your presence...
However, the new moon is not full
and spring is the time of blossoms...
Therefore the way of the simpleton
is one of perfect timing!
25.
The way of the simpleton
is not the way of big business!
No one can serve money,
build temples for its worship,
and at the same time open his heart
in the mystic experience -- without which
civilization always goes stark, raving, mad!
Only the one
who knows intimately the suffering of another
to be her own
is fit to lead.
Only the one
who knows the wisdom of compassion
from the depths of her own experience
is fit to lead.
Only the one
who has interiorized the pain of this Planet
through the intimacy of mystic union
is fit to lead.
Only the one
who has suffered the burn of Love's hand
and welcomed its continuing invitation
is fit to lead.
As for the others,
do not even listen to their advertisements --
they have nothing to say...
But if your heart aches for Love,
then come to the way of the simpleton
and ache and ache and ache and ache some more...
for Only this is the path
to the Beautiful One whom you seek...
26.
Mystery is the divine origin
of every living and existent thing.
Before every possible before,
there was Nothing --
and then there was "What if?"
How long ago?
How far away?
These things not even the ancients knew.
How many possible questions are there?
Reduced to Only One,
the ancients did not care -- Mystery was enough,
and the Divine Mother was pleased.
How did the ancients discover her pleasure?
They woke up with the rising sun.
They ate the bread they made with their own hands.
They worked hard.
They laughed often.
They played everyday.
They rested when tired.
They placed no limits on their hearts to love.
They remembered to live in gratitude.
They never harbored a grudge or anger.
They gathered with their friends.
They revered the ways of loving.
They slept deep and well.
Because they embraced the natural,
and lived as simpletons,
they never strayed far from the way:
the greatest power in the Universe
is humbler than the last grape on the vine...
27.
There once was a rich man
who thought, "If I ride all day, everyday,
on the backs of my servants,
I will leave no footprints wherever I go.
Then someday, generations from now,
they will say, 'He was a great and wise man
for never was it known that he left a footprint
upon any road that he walked'". And so
for sometime, he was always hanging
onto the backs of his servants. They carried
him wherever he commanded. Eventually,
he decided he wanted to see a grand
and famous canyon far from his home.
After many weeks of being carried across deserts
and over mountains, a good and faithful servant
carried him to the edge of the grand
and famous canyon... they peered over the edge
and appreciated the beauty of it all... the servant
especially appreciated their very great height
above the river so very far below... with a grand,
and now famous, shout of "Hi-yee-ho!"
the same servant stepped over the edge
and carried his master all the way down
to an intimate encounter with the great
and glorious river... and so it is, to this very day,
you will sometimes hear a simpleton say,
as she makes your bed,
fixes you breakfast,
scrubs your toilets,
and a million other things
day-in and day-out
for far less than a living wage,
"Hi-yee-ho! Hi-yee-ho! Tomorrow
is gonna be: Hi-yee-ho!"
28.
The way of a simpleton
is the intentional at-one-ment
with the deepest rhythms of the Universe --
always adrift with the clouds,
yet steady, still, and calm as a mountain,
such is the life of the simpleton...
Loving-kin to everything:
harmony is every breath breathing peace...
Observing the great,
yet keeping to the humble,
the simpleton is free
to love perfectly the call of every moment...
Understanding the gift of each breath,
the simpleton rests in the balance
of yes and no,
in and out,
high and low...
See!
She fills each space like the perfection of water...
29.
How would you propose to improve the Holy One?
Would you be in favor of more "justice"
and a little less universal love?
Just who do you think you are?
The simpleton has found utter delight,
have you?
The simpleton has learned the value of service,
have you?
The simpleton has accepted the graciousness of enough,
why can't you?
Look around you! This earth is holy!
You are here to care for your Mother --
and each other -- so why do you pursue your ruin?
You are here to practice kindness and compassion --
so why do you make a science of hurt?
The way of the simpleton
is the love of the natural, the good, and the beautiful --
without needing to live in the illusion of power:
give up that notion forever
and pass some fun around...
30.
If by some incredibly strange turn
of events, a simpleton found herself
on top of some political heap,
she would seek the re-creation of power
into harmless public service -- that would,
of course, force her removal from office...
therefore the simpleton chooses
a better form of action: non-action!
Non-action is the opposite of doing nothing.
Non-action is the taproot of all life:
hidden, yet it supports the whole,
secretive, yet it supplies every nutrient,
escaping fame, yet it sustains every good:
content with an open heart and open hands,
the simpleton relaxes
into every opportunity to love,
and in this way follows the birth of the Universe...
31.
Sitting before the setting sun,
the simpleton breathes deep contentment,
and blesses all creatures with peace...
such is the primary intention of her days.
So why have so many gone astray?
Armed to the teeth with force,
governments lead the way into folly --
armed to the teeth with fear,
citizens then follow that path into chaos...
But the way of the simpleton
is the way of the unclenched fist --
and the use of arms for embracing...
if you too want peace, then change your minds!
Freed from the need for profit,
the simpleton makes a craft of harmony;
no longer in the grip of fear,
the simpleton befriends every 'other'.
The Universe wears a benevolent face
and wills the good of every creature --
the simpleton lives as a mirror of this truth,
and so approaches the threshold of Paradise...
but for those "who know better",
they sadly reap the bitter harvest of their lies,
distortions, manipulations, and cruelties,
with endless, endless violence --
and finally with death, the death
that comes with the unsatisfied prayer
and absolute hunger for oblivion...
32.
The way of the simpleton
is like a slow lean against a tree
and the adoring gaze of clear eyes
focused on the gentle flow of river...
If the businessman could box it,
you know by now that he would.
If the politician could control it,
you know he'd use it for power.
But because the way is elusive,
it shall always be free;
and because the way is just and harmless,
it only serves the cause of liberation.
The way cannot be bought or controlled,
therefore the simpleton is regarded a fool.
Content with the appearance of delusion,
the simpleton penetrates to the core of reality
and discovers the meaning of "welcome home"...
33.
The way of a simpleton
is the clarification of what "the wise"
have done to the human heart and soul...
not claiming an insight,
the simpleton lives with clear-sight:
she relishes the embrace of One Love
and moves freely between adoration and action,
thus she endures where "the wise" falter
and she overcomes when "the wise" are victorious...
34.
The way of the simpleton
is like a sweet bubbling spring
somewhere deep in the dark forest green...
quickly flowing in widening circles of sweet delight
the water of this way is always everywhere
touching the toes of everyone...
but the secret the simpleton holds dearest
waits for the silence of a midnight moon --
then, only then, with clothes left on the shore,
she swims in the glistening melding of light and water
until she disappears into the dance
of whirling atoms and unfettered flesh --
until the first fingers of the hand of dawn
rise above the distant mountain peak --
and she returns as the secret herself
and as Mother of the Day and the silent red rose
for every suffering heart,
and every servant of the One Love Disguise...
35.
The simpleton has nothing much to do --
yet gets everything done.
She refers everything to 'Only One' --
and so lives enraptured within each breath.
Knowing the essential contentment
of a welcoming home,
a simple table,
a gathering of friends,
a hearty soup,
and a warm fire in the hearth --
she is amazed at the intelligence of the great
who prefer the endless collection of things
and the worship of their weapons,
to the sufficiency and satisfaction of 'enough'
and the surety and safety of 'securing the good'
for everyone considered an 'other'...
How did the simpleton learn this exalted wisdom?
She once shook too much salt into her soup,
and she never forgot how it felt when she was hurt...
36.
Look! See!
The child hides behind her hands
and pretends that she disappears --
the child hides behind the garden tree
and walks out a Princess on the Moon --
with an unbounded imagination,
the simpleton likewise twists a fallen leaf,
and liberates her dreams into gifts
for both child and world to receive...
giving is the way of the Mother,
giving is the way of the Universe,
giving is the secret to every great possibility...
Look! See!
When giving becomes as dear to you as breath,
you will have died before your death
and resurrected before the resurrection!
Alive now in only the giving of One Love,
the simpleton has become an Immortal...
37.
The Mother is always at home,
tea is served and supper is ready --
if only those with power followed this path,
every injustice would cease
in the surprise of always 'enough'.
The way of the simpleton
is as a dance upon the open road...
this way is so natural
that it needs little planning, and yet
it never suffers from any sort of lack.
Adoration and surrender
are two sides of the same coin --
spend that coin wisely,
is all the simpleton would say.
38.
Every mirror only reflects images of the Divine.
The simpleton knows this through and through --
and therefore cannot be either bought or sold.
Most folks are not so fortunate,
and so always try to be pretty-for-the-using...
while the simpleton is simply beautiful
and always free-in-delightful-giving...
in this difference is everything.
In the same way, the simpleton's kindness
is never for show -- and so is always true...
while the others keep watchful eyes
for the recording gaze of cameras --
and so are always false, regardless
of whatever they may do... they smile --
click -- they lift you up -- click --
the camera turns away -- they let you fall --
no click -- they kick you on the way down --
the camera swivels back -- they lift you again --
click -- they smile, and are recorded for the ages...
The way of the simpleton
is never out of focus -- because the simpleton
has discovered the virtue of friendship:
and she won't steal the fruit to spite the flower...
39.
Everything vibrates within One Ecstasy!
Everything rises from the same Primal Sound --
from furthest star, to the life-seed in every body,
from nearest face, to the thrilling flight of the lark,
everything is the revelation of perfect union...
the simpleton understands that many will disagree,
and so can keep to this core secret!
Insight gives birth to clarified vision,
clarified vision gives birth to constructive action,
constructive action gives birth to insight,
and so the wheel of perfect happiness
turns and turns and turns...
the simpleton can be the ground
upon which the wheel turns --
the simpleton can be the wagon carrying the injured --
and the simpleton can also be the turning wheel --
since the simpleton wears the shoes of humility,
she walks everywhere with grace...
and because the simpleton values kindness
above both titles and treasures,
she endures through every season...
now don't you wish
that your smile was as genuine as Hers?
40.
The deep bow of adoration
is the steady practice of the simpleton.
Surrender to the Mother, the Mystery,
and the Magic of the Way is the mystic threshold
through which the simpleton walks -- and
non-possession, non-attachment, and "not two --
not two", are the most useful shovels
for turning the soil of the soul...
merrily, merrily...
41.
The simpleton silently slips
out the back door when the big-shots arrive --
she is never missed, yet
they still make her an object of derision...
and then they carefully record
their grand philosophical insights.
In the marketplace,
the tailor cuts her cloth --
not to exact measurements,
but with a little bit extra for comfort...
the herbalist carefully looks
into the eye and the mouth,
yet gives everyone the same dosage...
if you are looking for an answer to "why?" --
you'd better ask the big-shot pro's:
for they are the one's with everything figured out...
42.
Out of the One,
flows the many -- thinking
they are all separate,
they play at constructing reality --
yet living in unreality
can never make something real...
but not understanding this,
they build temples -- and condemn heretics;
they imagine truth -- and go to war;
they think they are exceptional -- but are never content.
And so time passes, and the seasons endlessly circle --
and the many still think they are separate,
and they still build temples,
and they still imagine truth,
and they still think they are exceptional...
Alone among the myriad of things,
the simpleton one morning simply woke up.
Now every chance she gets,
she says: "There is Only One.
Love Every One. Feed Every One."
And then she practices... and that
pretty much sums up her life.
43.
The Divine Mother
is the home of the universe...
without walls, without doors,
without pathway, without signposts...
and while the crowd
wanders in confusion (yet sure
of their wandering steps),
only one enters.
Cutting against the grain
swiftly dulls the knife --
and keeping with the crowd,
means you'll never find your way...
Now consider this:
"only one enters"
is no longer a secret...
44.
The way of the simpleton
is like standing on a busy street corner,
attired in a blue-hair wig, a red bulbous nose,
and an old-fashioned sandwich sign
strapped over one's shoulders
advertising "Free Pizza"
on the front side, and
"Only One Enters" on the back...
It isn't often that someone stops
to ask "Where?" and even less often,
"How?" ...So the simpleton has learned
the Art of Painting Grace upon the wind...
45.
The beauty of the Mother
is confusion to the proud and self-assured --
and the simplicity of wonder
escapes both politician and theologian...
meanwhile the flowers continue to bloom
and the simpleton is drunk like the bees:
adoration, adoration, adoration with every breath...
down, down, down like the dropping of waters:
into all the hidden places that are filled
with the humbled, the broken, and the lost...
the perfect bowl of soup,
placed in the coldly hesitant hands of the addict,
settles all the accounts of the universe.
46.
The way of the simpleton
is keeping to the original and the natural --
it is the easy remembrance of the just and good.
When the simple is an everyday watchword,
no one is any longer the victim of time --
when no one is a victim of time,
profits and wages both serve the common good --
when profits and wages serve,
happiness is the rule of the day --
when happiness rules,
everyone is satisfied and content --
therefore, when time, service, happiness, satisfaction,
and contentment become the people's identity,
the way of the simpleton is a work completed.
47.
There are no borders
across which hands cannot reach.
There are no excuses
that can justify oppressing anyone.
The simpleton has internalized these truths,
and many more besides,
therefore wherever she stands,
she becomes the light of the world.
If you would truly understand your possibilities,
take off your shoes,
have a seat,
and listen to absolute truth:
this earth, and you, are so holy and precious
the Holy One lives amazed to be your Lover...
now, what else would you like to know?
48.
The human heart is fractured -- everyone
suffers incredible pain -- for just being alive...
in whatever way they can -- nearly everyone
pursues whatever power they can acquire...
for awhile, some people are able to lord
it over others -- but only for awhile --
for sooner or later everyone dies,
and eventually every empire falls...
The way of the simpleton
is the intentional setting of a different course:
Suffering is real: yet happiness is our destiny.
Power can be abused: yet the most potent force
in the universe is the creative and life-giving...
Therefore, the simpleton sees, knows, and serves --
and with every action that she takes,
opens wider the door to Paradise...
49.
The way of the simpleton
is said to be the way of the heart --
a deliberate attempt to not live in one's mind!
Such work -- and so contrary to the way of the world!
The simpleton feels first:
feels the cutting of the trees,
feels the fouling of the oceans,
feels the poisoning of the air, rivers, and earth,
feels the suffering of the creatures,
feels the oppression of women,
feels the hopelessness of children,
feels the despair of poverty,
feels the crush of violence,
the simpleton feels all of this and more besides:
but doesn't let any of the feeling deaden her in any way.
Why? How?
She has remembered her purpose in Love,
and everyday begins her practice again and yet again --
not because she is "great" -- but because she is humble...
humble enough to trust in Beauty
and in the overwhelming possibilities in goodness...
and when she has to stop and think
it is first of all to schedule time
for blowing bubbles with neighborhood children...
50.
The rain that falls
is a gift freely given -- part of the rich circle
of giving that sustains the Universe...
the simpleton has learned the lesson of the rain
and is richer than any of the wealthy...
when she dances naked by the river bank,
someone always accuses her of indecency,
but when a rich man uses his bank
to steal from the poor,
he gets elected to his nation's senate...
just a little bit of cloth
makes the simpleton "decent" again...
however, there is nothing that can make "decent"
the pornography of wealth, power,
oppression, injustice, and violence...
51.
Before the beginning,
the Mother of All That Is,
got tired of holding her breath...
(she was expecting a surprise, then
she realized that she herself was the surprise) --
so she exhaled and upon her breath
matter took form, and from this, came life
after life after life after life: each and all nourishing
the next and everything else besides...
it is not necessary that you believe any of this,
but it is the very essence of what is possibly true.
The Universe is the song of the Mother's breath:
by means of the Divine Imagination,
you have been gifted, for a time,
with a share in the Breath of One Love --
you can extend that gracious hospitality
and live at the core of the Beautiful and Good,
or not --
you can make real the dream of paradise
and live at the threshold of eternal delight,
or not -- this very specific choice
is for you to make -- but don't worry --
only the entire Universe is watching!
52.
Reverence for the Earth
and all the rich and varied life it sustains
is at the heart of sacred awareness --
in the simpleton's practice,
she calls this awareness "the beauty walk",
and gives its secrets away for free...
are you seriously interested?
Yes? Listen then to the simpleton:
"Dear ones, only One Love is your Mother,
and upon the rhythm of her breath
all creation is manifested --
eternity and universes exist,
cease, and are re-created
in these endlessly harmonic movements --
know also that there is a threshold, a passage, a way:
"walk, circle, center, fast, feel, enter: One".
Walk in beauty. Build a circle of stone.
Bring your self into the center, wait and fast.
The moment will come for your spirit
to feel: you will let your mind feel the wind,
you will feel the song of the bird,
you will feel the roots of the tree,
and at the exact moment, you will enter
your sacred 'other' and share
the grace of your mutual breath-awareness...
the vision of this quest
will be the sacred medicine for all of your days...
and then you will leave -- to always thereafter
'walk in beauty'. And you will serve every 'other'
in thanksgiving for the benevolence of the Universe."
Of course, there is no sense whatsoever
to anything the simpleton has to say...
so consider yourself advised to ignore her...
53.
The simpleton is honest.
In the simplicity of that sentence,
are all the differences that matter.
The simpleton is free
and therefore has no need to lie.
The simpleton is not burdened
with bucket-loads of money,
and so never needs to deceive.
The simpleton, since she is both free
and has no need to be deceptive,
she can relax in the humble satisfaction
of life as it was meant to be lived.
When the village forgot mutual aid,
there was no longer 'enough' --
when there was no longer 'enough',
businessmen could make fortunes by selling 'more' --
when there was 'more', someone else
figured he could take it away,
and so everyone was now a threat --
and businessmen could make fortunes by selling 'protection' --
all of this, and all of the centuries now
of violence, exploitation, oppression, and injustice,
is what is known as 'mindlessness'...
on the other hand,
the way of the simpleton is known as
'the recovery of your mind':
and life as it was meant to be lived.
54.
The simple, true, and beautiful
can never be altered
by pride, manipulations, or distortions --
for a time it might appear otherwise,
but in time, the universe
will always return to its essential nature:
this is known as 'the surety of the way'.
Goodness and kindness
are the rich harvest of steady practice:
every person, village, region,
and people are meant for the fulfillment
of infinite possibilities -- but only the simple
will lead to the genuinely great.
Always look to the seeming least,
for the surest way forward:
Create beauty and build justice
for the least person within your reach
and the entire Planet will flourish:
the way of the simpleton
is to live for this contagion of One Love!
55.
"To live for this contagion of One Love!"
Ah, such are the days of the simpleton...
everything reveals its interior radiance
when alit with the holy intention
of "loving loud" --
everyone reveals the Great Secret
when aflame in the holy competion
of "loving more" --
this is like a re-birth... in every moment!
Ah, what would we be talking about
if this was all that was for sale in the market?
And what would you pay
for a life of infinite passion?
Or would you just walk on by,
pretending to look for a better bargain?
56.
Picking up a shovel,
the simpleton can turn the soil
and no one notice until the work is done --
washing the breakfast dishes,
is an enjoyable event for the simpleton
as at any moment it might turn
into a symphony of colliding bubbles --
these are but two examples
of the everyday from the "radiant perspective".
The simpleton sees what is
and also what needs to be done
and does it -- with no fan club notice:
this is what used to be called "normal",
or, "Upon the Backs of Women the World Turns"...
57.
Once upon a time,
justice was the watchword
that could inspire lives lived
beyond their seeming capacity:
any humble no-account
could lift upon her shoulders
more than a few others,
and so become a movement...
and heroes could be farm workers,
or students, or organizers,
or teachers, or miners,
or anyone else, for that matter,
with a mind actively engaged with their heart...
when people forget justice,
they hunker down into justifications;
when people live in justifications,
their ideals, along with their good senses,
are left shattered on the road-side...
picking up the pieces
and putting them together anew,
is the way, the work, of the simpleton...
58.
Has there ever been a time
in which women were safe?
Has there ever been a time
in which children knew nothing of war?
Has there ever been a time
in which no one reaped a profit
by way of another's pain?
When resting in the abode of the heart,
the simpleton knows the original One
of Divine Imagination -- and can affirm
"there was a time... and there will be again" --
all that is required
for the great turning -- is remembrance:
"Only Love Is.
We are That Love.
And we forget it.
But we will remember!"
And in that remembrance, everything changes...
And the simpleton is here just to remind you...
59.
Someone once asked the simpleton,
"How can I awaken to the Only One?"
The simpleton took a deep breath
as she leaned back against the boulder,
and as the bright sun shone upon her face
she said, "The surest path to awakening
is to always put the good of others before your own.
And then to stay awake, find the joy
in serving others -- but remember
compassion is not about you, it is always
about the others' liberation in justice..."
The questioner then asked:
"Can't I just meditate?"
60.
Wisdom is like flying a kite:
only a power greater than the kite
can lift it off the ground --
yet no matter how high the kite may sail,
it will always be a thing of the earth
and so must at some point descend to the ground...
Only One can truly awaken and lift the human heart,
and yet no matter how profound one's awareness,
she must someday surrender her body
to meld once again with the earth...
This is the Way:
reduce to zero the harm that you cause.
Your integrity in that effort
is the Holy One's remembrance of you.
