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TERRARIUM
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We are all partners in survival
Needing others to just survive
The more we all pull together
The more we all can thrive
We may not agree on the methods
Some methods might be mistakes
But if one plan turns out successful
Then those are the plans we will make
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T-T-T TOTALLY WEIRD
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I get weirder every year
I used to think this wasn't possible
Yet here we are
In Weirdville with the Weirdos
Seeing the weirdness swirl around us
Like a magic mushroom rainbow on a headshop hippie poster
When things get weird
The weird get weirder
Fortunately, there are birds of a feather
For me to flock around with
During these Weird Times
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TRYING SCRYING
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While living in the world as it is
We can envision the world as it could be
A kinder world that is cleaner and friendly to nature
A new garden of Eden where everyone is welcome
We must not ever envision disaster and ruin!
Such a self-defeating thing to do!
If we cannot bring our minds to envision a better world
We can at least admit, quite rightfully
That we haven't any way of predicting the future
Good, bad, or indifferent
Why not forecast well being and peace?
While keeping our guards up and our minds open
As life rolls along the path of time
Remember
Hope has round wheels, but the wheels of despair are square
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CLARITY
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Humans have natural foes
Like disaster and disease
We do as much as we can to forestall the consequences of these events
Well aware of the constant need for vigilance
Keeping an eye out for warnings, signs, portents
Of a problem that could occur somewhere down the road
Perhaps our greatest foe is discouragement
Which can descend on our mood mind like a thick grey fog
Of negativity and ennui
In the dense swirling mist of confusion it is easy to get lost
For familiar things to look suddenly ominous
Wandering around feeling a loss of hope, the meaning and use of time
Not seeing any of the possibilities that are present
We can be lost in the fog for a long time
However, in each heart glows the spark of hope
To reignite our inner fires
In each mind is a sense of the direction we should go
A good orderly direction we take step by step
Until we leave the Valley of the Shadow of Discouragement
Into the clear fresh air of a new day.
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COMPASSION
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What happens when we are moved by pity?
Our frame of mind suddenly shifts
Kindness, gentleness, helpfulness
Shape our thoughts
We see what is needed and respond to the best of our abilities
When we are moved by pity we must put outrage on the back burner
The need to respond with lovingkindness is paramount
This goes double for self pity
Oh we hate self pity because we mistake it for sniveling weakness
It is not weakness, it is strength, motivation, clarity
A proper response to self pity for our suffering
Is to be extra nice to ourselves
Make things easier on ourselves
For pity's sake.
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FLEX
Building inner strength is like developing our muscles
Using our strength every day makes us stronger
Look for an opportunity each day to be strong about something
Once you do it, that is your inner strength training
We must have a strong core, which is our beliefs about ourselves
Only certain beliefs are strengthening and empowering
Beliefs like "My life has meaning and purpose."
"I am part of the solution."
"I will keep going to see what happens."
Once you used strength to do something challenging
Stop and look in your inner mirror, which can be a distorted image
Formed by incidents in the past which no longer have any place
In this new image we see of ourselves as strong and proud
Let the obstacles on your path be your workout
And your inner wisdom be your trainer
Your day is the gym and today is self-pride day
Hold your chin up, your shoulders squared
Think of your goals, move with confidence.
Hey, you're looking good!
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BUK KAWK
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling!" Chicken Little said.
People started to run around, filled with existential dread
Later, the fullness of time revealed
Twas only a nut that fell
Once the nut stopped rolling around
Folks saw that all was well
Or at least not worse than ever
It is always a mixed bag at best
Before anyone starts to panic
Let it pass time's test
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THE LISTENER
Have you ever said the word "cough" and then coughed?
Have you ever seen someone yawn and suddenly yawned too?
This is because there is a Listener within us
In a semi-trance suggestible state that only recognizes partial messages
The Listener keeps track of what is said like a drunk court stenographer
So telling someone "Don't bite your tongue."
Might become "Bite your tongue"
In the murky Escher-like subconscious mind
Where the Listener lurks like some primordial beast
Squatting in a cave, looking at the moving reflections
Of a smokey fire pit,
Illusions dancing on the walls of the mind cave
On a level deeper than thought
When we talk about our current state
Keep in mind the Listener
Instead of saying "I am sick"
We can say "I am fighting this thing off."
"I am recovering, getting stronger, feeling calmer"
You are making progress, not bothered by the roller coaster ride
Each day can be
The Listener will respond to these cues like a placebo
You will find yourself stronger, filled with hope, upbeat about things
Seeing with clarity the correct path through the hazards
So if your Listener is Listening, repeat with me
"Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better."
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AT THE FAIR
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IT'S NOT FAIR! said every child everywhere
They are correct
It's not fair - not nature, not the human heart, not fate
Yet we have the idea of fairness as something that should be
Where is this fairness that is lacking in nature, human ego and fate?
It is within our hearts and minds
We know fairness and unfairness when we see it
We feel the sting of unfairness when we are treated unfairly
This is perhaps the most hopeful sign that could ever be
That our minds hold up the jewel of fairness as a lens
Through which we see the world
We are moved by unfairness, moved to try and set things right
A god like power if ever there was one.
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THE SECOND SEAL
The bottle of magnesium I bought in a local store
Was entirely wrapped in plastic
Once I removed the plastic and unscrewed the lid
Which was, thankfully, not tightened by the Incredible Hulk
There was a cardboard disk sealing the bottle I needed to pry off
The plastic wrap and foil lined disk were precautions
Perhaps to seal in freshness
But more likely to prevent a random stranger with malice in their heart
From tampering with the capsules, swapping magnesium powder for poison
For dark murky reasons of their own
Acting out some inner drama of getting even, fighting back
Lashing out at society, which in this case would be me
Who cannot even imagine the mental state of someone
Who is so possessed with their anger
They don't even think through what they are doing
Or the consequences, intended and unintended
Of doing such a thing in an attempt to feel
Loved and wanted in the past.
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PERSPECTIVE
The forces are titanic
The time frame is immense
On this one blue spinning planet
We try to see how our little lives make sense
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Against the drama of the universe
Our actions are performed
So while you read this little verse
Galaxies are being formed
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WHO'S A GOOD BRAIN?
Hang on to your mind, don't lose your mind
Keep it on a leash, but let it stop and sniff things
Learn new intel which requires new tricks
Let your mind be interested in what might be fun
Give it lots of treats like jokes, profound ideas, encouragement
When your mind is resting or needs sleep, just let it recharge
Groom your mind daily to eliminate pests like
The fleas of worry, the ticks of resentment
Feed it good wholesome fare regularly
Keep it away from other minds that might be
Vicious, disease ridden, rabid
Exercise your mind every day
With effort, thought concentration
And above all, praise and reward your mind
To reinforce good behavior
A well trained mind can comfort, support, guard, protect
Sound off a loud warning to pay attention
A well-treated mind is loving and affectionate
Playful, romping around with other socialized minds
In this great mind park we call social media
Where we all bring our minds together
To play, interact, and chase schticks
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AHOY THERE MATEY
Our jobs shouldn't do us in
Neither should our play
If either one is ruinous
We must find a different way
Hitching your star to an active addict
Is a sure fire way to fail
Carefully check out your crew
Before the ship of your day sets sail
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ONCE AND FOR ALL
You know you are well and truly done with something
When the very thought of hashing it all through
One more time
Is utterly exhausting, just the thought of it
Although you are generously willing to share
What you used to be like, what happened
And what you are like now
You share this with one who is dealing with the same issues
As a favor, as a helper, as the voice of experience
Your need to talk about it is over with
You have concluded that chapter of your life
Turned the page, moved on
Finito
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THE SHELF LIFE OF A LIE
If someone decides to not tell the truth
Then they must come up with a lie
But it will be transparently false
If this is something they seldom try
So before anyone spins a yarn
They must first commit
To lie over and over
In order to get good at it
Then they need a prodigious memory
To recall what lie was told to who
Because lies get exponentially complex
Until it is something they can no longer do.
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WALL OF SILENCE
People say all sorts of untoward things
Because they are in all different states of mind
Some folks walk around continuously in a snit
That is why we need a word barrier
That is built from self preservation
Knowing crazy when we see crazy
Understanding hurt people hurt people
Word proofing ourselves so that all epithets are laughable
All nastiness reveals the festering underbelly of the mad ones
Having a smooth surface where nastiness can not get a grip
Ignoring ignorance, insulated against insult
By such a one as this.
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THIS MORTAL COIL
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In Nature, just about everything has a natural predator
Who watches and waits for the chance
Strategies and methods are needed to foil the predator's plans
In Nature, just about everything is pestered by pests
Humans are quite successful in this regard
We don't walk around covered in bloated ticks
Fleas biting our skin, worms burrowing through tissue
Thankfully we have risen above our natural state
Except for germs and viruses, we continue to be prey to those
Although we do fight every inch of the way and have made strides
To eliminate some bad illnesses
The one big disadvantage humans have
Is also the one big advantage humans have
Namely complex rational thought
Projecting our minds into the past and the future
What a double-edged sword that is!
The same mind that can invent a zinc lozenge to ward off a cold
Can invent an obsession, a fixation, an addiction, an excuse
That work to our distinct disadvantage
There is no natural example of an animal in nature that has mastered thought
Except the gurus and teachers who can give us tips
On how to keep our right minds, at least as right
As humanly possible.
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DIRECTIONS
North South East and West
Go to the place that works the best
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Location is everything, we all know
My geranium would not grow in snow
Yet moved inside
It flowers and thrives
Because conditions are right and good
A desert plant flowers like it should
The geranium, just like you and me
Can only blossom in the right locality
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North South East and West
Go to the place that works the best
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MOVING RIGHT ALONG
Life is motion, movement
For humans, life is transferring things from one place to another
How many things do we move in a day?
Watch and see
"I'm moving this plate from the table to the sink"
"I am walking across the room and picking up this cup."
Just notice how life is dynamic, movement, activity, transference
Then there is depression, a lessening in motivation
To move or transport anything
Fewer movements are made, fewer things moved
From one place to another
It is characterized by stillness, inaction, inactivity
There are chemical and emotional causes of depression
Which can be treated in a variety of ways
But we can also tackle the symptoms of depression
We can become more active, simple movement
Noticing the movements we make when we are not depressed
Will instruct us on the movements to make
When we are not chipper
Because movement is life and moving objects is power
And life and power are the opposite of depression
It is creation happening each moment
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LOVE FROM ABOVE
An emotional support deity is best
One that doesn't judge or smite
That helps set thing right
Who approves of me day and night
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My deity must also help others at my behest
With encouragement, healing and peace
Loving kindness without cease
Worries and pain shrink and decrease
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So I went to the deity store
Found a sweet one I just adore
She is here with me all of the time
With a love that is truly sublime
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STORAGE
Radioactive waste must be stored safely
In containers that should not leak
Although the container has yet to be made
That will not eventually leak
This leaking radiation is dangerous
We do not know who will be harmed
Or when or where
Yet we all know this is a problem, a danger
A future hazard that has to be addressed today
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Perhaps our subconscious mind
Is like that nuclear waste container
Full of all kinds of toxic waste
Being bullied, feeling unloved and unwanted
Wounds from attacks
By those who were supposed to love and protect us
They are all in our waste container, dangerous
Glowing a sinister neon green as the flakes of rust
Weaken the containment we need to carry on
These hurtful dynamic experiences
Are ready to blast out of the dormant state
Into our present reality
Every old hurt, slight, neglect, deprivation
Is in there, seemingly indestructible
Except for the weakening of triggers
Which have a half-life of about fifty years
When you notice you don't instantly react
Explode, act out every unresolved drama
Contained in our subconscious waste containers
Interestingly, making art is a way to gradually lessen
The potency of the toxic waste
We are trying every day to safely contain
Until it crosses that invisible line
Becoming an inner power source, inspiration
A treasure to draw on and use to help others
A benefit after all our efforts to grow and blossom
Into the health and peaceful stability we deserve.
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THOU ART
You might think that art would be drawing or sculpting
True, but it is much more than that
It is everything you do, every choice you make
Everything can be elevated to the state of art
With mindfulness and attention, focus
The arrangement of food on your plate
The clothing you chose, your style
The aesthetic placement of objects
Art makes life nicer, more orderly, calmer
It can tame chaos, make safety accessible
Art infused into everyday life, simple necessary tasks
Is useful, fun, and uplifting to the Watcher
The one inside you who sees and hears everything
Your everyday art is unique because you are unique
Express yourself, invent yourself as you go
Look over your ordinary day and sprinkle it with the fairy dust
Of your artistic vision
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THE LAND OF NOW
Every step we place our foot
Is Now
Every necessary breath we take
Is Now
Every thought about the plans we make
Is Now
Every memory about the past happens right Now
Now is the most valuable piece of cosmic real estate
There is because it is the only plot of reality
On which to build a life
We all live in the land of Now
Now can be so many things
It is all we have, all we will ever have
Yet it is enough
It can not be hoarded
The wealthiest most powerful people in the world
Have the same Now as you or me
The same Now as the squirrels in the yard
Now is the fertile soil where a seed might be planted
From which the next Now, slightly better, can grow
As it appears, in an endless progression of the most valuable
Rarest, uncapturable, ever-renewing Nows
Let us take our Nows, to have and to hold this reality
Richer or poorer, in sickness or in health
We are pronounced full citizens of Now
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NOTHING REMAINS
Why should I wander around morosely
In the broken shards of my past?
Ruins so old they have stopped smoking
The fires cold, the dust settled
Nature already efficiently reclaiming them
With new life and growth
Let these shattered remains resolve themselves
Do not seek me there, I am gone
To a new place in the welcoming woods
To a life I built myself with my own hands
A home comfortable and fitting
For who I am this fine and glorious new day
A day my reinvented self will celebrate the best ways I can
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WHY WE ARE TIRED
We must be diagnosticians and doctors if we have symptoms
Lawyers when we read contracts or speak with authorities
Nutritionists to plan out healthy meals
Therapists who treat demoralization
The cleaning crew when the place is a mess
A detective when something mystifies us
A philosopher for life's big questions
A banker and accountant for finances
Fitness coach for exercise
Diplomat to get along with others
An inventor for our unique projects
Counselor for our fears
Tech support for our gizmos
Driver and trip coordinator
Entertainment committee
Time management specialist
Fashion designer, gardener
Personal shopper, hair stylist
Teacher of the young, vet care for the critters
Chief chef and bottle washer
Event planner, stunt person and philanthropist
Political analyst and a decent judge of character
