June 2008
The Archives
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06.29.08So What Puts The Rebel In Zen?By Steve Mills Too often in spiritual and personal development circles, the unique part of you as an individual is overlooked in the pursuit of grander visions. The special part that makes you "you" is not seen as important, and sometimes it is seen as something to be suppressed. It is however my belief that you don't have to become anything more than YOU to become enlightened. The Rebel part of you is as important in your pursuit of enlightenment and happiness as the disciplined, restrained and conformed aspects. The Rebel part is that spark inside everyone that makes them unique. The part ...
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06.26.08Rebel Zen and the Art of Imperfect EnlightenmentYou Are Already Enlightened! That's right, and no - I'm not joking. Zen Masters have publicly said that we are all enlightened, the trick is knowing it (or getting in touch with it). And if you haven't any idea what it feels like to connect to this state of being then all I can say is it is very difficult for anybody to express in words. To briefly try (not the main point of this post) let me paraphrase Rachel Pollack's words about the Hanged Man tarot card (from her book Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom): It's feeling free to be who ...
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06.25.08Here There Be MonstersBy Steve Mills When I was a younger man I was fascinated with ancient history. I would spend entire days reading about past discoveries, ancient civilizations, the rise and fall of empires. I was thinking about this today and the image of a medieval nautical map came to mind. People of centuries ago had some pretty detailed maps of the areas that they frequently travelled, especially when you take into consideration the tools and mathematics that they used to draw them. The one feature that really stood out for me on those maps however were the areas that weren’t quite as well ...
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06.24.08Middle Path PerspectiveBy Steve Mills There is nothing like two weeks holiday to break you from the everyday routine, it removes you long enough from your standard habitual patterns so that you can see things from a different angle. I have just returned from two weeks holiday and feel very refreshed. I spent the time just relaxing, meeting folks and exploring the beautiful area of far north Queensland with my family. I also had some very interesting conversations with a few people up there, and have come back ready to tackle the second half of the year. Having a break like that ...
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06.24.08Magic BeansBy Séamus Anthony Ennis This afternoon I was munching my way through my lunch when I slipped and flicked a forkful of baked-beans and sauce all over my jumper and trousers. I experienced a flash of irritation, quickly replaced by amusement. I was at home by myself – messing up my clothes mattered even less than it usually would (which would not be much). As I pondered the several squishy beans and blobs of red-orange goop I had so randomly, yet skillfully arranged on my off-white sweater, I had what I will reluctantly call a Magic Bean Moment. I am reluctant to ...
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