[MD] Ham & swiss cheese

[Dan Glover]

Hello everyone

>From: Heather Perella <spiritualadirondack at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
>To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
>Subject: Re: [MD] Ham & swiss cheese
>Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 19:36:27 -0800 (PST)
>
>Hello Dan,
>
>      Dan said:  "I suppose that there will always be
>problems in the world. That's what drives evolution."
>
>      I am sure there is clarity in this statement
>somewhere, especially when you seem to be an advocate
>in "...relinquishing of all views."  Thus, this last
>quote coupled with a 'view of this world' with
>problems and how it has to do with a drive of
>evolution.  When I go onto a cliff high upon a hill
>overlooking a valley I view hawks circling and
>vultures winging by and sense something in my heart so
>clear, so definite.

Hi SA

Thank you for writing. When I vacation I'm apt to shun "people places" and 
instead spend time alone in the mountains. The quiet sooths me and the stars 
are brighter there. The trails all lead nowhere so it doesn't matter which I 
take. There's a great place in New Mexico I discovered many years ago. Each 
time I return it seems the same yet subtle changes have occurred too. I 
tried taking pictures. There's something there that a picture doesn't 
capture though so I stopped. I didn't give up, mind you. I just stopped 
trying to statically latch onto "it."

In ZMM, the narrator remembers Phaedrus spending a great deal of time in the 
mountains, thinking. I seem to spend my time in the mountains not thinking. 
It didn't start out that way of course... First time there, I went to the 
mountains to think. My life was shit. I told myself all about it for hours 
and hours. 3 days in and I hadn't spotted anyone else. Not even smoke from a 
campfire. The quiet grew and grew. Quiet like I never, ever heard before.

And talk about being alone! You've never been alone until you've walked 3 
days into the mountains by yourself, believe me. Being so alone served to 
quiet me too. I couldn't find a reason or summon the effort to think about 
my problems and they dissolved. It seemed like I wasn't there, only a 
witness remained. Each day I felt lighter, hungrier, but a good hunger, not 
a sick hunger like I was used to feeling. I wasn't afraid. I wasn't happy, 
or sad. I wasn't anything. I go back there trying to capture that same 
feeling and of course always end up finding only myself. Until I stop, then 
"it" comes flooding back.

Now, out here in the world where I spend my life, often times I find myself 
growing angry over another person's expressed point of view, especially if 
it happens to differ from my own. I don't know why it should matter to me 
but it does. It wouldn't bother me so but I keep playing it over and over in 
my mind...I can't help it. I tell myself to stop, but... So when I find 
time, I sit silent facing a wall counting breaths and bringing that person's 
visage to mind surrounded by yellow light. When I rise from my sitting I 
find I am no longer angry. About anything. I don't know why but I know it's 
so.

Metaphysics is cool to play with, sometimes. It's like trying to take a 
picture in the mountains though. I get to the point where I just have to 
stop. But I'm not giving up even when I find that all points of view lead to 
the same end. But what does that mean? What does it mean that the sky is 
blue. It doesn't mean anything. It just is.

It's late (or early depending on your point of view) and I'm tired. Thanks 
again.

Dan