That Life is Better Life, Past Fearing Death, Than That Which Lives to Fear.

Every single thing that seems to happen is the product of everything, and is everything. It could not be different, or better. There is a beautiful all-encompassing neutrality and acceptance that is the nature and the quality of all, that allows all, that beholds all, and that is all. There is great distraction with labeling and judging; so many believe that the world is going to hell; that our apparent separation from each other and our fearful tactics borne of the need to survive will kill us. But take a step back from your assumptions. What if this tiny species on this little planet did not exist? Would the Universe take note? It is only in the throes of very understandable survival needs that we fear and panic at our demise. Yet there is nothing that can die, as there is nothing that is born. It is everything, and nothing, gazing at itself because it can; nothingness whipped up into an energetic swirl of somethingness, that energy seeming to be mass, and all of it composed of nothing at all.

There is nothing wrong with fear and panic, or dedication to tweaking the Story of Mankind into a more benign plot line. To those that despair of the story, who dwell upon war and abuse, who wish that things were other than they are - they simply are, and could be no other. Oneness cares not what is the relative nature of its apparent manifestation; the mere fact of seeming existence is miracle enough. And there must be dark for there to be light.

I confess that I am a big Trekkie (I far prefer this to "Trekker", which sounds vaguely like an abdominal disease). It's difficult to find any clips that distill the Star Trek philosophy, although I remember a scene in First Contact shortly after Lily comes on board the Enterprise, and Jean-Luc tells her about the 23rd century: how there's no money, no nationalistic wars, people work to improve themselves etc. I suppose it's clear that the philosophy is what attracted me to Star Trek (it sure wasn't the sets or effects or acting). Amongst a thousand bleak post-apocalyptic plots, Star Trek shines as a positive (but still challenging) possibility for mankind. We need more of this, I think; more energy devoted to "we're gonna be just fine". The more we relax, and accept, the better the story seems to go. Or so the plot can be interpreted! Failing a Star Trek clip, here's one from American Beauty. It's not all wars and narrow belief systems and fearful contraction, ya know!

Reason Thus With Life: If I Do Lose Thee, I Do Lose a Thing That None But Fools Would Keep.

Before it is analysed, it is. Before it is labeled and categorised and put into the stream of a story, it is. Before thinking, before feeling, before perception - it is. Undeniably, thoughts weave what is into time, and a story; there is judgment, and the assignment of relative merit: health is more desirable than disease; help is more natural than indifference; and love is the underlying quality of it all - for instance. Yet it is unnecessary to map a course of action. That is done, whether consciously or not. Paradoxically, if the outcome is unimportant, the outcome can often seem to be healthier, more natural, and more loving.

If effort seems urgent, make it. If confusion is the case, be confused. If despair takes hold, or seems to, simply wait - in this endless moment, eternity, what seems to be is in constant flux. If an urge to enquire into who or what is feeling and thinking and perceiving all of this comes up, explore it. If anger causes destruction, know that it could not have unfolded in any other way. What is, is what is; whatever it is, whatever judgment thought puts on it, is unimportant. Peel back every layer; take another, and another step back; question each and every belief, each and every revelation, each and every conclusion; there is no solid truth. There is simply what is. The story that seems to unfold may be anything, absolutely anything at all. Whatever it is that values one outcome or another is an interesting phenomenon - it is not what you are.

This clip is from one of my favourites - Kramer Vs. Kramer. I could wax lyrical about the merits of Meryl Streep, but she knows how good she is and keeps it in perspective. The scene is useful for revealing what we feel when the best possible outcome is achieved; it's no wonder that so many stories are about the pursuit of positive outcomes! The look Joanna gives Ted in the lift after he tells her she looks terrific is an acting masterclass in subtlety: it promises so much, Kramer vs. Kramer II could have been made on the back of it. This is also a shamelessly self-indulgent clip I'm sharing today, on my 46th birthday (or so it seems)...enjoy!