September, 2023 Bardo Buzz (05-09)

For more info on the Slipstream Amulet visit Brane-Power.

Musings of a Labyrinth Reader

SLIPSTREAM AMULET - A TREASURE

~ Marvette Kort

Subtle sliding shifts between potential realities became more substantial when I started wearing the slipstream amulet every day. To put it simply -- I was frequently in the right place at the right time for my particular matrix of habits and skill sets to be beneficial to the moment of time and space in which I found myself. After a while, it became the ordinary course of events which, in one sense, develops this tendency as a useful habit. Yet, in another sense, my blasé attitude toward synchronicities was robbing me of being present in the moment as well as the opportunity to be grateful.

However, very recently the phenomena were so profound, I was shocked by the event. Not only was I extremely appreciative of the wakeup call, the situation was dangerous and because I was there, some unfortunate potential and predictable scenarios didn't happen.

So I will briefly relate the circumstances. We have an upper studio on the property that is so named because you walk a Zen garden path to the upper part of the property to get there. At night the path is dark and the outside light of the studio is very dim. You enter the building by stepping over the threshold of a sliding glass door which allows only a modicum of light to splash through onto the brick steps that comprise the broad brick open-air front porch.

I ordinarily don't walk that path until close to midnight, and I do carry a flashlight. This particular night I made a trip up there with my handy flashlight a couple of hours earlier, actually just about the time Dok usually makes her way there without a flashlight. I knew Michele had gone up there several hours earlier, but her schedule varies, so she may or may not still be there when I arrived.

It was a hot summer night, and it was rattlesnake season. Was it just a few hours ago that I was running to the house to get Jewel and the bucket to capture 2 rattlesnakes nestled together, sunning themselves right next to the steps up to the library door? I don't remember if the library had had an unsuspecting occupant that morning or not. I had ventured into the Zen garden to take photos of 2 Zazzle mugs I had just received when I discovered those snakes basking in the sun.

Jewel, our pro rattlesnake catcher, takes this special tool that clamps down around the snake so you can lift them up and place them inside a grain storage bucket that has a screw top which is quickly placed and screwed down. Putting the top in place was my job. Then Brad comes with his bucket and picks up the snake to deliver it to a new home on a large ranch.

Now, however, it was dark, no moon as yet and I was weary. I had been walking slowly with my head down, scanning the path back and forth with my flashlight. Starting to climb the broad brick steps of the upper studio, my peripheral vision caught a flash of movement before my flashlight even lit up the top step and doorway.

Well, I must admit, I was so startled I screamed, and thank goodness Michele, who was inside, didn't hear me. Backed up against the sliding glass door was a coiled up rattler with head held high and ready to strike. It had apparently been aware of me long before I was aware of it. All I could think of was if someone slid open the door behind it, the snake would strike at the perceived threat just inches away and land inside the studio.

I heard myself scream and quickly ran away back down the path for help. We've had plenty of rattlesnakes. But I had never been caught so off guard to be suddenly face to face with one who had its head so high off the ground posed for battle. I was in no shape to tackle capturing that snake.

I asked Dok to come up with the long snake catcher since Jewel was in the middle of something that could not be interrupted. Walking back up the path, I think she and I both realized that if it had been her with no flashlight encountering the snake, circumstances could be very different right now.

When the two of us arrived to confront the snake, it had slid off. But we heard its rattle coming from the corner of the porch. With the long tool, Dok slowly and skillfully lifted some stuffed animal toys that were in the corner acting as cover for the snake. It was cornered, coiled up and rattling. Our attention was high. I could feel the delicacy and see the gentleness with which Dok was able to encircle the snake's body with the prongs and lift it up to place it in the bucket I pushed forward. I witnessed myself place the lid on straight catching the grooves to successfully screw down the top.

The snake had to spend the night in the bucket before relocating to the vast expanse of its future home.

On the other hand, I was reminded that by being grateful for these chance events of being in the right place at the right time, I can honor the synchronicities that happen while wearing my slipstream amulet. Moreover, I can take responsibility to be present in the moment and know that "my habits will carry me through." -- from the American Book of the Dead, E.J. Gold, Gateways Books and Tapes, 2005.

"World Within" -- created in NightCafe by B. Haynes

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE - REVISITED

Barbara Haynes

So, it's practice, practice, practice. But the truth is that unless I'm applying attention to what I'm practicing, it doesn't really lead anywhere. Practice isn't just sitting down to play my guitar. It's listening to what I'm doing. It's not letting the judgment of my skills get in the way of just practicing. Just listen, adjust, listen, - pay attention. It's enjoying the process without wanting to get somewhere -- to produce something. It's not trying -- it's just doing. There's a lot to practice. More than the fingers on the strings or on the keyboard. Just be. Just let it be.

I wrote the above for our November Buzz issue in 2020. I thought it could use some expansion. My article for 2020 focuses just on the five minutes a day I spend practicing my guitar as one of my morning practices. After I read the short paragraph, I realized I use the practice, practice, practice approach to so many things throughout the day. I use the silent, inculcated rhythm of practice, practice, practice to remind me to be mindful throughout the day. I practice my cooking, eating, accounting, book layout and all the other "mundane" duties of my day. Using my attention consciously elevates the mundane to the meaningful -- opening a portal to the present moment - deepening the connection to my world and allowing me to see the hidden universe.

COMPASSION OF HIGHER INFLUENCES

Nishiet Gajjar

"At night during their celebration, whoever's veil they chose to color, their fortune changes forever." - Khusro, Sufi Poet.

Mortals cannot even fathom the depths of the containers from higher realms.

These containers, filled with potions, are perpetually poured onto empty shells.

This pouring persists, even onto the iron-clad immortal shells frozen in eternity.

The great Sufi poet Khusro expressed this sentiment in a line from his collection.

"Khusro Nizam ke bal bal jaayein..."

Which symbolically represents Khusro forfeits his life at the feet of his master Nizam!

Why?

He adds: "Your glance has made me your bride."

A glance? And the diamond framed bridal certificate is finalized!

And once the certificate is in hand, what more could one possibly need?

Even the Psalms 19 attest this:

"Their words aren't heard, their voices aren't recorded, But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere."

Might take an eternity or so to take a jump in the huge lake.

Splashes here and there, occasional baths and showers are the norm.

Yet, only the weight of the potion can make the iron-clad honey melt away in the pan.

And what an enigma that all this is circulated in a moment which is expanded in the ever expanding lotus!

NO TOMORROW

Christiane Wolters

This is one of those times with nothing much to say. There isn't anything "new" to report. We are all working...a lot it seems and it is getting more difficult. The heat hasn't been helping.

On the mug front, I am still doing one mantra mug or more per day, having settled on just 2 programs to generate the image, nightcafe and paint.net. I am about 60% done with a first run-through of all the mantras. I also settled on animals and flowers as themes, mostly. Intention is to expand themes and also use canvas in the future.

The teepublic mantrashop project that several of us are contributing to is also very fun. It is altogether an interesting fun project with creation of art, learning programs, and slowly getting into an entrepreneurial mindset. All kinds of ideas are starting to come down, all vying for execution. Which one is gonna make it? :)

Meanwhile, this is not the time to think about or count on tomorrow. This is paraphrased from something that was said in Gorby's cafe last week. I still do what seems the right thing to do, maybe more so if tomorrow might not come. Death does come close, a lot closer at a certain age and when the body is telling you things it never said before. The global environmental and societal situation isn't helping any either.

Oh, we have new baby chicks, and the broody hen is doing her mother code beautifully so far. Life is a seemingly unstoppable force.

Check out the mantrashop here: https://www.teepublic.com/user/mantrashop. Some tank tops are on order, actually needed new ones and there was a sale. There might always be some sale or another. I'll let you know on facebook or the morning show how the sizes turned out.

It is late. I think I'll close this day with the mantra: "I accept today for whatever it was". It was a good day, we even had apple pie. May your days be good and you be doing what is meaningful to you.

KINDNESS AS AN ATTITUDE

Michele Marie.

The mantra "I am worthy of respect and kindness" resonates with a profound truth, It is more than just a sentence; it is an embodiment of self-recognition and a declaration of our inherent value in the universe.

Recognizing our worthiness is a transformative journey, moving away from external validations and delving deep into our core, where authentic self-love and understanding reside.

This mantra is not just about self-affirmation; it's a beacon, guiding us to recognize the inherent value in others as well.

When we embrace our worth, we inspire those around us to do the same, creating a ripple of respect and kindness that can transform communities and, ultimately, the world.

The phrase itself, "I am worthy," holds an empowering simplicity. It's a shield against the storms of doubt and a reminder of the light of basic goodness within, even when surrounded by the shadows of life's trials.

By stating that we deserve respect and kindness, we are not placing ourselves on a pedestal above others, but recognizing the universal dignity that binds all sentient beings.

Now, imagine the power of wearing this mantra, carrying its essence with you, and radiating its message to those you encounter.

At the Mantra Shop, you'll find this empowering quote on a range of items and T-shirts. Each purchase is not just a testament to your journey, but also an inspiration for others to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.

As you read the following poem, let it serve as a meditation, a reflection on the depth of the mantra, and a celebration of the luminous essence within us all. May, with these words and the heart behind them, you find a deeper connection to your true self and inspire others to do the same.

Discovering our luminous core

In the vast expanse of emptiness, a whisper rises,
"I am worthy," it says, not clinging, not rejecting, just being.
In the mirror of the ego's illusion, where shadows play,
The light of basic goodness remains unswayed.

By declaring "I am worthy," we align with our inner light,
Recognizing in ourselves, the power to end the night.
So, in moments of doubt or times of despair,
Remember this mantra, and the wisdom it bears.

Respect, not as a medal worn on fleeting robes of pride,
But a bow to the warrior within, the one who doesn't hide.
Kindness, not as a cloak draped in pretense and show,
But the genuine heart's response, where true intentions glow.

With gentle words, we learn, to value our sacred core,
For in acknowledging worth, we open compassion's door.
Every sentient being, no matter their past,
Holds within a luminous potential, so vast.

Kindness and respect, not just for the world to give,
But to grant unto ourselves, for as long as we live.
For in the vast tapestry of existence, woven with care and finesse,
Is the heart's undying guide: "I am worthy of respect and kindness."

https://www.teepublic.com/user/mantrashop

A surrealist portrait by Antonio Mora

submitted by Jewel McInroy

“We are strangers in this world and are forced to bow to its imaginary hungers until we can uninterruptedly invoke the presence of our presence into the present.” - EJ Gold From Sounds of the Inner Golden Opera; Nishit Gajjar and Niralee Kamdar

"Shakespare Writing" AI Image, NightCafe

NOTE: Prosperity Poets took as a starting point the first two lines of Shakespeare's Sonnet 30, opening our poem and repeating as a chorus.

MEDITATIONS WITH SHAKESPEARE

by Agenbite, Ariadne, Myra Ravenwolf, Ella

I summon up remembrance of things past,
I find myself a wanderer from place to place,
a hiker on many unexpected diverging paths.
All significance aside, eternal time brings
friend and foe together, in transcendent surrender.
Spurred nonsequentially by emotional shocks,
moments, like snapshots, revisit my present.
Tree Planting with others, spiritual in Nature
with bright sunny colors, yellow, orange and blue,
rhythms from tools digging into the ground
or planting ... Ka Ching Ka Ching.

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I find that I can join with those I've lost
and chat with friends and colleagues long gone.
The memories may quietly slip away
but always, the love, the laughter remain.
From stillness & silence a brief apprehension,
distinct dreamlike memories force connection to now.
Glorious moments of movements, each dancer
in and out of smooth body movements,
our dance slippers creating colors of sounds
as they create designs upon the floor!

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I often lose my grasp on what the virtues are
of how my constant choices led me to be here.
Sometimes I'm awakened as if from a dream
to an alternate reality or, possibly, a new beginning.
Nostalgia of what? and to whom is the benefit?
I question experience to alleviate my ignorance.
A child, a teenager, an adult I have been, old age
and death may arrive, but I am young again...reborn!
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past.