Opening Your Heart.
Love to Love
with the
Adoration of the Machine Exercise by E.J. Gold
from the book
The Human Biological Machine
also refered as
“The HBM”
by E.J. Gold
Daily from 10am to 10.25am
Reading and discussion
hosted by Nortiana and Panni
In english and spanish
Have you ever heard someone say: …it’s just a dog …or …it’s just a chicken?
So maybe someone might say to an art class with a Pencil: It’s just a pencil…..
So then there it this – Just some shading and voyaging 🙂
Because of the Art classes, I revisited this video in the last few days – I still love it, the music, the drawing and the poem.
Based on “Draw Good Now”
Video: Poem: “Where is my Beloved Tonight? A Sanctuary Bestowed From a Vast Cool Height.” Poet known & unknown
Art: “A Different Kind Of Voyage” Graphite Drawing on Paper CWolters 2008
Music: ESD loop from Ride that Caroussel
Many years ago I was asked what attracted me to Mr. Gold and his method of teaching the ideas. My response was and still is that it is practical. Anyone who knows me will tell you I am a practical person so naturally a practical method of working was a perfect match for my temperament.
Not long after I had been introduced to Mr. Gold’s work, at an invitation only invocational dinner, ( I had no idea what I was getting myself into.) I began attending a weekly study group and we were working with the “Big 24”. It was called that because there are twenty-four exercises in Practical Work on Self – the book we were studying at the time.
All twenty-four exercises could be done in ordinary day to day life. What a wonderful opportunity to use my life.
My understanding of the first exercise, “Awakening the Machine”, was that I was to use the usual attention to observe the posture and movements of the machine with no psychological or emotional significance.
Doing the exercise proved to be a life changing experience.
I had been gifted a Porsche on my 30th birthday by my husband from whom I was now divorced. I found myself using it as my “school taxi”.
I loved driving that car and put it through its paces more than once.
On the day in question I had driven my daughter to her after school program and was on my way home. I thought it would be a great opportunity to do the exercise as there was a lot of movement required throughout the body to drive the car.
I stopped at the red light at the top of a hill. As I revved up turning right through the now green light (being sure to do the exercise – keeping my attention on the left leg/foot action of the clutch and the right leg/foot on the accelerator with the left hand on the steering wheel and the right hand on the gear shift, head cocked to one side, eyes checking the rear view mirror) the world suddenly changed. The colors became clearer and brighter and everything slowed down. I was acutely aware of the need to continue to keep pace with traffic and though everything seemed slower keeping in the flow of the traffic felt very fluid and easeful. I found myself aware of the drivers in the other cars and of the atmosphere between us which seemed to glow a light honey gold. It took me the usual time to get home (about 10 mins). I felt a great deal of gratitude toward my car for delivering me safely and said so – knowing that it was a living creature. I went inside and began to write – still feeling myself apart and and a part of what was happening. The experience lasted a total of half an hour and was unforgettable.
I had tried the zafu cushion, done meditation retreats, sat in the company of several teachers but nothing had the same effect as the practice of the exercise Awakening the Machine. I had discovered the Power of Attention . Even attention as untrained as mine seemed able, through the practice of the exercise of Awakening the Machine, to open my eyes to a world I longed to make a part of my life.
I was hooked.
Not too long ago I discovered the truth of this: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened”.
– Anatole France
I won’t go into it in detail here, Skye, a German shepherd/husky had the key to it and I said yes.
Most recently I have been inspired by Kurt Vonnegut – specifically his words to some high school students – and gnosticman and the poet’s reading circle in the Prosperity Virtual Ashram – to give “Art” or most specifically Doing art – another try…. so am starting to write things that rhyme – though my command of the language might not be sublime 🙂
Maybe it really will grow the soul – just another part of it in another way from the one you awake when you really love an animal.
A quote from E.J. Gold, as best I can recall that is: “The purpose of a human being, any time, anywhere, is to grow a soul”.
Do art – keep doing it – Love an animal – really … heart emoticon here 🙂
This morning I hold in my hands Gorby’s Mystic Tarot cards with gratitude. I than took them out of their bag and shuffled them, picked a card with the intention to remember that everything I do can become Dharma Work. Continue reading Gorby’s Mystic Tarot
Just a few minutes ago I marveled at the human body – watching a dance performance on youtube – at the same time aware of how the amazing technology of today has made possible for everyone everywhere to partake in communities, culture, beauty and wonder like at no other time in recent history – and that there is a side to humans that is truly amazing. Whether you love poetry enough that you would not want to live without it, or film, art, pottery, sports, dance or architecture, love good music or marvel at the amazing technology giving someone who needs it a 3D printed new skull – whether you just love love love your family, your friends or superbowl or the exploration of space in true science – or just love LIFE – consider this:
“Simply replanting trees, is not replanting communities.”
Maybe this IS the peak of human achievement we are experiencing at this time -and maybe the ONLY time in history of this planet EVER for events like healing circles in the Prosperity Ashram to be able to happen – because of the technology available to us today (oh – you too can request a healing at the Prosperity Path Forum here).
I – this human and its resident soul – owe nature any life or worthwhile activity I can do today … and I love her – in all her beauty beyond words and AWESOMENESS – from gently spring rain, to the blade of grass or little bug right here in front of me – I have been blessed.
In the end, it really is all about waking up and learning how to move, about wonder and gratitude. To view with impartiality the destruction and exploitation of nature that is happening now all over the planet is difficult. It is what is happening however. – For a somewhat deeper elaboration on that point, please see the longer version HERE.
But this site is about what we love …and I love this earth home – I love nature – the birds and the bees and all that. In nature – Love just IS.
This is a good video – I do hope you watch it. I agree with the narrator: the earth will regenerate, re-green – we don’t have to be part of it.
….. and Love is going to bring forth another form that recognizes It – Self as that.
This is one of my faves – and invocation read/performed by E.J. Gold. It is from the ABD, the American Book Of the Dead, which he wrote over 30 years ago. Anyone interested in readings, becoming a reader, how to read when you really don’t know, what you need and to request readings, I recommend the website The Clear Light.
Here is the video of the invocation I spoke of.
E.J. Gold reads the Obligatory Reader’s Invocation from the ABD
The ABD Guidebook has key material that you don’t see anywhere else in print i.e. The Map and the Sunday Sermons.
Read it aloud and you can put yourself in a different mood and space than where you started.
This cover speaks to the Ancients. I felt that when I was designing it.
For me, just looking at the cover can open one and put you in a reading space.
When someone speaks from the heart about something that they are passionate about — that is interesting.
Lov3 is a built through collaboration. Some of us are old hands at blogging. Some of us are total noobs. Give it a while and everyone should be up to speed.