With a blind eye for the surrounding field, many people I know live their lives from within boxed in circle realities (like the picture below)—going around and around and around at a very fast pace, a pace at which many choose not to acknowledge. So used to the time and space called home these people protect the blind eye, the fast-running pace and the boxed in circle cushiness, by designing offensive and defensive, deceptive and illusive goods and services, as well as planting personal guards, rules and protocols—to make sure no thing or person from the outside intrudes, that absolutely nothing is disturbed, that not a single change takes place which could untidy the living room furniture!

A comforting fact that has helped me get by in this world is that people only see you as far as they see themselves. If the experience of their reality is only lived from within a boxed in circle, and yours is the universe, there is likely to be a problem with communication.

When I try to express feelings and thoughts with someone and when that person shocks me with a put down of harsh words or goes out of their way to shut me out, I peacefully hold on to the earth beneath me so I don’t fall over or cry. That earth tells me, “these people must protect the territory of their consciousness, their view of the world, their wealth and status, their boxed in circle reality of where they live and breath and hang their hat.”

Just like any of us who are looked at as being “different” from the normal group, who challenge the status quo, the comfortable stream of expected regularity, who wear an unexpected type of appearance, who move in a more meticulous manner, who dance a slower rhythm, who speak a different tongue—will find that as more and more people living in boxed in circle worlds feel threatened by the challenges of our time, the financial industry, the unstable economy, the corrupt governments, the rules and regulations of various increasingly unaccessible academic institutions that narrow standards for teachers and students, the various readily accepted terrorist threats—these groups of people could adversely react to you and me for being different, or, for being who we really are. Thus, we are the threat. We are the terrorists or scapegoat projection of that which is feared most: change …

**

From my emotionally karmic perspective or emotional reality, I can’t help initially feeling hurt, rejected, abused and shaken, not only because of how I was treated but by how the whole world is being treated right now and in the past. But Mother Earth protects me again and I go off  into the forest to clean my wounds and heal, dissipate and transcend the pain and karmic emotions, empty my self and seek insight. Then turning things around  not only do I understand these people and where they are coming from—why they are the way they are, I also feel sorry and pity them…

These people prevent themselves from Dharma Presence. They limit and close off the present opportunity to go beyond the walls of their very restricted world. They prefer to stop time and space, while desperately—in some cases violently—standing up for the offenses and defenses that if relinquished could invisibly, without them even realizing it, allow a co-creative, spontaneous, authentic interaction with someone like you or me.

Thus, the potential of evolving both our views of the universe and the universe itself is not an option. But really what is happening is that the potential for universal peace, love, kindness, compassion, empathy, equanimity and the pure beauty of  unbiased-empty connection has vanished from the ethers.

Sadly, the whole planet is held back from evolving toward a peaceful tomorrow and the environment suffers … .

It is impossible to bring forth a blossoming visualization of universal peace and Oneness unless we have environmental sustainability and Dharma Presence. With so many people living separate realities sincere concern for the environment and each other is unlikely. Unfortunately, experiencing the material world as a permanent reality causes a great deal of suffering for everyone, and this is the way the present material world lives and does business. It is the way most people define their whole existence—it is also how most people see life and each other.

Nature as a reflection of the divine is a feeling and way of being totally present. It is only held by those who value all of life as being precious and work toward that wholeness, avoiding goals especially designed for individual financial and material success, working to get ahead, while disregarding, exploiting, discriminating and condescending others—horses, whales, trees and people. Simply, goals that do not encompass the present at every step of the way, that are always moving and progressing toward the future without regard for what is happening “around you now” are not wholistic—not everyone is included. If these goals do not involve the whole world, at this particular moment they are not environmentally sustainable. They do not include you and me. Oneness is not going to manifest. And Dharma Presence is a myth, until it becomes the only reality.

And how do we attain this persepective of Dharma Presence, the only reality? We start from the humble point of emptiness. Emptiness is a vague term describing the mind when there are no thoughts, attachments or conditionings—nobody is living within boxed in circle realities that need protecting.  As thoughts fade away so do the attitudes and attachments to things in life that are not important; to the labels and titles we give ourselves and others; and,  to the fears and karma that we constantly bathe in. The “self” falls away as the material world fades. The boxed in circle walls disappear and the awareness of this experience puts us into the present moment—the only reality there is.

 This is called Dharma Presence, where Love starts from a point of emptiness and keeps going …

Please refer to blog post number 1 for the definition of Dharma.

Picture: Arrows In Samsara - 13 hour sitting, Cave Junction, Oregon, 1973, by Hillary