Deep in All

“Deep in all, there is a stillness where the Self of life is; and the Self is God…” The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad vols. 1 and 2, p. 416, from “The Visions of Lai Tsi.”

I rise early to seek the Stillness

Not a Still Point in Eternity—

I’ve visited lots of those

But the Stillness where the Self of life is

I’ve found It on occasion

And this New Year’s Day seems

An auspicious occasion to renew

My acquaintance with the Stillness

Of Life

The darkness is as good as it gets

There is a madrigal I love

‘Draw on, sweet night…

And whilst thou all in Silence dost enfold’

But there is no Silence, instead

The gyrating, dancing, ultra-high notes in

My head, the inner sounds, my

Private, personal symphony, my

Music of the spheres, my

Constant companions

I rise, going to a chair, or better two, because

My cat will certainly leave the bed and follow

She is loyal and loving to a fault

Passing the fridge I hear its buzzing, a pale, crude

Echo of the higher, better sounds inside

And I think, what about a bit of that cabbage roll?

The tasty leaf enfolds the good stuff. It tastes just as it did

Last night, goodness wrapped in a

Cabbage leaf

And as I munch I think that babies

Come from the cabbage patch, don’t they? So

This new consciousness has a wrapper, and

That is a good sign, do you see?

Quieted by cabbage roll, I close my eyes

And you are there! And

I give thanks, deep thanks, for

My teacher, For my late wife who is always on time, for

The Godman

And for Spirit Itself. And

As I reach the stillness, I ask the Self what

Am I to do? Shall I command the fleet to rescue my friend?

Shall I brave an erupting volcano?

Shall I shout at fearful sailors, tell them that Fortune

Favors the brave? And perhaps I hear

A quiet chuckle from the Stillness,

“You’ve been there, you’ve done that” as

Indeed I have

Then what? I ask confidently but with soft respect even

With humility, such as I can muster, which is

Not my strong suit, I admit, then I give thanks for

Manifest Blessings received, but again a chuckle: “Those are not

Miracles; a miracle is a changed consciousness… you would

Listen to an oracle, listen to me, listen within. Remember

The word that means awareness, remember that, and

Give thanks for that,

Often and Always”

Thanking the Voice within, I open

My eyes, I pat my cat, and

I write this for myself and to you,

Miracle stirrer, Swordswoman,

Way shower, Brave, gracious, graceful One,

Before whom I stand in awe,

And I think,

-What else is in that fridge?-