Light, Roots and Story

http://darrengerman.wordpress.com/

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Merton, Hope, Fear and Outcomes

Merton, Hope, Fear and Outcomes

Because of teachers, friends, life, contemplations and other stuff, this old quote from Thomas Merton has been rolling around in the rock tumbler of my mind, and getting smooth: “Do not depend on the hope of results … you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to…

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Road Trip 2017: Colorado

Road Trip 2017: Colorado

Later this month, I’m heading out on the open road. The first out of state road trip in quite some time. I’m ready. I’m excited. I’ve never seen the Rockies. That will be fixed on this road trip. I am leaving to communicate with the mountains, sky and dralas of the area. I’m studying the maps, lonely planet, and Google; looking for the places to go. My most northern point will be the Great Stupa…

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waxing crescent

sky lonely for whalesong and the touch of volcano

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Contemplation, Earth as Witness

Contemplation, Earth as Witness

I enjoy meditation outside, in the shade and dappled light of a canopy of trees, preferably near a stream, creek or river. For me, it’s good, restorative and invigorating. There’s plenty of research that backs up the goodness of forests, walks and outdoor meditation. I encourage you to search for these articles and studies, but even more than the research, I encourage you to do them, to try them…

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Light and Lightness and Love

Light and Lightness and Love

My life is full of struggle and victory. I found my dreams, they were eclipsed by old habits, which I quit about a week ago. If I ever told you, which I have to many people over many years, that I don’t remember my dreams, let me tell you, they are back and vivid af. If last night is any indication, some of those dreams are quite angry. No worries. It all reminds me of a line from the movie,…

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Journal Entry: Wisdom smooth as Spring Water, and Sticking Out in Class

Journal Entry: Wisdom smooth as Spring Water, and Sticking Out in Class

There is a Shastri, a senior teacher, at my Center with a voice and wisdom as smooth as spring water. She really holds my attention. I’m a bit smitten. Consequently, I tend to just open up and listen intently when she teaches, speaks or moves through the room. She reminds me of so much, and so many good people, and she says so many things I’ve been longing to hear. Last night, after she spoke in…

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Comfort from the Book, Milarepa

Comfort from the Book, Milarepa

I’m reading, “Milarepa: Lessons from the Life & Songs of Tibet’s Great Yogi” by Chogyam Trungpa, and Edited by Judith L. Lief. I’m really enjoying it. Yesterday I read passages that brought me comfort, in that my experiences are not too far afield. You don’t want to hold too tightly to experiences, and since everyone’s are different, people don’t usually talk too much about them. Maybe I’ll write…

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Sidewalk Swimming

For years now, I’ve been working on not holding-in my stomach. I used to do it at all times, hoping that by holding it in, my stomach would look more flat, a bad habit I began around the age of 10 when I decided my belly poked out way too much. Any time I found myself holding in my stomach, for hours, at school, I was so happy, thinking I’m really getting it now, I’ve almost contorted enough to…

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The Wayfaring Newsletter: Sign Up!

The Wayfaring Newsletter: Sign Up!

I’ve done a few silent hikes with some friends and acquaintances. These silent hikes include mindful hiking, a short meditation, and a good bit of group fun. Swimming will also be part of the fun soon, and I hope to plan some camping trips and adventures this year. I’ve lived in the Austin, Tx area for close to thirty years, and I know some good places to hike, some sweet swimming holes, good…

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The Wayfaring Newsletter

I’ve done a few silent hikes over the last couple of weeks with some friends and acquaintances. These silent hikes include mindful hiking, a short meditation, and a good bit of group fun. Swimming will also be part of the fun soon, and I hope to plan some camping trips and adventures this year. I’ve lived in the Austin, Tx area for close to thirty years, and I know some good places to hike, some…

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Silent Hikes, Meditation and the Coming Year

Silent Hikes, Meditation and the Coming Year

A silent hike is about the senses. That’s how we know the world, our senses: by sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and thinking about the world, which is how we process what the senses tell us. Thinking about the world is where we spend most of our time, it seems. That leads us to thinking we’re all up in our heads only, and often ignoring where we are, and our senses, and even our bodies. A…

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Dens of Predators

From my place, about a thirty minute drive, and then about a mile and half walk down a trail into a creek valley, regularly torn by floods, I can show you dens in the hillsides. Amongst the fallen boulders on the slopes of the eroded banks, I’ve found all kinds of jaw bones and other bone litter in the dark holes dug between and beneath fallen giant rocks in heaping messes. Dens far older than…

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Space, Sound and Silence

Space, Sound and Silence

I might drive out into the Hill Country tonight, maybe Pedernales Falls or Enchanted Rock, or even just the side of the road somewhere. I want to try my hand at Night Sky photography again. I learned alot from my failed attempts last weekend, and I’m ready to apply what learned, and try again tonight. I think I’ve figured out the better settings for what I’m trying to capture, and how to work the…

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Redesign

It’s time to reassess navigation. Consult the stars, the ocean, the ship, the weather, our charts, the mission, intuition and ourselves. Where to now? At this age, the destination is uncertain, so the course is all there is. How to sail in these changing conditions, and what star to sail by. For the blog, it’s now Wayfarer to match Facebook. Turns out, that name about covers my meandering and…

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What Would You Call this Hike?

What Would You Call this Hike?

I like to do new-ancient things, like walking, hiking in the woods, and conversing with people, all peoples. I also like to meditate and take photographs. Especially in the summertime, I take to the early mornings and align with the Eastern Sun and the cool hours of the day. I like to walk, usually in silence, out into the woods. Of course, the woods in the hill country are often hard scrabble…

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Orlando, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Basic Goodness

Orlando, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Basic Goodness

I think it was Fr. Richard Rohr who related these words from a Rabbi, “We put these teachings on your heart, so when it breaks, the teachings fall inside.” June 11th and 12th, 2016; I took a 2-day class taught by Shastri Betsy Pond at the local Shambhala Center. I loved the class. Saturday was good, full of meditation, teachings and talks with good and generous people. It was so good, I think I…

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I Love Everyone, and My Stupid Face

I Love Everyone, and My Stupid Face

I love everybody, and you’re next. This is a description Kristen Bell gave about her husband, Rob Bell, and it encapsulates everything I want to express in my walks around town and country. It’s like a motto for my walks. Prior to that motto, I was shut off, in all the usual ways: underneath my earbuds, below my bad moods, too cool, too depressed, hidden by shame, at arm lengths for fear of pain,…

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