Thursday, December 06, 2007

The Greatest Medicine Is The Emptiness Of Everything

Today is the feast day of St Nicholas. He is the original Christian inspiration for Santa Claus. My youngest son is named Nicholas. Check the following link for more on the history of St Nicholas.

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=23

My friend, Fr. Dennis, received the following fortune from a cookie in a Chinese restaurant and asked for my interpretation. Here's the fortune and what I think it means. What do you think it means?"The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything."One possible meaning is this. All the things that fill us up, other than God, ultimately will cause us some level of pain, worry, or loss. When we are empty of everything except God we are free of this pain, worry, and loss. Therefore, the emptiness of everything not God, replaced with the fullness of God, is the greatest medicine. I am not sure I want to be empty of everything. Yes, there is pain, worry, and loss in life. There is also happiness, enjoyment, excitement, pleasure, friendship, love, laughter, granddaughters, music, great meals, art, sunrises and sunsets, and many more good things. I could go on and on. I'll take my chances with pain, worry, and loss, in order to have all the good stuff. The combination of the good and the bad is called life. God is part of every aspect of life, the good and the bad. The ability to feel joy, and occasional sadness, is what being human is all about.

My father, who will be 83 years old in January, has been put in the hospital. As many of you know, he has Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Although he does space out at times, he is still aware of who people are. The Parkinson's is probably more of a problem as it greatly limits his mobility. A day or so ago he was unusually confused though not agitated. The hospital stay is a precaution and time of evaluation for his mental state and current medications. I expect him to come home but please keep him in your prayers. My mother, who is 77 years old, and in relatively good health, could also use a few prayers as she is my father's primary caregiver. My sister, Sherry, is a close second on the care giving.

I saw two or three snowflakes yesterday. This means that the local media, and especially the weather men and women, can begin their annual overreaction to the potential for winter weather. If we see ten snowflakes or more in Louisville, all the major highways will have salt trucks lined up to begin the process of putting corrosive material all over the road. The salt is a bigger threat than the possible snow. Judging from the parking lot and madness at the grocery store last night, I think others must have also seen these renegade snowflakes. Employees all over the city will now begin looking out the windows all day and, at the first sign of accumulation, begin asking if they get to leave work early. I did go outside for some fresh air in the afternoon. I was almost blown away and I nearly lost my hat. I guess it was the Alberta Clipper the weatherman said was hitting my area. It doesn't look much like Christmas but it certainly feels like winter.

2 comments:

I-the dude from IITKGP said...

1. emptyness of everything: the Gita states that, the Brahman (Eternal) is the substance that everything is made up of. I have seen this with my own SCIENCE eyes ( I was a science (made) topper at schoole and a Electronics Enigneering graduate). This concept means to me what the Zen monks begin and end with. "move out of your own way" - do not let your impure thoughts and feelings stand in Your (the Brahman's/Tao's) way.

Gosh...you SHOULD have been born an Indian. Try the Gita from The Gita Press Gorakhpur site. That's the best I have come across till now. Though not THE best. Defintely not (mis-informed author - scred 60% in his Brahmanic sience test.). But, close to it.

2. read about your father. Your father is Gone. I mean the spirit is GONE. inside. Just for formality, the man comes back at times..so as not to hurt the ones that feel concerned and love him.

Let Go.. ("if you are dying, the easiest thing to do is - TO DIE" The Chineese Master)

Common Man: "Master, please pacify my mind."
Master: " I will. Please let hand it over to me for a second."
CM: !!??
Master: "There! I have pacified your mind."

My Father: My son's mind has been impaired to some extent.

The Psychoanalyst: People think we are doctors for people with impaired mind. Where is your son's mind located? We actually try to help find out what is troubling the patient. and try to help him fix it.


Try the Dhammapada from www.thebigview.com/Buddhism -> Downloads.

Try my blog: http://ipslog.blogspot.com

3. Try searching for OSHO on Mother Teresa ..and you WILL be in, for A SURPRISE.

4. me too: DIE for MUSIC. TRUE MUSIC. [ music that is made and played in complete honesty to the art]

also: try www.Osho.com -> weekly meditations and Meditation for busy people. Those are ones that anyone (even one's with Alzheimers or Parkinsons can do). I cannot for the specific physical problem I have. I use the Osho Secret tips instead. like.. "YOU don't feed it with YOUR energy".

Chao! (DO keep in touch whenever you remember me..)

Indrajit

Earth Angel said...

I for one love your expression of conversation to one self it seems. It reminds me of letters from my great aunt Lela and my Poppa, in whom I love and miss dearly. There are no answers, only opinions.