Two Aphorisms

It’s easy now to take the Way for granted. But that wasn’t always the case. In the early days i often found myself in untoward situations –like being floored by some hothead in a men’s room and having my head bounced off of a urinal and forced to beg for mercy.

Gradually, over time, i noticed something quite extraordinary. These troublesome situations had something in common; part of me was warned beforehand of danger. Yet, despite these dimly perceived and unacknowledged promptings i went blithely along, allowing my ignorance and cocky attitude full rein. But getting my head banged on that porcelain hardness made me take notice of what proved to be an emerging phenomenon.

Nowadays i might choose this aphorism to summarize that heedless attitude: He who will not see will be made to feel.

The repeated occurrence of such hints, or warnings caused me to muse, “Well, if that is how things work, just show me the way.” And from that day to this, albeit with much backing and filling, replete with fits and starts, what i now see as intuitions are wooed, courted like a lover his intended.

Such self-induced blindness with its concomitant violence is at one end of a broad spectrum; the opposite end of which are increasingly subtle phenomena. The forms of which are varied, their triggers many –and might be any one of the ten thousand things. This myriad falls into place only as an increasing awareness grows; call it discrimination if you will. It means to see things as they are in essence rather than through the all too common lens by which we distort impressions; warping them through the bent glass of our fears or desires –the twin slayers of innocence.

Nowadays, if choosing to summarize this heedful attitude, i might use this second aphorism: The wise horse moves at the shadow of the whip.


Ends of a Spectrum

Heedless to heedful,
Cursing or kissing, daring
To embrace fullness!