Plotinus Beauty

This morning, I was studying Plotinus' Enneads 1.6.2. I put together these pieces.

Beauty - something, a quality seen, heard, or sensed or felt and known. We think: beautiful.
Beauty - "...all the loveliness of the world which comes by communion in Ideal Form."
"...minds that lift themselves above the realm of sense to a higher order are aware of the beauty that derives from Soul."
"This, then, is how the material thing becomes beautiful - by communicating in the thought that flows from the divine."

Plotinus leaves the door wide open for the spiritual aspirant. Step through the door. Touch the thought that flows from the divine. This communion is more that what is found in church. Turn off the TV. Put down the drink. Stop. Listen.

Not everyone is a spiritual aspirant. But, if you hear the call:
1. answer it.
2. Reduce the world.
3. Take up a practice.
4. Balance your worldly needs with communion.

I have had a long term interest in self transcendence. Another way to express that is to become beautiful; as in communicating in the thought that flows from the divine.

Somewhere, I heard about the book "Into the Silent Land" by Martin Laird. It is about Christian contemplation. It is the sort of book where you can read one paragraph and then shut your eyes and let your spirit soar. "...Our greatest need is to be silent before this great God....A spiritual practice is not a technique but something that disposes us to allow some thing to take place....God is already the ground of our being. It is a question of realizing this in our lives....why most of us spend our lives ignorant of this...."

How blessed I am to have entered the spiritual path. I admit it seems to have reduced a family live or sexual relationship or co-habitation. This causes me to see the world differently: not as me and my family but as us.

I simply boil the beans and rice.

I go running. I am actually in training. I own tickets to Calgary and am entered in the 2014 Calgary marathon. My body is different now that before surgery last September. I am up to 10 miles. My task now is to get the weekly mileage up. I think I can. It is wonderful to jog around Seabrook and also El Lago. Now I will go do that.

ORW - Running with a Maniac

Sunday, I had a fabulous time running the Ottawa Race Weekend half marathon. I ran with a guy I've chatted with on-line but never met before. It went really well and was a good time.

I was staying in a hotel near the start. This allowed me to use a nice bathroom very soon before the race. I sallied forth at 8:40 for a race that started at nine. It was easy for Ken to spot in my running mania top. He hugged me.

I insisted on starting in the first wave. My check out time became my motivating factor for running a relatively fast race.  Ken and I talked of ultra marathoning and fueling. He asked me why I went to a monastery and how I got kicked out. IronGirl passed us. I said, "Congratulations!" She said, "for what?" Then at the same time we both said, "Being here." Ken knew I would need a porta stop. He pointed out some "good" (no line) portas. With 10k left to go, the bands started energizing us and the energy increased. We picked up our pace. My heel was hurting. during the last 5k or so. Miss Smiles cheered for us. Avis cheered for us.
I finished happy (2h17).

There was a massive human traffic jam right after the finish line. I waded through it, picked up my medal and then exited out the side. I then jogged to the hotel and in 15 min took a shower and packed up; getting out by 12 pm. Whew!
Then I went to the Runningmania meet and greet, meeting several new maniacs. Then I left with JoJo and drove to her home town. This morning, I took a picture of my medal with her flowers.

Then, we took C-Moss for a walk on some trails nearby. It started raining so we cut it a bit short. Then we went driving around Kingston ON and also walked around town. I succombed to my curiosity regarding Vibram 5 Fingers and bought a pair on-sale. Low and behold, Spaff wandered into the store. OMG! What a treat to meet one of my ultra idols, whose blog I read.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving Kingston early and flying home. I will be glad to get home and relax for a day before going to work. I have trouble being surrounded by people so much. I miss my quiet pondering. So, that is the insite for this report. Going to races and meeting others is fun. But not for me as a way of life. Just being quiet is my practice. My mind is quiet and I can hear the inner Voice. "Being" alone lives in the kingdom. It is hard to just be with others around. "Being" is forgotten.

My new toy:

Ottawa 2012 - Half Marathon Prelude

Pictures from the hotel lobby:

The cool jersey is Runningmania.com gear. I've been a part of that discussion board for several years. The other people live in Canada. So I come up here every year to say hi to them in person.

Ottawa Race Weekend is a huge event. There is a 2k, 5k and 10k on Saturday evening; then a half and full marathon on Sunday. Last night, I met 2 maniacs I haven't met before. Today, I am running with one I haven't met before but chatted with almost daily. And then, many maniacs will meet for a post race meal and I'll get to say hi to at least 20 maniacs.

I am as usual studying A Course in Miracles. It says (Chapter 6.III) the message of the crucifixion was: teach only love for that is what you are. The ego was made without love and cannot hear the Holy Spirit. The ego is what asks, "What are you?" and is the part of the mind that doubts.

"...the one answer of the Holy Spirit to all questions the ego raises: You are a child of God, a priceless part of His Kingdom, which he created as part of Him. Nothing else exists and only this is real."  "The only safety lies in extending the Holy Spirit, because as you see His gentleness in others your own mind perceives itself as totally harmless. Once it can accept this fully, it sees no need to protect itself. The protection of God then dawns upon it..."

And now I sit quietly in my hotel room, waiting for the race start. I will sally forth ego and mind to join the Son of God.

ORW - Prelude

I'm getting ready to go to Ottawa Canada to run a half marathon. Tomorrow, Saturday, I fly. I'll be met at the airport by a running maniac friend and we will zip into town in time to watch the evening races. I'll be meeting some new people and cheering them in their 10k. On Sunday, I run a half marathon at easy pace with a new internet friend.

Today, Friday, I took a day off work. I slept for 11 hours! And then, after running errands, and after the Houston weather had got to 85F, I went for a 2 hour jog. Yes, I can run in heat and humidity.

Now I have done some packing and eating and soon will do the evening workout.

I marvel at the status of my life. There are so many places where a path had to be chosen and radically different outcomes ensued. I could've stayed in California instead of moving to Missouri. I could've stayed a drunk rather than get sober. I could've skipped the monastery. I could've skipped Texas. I could've got fat and sick. I could've stayed a Catholic, or become a Buddhist.

Have I learned anything? I have learned peace; even in the midst of a busy city existence. I have to find the secret of the desert monks in the midst of cars, airports and a huge chempark.

I find this existence in my living room as I ride my elliptical. I find it in the tiny park across the street where one lap in 0.28 miles but trees provide shade. At the back of the park is a swamp. Birds with long legs find their lunch. Snakes perch on fallen logs.

In the desert, I find Christ within. I find love in all the other people I meet. I find that deep well of the Hidden Christ in the silence within.