The Seer

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(inspired by Hughes Mearns’ famous verse)

As I was walking up the stair
I met a non-dualist who wasn’t there.
He wasn’t there again today—
I wish, I wish he’d go away.

He looked at me with eyes so clear,
And said, “I cannot disappear,
For I am THAT, the ALL IN ALL–
The stairs, the janitor, the wall…

I am the ocean and the drop,
I am the cleaner and the mop,
I am the bell-boy and the bell,
I am pussy and the well…

I am the toaster and the toast,
And though I do not like to boast—
I am the saucer and the Source
Of ALL THAT IS – right NOW, of course…

I hope I’ve made it very clear,
That you’re the one who isn’t here.
So when we meet along the way,
Don’t even try to say G’day!”

by Ann Faraday

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We rarely make book recommendations in fiction, but you might find this odd new book from Sentient Publications of interest: God Is An Atheist: a novella for those who have run out of time.

The author, N. Nosirrah is a writer and philosopher who asks his readers to question their existence, God’s existence, and in particular, Nosirrah’s existence. He has said that those who understand his writings have no need to meet him, those who do not have no reason to meet him, and those who need to meet him have no need to read his writings.

A profoundly funny romp through religion, spirituality, and the contemporary clash of cultures of belief, with special attention to the human obsession with knowing what can’t be known. Nosirrah provokes just about everyone as he describes a world where God is on the run from Islamic extremists, the Pope announces he shares a bed with Richard Dawkins, and Buddha’s son disappoints by getting enlightened instead of becoming a doctor.

To say this novella is strange might give the reader a way to relate to it, but in fact, nothing will shift the burden away from the reader. In its pages, the world is bent around the reader’s mind until either the mind itself begins to bend, or indeed, breaks. A book without plot, characters, structure, or obvious purpose, this is an endless descent into the netherworlds of a dystopian mind. If a thousand monkeys typing endlessly would eventually produce all great works of literature, then God Is an Atheist (ISBN 978-1-59181-072-8) is their first draft.

Click on the link to see an amusing YouTube book trailer for God Is an Atheist. (Not available from Clearsight)

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When Andre Previn was a very young pianist and a whiz-kid in Hollywood, there was a suggestion that he should give a performance of the Gershwin Piano Concerto with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra conducted by the formidable Hungarian exile, George Szell. But Szell was not so sure. So Previn flew to Cleveland to convince him and was ushered into Szell’s apartment.

The conductor glowered at him across the table and said, “Mr Previn would you be so kind as to play the solo part for me.” Andre Previn replied, “Certainly … but where is the piano?” Szell said, “There is no need for the piano — just play it here on the top of the table.” So Previn set to and fingered the entire solo part of the Gershwin piano concerto on the table while Szell watched fascinated.

At the end there was a pause, and Szell said: “No, no, very sorry, long journey, waste of time, very sad, no.”

Andre Previn paused for a moment and then said, “I can only tell you it sounds a lot better on my table at home.”

Now listen to another prodigy, Nathan (cellist, age 11) gracefully commenting on Saint Saens’ “The Swan” … beautiful!

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This entertaining and thought-provoking online video animation is well worth watching. Dr Q. points to that other dimension that is always there to be noticed, discovered and enjoyed. Just Click Here

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After an exhaustive review of the research literature, here’s the final word on nutrition and health.:

1. Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
3. Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
4. Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
5. Germans drink beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
6. The French eat foie-gras, full fat cheese and drink red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us

CONCLUSION:

Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

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Soon after Queen Victoria bought Balmoral Castle on Scotland’s river Dee, she spent one Sunday afternoon being rowed on the river. A woman who believed in the strict observance of the Sabbath said to her minister, “Isn’t it dreadful!” “What’s dreadful?” asked the minister. “The Queen’s rowing on the river on the Sabbath,” said the irate woman. The minister reminded her that Jesus was on the Sea of Galilee on the Sabbath. “Two wrongs,” said the woman, “don’t make a right.”

Norman Victor Hope

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The Rev Harland Butterley, a much appreciated Australian clerical speaker, was invited to speak at a monthly lunch meeting of the Rotary Club. Also present at the meeting was a reporter from the local newspaper, who enjoyed as much as anyone the vicar’s light-hearted ecclesiastical anecdotes.

At the end of his speech, Butterley approached the reporter and begged him not to print too many of his tales as he wished to use them at future speaking engagements. To Butterley’s dismay, when he read the newspaper a few days later, the reporter had written, “The vicar made an excellent speech but most of the stories he told cannot be repeated here.”

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Addressing a group of schoolboys, a bishop gave this example of moral courage — a boy in a dormitory who, in front of the others, kneels down and says his prayers before hopping into bed.

The bishop then asked the boys if they could think of another example.

“Sir,” piped up one boy, “A bishop in a dormitory full of other bishops who hops into bed without saying his prayers!”

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Customer to optician: At first I was an agnostic, then I saw the light! I became a seeker, then I saw the light! I became a devotee, then I saw the light and became a mystic. Then I saw the light and merged with The Infinite .… I’d like to buy some sun-glasses please.

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“Scuse me Mate?,” said the passenger from the back seat, tapping the taxi driver on the shoulder.

The driver recoiled instantly in fright, lost control of the cab, swerved and nearly hit a bus, jumped the curb and stopped just inches from the plate-glass window of an office.

For a few moments, everything was silent. Then the driver said, “Geeze, you scared the daylights out of me!”

“I’m sorry,” said the passenger. “I didn’t realise a tap on the shoulder would frighten you so much.”

“It isn’t your fault Mate,” the driver replied. “Today is my first day driving a cab. I’ve been driving a hearse for the last 25 years.”