by Colin Drake

Awareness is forever here,
In which mind and sensations appear.
Its presence is fundamental,
Absolute not incremental.

Choiceless, requiring no effort,
The seer of all that’s thought.
All that our senses detect,
On this conscious ‘screen’ are decked.

Completely still without a sound,
Of every experience the ‘ground’.
Perfectly peaceful under no duress,
Ever silent and utterly motionless.

Omnipresent, of consciousness the ocean.
Manifestation is This in motion.
All ‘things’ are forms of energy,
Arising from Its tranquility.

Omniscient, for in It every thing exists,
Of which not one is ever ‘missed’.
Conscious and still, ever aware
Of movements which It can compare …

Omnipotent, back into which all things subside,
Stillness is the terminus of every ‘ride’.
No thing can possibly affect It,
For they all appear, exist and exit.

Pure, for It manifestation cannot stain.
Pristine, for degradation It cannot feign.
Radiant, for by Its wondrous light,
The world appears to our mind’s sight.

~ ~ ~

Read excerpts from the e-books of Colin Drake:
http://nonduality.com/colindrake.htm

We talk about her book (co-written with Ike Allen) The Tao of Walt Whitman, the poetry scene, insights and trends regarding the publishing business, how to get published, and what kind of books she’s always looking for. Connie talks about spiritual influences going back to childhood and through the Sixties.

To be honest, I edited this interview a little too tightly, that is to say, I didn’t leave enough room for a breath or two. That means the interview buzzes along, but a little too quickly. It’s still a fascinating and valuable interview. Just listen carefully. Thank you.

Download link:
http://nonduality.com/nondualitystreet_connieshaw.mp3

Walt Whitman’s radiant poetry is a source of contemporary inspiration. His ecumenical wisdom, which includes both transcendentalism and realism, is encapsulated here in short verses for each day of the year. These, along with a daily action step, become a springboard for readers to transform themselves. The sublime poetry combined with exercises for self-reflection will make this unique pocket-sized daybook a constant companion for those seeking greater balance in their lives.

Find out more and order from Sentient Publications.

Order from Amazon.com.

Visit “The Tao of Walt Whitman” Facebook page.

Dar Óma

what speeded them on their way?
what distances did they travel?
the sky was full of falling stars …
You draw down too much light -
soon the heavens will all be bare

2

Dar Óma
yesterday
I went looking
for You
and found You
everywhere
particularly
in the flight of swallows
innumerable
in the darkening air

it seemed they wished
to fan the dying sun
to flame

3

Dar Óma

look at this full fruit

falling for You every time

unconsciously

this tree

its limbs Yours

oozing sap

its roots

its perfume Yours

lichen clings to bark

hold me

deep deep down You are always there

awaiting my blossoming in You

kirtana of singing leaves

4

Dar Óma
holding Your image before me
on a screen
increasing percentages
until You disintegrate
like some forgotten galaxy
calling You back again
a retrieval
a respite from senseless oblivion

I know that stars are born
only to die
we see the light
of heavenly bodies
long since gone

this also I know:
Your light shines in me
the universe holds no terror

25

Dar Óma

snake unwinding

from a lightning-blasted tree

I’ve spotted You

why should I flee?

I am already deep in Your eyes

come

take all of me

mercifully

let me assist You

here’s my head firmly in Your jaws

do not use Your fangs

to stun me

let me live

this death in You now

inch by slow inch

35

Dar Óma

I can never forget the yellowhammers

I saw as a child

tiny chicks nesting in a stone wall

such clamour from their throats

such hunger

nearby was a dark Protestant church

it was taboo to enter

God manifested that day in yellow

the colour I see You in now

dust of buttercups

primrose glance

You are the yellowhammer

ensconced in a mossy stone wall

we see each other

from different worlds

for the first time

41

Dar Óma

I went to my excellent physician

author of Addiction Replacement Therapy

he put me on heroin

and monitored my progress steadily

I nodded, sagely

he put me on LSD

the doctor is perplexed

the universe perplexed

~ ~ ~

These have been selections from Uttering Her Name, by Gabriel Rosenstock. There are over a hundred more poems in the book.

Uttering Her Name consists of spontaneous, ecstatic utterances in what the author calls a neo-bhakti style, that is to say a modern slant on those poems of intense devotion which are still read and sung in India today.

Gabriel is considered the greatest living Irish lyric poet.

For more information about Uttering Her Name, please visit

http://www.salmonpoetry.com/details.php?ID=175&a=163

Singing Tears

the damn has been bursting all along

singing tears of the mountain’s song

the puppet breaks free from its strings

the caterpillar soars with new wings

dreamers shall awaken beyond time

in love with a human heart so divine

the actor surrenders the final mask

in Your light all life comes to bask

a fruit suddenly drops from its tree

such sweetness like honey is to be

She Wanders the Night

I want to break every window in your mind’s house.

And drag down each floor.

You’ve constructed a tower of cards

from a false blueprint.

Instead of building your foundation on Her,

you’ve framed a shadow on stud-less walls.

Nature will shatter your backwards design

and set fire to your five star prison.

A book of poems in your library

may bring you some praise

but no relief.

A new lover may uncoil your kundalini

but not deliver peace.

That simple monk has more in her begging bowl

then your perfumed soul.

She wanders the night like a homeless star.

You with your robes and a closet full of make believe

will bow at her feet and cleanse with tears all pride.

She will teach you how to create a new home

with free hands on a mountain of pure gold.

You will know that She is within you

as you plant flowers at your own grave.

And water seeds in Her eternal womb.

Have you?

Who died and left you ruler of the Universe?

If you see something you don’t agree with, is it because you are not seeing all of yourself?

Or is it because it is your job to preach and lecture your truth to the world you imagine

is outside of you?

What is this complacent lack of compassion that human beings move in?

The heart has no borders and casts no stones.

We can learn perhaps the most from the person with Terretz, who blurts out obscenities.

When we feel offended, it is a great opportunity to go deeper beyond

the maze of maya mind.

Truly I am grateful for all who bring a feeling of offense into my space.

For it lets me know if I am divided or whole.

I am your offended reaction and the space that it dissolves into.

I have freed myself from preference on every level.

Have you?

~ ~ ~

You can find Rafael Stoneman on Facebook

Those who know do not say, “Those who say, do not know.”

Those who know “do not” say [that] those who say “do not,” know.

“Those, who know, do not,” say those who say. Do not. Know.

“Those, who know, do not,” say those who say. Do. Not know.

Got a variation? Leave it as a comment.

I have made the brief PBS biography of the great universal mystic poet and Sufi role model available via BitTorrent — I found it informative and inspiring. Among those appearing is none other than the prolific Rumi translator himself, Coleman Barks:

http://www.demonoid.com/files/download/HTTP/2125970/5838654

You’ll need to download and
install a BitTorrent client — I
recommend “uTorrent.” When
you’ve gotten the client working,
just use it to open the attached
file and everything else will
happen automagically. The
Wikipedia article on BitTorrent
is pretty good if you want to
learn more. They also have a
decent article on uTorrent
specifically.

Here’s the uTorrent download
link:

http://www.utorrent.com/downloads

and an alternative web link if
you’re uncomfortable opening up
attachments (and because
attachments probably won’t go
through to the group):

http://isohunt.com/download/153884257/%22Rumi+Returning%22.torrent

Open Mind x Attention = Wonder

Open Heart x Breath = Wonder

Everything = Wonder