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“Suffering 101”

“Suffering 101”

By James Anthony Curtis

It’s hard to imagine a path of inner exploration without a curriculum of suffering.

We don’t seek suffering, pain or uncomfortable feelings, just by being living alive those will arise as apart of our human nature.

Desires, cravings, sickness, aging, physical and emotional pain are apart of life.

As we walk through life we begin to realize we cannot escape our fate, that suffering will arise no matter how we try to fend it off.

But our point of view can shift, this is the key to opening the heart of compassion.

Why must we treat suffering, and pain as enemies? Why not embrace them as friends? Friends come to share their dark gifts of wisdom and compassion.

By abiding in uncomfortable feelings we begin to love ourselves in ways that may seem unfamiliar, foreign and unloving. But the heart knows, it sees the attention, support and love we give as a child sees time given from a parent.

In a child’s eyes the most precious thing we give them are not new toys or fascinations to hold their temporary attention, but when we get down to the ground level, play with them in their world, allowing them to reveal all that their imagination holds dear.

Our inner path is much the same, whether our feelings are based in imagined nightmares, or pleasurable heavens, we give way to the feelings, abiding, observing, being with our heart the entirety of the time.

We develop deep connection to places long closed off for fear of doors opened.

We come to know the dark places, the inner chambers, by the desired and undesirable guests that come for their visits.

May we embrace our feelings, abiding in the those moments, giving way for our innocence to feel safe, to come forth in our heart.

May we explore being vulnerable, holding our heart up to the heavens, as we kneel before the feet of God.

May we come to know the one we have been waiting for, our true divine nature, as we enter our darkness, allowing our heart to be loved as it has never been loved before.

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“Some people have all the luck”

“Some people have all the luck”

By James Anthony Curtis

To a good home, with many tears, I write my dear little companion, “Tot,” would like someone he can come and help heal, harass, and love every corner of your heart.

He is an excellent mouser, is not an indoor cat (though he will do his best to get indoors) and loves to go for walks with you in the forest.

He’s not a city cat, so he will need a home in the country, or on a farm.

When Tot came to live here at Deep Root, he came in a tornado, (literally, we had a tornado) and the morning after we heard this crying kitten, flea bitten, drenched, shaking, and near death.

I said, “No! No pets!” But Tot wouldn’t have it. He worked his way into the heart, and has been here since. Last winter he sheltered outside, watched over the house, and frequently gave love when sensing deep aloneness.

I’m going to be losing my property as part of a settlement with my ex-wife, and she has stated if he stays, she will take him to the humane society. I can’t bear to see him caged, after living so freely, being such an inspiration, instrument, instructor in love.

Why am I so lucky? Because of all the wonderful moments, blessings, and compassion he chose to share with me. To allow my path to walk with his at a most intense, hurtful, sad time in my life, when my worst nightmares came true.

But in that darkness, little lights such as Tot, helped me to bring forth a great light, ominous in its being, beautiful in divine warmth, allowing my wings to unfold.

This little bundle of joy, reminded me of deep places in need, and helped awaken me from death.

I hope someone else could be so lucky.

A dear friend has agreed to home him, in an intentional community, if no one else will, but I was hoping for someone to have the one on one time this little guy will give.

Feel free to message me, for any info, or to come visit. I will send him off with a small stipend for expenses, but I’m more concerned he has a good home.

May we embrace the little lights that come into our lives, realizing the great light that they are in dark places.

May we allow all that we feel, for deep connection, healing and love, to be the one we already are.

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“Contentment”

“Contentment”

By James Anthony Curtis

In yoga one of the eight limbs is a practice called “Santosha,” which helps to quiet the mind, and open the heart.

This morning my mind and heart were troubled, once again the sacred texts bring relief in the form of exactly what is needed.

The mind says I “need” certain things to feel content, to be calm in mind and open the heart, but in truth, things arise to expose those parts in need, that we may have the opportunity of this practice from what arises, for attention, healing and love.

To be truly unbound, one embraces his bondage, feels into those dark places, the shadows of our existence.

In any mantra we choose, our focus for what we rest our heart on, is where we come to be.

Things, people, places tend to drive us in directions, feelings and energies only to trigger the deep awareness of those places within us in great need.

All of those places that are afraid, that cry out from the depths calling for someone to save them, are here to free us, show us the lock to insert the key.

Subtly, all day every day, the things that arise, such as an irritation with a coworker, to the chill in the wind, or the loss of a loved one, possibly our confrontation with an insecurity: all arise in preparation for our needs to be met, to bring us to a deepening in those parts with greater love.

Loss, in any form, is love shining through to unbundle our innocence, unwrap the presence of our wings, that we may in turn fold them over another in loving compassion.

Today may we embrace the practice of contentment, by allowing our innocence to come forth, to greet our mind and heart with the love they have been asking for.

May we love, as we have never loved before, opening our heart in the allowing of all that we feel.

May we come to know the one we have been waiting for, the wise child and youthful sage, the wizard and the monk, who smiles in the face of all with the warmth of who we already are, for the benefit of all beings.

May we shine bright, in the darkest of places, being the love we have been waiting for, the love we are.