"I of my own knowledge…"

[On Sunday, December 18, 2005, I wrote this: "Instead of addressing the guys in general, perhaps I'll try it this way: David, please put me into direct touch with Joseph Smallwood." That's all it took. (David, by the way, was a journalist whose life spanned about 30 years in the 19th and another 30 years in the 20th century. His is one of the oldest influences in my life, and one of the first that I investigated.) I don't know why so many years had to go by before thought of contacting Smallwood (or anybody) in this simple, straightforward way.

[The only additions I have made to this record -- which will extend a long way -- is that I have added titles such as "how I came to follow Lewis and Clark." As we go along, you will see me interacting with Joseph, and later with others. Bear in mind, this is something that you can do as well. Okay, on to Joseph's story.] (more…)

Continuing a conversation with the guys held Thursday January 5, 2006.

(10:10 a.m.) Friends?

We find it difficult to confine any discussion, as you well know. Every subject links up seamlessly with every other subject – in other words, just as, in a sense, there is only one person, so there is only one thought, only one perception, and that is – everything! This is the meaning of the Buddha’s admonition that every time you make a distinction you make an error. Not that no distinctions are to be perceived, but that no distinction is or ever could be absolute. (more…)

I reproduce this, with minor editing, as it came to me from my friends Upstairs on Thursday January 5, 2006. It’s long, so I will break it into two pieces.

(8:30 a.m.) All right friends, I’m ready and willing. Who do I have the honor of speaking to today? Or, if you have no one special, I’ll choose.

You may find it easier to continue your long practice of addressing us as a group unless you wish any one of us, and receiving our communications the same way. We appeared this way for a reason. And perhaps this is as good a time as any to go into it a bit.

The question of guidance from what you call “the other side” is not so much a complicated question as it is a tangled one. But we didn’t tangle it from over here! It got tangled because of the various competing or overlapping or antagonistic strands of culture on your end. (more…)

Marching Through Georgia

For some reason I went looking on the Internet to try to pin down Joseph Smallwood’s Civil War service in the Army, interrupting the work I thought I was doing. And one day I googled “Marching Through Georgia” lyrics and found a site that also played the tune. Neither tune nor words did I know. Why did I go looking for them? I found myself sitting at the computer singing the words, with tears in my eyes, not knowing why. (more…)