Sit down, fool. Do nothing.

E. Anthony Orme

“Trying to get out of the illusion is the greatest illusion of all.”

-Adyashanti

holy is the earth 

holy is this life 

forest sky sea soil 

our heartbeat 

and our breath are holy 

our compassion 

embrace the earth  embrace your life

-james lee jobe 

"If a problem is fixable, there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no benefit in worrying whatsoever."

-Dalai Lama XIV

The valley oak trees are perfect and still. The sky is empty and powder blue, no clouds, no airplanes. All is quiet, you can hear your own breath. And then, striding across the top of the world, your life comes along to take you away again. And you, you fool, you go. 

-james lee jobe

                a poem by Rumi

Don’t worry about saving these songs!

And if one of our instruments breaks,

it doesn’t matter.

We have fallen into the place

where everything is music.

The strumming and the flute notes

rise into the atmosphere,

and even if the whole world’s harp

should burn up, there will still be

hidden instruments playing.

So the candle flickers and goes out.

We have a piece of flint, and a spark.

This singing art is sea foam.

The graceful movements come from a pearl

somewhere on the ocean floor.

Poems reach up like spindrift and the edge

of driftwood along the beach, wanting!

They derive

from a slow and powerful root

that we can’t see.

Stop the words now.

Open the window in the center of your chest,

and let the spirit fly in and out.

-Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (1207-1273)

In the dream I was going to New Orleans to eat a sandwich. It seemed perfectly normal to do this. I rode a bicycle with ladders tied to the sides, longways. Cumbersome, sure, this also seemed like a perfectly normal thing to be doing. And New Orleans is only a couple of thousand miles away. The dream changed into some problem with my mother, who seemed to be a different woman than my actual mother and I had to keep squinting my eyes to see her, that was OK, too. I never got to New Orleans and I never ate the sandwich. Somewhere along the way I lost the bike with the ladders, in some endless shopping mall. And the problem with my new mother was never solved. Good morning. Did you sleep well?

-james lee jobe

If we live, we live; if we die, we die; if we suffer, we suffer; if we are terrified, we are terrified. No problem.

-Alan Watts

You can walk or run, but there is really no need to go anywhere at all. Wherever you go, you will still be stuck with yourself. Sit down, fool. Do nothing. The moon is rising even while you worry. 

james lee jobe

If you liked this post, if you like this blog, you can help support it by buying me a coffee once in a while. Not every time, just sometimes! 

Thanks  -james

tickle me awake

by David Zinn, in chalk

as trees grow 

they make room 

for each other 

it is a natural 

kindness 

-and people- 

some leave room for others 

some don’t 

friend 

how will you choose 

to grow 

- james lee jobe

"Poetry is the lifeblood of rebellion, revolution, and the raising of consciousness." 

- Alice Walker

i confess 

i can easily lose myself 

in the distant shimmers of heat 

that rise from the flat earth 

a dust mite afternoon 

in the california summer

-james lee jobe

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."

- Groucho Marx

Marie Abagnale

love your life 

the way a coat of paint 

loves a wall 

hold on tight and add 

a little color 

or try to

-james lee jobe

First Grade

-by William Stafford

In the play Amy didn't want to be

anybody; so she managed the curtain.

Sharon wanted to be Amy. But Sam

wouldn't let anybody be anybody else--

he said it was wrong. "all right," Steve said,

"I'll be me, but I don't like it."

So Amy was Amy, and we didn't have the play.

And Sharon cried.

the morning begins 

with a cool morning breeze 

that slips through my open window 

as if to tickle me awake 

and so it does 

one tickle at a time

-james lee jobe

If you enjoy this blog, please consider making a donation through the BUY ME A COFFEE button below. (Not every time you come here, just maybe once in awhile.) It's done safely online, and just takes a moment. Thanks! 

James 

sailing west

Colin Jennings

_______________

"The world is its own magic."

Shunryu Suzuki

_______________

half of the sky for you 

half for me 

half of the river 

half of this lifetime 

        walk with me 

        my dear 

time belongs to us 

let’s whisper 

so that no one else hears

-------

we're like plants, man

we lean towards the light

be someone's light

-------

the summer sun has slipped away into the west 

        somewhere toward the ocean 

the house is empty and still 

i light the incense and say the words 

soon i settle down into my own emptiness 

        evening zazen

------

there is an ocean 

in this glass of water

and i am sailing west 

for japan or china

        or vietnam 

james lee jobe

"A genius is the one most like himself."

Thelonious Monk

Please help support this blog with a small donation on the BUY ME A COFFEE link below. Every little bit helps! Thanks. 

James