FREEDOM
Mountain Way, 2 minutes from my house. The sky limitless.
Carmi, a fellow blogger of WrittenInc fame, is correct in stating that regardless of the hiccups (understatement) in our countries' democratic processes, there is no better place to live than a democratic, FREE society. Kudos to Carmi for bringing up that point. It is a point well taken. Please visit Carmi for insightful essays and beautiful photographs of his homeland, Canada.
While you're surfing the blogosphere, do be sure to check out this jewel in the mud--APersonal Tao-- in which a kind Taoist named Casey guides us through the beauty of life, one poem and wise thought at a time.
Big props to Kitty Von Kitty for the eternal smile she continually offers to my face and heart:
WHICH PHOTO IS YOUR FAVORITE? WHY?
Enjoy your day,
Love,
Bhakti
Labels: @BhaktiBrophy, @jaibhakti, Bhakti Brophy, brophy photography, freedom, Jai Bhakti, jaibhakti, nature photographs
posted by Unknown at 12:06 PM
8 Comments:
:) thanks! appreciate the help also :)
how are you feeling?
I like the top picture in black and white. Where do you live?
I am glad you like the poetry. Have you had a chance to check out the book? I suspect you would like the maple tree poem in the connections chapter on page 19.
--------------------
Imagine sitting down, beside an old maple tree.
With eyes closed:
Feel dappled sunlight, dancing on the skin,
Leaves eclipse stray beams
as shadows tango to the light across the body.
Listen to leaves whisper…
joy as the wind tussles them
into the air.
Smile as branches complain
in creaking strains
as younger leaves bounce in play.
--------------------
(note the formating doesnt translate across in the comment...)
I know its a bit late in the year to sit under a tree in some spots but at least I hope this makes you smile. As you take th etime to find a spiritual tree to bask under.
Peace Bhakti :)
It's SO extraordinarily funny that you should mention the maple tree...Just yesterday, while visiting my great friend/pain mangagement physiologist, Rajesh Rao, the both of us took the time to look and and speak about the beauty of the grand maple tree who's leaves were bounding and swaying in the wind. The colors of fall were upon and within each leaf respectively, and the sun dapple a bit of light onto every single leaf. This was truly a sight to behold -- especially while contemplating and discussing next week's surgery. The lesson for me was to absolutely take the time to notice the beauty that really is all around me. I also learned, from Dr. Roa, that there are indeed no maple trees in India. Although, as I told him, there IS an abundance of mango trees!! Yummy!
To answer your question, I live in New Jersey: about 1 hour from where Washington crossed the Deleware river--that's one of our claim to fames. :) If you travel East, instead of west, and travel for another hour, you will cross the George Washington Bridge.
We're proud of our G.Washington heritage here!! ;)
I should mention more about your book in the write-up. If I feel up to it tomorrow, I will write up a little blurb about your book site.
Thanks for visiting again, It's wonderful to have a full-fledged Taoist among us!!
Love,
Bhakti
PS if you look in my archives--maybe October or November of last year, you will see a photograph of my favorite tree to sit under (I even took a picture of what the leaves look like as I sat under the tree. Let me know if you have trouble finding this post--it's quite beautiful.)
I love the Tao...as I think you can probably tell. I respect the Tao. I understand the Tao, as I incorporate its vision of 'the way' into my spiritual journey.
I think perhaps the Tao (coupled with my spiritual practices and beliefs and experiences) is/are the reason that I am able to endure everything that I have endured physically and mentally.
The Tao has taught me to flow with the river, as hanging on the the banks keeps me stuck and frightened. Letting go, surrendering, is the way. Faith. Surrender. Love. The Way.
I grew up in peapack-gladstone in new jersey. So I know the place pretty well, in the northwest corner. And also New york city since i Lived in the city for a few years also. So from what you describe not far from where I once lived...
and that maple tree i wrote about is in new jersey along a back country road a half mile up in the woods past where i lived growing.
Yes, I too lived in NYC for a long time (from age 18-33). I have to admit that I never truly appreciated the colors of my hometown area until I moved away for awhile. And maybe it's my age, too. I absolutely live for the changing of the tree leaves in the fall. I love to photograph the leaves.
There was one maple tree in particular that I used to like to sit under/around right after 9/11. It was interesting to see the leaves falling. Very cathartic. I used to (subconsciously) think of the leaves as a representation of everyone who died that day.I literally saved about twenty leaves and was planning on doing a silk-screen painting called "The Fallen'. I recently through the leaves away. It was too personal, yet not personal enough. I was in NYC when the towers fell, but I didn't actually know anyone who fell out the windows, etc.
I had just done a photo shoot on the 18th floor of the south tower about three months before the towers fell. I've always wondered what happened to those lovely men and women. The ironic thing was that this company had just found a stolen piece of artwork that was stolen from the Jews during the Holocaust. They had recently recovered it. I photographed this painting and the people responsible for finding it. I don't know if the people or the painting made it out of the towers on Sept. 11th.
Hhhmmm....so, you see. My favorite maple tree holds many memories of Sept. 11th for me. But it is a very therapeutic thing for me to sit under the tree when I feel sad about that day. The tree reminds me that life goes on. The cycle of nature has not changed because of Sept. 11. Therefore, we can't get caught up in the sadness that might arise from thinking of that day...I go to the tree to experience the pain of the memories, and then I let it go. I let the ripple of the leaves and wind wash the depression out of my head, and I hold fast to the idea that if I am strongly rooted to the earth, like the maple tree, I will survive in my strength. And I'm also reminded by the beauty of the leaves that my strength need not be hardened, it can also be beautiful.
Its a beautiful tree
I do miss the autumn,
I also miss the honey suckles, so I have planted honeysuckles around my yard here. The northwest corner of new jersey is a beautiful place.
Sending peace for your upcoming surgery. Touch upon the moment, a breeze as a charm to remind that your life is always free, light dappled and filtered by leaves as a chapel of nature and a hymn of your own grace with that scent of autumn as a safe blanket to rest under so soon a hidden spring will rebound for you into explorations of living.
What an honor--to have such beautiful words written in my honor. Thank you.
I do believe that you should (if you haven't already) publish a book of poems/snippets of wisdom.
Your connection to the Truth is so evident in your words.
:)
I love the Kitty Von Kitty photo. Although all of the photos are special. What a cute little model you have there.
Beautiful photographs!
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