Lately I've been trying to ask better Questions. Questioning the reality of my experience is incredibly valuable. But what I notice is that much of the time my Questions are designed to elicit a desired response. This type of Question simply seeks to affirm what I already think I know.

So what makes a good Question?

I think the only Question that really matters is the one that helps get me to the next step. In fact, some teachers advocate taking the time find the One Question that will be used as the prime vehicle of awakening. I've tried to find the "one question" and tried on several of the common ones: Who am I?  What is true? Am I awake?  A question which served me well when I was quitting smoking was What do I really want?  (that one is good for any addictive patterns, not just cigs).  Another that has helped is What the hell is going on?

What these questions have in common is their reductive quality. Continuous work with them, has a tendancy to peel away the layers, seeking the essential center.

Ah, the Essential Center, what we're all seeking, right? Be careful though, as with atomic structure, the microscope reveals that what appears to be solid is really not much at all.

"Stop dividing me off from the rest of you...as long as you feel division within, you will continue to experience it without."


 

I gave it up for Lent;-) 

Seriously, it's a concept that more and more feels inadequate or even a distraction from my purpose. Or more importantly, a fence that limits the freedom I seek.

That it's often not what I think it is...that love is action, not ideas....that it's not hearts & flowers, but changing diapers and wiping a forehead that's clammy from throwing up....that it's accepting people for who they are right now, not who I'd like them to be or who they might one day be...

There are so many artists whose work I love, and who have influenced my life. It would be unfair to start naming names, cuz there's not room to list them all. Generally speaking, my taste is eclectic and non-commercial.

I would say that the music of WYCE, the community radio station where I've been a volunteer dj for 9 years, has had the greatest impact on me. That would be a huge variety of Folk, Blues, Jazz, Rock & Worldbeat. Getting my hands into the stacks of 17,000+ cds every week, creating a 3  hour show and sharing it with the world, has made a great difference in my life. As a simple creative outlet. As emotional processing. As a celebration of life. As a way of learning to express myself clearly and be in the moment. As a tool to understand the power of voices.

I'm grateful for the pleasure and the priviledge of getting to play radio and be that steeped in the music, week after week, and through the years.