"The lion shall lie down with the lamb." Ever heard that? Well, supposedly it came from the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 11, verse 6.
It was an incorrect quote, though. Let the homely tiger make up his own version, based on real life experience. "The tiger shall surrender the bed to the dogs." He woke up at 2:30 A.M. at the edge of the bed, with nowhere to move. Two dogs had crowded him to the terminus point, with only enough room to breathe. One false move, and the floor would stop the tiger's body, but not before the head would take on a bookcase.
The ugly (homely) tiger growled, knowing there would be no chance for going back to sleep. He surrendered the remaining real estate on the king sized bed to his two dogs, and went on to the office to contemplate the dream that graced his moments of Delta sleep.
In the dream, the tiger was trying to get away from the crowds of people. Crowds? No. Maybe two or three people. To a tiger, that is a crowd. The tiger jumped on a bicycle and pushed down a long winding ramp into the bottom level of a parking garage, where he bumped into a fairy, with wings and the works, who was being stalked by a pudgy (or should I say, "portly") elf. Tiger promised to defend the fairy and turned to confront the elf. Then awareness of the edge of the bed brought the tiger to consciousness in the "real" world.
Read The History Of Last Night's Dream by Roger Kamenetz. Roger would advise the homely tiger that his dream was mocking his aversion to interacting with people. And, my gosh, if the tiger can take on an elf on behalf of a frightened fairy, what is the big deal about hanging out with two or three people?
The homely tiger has no clue!
Have you ever read Byron Katie's Loving What Is? The tiger says, "Read it, or I will anoint you with sweet and sour sauce and have you for lunch."
Well, OK, the tiger isn't that hungry, but if you struggle in a tension filled relationship, take a look at it. Byron Katie has developed an effective method for dealing with pain and anger in relationships.
Like the tiger always says, sometimes: no one can make him mad, no one can make him happy, no one can make him sad without his full participation. The tiger controls his own feelings and moods, etc. Well, discounting hormones and instinct, that is. Even then, a well disciplined tiger can overcome even hormones and instinct if he puts his striped mind to it.
It's part of a realization of who one really is, and the responsibility one has for one's own feelings.
Wisdom comes from many directions. The tiger does not subscribe to any religion per se. He takes wisdom where ever it is. Wisdom is not hidden, especially in our times. We choose to ignore it, usually because of some bias or because we stubbornly hold on to error packed traditions and assumptions. There are passages in the Bible and ancient writings from Eastern traditions urging us not to judge our neighbors. They warn that we will be judged as we judge others. Byron Katie says that what we hate in others, we hate in ourselves. So, when we judge others, we are judging ourselves and we need to look at ourselves to solve the problems we have with others.
Take a look at Byron Katie's website: http://www.thework.com. Study the videos, learn the process, and then give it a try. It's all free on her site. It works grrreat for the tiger. The end result of the process brings the tiger to the point that he understands the person whom he has allowed to offend him, and he has compassion for the person because the homely tiger has the same issue.
When you are at peace with yourself, you will be at peace with your neighbor. Then the lion shall lie down with the lamb.
Be Peace. Be Love.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
DeHomely Tigerpaw started as a joke.
Who is this strange caped tiger, anyway?
Actually, DeHomely Tigerpaw started out as a joke in Second Life, a virtual reality medium for a lot of different folks. My wife and step-daughter were very active in one of the islands called “Dreams.” I eventually jumped in to Second Life out of curiosity because my wife and step-daughter had basically forgotten about their first life, and talked only about the events and people of Second Life.
We all came to know and like a fellow by the name of DeNifty Tigerpaw. Over supper one evening, my warped little mind played with the name, DeNifty. Well, “nifty” means “cool, cute, useful, or is a general reference to things that are perceived to be “good,” as in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – the great cowboy flick. I played some more. What if..., what if we formed a Tigerpaw family with variants of “good”, “bad” and “ugly”. Then was born the Tigerpaw family, DeNifty (the good), DeNasty (the bad) and DeHomely (the ugly). My wife decided she would be, DeCoy Tigerpaw. It was a very nice play on words on her part. We liked it and made it part of the Tigerpaw family, as well.
I never planned on using that avatar more than one evening just to pull off the joke, but DeHomely took on a character of its own, much like characters in a fictional novel, and I liked it. My original avatar sits somewhere in the Linden Lab data dungeon, surely contemplating the darkness of abandonment. Yeah, I get him out off and on when there is a need, but … he is just not that fun.
Speaking of reality, Second Life is a wonderful introduction to psychology, philosophy, and theoretical physics that examine multi-verses and alternative dimensions and realities. It maybe defined as a powerful implementation and integration of many technologies, but in the end, Second Life IS another reality. It is the stuff that people who astral-project see on a regular basis. Robert Monroe, the founder of Monroe Institute, would have a much easier time explaining his adventures, had Second Life been around when he was writing his books.
Check out Second Life when you get the chance. Look me up when you get there and I'll find someone to show you around. (I'm a lousy tour guide.)
I did say that DeHomely started out as a joke, didn't I? Perhaps I still am a joke. It's your reality, do with it what you will.
Be Peace. Be Love.
Actually, DeHomely Tigerpaw started out as a joke in Second Life, a virtual reality medium for a lot of different folks. My wife and step-daughter were very active in one of the islands called “Dreams.” I eventually jumped in to Second Life out of curiosity because my wife and step-daughter had basically forgotten about their first life, and talked only about the events and people of Second Life.
We all came to know and like a fellow by the name of DeNifty Tigerpaw. Over supper one evening, my warped little mind played with the name, DeNifty. Well, “nifty” means “cool, cute, useful, or is a general reference to things that are perceived to be “good,” as in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – the great cowboy flick. I played some more. What if..., what if we formed a Tigerpaw family with variants of “good”, “bad” and “ugly”. Then was born the Tigerpaw family, DeNifty (the good), DeNasty (the bad) and DeHomely (the ugly). My wife decided she would be, DeCoy Tigerpaw. It was a very nice play on words on her part. We liked it and made it part of the Tigerpaw family, as well.
I never planned on using that avatar more than one evening just to pull off the joke, but DeHomely took on a character of its own, much like characters in a fictional novel, and I liked it. My original avatar sits somewhere in the Linden Lab data dungeon, surely contemplating the darkness of abandonment. Yeah, I get him out off and on when there is a need, but … he is just not that fun.
Speaking of reality, Second Life is a wonderful introduction to psychology, philosophy, and theoretical physics that examine multi-verses and alternative dimensions and realities. It maybe defined as a powerful implementation and integration of many technologies, but in the end, Second Life IS another reality. It is the stuff that people who astral-project see on a regular basis. Robert Monroe, the founder of Monroe Institute, would have a much easier time explaining his adventures, had Second Life been around when he was writing his books.
Check out Second Life when you get the chance. Look me up when you get there and I'll find someone to show you around. (I'm a lousy tour guide.)
I did say that DeHomely started out as a joke, didn't I? Perhaps I still am a joke. It's your reality, do with it what you will.
Be Peace. Be Love.
The Truth Is Out There
I believe you, Fox. And yes, there is a world conspiracy to hide the truth. It's not just governments that seek to keep Foxes and Tigers ignorant. It is your narrow-minded neighbor; it is your educational system; it is your science organizations; and I am afraid, it is those self-proclaimed bastions of truth who are the most fervent in obstructing the truth.
Are there really extraterrestrial beings, Fox? Heck, I don't know! I suspect there are. But you know what? That is only one question. There are many others that no one can answer. Many have tried. I dare say that most who have tried to answer questions are far wiser and smarter than I can imagine.
Let's get it straight up front, right now. I am a seeker, not a know-er. You have heard of theoretical physicists? (Michio Kaku is my favorite. I can almost understand him.) Well, I'm just theoretical. I theorize anything. I have to. Reality is relative. We experience reality in such different ways that one cannot say with absolute certainty that we share the same reality.
Oh, there are those that try to tell you they have a grasp on reality. They are convinced, and some of them militant about it. But they, too, shall pass. So, it is, I exist in accordance with my understanding of my reality. I am a seeker. I am nothing more. I prowl the jungles of thought - my thought, maybe your thought. I look for morsels that will nourish my truth famished mind. And maybe someday, in a far away time, I might smile and say, "Gosh, I finally know something!" Yes, even tigers want to know truth.
Peace.
Are there really extraterrestrial beings, Fox? Heck, I don't know! I suspect there are. But you know what? That is only one question. There are many others that no one can answer. Many have tried. I dare say that most who have tried to answer questions are far wiser and smarter than I can imagine.
Let's get it straight up front, right now. I am a seeker, not a know-er. You have heard of theoretical physicists? (Michio Kaku is my favorite. I can almost understand him.) Well, I'm just theoretical. I theorize anything. I have to. Reality is relative. We experience reality in such different ways that one cannot say with absolute certainty that we share the same reality.
Oh, there are those that try to tell you they have a grasp on reality. They are convinced, and some of them militant about it. But they, too, shall pass. So, it is, I exist in accordance with my understanding of my reality. I am a seeker. I am nothing more. I prowl the jungles of thought - my thought, maybe your thought. I look for morsels that will nourish my truth famished mind. And maybe someday, in a far away time, I might smile and say, "Gosh, I finally know something!" Yes, even tigers want to know truth.
Peace.
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