God wild raging river in recession at time of drought
thirsty sprout yearning to breath the sun above the dried clay

God wild, diverse in tongue countless shades of flesh
generous of bounty, blessings come with every morning dew

God wild in cathedrals of granite, basalt
choirs of wildflowers singing mountain meadows
wind and wing spreading seeds of blossom and grace

God captive, God contained
in creamy flesh and blue eyes
white beard as if you would show your age

God captive, God bound
and tethered to a cross
in an ambitiously structured concrete palace
contained and distributed each worthy penitent receiving his taste

God captive, God claimed
by an elite few who control the masses
marching through arched entrances over paved walks
protecting sinners feet from the Wild God given Earth below

God captive, God denied
more than three times have i turned my back
when you were hungry
when you were cold
when you thirsted for my love

God wild, God open
our hearts that we may bare witness
to your infinite and savage nature

God wild, God free
running from the heart of Mother Teresa, of Mary
through their veins and out of their hands
pouring forth love to the thirsty legions
self blinded to find drink in your grace

God love us wildly
despite our ambition
our desire to deny the wonders of your
endless creation by covering the gift of your land
our home, with black top
and shooting forth the projections of our pride
polluting the landscape with our egos

God wildly rake the veils from my mind
that separate me from you
make me natural again
i see the captivity of Babylon
and yearn for the nutrients of your fruit,
of your wild grace,
rather than the spoils of another’s labor

God wild, God of calculated creation
who makes each ant, fungus, and person
with purpose and intention
may i honor your toils by loving each
spider in my basement and each fish and
mosquito larva in your stream

God wild, God balanced
make my breath clean
that i may not dirty my neighbor’s heart with my speech
that my voice will clear the air
and purify the breast milk of all mothers
who pass the product of our greed to your unborn fulfillment

God wild, God of grace
show me the cleanliness of baptism,
myself, in the river Jordan
let me drink again the water
made holy by your Wild Creation

Murphapalooza…”year of the dog”

Saturday afternoon Sarah, Sheba, Tyler, and I headed over to Grapeview, WA to enjoy a night of fun over at the Experience Earth Project. The weather forecast wasn’t the best, but we felt well prepared with our van full of Burning Man supplies that have still yet to be unpacked. After a detour to Bottleworks we headed to the Fauntleroy ferry dock. We arrived just as the Southworth cars were unloading and made our way onto the ferry headed westbound. Sheba seemed to enjoy the ferry ride and we had a nice opportunity to snap a few pictures with a very northwestern background.

We arrived at Murph’s property in Grapeview we found a number of folks huddled around the campfire in the picnic shelter. Then one by one we were greeted by dogs of all shapes and sizes. Off-leash Labs, Chihuahuas, and everything in-between seemed to want to run up and greet us…especially Sheba. Sheba did very well and only growled a few times when cold noses made their ways to places she didn’t approve of. We decided to keep her on-leash and in our laps until the number and their energy levels faded. So we refocused our efforts to where we would sleep that night. The rain had made things a bit muddy and even the All-Wheel-Drive Astro Van wasn’t up for some of the terrain challenges, so we ended up setting up the ground covering and couch from our 2007 Burning Man setup inside of one of Murph’s already setup Costco carport canopy tents.

By the time we finished setting up it was time for dinner. As we gathered around the fire-pit to indulge we noticed the dogs were down to three including Sheba. She seemed to be getting along well enough with the other two dogs that we let her roam around on her 30 foot leash which she seemed to enjoy as she persisted to sniff each square-inch of territory she could reach. This continued until the rain started to pour and she found herself more content to sleep next to the fire. Dinner lead to drinks, drinks lead to entertaining stories and antics, and eventually the night led to a somewhat cold and restless sleep.

The next morning I awoke to the smell of pancakes. Sheba and I reclaimed our spots around the warm fire and were soon joined by Sarah and Tyler. After warming up with food and coffee we decided to take a stroll over to the beach. It was cold, wet, and windy but everyone enjoyed the beautiful views and opportunity to do some beach-combing. Sarah had to be back at work Monday so we packed up, said our goodbyes, and hit the road by mid-day. Overall, it was a great way to spend two days. We connected with some wonderful people and shared some fun experiences.

 

Notes for Beginning Meditation:

• Don’t get frustrated. Everybody’s mind wanders. If you catch it, that is one of the first signs that you are successfully meditating.
• Count your breath. It is hard to clear your head. Begin by counting your breath, one in, one out, two in, two out. Count to nine and start over again at one.
• Recognize that your breath is an immediate connection to the divine. Feel it in your abdomen and in your chest. Begin by breathing through your nose, and filling your abdomen first.
• Relax your mind. Let go of the idea that your body ends with your skin. Allow yourself to experience your energetic body, both without and within.
• Feel your posture. Bones can carry an immense amount of weight without tiring. Our muscles tire quickly with even minor tasks. Roll your hips gently back and forth and find a spot that allows your skeleton to support you, rather than your muscles.
• Sit comfortably. Lotus, seiza, cross legged, or in a chair. You can find posture, silence, and breath in each position.
• Try meditating with your eyes open and with your eyes closed. With your eyes closed, watch the inner workings of your mind and body. If you have your eyes open, allow your gaze to fall on the candle so that you don’t get distracted, but keep your focus internal.
• If you have a physical itch, or discomfort, try to follow your breath and allow it to pass. If it keeps your attention for a little while, then change your position, or scratch so that you can regain control of your mind.
• Whenever you notice your mind wandering, simply return to your breath.

Check out the book section of the website to download a pdf version of I was Made for the Earth – the Earth was Made for Me.