2019 April 9 Journal
What is the difference between the one warning of possible terrorism, and the terrorist itself, if the effect is the same?
If nothing else, this is one fo the reasons it’s good to carry a gun. It says, “I’m not afraid of you”, and this is an energy that we need more of.
The Fed Gov’t has issued “potential terrorism” warnings for Burning Man as they apply for their next 10 year use permit. They may have just killed Burning Man. The spirit of Burning Man will live on – but the main event… I fear it may never be the same again.
My interview with Rabbi Levinsky was nothing short of poetic and brilliant today. Don’t be fooled by his understated demeanor. That man was dropping deep knowledge.
At one point, he said to me, something to the effect of, “I see who you are. I see what you are doing. You are the sacred clown, or a bodhisatvah.”
I cannot fully explain what that felt like to be SEEN by another like that…
I shared my baptism of fire story with him.
He understood it immediately.
I would love to be his friend, and, to have more people like him in my life. That was a rich conversation. Reminds me so much of this:
One of the major themes of our conversation was the power of the mundane, the routine spiritual practice, in achieving communion with the divine. He’s a musician, so comparisons flowed quickly – in the same way that there is a major difference in the experience and faculty of a musician who practices their scales every day vs one who only practices when they feel like it, and whatever they feel like playing…. So it is with spiritual practices. So it is with the War of Art, as per Steven Pressfield. And thus it is why President McClean told me – if I want to achieve higher highs, it will be “in the church”, in his words. He was doing his best to express a subtle truth – that without a regimented spiritual practice, there are limits to how high one may soar.
I gained a new appreciation for what Beethoven said:
“Don’t only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.”
As I was driving home, I had this thought – that when I’m getting to know someone, in a dating or professional sense… I want to know – what is your practice? What is that thing you do, consistently, whether you want to or not? What is your altar that you place your ego upon and whence do you bow a knee? That’s important to me.
In other news: we are getting kicked out of the studio. Have to be gone by end of the month. Steve is now leaning more into the idea of taking WTF on the road.
What an interesting shifting of the tide….