thawing out...

never in the dark era

has there been a light to shine so bright as the o ne of Shiva

in this light that is so very glorious and filled with great peace

lived a man of stories and false ways

he never let anybody be close to him

for this would mean he was not pure inside he felt

and so he let himself be isolated away from the world that he 

felt was not holy 

he could only be surrounded by his ways and thoughts 

he got up early and went to the market to get food for the day

he came immediately back and stayed alone 

doing his tasks and going about his routine

he did not open up to anything else 

but stayed very concentrated on his world 

he was not a man that was unfriendly, but very uptight 

anyway, one day a man of light shone up at his door

the lonely man opened the door 

though he did not want to, yet felt compelled 

the man of light said, i am a living light ....would you like to 

know more?

the lonely man thought this so very odd and a bit frightening 

for he felt he was living too, but in some ways maybe he wasn't truly

because he felt closed out from something so much of the time...

the man of light said, would you like to know more?

the lonely man said, okay, what do you mean by this strange statement?

the man of light said, i am the living truth and breathe air of freedom

and live within undying peace eternally..

the lonely man said, well what does this haveto do with me?

because we are the same inside spoke the man of light-- only you do not know it because you are 

so shut out from yourself...

the lonely man said, i am unsure what you mean -- and then his thoughts drifted off...

the man of light said, know that you are as i am 

existence, consciousness and bliss and can free your soul to be within this beauty

the lonely man said, i do not know anything about this peace that you speak of...

though i wonder and feel there is something more i have had no experience with 

this at all...

the man of light said - let all that you think you are go completely and set yourself 

in the moment and do not go around saying you are so many things inside and the world 

is this way and that all the time...

just be settled here as you are --- simple

the lonely man said, you have indeed spoke in a way that i feel in my soul deeply dear man

i can feel a depth there that i had not let myself into before...

what am i to do now?

*do less* said the man of light....not try to bring more on yourself...

a mantra that i give will help -- but mostly let go of being a *doer* and having power

or any control at all... 

although you are to make efforts, let go of the outcome and stay present and concentrated on 

the experience at hand...

be here always ...

the lonely man cried out -- i did not know there was a way to *be*... and to let go ...

can i go into the world now and enjoy what is there?

the man of light said, there are no barriers but what you place on yourself...

it is only you that has hemmed yourself in this way....

go and enjoy life as it is ....

the lonely man felt so lifted that he went out that evening and enjoyed greatly the beauty that was about

like a man with new eyes...

he saw colorful flowers and great spreading trees...beautiful rolling hills and heard the birds sing more clearly than ever...

he heard children's laughter and felt the evening breeze on his face as if for the first time...

he enjoyed wonderful tastes from a fine restaurant-- and walked along the ocean whistling a tune

he felt as a man that had been thawed out ... 

and he thought about what the man of light had said -- that it was him that was holding back...

there were no barriers....  

and he laughed at himself and his nonsense...

my life is good, said he...

when he laid down that evening, he was glad he opened the door to the man of light 

and he shut his eyes and slept well indeed...