tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14919919457198398442024-03-12T23:52:18.905-07:00OutlawBuddhist in exileRiffs on Astrology poetry images art baseballDouglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-2157913152948598382011-11-04T00:25:00.000-07:002011-11-04T00:31:12.071-07:00SILK ROADI met you on the silk road<br />So very long ago<br />I met you on the silk road<br />I thought you’d like to know <br />Your scarves kept out the sun<br />And all the dust and sand the winds of Allah could blow<br />Upon the silk road so very long ago<br /><br /><br />I met you on the silk road so very long ago <br />I thought you ought to know <br />When Allah’s word was heard all day <br />But not too loud for jasmine smells <br />Amidst the night we danced and loved and<br />burned the fires<br />far below, way above<br />Upon the silk road<br />Upon foundations deeper than the territory of strife <br /><br /><br />What dusty thoughts blow through the centuries <br />past arid lands in the pictures of your mind’s design<br />The rubble of civilizations crumbled <br />in broken stones <br />weathered rocks<br />in memories retold by bards and minstrels <br />upon the roads we wandered in our way<br /><br /><br />Tangled knots and chords assembled washed dried dyed<br />made smooth to the edge <br />to the touch <br />Designed in ancient ways of mathematics <br />reputed to show the way to God or passion <br />or their obedience to fashion <br />In your bed and boudoir <br />Your office<br />and ceremonial temple of exotic fragrances and tea<br />Not separated from the senses of sight smell and touch of the self you were so much<br />in the marketplace of rugs and such <br /><br /><br />Upon the silk road so very long ago <br />The road we’d come to know<br /><br />Where the masses could not shovel rules of death and love <br />so cold upon the certain grave too soon<br />For spirits so light <br />So flowing in the colors of the life <br /><br />The minstrel came to town a bard of many tongues and many gods whose name is one<br />The science of God <br /><br />The theater of God <br />somewhere in the sand where vast imagination births a mirage that burns beyond the lonely sun<br />Wall-less destinies fall before the senses like jasmine sweeping by <br />The summer moons that glisten silken <br />over trades that gallop on beyond our tombs <br />I met you on the silk road so very long ago<br />The politics of God <br />The insights of God <br />The masks of God in the villages of the peoples of earth<br />the many colored cloths and the superstition of the lost often in the fashion of the winds of thought in the ever changing moving silk road and its mountain tops traveled walked sought<br />never lost <br />in Centuries dark or bought. <br />I met you on the silk road so very long ago<br /><br /><br />Perhaps the watering hole has lost a hundred names through centuries gone in rain and thundering herds<br />carrying swords<br />so their words of god could be heard<br />in ancient caves, tented sand dunes, water enriched oases, agrarian villages, mudded huts, market places of grain and wondrous weavings, dancing girls and knowledge<br />Silk road of not forgotten dreams that were no doubt travelled<br />in sun and rain<br /> <br />DIB14oct 2011Douglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-84701054283463577372011-06-04T03:44:00.000-07:002011-06-04T04:46:18.551-07:00THE FOOL from THE PRISONERS OF NEPTUNE'S BARFor I am the fool<br />Here to serve your lie<br />or a moonbeam down a windy road.<br /><br />For I am the fool tipping my hat under<br />the dance of dismay and delight<br />Death and desire<br />Days into night.<br /><br />For I am the fool<br />Reflecting memories by design<br />Benign or to confine<br />Memories by design<br />from planets or parents.<br /><br />DIB 2011Douglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-39414707720228363342011-03-15T00:48:00.000-07:002011-03-15T00:51:25.252-07:00BASEBALL HAIKU 2011SPRING TRAINING EARTHQUAKES<br />DISTURB<br />TEAM CHEMISTRY.<br /><br /><br />DIBDouglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-3326679880315489802011-02-12T01:20:00.001-08:002011-02-12T01:20:37.433-08:00MEMORIES OF MUNINDRA<br />Gossip,praise ,blame ,truth ,half truth and illusion interweave in discussing lives led<br />or almost led. It is easy to say that it depends on ones perception.If in fact all<br />perceptions had equal weight. When discussing a holy man.a man of the cloth, a noble<br />philosopher,a Buddhist teacher,, guru , evangelical preacher<br />Men of god if you will ,who seem to come under particular scrutiny and judgment on<br />their way to sainthood, heaven or nirvana. Certain areas of gossip disturb me.but I am<br />never sure where the line between gossip and history resides much less truth and<br />fiction<br />Recently I read parts of a book concerning the Buddhist teacher Anagarika<br />Munindra.There were anecdotes biographical stories about etc.before I read more I<br />thought I would throw out into the world my 2 cents without absorbing other reflections<br />that would influence ,sway or color my own innocent takes<br />Perhaps I did not know him as well as many others, after all it was a relatively brief<br />period in the weeks before and after the full moon of Aquarius Leo in January<br />1972 that I spent time with him, iIgnorant and innocent in the ways of meditation<br />I arrived in Bodhgaya with the intention of taking a meditation course with Usn Goenka.<br />It was to be my first meditation course.My motive was less romantic, less spiritually<br />motivated than many I have heard over the years. I simply thought it would be<br />something good to learn if I ever found myself in jail.<br />Fellow travelers encountered on the train from Benares to Gaya directed me to the<br />Ghandi Ashram for lodging the night before the meditation course. A clean bright good<br />sized room without furniture and a floor to throw your blankets or sleeping bag seemed<br />to be the totality of the operation.A small wiry man dressed in Indian whites appeared to<br />be in charge.He spoke little, stayed in the room only momentarily, though stared<br />intensely<br />as he swept his eyes over the room and the people inhabiting. That was my first<br />encounter with Munindra.<br />After what turned out to be a shockingly intense time at the meditation course and<br />the days following<br />I found myself again at the ashram supervised by munindra. I spent my time in the small<br />Market place having chai,walking around socializing, intensely meditating.I would se<br />MUNINDRA in the market place shopping for food bartering walking rapidly observing<br />with keen insight the environment people etc.in the late afternoon evening he would<br />take a rickshaw to the Burmese vihara for the evening meditation and talk by Goenka<br />at the subsequent meditation course taking place.Sometimes. he would yell and wave<br />from the passing rickshaw "go meditate',sometimes he would stop the rickshaw if I were<br />walking alone tell me to get in<br />And we would go to the meditation together alway sitting at the very back of the room.by<br />the entrance way ,at. the entrance way<br />MUNINDRA silent ,cross legged and still.Subjectively I saw him as Goenka's backup<br />A calming ,humble anonymous at times presence in the charismatic world that was<br />Goenka. I felt rightly or wrongly he was looking after me.<br />I did ask him questions from time to time usually when we encountered one another in<br />the town.The responses were considered,concise ,to the point and always surprising.<br />On one occasion I had gone over to the Mahabodhi temple to meditate.there was<br />an upstairs area made of grey stone,open to the sky,that seemed friendly to the act of<br />repose, I found a nice flat seat of stone folding my legs under me, took a breath notating<br />the beauty of the day and my environment .Some 25 or 30 so feet away a group of a<br />half dozen plus Tibetans were gathered together chanting , not an unusual<br />Happening in a place such as Bodhgaya nor an obstructive or annoying one.<br />I simply could not meditate.I could not concentrate.I could observe my breath to the<br />count of one.that was it! It was as if the chanting had temporarily taken over my being.<br />My will, my awareness of the situation seemed to have no bearing.like a dead zone<br />a zone without movement.It wasn't,t a bad feeling or a scary feeling it was however<br />frustrating.After some 20 or 30 minutes I gave up headed out of the temple back into<br />the town .the ashram quite perplexed.As was the usual manner I encountered<br />MUNINDRA scurrying back to his room."What was going on. " I asked him.He looked<br />Into my eyes for a moment and said calmly"They are chanting for money, power,<br />success..things like that..you can learn that if you want." shrugged his shoulders<br />to communicate it's unimportance and a certain lack of respect than continued his<br />scurrying.<br />On another occasion,I told him I had a cold and fever he suggested I take an<br />aspirin.<br />I replied that I wanted to deal with the emotions and causes,His stared deeply it was as<br />if my psyche had expanded as far as it had gone in self awareness and not a drop or<br />millimeter farther.He nodded slightly,retreating back into his composure and continued<br />on his way.the cold and fever were no longer present.<br />Whenever I had a question it did not take long for MUNINDRA to appear<br />In my midst.Though I did not associate my study of astrology with buddhism or<br />Meditation as a matter of course I thought I would inquire of Munidra if he had a<br />perspective on the subject.I expected a negative or dismissive response,instead his<br />eyes lit up with warmth and friendliness."my father was an astrologer,nothing wrong<br />With it if you keep to the spiritual".he replied.<br />I miss him,glad to have known him in this life if not flat out blessed.A subtle yet<br />demonstrative presence.blessings to him wherever he is.<br />Douglas Ira BermanDouglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-39519741819200866072011-01-06T22:21:00.000-08:002011-01-06T22:24:18.269-08:00BASEBALL ASTROLOGER RAPUPBASEBALL ASTROLOGER RAPUP<br /><br />Series winner San Francisco Giants earthquake the gamblers as well as have an earthquake in the pacific x number of miles due west during post season.The Texas Rangers ,former President Bush,s former team gets to the big dance for the first time.Josh Hamilton ,Gemini won AL MVP. Joey Votto ,Virgo won NL MVP, Naftali Perez Taurus ,AL rookie of the year, Buster Posey Aries NL rookie of the year.Felix Hernandez , Aries won the Cy Young in the AL, Roy Halliday ,Taurus in the NL.<br /> On the losing side the Cubs returned more definitively to their continuity <br />of mediocrity,as did the Washington Nationals.The Mariners were so pathetic some people offered the opinion that it contributed to the death of Longtime Mariner broadcaster Dave Neihaus. The Red Sox won the winter bragging rights with the acquisitions of Carl Crawford ,Leo and Adrian Gonzalez Taurus. Cliff Lee ,Virgo gets pr as an humanitarian for not selling his services to the highest bidder. <br /> The host of new managers perhaps reflects the need to make changes promising hope , as a means of selling tickets.Its far less costly to hire a new manager than invest 120 million in a new rightfielder ala Jason Werth Sagittarius.<br />Buck Showwalter Baltimore Gemini. Taurus cusp, <br />John Farrell Leo Toronto,<br />Terry Collins Gemini New York Mets,<br />Freddie Gonzalez Aquarius Atlanta<br />Clint Hurdle Leo Pittsburg,<br />Brad Mills Capricorn Aquarius cusp Houston,<br />Ron Rienneke Leo Milwaukee, <br />Eric Wedge Aquarius Seattle,and <br />Don Mattingly Taurus Los Angeles.<br />Did I forget anyone?<br />DIB <br />1/1/11Douglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-42997151348121220712011-01-04T00:32:00.000-08:002011-01-04T00:35:49.427-08:00HAPPY NEW YEARTHE 2011 NEW MOON FULL MOON CALENDAR IS POSTED ON OUTLAWBUDDHIST.COM<br />HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR.<br /><br />DIBDouglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-28487630029559351032010-11-25T00:10:00.000-08:002010-11-25T00:33:32.724-08:00PICASSO NORTHWESTA breeze, sometimes a strong or chill wind frequently blows down Seattle's first avenue from nature and the hilly landscape of buildings often dancing grey with the sky and the rain.At the corners and crosswalks you can catch a glimpse of the water and distant mountains.Strolling First avenue became a more enriching experience recently since a few hundred or so pieces of art from Picasso's private stash normally housed in paris are temporarily residing at the Seattle art museum on first avenue.The museum <br />Structure is large,fairly new,and from my perspective has a lot of unnecessary high ceilings and wasted spaces.<br /><br /> In the first room their are paintings,sketches, self portraits, portraits, charcoals, photos of early days from 1901 ,1904, then the next room, next era after and so forth. an early abstraction from 1911, a singular blue period , costume design in quouche for ballet , cubist pieces,,a Renoir like painting of and for a society lady, sculptures<br /><br />aplenty in stone ,wood metal, rooms full of paintings of his wives in various entanglements and reflections, more photos,paintings from the 50's,60's, paintings from the last years of his life ,short films being shown of Picasso at work, sequential photos of "Guernnica"as it was being painted. and quotes from Picasso on the walls such as "painting isn,t an aesthetic operation; it is a form of magic designed as mediator between this strange hostile world and us.". <br /><br /> A painting in style and content from 1951 that uniquely caught my intention was<br /><br />Titled "Massacre in Korea".Muted shades,concrete victims and aggressors .It provoked a great deal of thought within myself Though their are many other art pieces by him for which I have an affinity it's a nice basket full of Picasso's to have in the neighborhood.Douglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-60239052984377771102010-09-14T00:39:00.000-07:002010-09-14T01:38:16.295-07:00ASTROLOGY NOTEBOOK MERCURY RETROGRADEI knew a person with Mercury retrograde in their natal chart that would curse those who complained or postponed actions while transiting Mercury was retrograde. As astrology has become more widespread the last years people other than astrologers pay attention and make decisions based on the retrograde actions of Mercury.I believe their is some validity to the sarcastic curse upon those obediently following the prescribed general council and ensuing reactions to Mercury retrograde.Time is not suspended while Mercury is retrograde.People<br />and life in general as well as death do not go on vacation to a land beyond the possibilities of a now.Nor should they.One can waste precious time waiting for the future, presuming a more beneficent future and avoiding the reality of a now.Though no doubt bad for the business of<br />future cast to say the least, astrologers, psychics and scientist are for the most part , just gamblers with a tout sheet betting on the future.Douglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-6165337691520062702010-07-18T21:11:00.000-07:002010-07-19T17:55:21.311-07:00ASTROLOGY NOTEBOOK<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvvtNo_Y6l_SYS-ZSkwtkwtgOkGF_ozsZUkoOh1Jdb6QXEnPKP_-nn01QhGW2SxwGLdfyrhRReqEJvPX9_CxGNdSaHFSrfzA3B2pjZYWMeZqGhwwM5tzli6eOhmZ1E2O16uRzb_qEd8XJ/s1600/sabian+photo.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495467545094540290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvvtNo_Y6l_SYS-ZSkwtkwtgOkGF_ozsZUkoOh1Jdb6QXEnPKP_-nn01QhGW2SxwGLdfyrhRReqEJvPX9_CxGNdSaHFSrfzA3B2pjZYWMeZqGhwwM5tzli6eOhmZ1E2O16uRzb_qEd8XJ/s320/sabian+photo.JPG" /></a> I do not know why astrologers are so enamoured with the Sabian Symbols, but they are. Initially created by the astrologer philosopher Mark Edmund Jones in collaboration with a psychic, later modified and reformulated by the eminent astrologer Dane Rudhyer the symbols give an image and a perspective to each of the individual degrees of the 360 degree circle.Their character</div><br /><div align="left">is highly influenced by the American character or culture. Over the centuries other astrologers and cultures have given words and perspectives on the individual degrees. I find the Sabian Symbols to be insightful at times.This is a 7 inch by 5 inch sketch reflecting upon the degree between 21 and 22 degrees of Gemini.</div><br /><div align="left"> </div><br /><div align="left"> </div>Douglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1491991945719839844.post-61329242792163883212010-07-02T19:01:00.000-07:002010-07-03T20:23:44.184-07:00Garden of Seattle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLL4N2plGJ-MiulUMsjpVnEo3a9z48_16PwzHmgYbkSbAcg9fZ0vv97NJSFHml5RDVIgI2jqlHSWtaAJdAKg7Qfc75W_YNA3Jn5E_Hy2d-OuPl3bVxC4Ucr5zbMnZgVNAAkOzHRt7xSJF/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLL4N2plGJ-MiulUMsjpVnEo3a9z48_16PwzHmgYbkSbAcg9fZ0vv97NJSFHml5RDVIgI2jqlHSWtaAJdAKg7Qfc75W_YNA3Jn5E_Hy2d-OuPl3bVxC4Ucr5zbMnZgVNAAkOzHRt7xSJF/s320/photo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489886246947343602" border="0" /></a>Sunshine to the left, blue sky to the right while good sized white hail streaks downward<br />past the tall pines and the footlong garlic spears. April turns into May, the raindrops<br />keep falling amidst the starting of Seattle's spring baseball.<br />Old timers all of whom worked and danced with the waters and fishing industry in<br />some capacity lament the changing of the waterfront from maritime business to the<br />business of smiling at tourist. They oft lament the freeways that divided up the city and<br />the rollicking life when Seattle was a trading post for Alaska. They tell me it's all gone<br />including the fish that frolicked in the friendly waterways that weave through the<br />everyday life of the northwest.<br />The rains and grey skies have been frequent this spring and so the expressions<br />and complaints of darkness depression (accompanied by the corollary the sunshine will<br />bring great joy) in the conversations and psyche of many, except for an occasional<br />chill at the ballpark. I am not of that ilk , the grey and silver skies are soft on my eyes,<br />the rain washes away the days pollution much faster than a politician's promise, the<br />lush deep greens of the water soaked plant life breathes deeply of the healing power<br />of nature setting a clean rich canvas for the palette of the sun which popped out<br />gloriously in the afternoon as if beckoning me to the baseball park for the contest<br />between the local Mariners and the visiting Twins.<br />Equipped with sushi from the nearby Japanese grocery store,binoculars for the right<br />centerfield seat I enjoyed the first five innings with the sun miraculously shining upon<br />me. The remaining innings I wandered the stadium and bullpen areas experiencing<br />different angles and focuses to view the game and players. In the bottom of the 9th, I<br />found myself behind home plate as Griffey walked to the plate to pinch hit. The crowd<br />roared, tension mounted as the memory of the once dominant superstar seemed to rev<br />up expectations. Alas Griffey standing as majestic as ever in the batters box swung<br />with some grace but grounded into a fielders choice and then immediately was replaced<br />for a pinch runner. The mariners sustained no rally and lost the game. It turned out to be<br />Griffey's last at bat.<br />Announcing his retirement two days later Griffey packed his bags, quietly and quickly<br />fading out of town. I saw his first at bat and first home run for the Billingham Baby<br />Mariners and his last at bat as a Mariner. Quite a memorial day.<br /><br />Baseball Painted by: Douglas Ira Berman<br />Photo by: Juliana Tobon<br /><br /><a href="http://www.outlawbuddhist.com/"></a>Douglas Ira Bermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13561538607697431101noreply@blogger.com1