sacred buffalo breath
Pennsylvania

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Darkling

joined on 06/30/05
last updated 10/07/09
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Grace

I LOVE to prepare food. I believe in karma and kitchen magic, if only in the sense that all your positive energy will shine through the end result. And be appreciated by that special someone you are cooking for :)

But Gary Snyder observes that we have lost our sacred appreciation of the miracle of food. We don't say grace anymore. This is significant, because we have ceased to appreciate the sacrifices necessary for our food, and this disconnect leads to unethical decisions (e.g., supporting factory farms, or abuse of farm workers). His short version of grace involves giving thanks for whatever you're eating, vegetable or animal, because it is "the work of many hands, and the sharing of other forms of life".

Being a beautiful bodhisattva poet type person, Gary also wrote a sensual poetic version (available here: www.amazon.com/gp/product...835-3991828

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Song of the Taste
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Eating the living germs of grasses
Eating the ova of large birds

the fleshy sweetness packed
around the sperm of swaying trees

The muscles of the flanks and thighs of
soft-voiced cows
the bounce in the lamb's leap
the swish in the ox's tail

Eating roots grown swoll
inside the soil

Drawing on life of living
clustered points of light spun
out of space
hidden in the grape.

Eating each other's seed
eating
ah, each other.

Kissing the lover in the mouth of bread:
lip to lip.

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Daily Dilemma

If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy.
If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem.
But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.

- E.B. White

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With That Moon Language

Admit something:
Everyone you see, you say to them, "Love me."
Of course you do not do this out loud, otherwise someone would call the cops.
Still, though, think about this, this great pull in us to connect.
Why not become the one who lives with a full moon in each eye
that is always saying,
with that sweet moon language,
what every other eye in this world is dying to hear?

Hafiz
Trans. Daniel Ladinsky

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My Testimonials

November 24, 2007
Jim/Darkling....My friend in The Green. He is full of light and laughter and kindness and joy, which he passes on to everyone around him as much as he can. I think if I ever met anyone who I thought was The Green Man hiding out in a human body, it would be him. He does indeed fling his soul into the world, and for those of us who are around to catch a piece of it....lucky us.
August 14, 2005
darkling always has a warm & inspirational word to share ... but watch out, he's also flirty, tall and green so don't think he stops with warm words - he has plenty of playfully naughty ones to share too! a great guy to know! :)
August 12, 2005
he makes me *blush*....A great friend to have
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My Friends

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Trouble I started

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Omnia Extares

Re: dolphins in Japan (in 1 Dolphin Protection Coalition) Mireya

You can write to the Japanese Prime Minister at www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/f...mment.html

Will it make a difference? I don't know. To be honest, I don't believe it will make much until the Japanese people start writing. So... read more
discussion post on Tue, February 9, 2010 - 8:27 AM
Re: the ex-wives won't have to live in fear anymore (in Burning Man) I once had an insurance agent who was also a voodoo priestess.
In her office she had a picture of a voodoo doll with the caption,

"Even if the marriage wasn't magic, the divorce can be."
discussion post on Tue, February 9, 2010 - 7:58 AM
Re: Favorite position (in * sex talk *) The one that's always changing. I like to 'play' in bed (or wherever :) Roll around, play wrestle, 'right brain' sex - just doing what you feel, without trying to use logic.
discussion post on Mon, February 8, 2010 - 12:00 PM
Re: Dating Burners (in Burning Man) I could see the same applying in Portland or Seattle, but really I'm only speculating. I have visited but not lived in all three.
discussion post on Mon, February 8, 2010 - 10:27 AM
Re: Places to stay outside of the park (in Yosemite National Park) Are we talking cheap rooms or guerilla camping?

I traveled cross-country last year (visited 8 NPs, including my 1st visit to Yosemite) and slept in my truck (with a canopy). All I needed was an out-of-the-way parking spot! First night in Yose... read more
discussion post on Mon, February 8, 2010 - 10:04 AM
Re: Where Would You Live in SF Bay Area? DO TELL! (in Burning Man) Arcata? does that count? How 'bout Yosemite?

"I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on Earth"
~ Steve McQueen

I visited SF recently, and while the California Institute of Science was cool, I didn't like the city as ... read more
discussion post on Mon, February 8, 2010 - 9:39 AM
Re: Dating Burners (in Burning Man) This whole thread sounds like a Bay-area issue. I have been going to BM since 2000, and in that time I have lived in Olympia WA, Eugene OR, Boulder UT, Key Largo FL... traveled a LOT and probably spent about half my time back country. I run int... read more
discussion post on Mon, February 8, 2010 - 9:29 AM
Re: romance (in * sex talk *) Hmmm... it should begin outdoors - a day hike, a visit to the swimmin' hole, something to get the blood pumping.

Later I'll cook dinner while we listen to good music (I love to throw down in the kitchen).

After dinner and a nice bottle of ... read more
discussion post on Sat, February 6, 2010 - 8:21 PM
Re: 2012 (in Survivalist) Honestly, I think 2012 will be the biggest thing since Y2K.
discussion post on Tue, February 2, 2010 - 3:01 PM
Re: Justto brag a lil (in Survivalist) 19" already - that's one big healthy boy!

Congrats beast.
discussion post on Tue, February 2, 2010 - 2:59 PM
Re: Can 'You' survive? (in Survivalist) Their information on sharks is hardly objective or universal. If sharks are a concern (and in some places they should be), you need to know which sharks are in YOUR area, how and when they feed, etc.

I grew up on the gulf coast, where most of ... read more
discussion post on Mon, February 1, 2010 - 12:13 PM
Re: Favorite Scene? (in Lord Of The Rings) Treebeard reciting poetry for Merry and Pippen in the extended version of Two Towers.
After all, the whole series is just a backdrop for the ents, right?
discussion post on Fri, January 29, 2010 - 3:18 PM
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Love Love Love

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Namastè

I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells,

I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace,

When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.

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We're all in this together.

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SWAMP THING!

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Choices

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The Darkling Thrush

I leant upon a coppice gate
When Frost was spectre-gray,
And Winter's dregs made desolate
The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
Had sought their household fires.

The land's sharp features seemed to be
The Century's corpse outleant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
Seemed fervorless as I.

At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small
In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
Upon the growing gloom.

So little cause for carolings
Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
And I was unaware.

- Thomas Hardy (Dec. 31, 1900)

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Lifeways & Habitat

Gender
Male
about me
Life-Long Learner and Poet Naturalist, Peaceful Activist and Enthusiastic Instigator, Quietly Spiritual in a very organic sort of way. Wilderness Educator, Ranger, Dharma Bum, and Salty Sailor. Bicycle Commuter and Green Party organizer. Working on a Masters in Environmental Studies at Evergreen State College, hoping to become an old college professor if and when I ever retire from wilderness work.
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Discovering Blue Lagoon

Communing with Lake ~ Father Sky and Mother Earth ~ Turquoise skinnydip
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Deep Ecology

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Now I know the secret...

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I don't know...

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Follow Your Bliss!

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Continuing Adventures of Darkling Thrush

From my journal 1/02/2010:

Cards maxed out,
Bank accounts empty,
Unemployment still pending...

Full (almost) tank of gas,
New oil and tires,
Warm blankets & staples,
$18 (almost) in my pocket...

And I *may* be starting a new job tomorrow.

***************

lol - I was living in my truck (which is ok for a wilderness guy like me) and had just driven from Alabama to Washington under the impression that I had a new job, but without an official offer in writing and with everyon... read more
Fri, January 22, 2010 - 1:20 PM permalink - 3 comments
 
Alan Moore wrote a story in which Swamp Thing is called before "the Parliament of Trees". Today I felt as if I had answered this summons, strolling among the towering ancients in Redwood National Park. Can you even find the little darkling thrush among the Redwood Giants above?
Fri, November 6, 2009 - 11:29 PM permalink - 2 comments
 
I've driven the big interstates and many old logging roads and jeep trails. I've driven Route 66. But I think the most scenic highway in the country must be 101 which circles the Olympic Peninsula before heading down the rugged Pacific Coast. Rain forest giants on one side, big rocks and crashing surf on the other... and amazing sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.
Fri, November 6, 2009 - 11:26 PM permalink - 0 comments
 
(from 11/2)

Found Olympic Hot Springs by moonlight last night. Today I toured the "Valley of the Rainforest Giants" - largest trees in the world outside of California! Tonight I'm driving down the Oregon Coast. Tomorrow... Redwoods.
Thu, November 5, 2009 - 9:54 PM permalink - 0 comments
 
It's been a while since I was here, keeping up my blog. Almost a year since I posted anything substantive about my experiences, and since this is, in part, my journal, I would like to start again. What a year it has been.

I left the Forest Service in 2003 to work with kids, and I've been doing outdoor education ever since, mostly with Outward Bound. In November of last year I led perhaps my best course ever in the Everglades, a co-ed course for troubled teens in which we were accused of... read more
Sat, September 5, 2009 - 12:43 PM permalink - 4 comments
 
You must live in your school. Your house and land you live on must be the school. You are always the teacher and the student. You must do everything possible to educate yourself about life, the world, yourself, and most importantly, the connections between everything. You must have many people visit the school, and much solitude and silence to reflect on things. You must start this school now. It must be your life.
- James Neill, 30 June, 2001.
wilderdom.com/research.php
Wed, April 29, 2009 - 11:19 PM permalink - 0 comments
 
Every day is a god, each day is a god, and holiness holds forth in time. I worship each god, I praise each day splintered down, splintered down and wrapped in time like a husk, a husk of many colors spreading, at dawn fast over the mountains split.
I wake in a god. I wake in arms holding my quilt, holding me as best they can inside my quilt.
Someone is kissing me – already. I wake, I cry “Oh,” I rise from the pillow. Why should I open my eyes?
I open my eyes. The god lifts from the water. ... read more
Thu, April 23, 2009 - 3:05 PM permalink - 0 comments
 
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My Man Al

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Smokey the Bear Sutra

 
members » Darkling link to this profile: http://people.tribe.net/darklingthrush