Understanding Oneness

The Foreword from “What the Road Passes By” by Dewitt Jones

 " There are times in my life, sometimes with a camera, sometimes without, when the world is so achingly beautiful, when everything holds such meaning, that I am incapable of any expression except tears of joy. The boundaries of my being begin to blur, whatever separates one thing from another begins to dissolve, and in that confluence of light and line and law, lies an experience for which I have no words."

A friend, who happens to be a Zen Buddhist, sent this forward to me. I have found no better description of what oneness and mindfulness are. I do read a fair amount of Zen text to gather a better understanding of oneness and how to apply to my everyday life. I feel the significance of mindfulness leads to a greater understanding of present reality and how to live as a part of it while seeing the wholeness of our individual experiences. I repeat or recall this feeling again and again while working in my photography studio-people, still life's, or even my son. As simple as the steps appear, the complexity of being can be challenging. I waiver between this is simple am I really getting this to frustration repeating the oneness. Yes, I practice again and again. Even when I feel the success, I continue to practice. My goal is to innately tune into myself and permit that blurring of boundaries; I want to feel the limitless possibilities and the peaceful balance. This is an exercise in trusting yourself. 

For today and the ones that follow join me in sitting, walking, or whatever is asked of you, let go and breathe. The stress and demands of you (self-imposed or not) will not disappear, but perhaps the breathing will allow for these things to just be. For it is our attitude and presence that can evolve, not the thing causing our stress. Once we (or I) continue to practice the breathing of mindfulness, no limits will be self-imposed. Possibilities and ideas have room to peculate into actual acts of being. 

                                       Banana Leaf Abstraction from the yard next door....