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<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Waw... what a treat....thank you Ed!</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Viktoria </div><div><br></div>
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On Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 09:25:58 PM PST, Ed Balldinger via Thespiritexpress <thespiritexpress@lists.mcn.org> wrote:
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<div><div id="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><font size="4">Greetings Dear People ~ </font><div><font size="4"><br></font></div><div><p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I was asked to share this poetic moment that came to
me during meditation prior to Recognition Sutras class on Tuesday this week: </p>
<p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </p>
<p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><i>My egoic self accepted a meditative role as the
blower away of all that wants to stay as awareness sits in
silence watching the blower blow. </i></p>
<p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><i> </i></p>
<p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I also want to share the Rumi poem (translated by Coleman
Barks) that I read before class on Tuesday, called, <i>“Fish, Look.” </i></p>
<p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><br></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><u><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Look,
Fish</span></u></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I
saw the friend clearly, </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">and
I stopped reading books and memorizing poems.
</span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I
quit going to church and fasting </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">to
be a better person. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I
quit worrying about when I should be praying. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I
saw how I was undisciplined and toxic. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">I
saw how lovely and strong. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">No
mercy for the drunk, a full sentence. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Let
the beautiful one come out in fine clothes. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Wind
his hair into God’s rope. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Twist
the braids into a cross for Christians to see. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">His
light is better than the sun’s.</span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">How
could he have gotten so withered and weak? </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Now
he jokes and pounds the table. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">He
was wine under a lid, Joseph at the bottom of the well. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Know
yourself in the light of the true ones, </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">as
the ground sees its face in a garden, </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">as
rock knows its own secret when put next to a ruby, </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">iron
next to polished steel. Come into
existence. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Flies
go round to every pile of dung, </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">and
finally out of that compost comes the Anya bird, </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">the
true man. When a person is born </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">of
this new moment, it does not wear off tomorrow. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Sit
with lovers and be useful. Do not wander
away. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Look,
fish, at the ocean behind you. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Go
back where you came from, sea creature. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">You
hear the sound of water, </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">and
you know where you want to be. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Why
wait? You have gone places that you
regret going </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">for
money and other reasons. Do not do that
again. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Water
says, Live here. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Do
not carry me around in buckets and pans. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">Those
are false duties. Rest and be
quiet. </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;">
</p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> <i>~
Rumi</i></span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><i><br></i></span></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"><i><br></i></span></p><p style="margin:0in;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3">Peace and harmony to all, </font></p><p style="margin:0in;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"><br></font></p><p style="margin:0in;" class="ydp8055ea3byiv3143205096gmail-MsoNoSpacing"><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3">~ Ed Balldinger</font></p><p style="margin:0in;font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial, sans-serif;"> </p></div></div>
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