The Dream

IT WAS SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT to wake up from the dream and find myself lying on my bed in a prison dormitory.

If only I could go back to the dream. It was there that I discovered that there was no one but me in all the human bodies that I had always believed to be other people. No matter how I saw anyone, I was just seeing myself that way. No matter how I treated anyone, I was just treating myself that way. No matter how I felt toward anyone, I was just feeling that way about myself.

What if this dream turned out to be true? It would mean that everyone would be another version of myself, another expression of how I could be, another expression of how I actually am. I would be connected to life in all its forms, to every human being no matter how different he or she might appear to be, to every animal, to every plant, to all that is.

In looking further into the dream, I would come to the conclusion that the essence of this Oneness is a Consciousness that shines forth from every pair of eyes, beats from every heart, speaks with every voice and meets Itself wherever it goes.

If we all truly believed that we are One, we would never allow 400 children an hour to die of starvation or 200,000 to be murdered in Darfur. We would not allow ourselves to be impotent in the face of genocide. We would rise up in the first hour that occurred and say, "No, we cannot allow ourselves to do this to ourselves."

In a perfect dream, I envision a world in which we all deeply understand and functionally practice the truth of who we are. Then...

• There would be no wars because we wouldn't fight.
• There would be no hunger because we would feed each other.
• There would be no environmental breakdown because we would love ourselves, each other, and our planet too much to destroy it.
• There would be no prejudice, oppression, or violence of any kind.
• There would be no sorrow.
• There would only be peace.

Silent Spaces

HOW MUTED THE VOICE OF NATURE is on this barren prison yard. Her gentle voice has been shoved back beyond the horizon, beyond the pervasive gray buildings and the razor-wire fence. No soft and gentle rustle of the breeze here. No dancing little streams. No leaves swishing in the wind. And my spirit yearns for it.

When the stars are the only remnants of nature for me to gaze upon, only by being observant can I find the deeper silence. The natural silence of nature always resonates in the quiet spaces within me. It constantly calls to me and creates a hunger within that nothing else will satisfy. It's the beauty of a star filled night. It's the hush of dawn, the quiet peace of a rainbow.

In trying to find silence in my surroundings here, I find that it is not found in doing. Silence is being. I must let go of all activity. I can read about it and write about it. I can honor it in many ways, but until I enter into it, I will never experience its healing presence, nor will I know the transforming difference it can make in my life. This deep inner stillness has no expectations, nor does it make any demands.

Since our minds are often agitated, this silence is not always easy to find. The mind is accustomed to constant activity. We must develop a taste for silence, an appreciation for it. It is here that we begin to understand that we are a part of all that is. It is here that the rhythm of life, the breathing in and out of the cosmos, resonates deeply within us. When we need to reconnect with ourselves and with our Source, it is in the stillness that it happens.

Finding the silence is a choice we must make of ourselves. There are so many things crying out for our attention. At a certain point, we say to the noise that surrounds us, "I am ready. I will stop and be wholly attentive. I will empty myself and wait." Then I will know that I have touched something deep, something even deeper than deep. All because I was still; truly still.

© 2001-09, Tom Brown

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles "Tom" Brown was a successful investor who did very well in real estate, oil, and the stock market. Friends began asking him to invest for them, too. And he did. Things went well, and more people heard about his abilities and wanted to be included in the investment strategies he had devised. All went well until there was a dramatic change in the market. All that went up turned down, and Tom wanted everyone to still have a profit - his big mistake - as he wanted to be well thought of. Tom was accused of defrauding investors. Although it was shown that he had never diverted any money for himself other than a modest commission, through unbelievable mishandling by an incompetent or dishonest attorney, what should have been a one-year sentence became a 17-year sentence. At the time of judgment, Tom was 62 years of age.

The purpose of Tom's blog is not to dwell on the injustice, but rather, to show the incredible unfoldment of consciousness in a man who has taken this sentence and created a workshop of Soul and Spirit out of it. His words are designed to help us see into life and do better with what we've been given. Tom's Beyond the Wall blog is located at www.Beyondthewall.blogs.com.  If you would like to write to Tom, he appreciates correspondence.  He does not have access to a computer but can be reached via Charles "Tom" Brown, #140237, ASPC - Florence - East Unit, P.O. Box 5000, Florence, AZ 85232.