Tuesday, August 22, 2006

The Habits of the Separate Self
By Don Iannone

We are in certain ways.
Habit defines the ways we are,
yet our habits are not who we are.

Look beyond your habits
to find true nature.
Look at what you do
in any particular moment you choose.
It doesn't matter which moment you choose
since all are one and the same.
Look at what you feel and think
in that particular moment.
Again, it doesn't matter which moment you choose.
If you look closely
you'll find them everywhere,
that is your habits--
those programmed ways of being
we imagine ourselves to become.

You lie beyond your habits.
That is the real you,
resting beyond all thought and conditioning,
and resting beyond you--
in the sense of there being a separate you.

You,
as you think you are,
don't exist.
Observe closely.
You will find nothing--
beyond what your mind creates.
Just mere illusions seeking permanence.
All are disappearing footprints in the sand
your mind has created
to give permanence
to the you that simply doesn't exist.

Your mind tells you
these footprints, and even the sand, are evidence
that you exist separately from all else--
as though there is any other.
No you.
No other.
No longer even any habits,
or footprints left to disappear.
How can that which doesn't exist disappear,
let alone leave any trace?

Say goodbye to your separate self
and all of its habits.
Say hello to the shared one
we all are.

27 comments:

serenity said...

Don,
Wonderfully meditative moments in this piece.

"Say goodbye to your separate self and all of its habits. Say hello to the shared one we all are."

Very powerful ending, tying everything together.

Blessings to you this glorious restful Sunday!

CE said...

Yes, the I is just a personal pronoun.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Serenity and Imemine. Nice day here. Now some sun. Blessings.

PS: So much can be said about this poem...but then again, all words would miss the point.

Darius said...

Good poem/meditation, very Buddhist-mindfulness-like.

Also, at a very literal level, as far as we can tell, the uni-verse really is one phenomenon. Even at the most basic physical level, what is can be viewed as a single event.

And to me, what you're getting at is how we can be conscious, at least somewhat, of this state of affairs, in the moment. Our minds can open out onto at least intimations of the way things really are.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Darius...that is exactly what this poem is all about. You get it. This is a total nondual poem that starts with habits and ends with the forgetting of the whole concept of a separate or permanent individual self or soul. You know what I'm pointing to, whether you agree or not. Blessings.

Bob said...

Thank you Don. The poem is sure-footed and so are you.

serenity said...

Don,
I always end up coming back to your poems a second time because there is something that sticks with me throughout the day. Thank you for the inspiration and for being a vessel for that universal energy to flow through you and gift us with the results.

Blessings!

Kai said...

good poem....
dc is ok.
we walked
& it was hot

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Rob, and so are you.

Thanks Kai and glad you walked and hopefully enjoyed DC.

Thanks Serenity and you also are an inspirational blessing. Namaste!

Margie said...

Wondderful poem Don!
And, I thank you so very, very
much for those "words of a loyal
guardian."

You are such a dear person!
I will be just fine!
And, I will keep writing my poetry!
Blessings to you my friend!
-Margie:)

Meadow said...

I like the concept. I would like to attain a level where I'm self-aware and all-aware simultaneously.

Anonymous said...

i enjoy the content of your writings, Don

Dan said...

This is Masterful, Brother Don. Masterful! And definitely the same as the quote on AD. You could hand this in for one of your school papers.

Jim said...

Even in my separate moments, I know the oneness of myself and us all. Great work Don.

rama said...

"Say goodbye to your separate self
and all of its habits.
Say hello to the shared one
we all are." Don, you must know the Beatles song (a big hit, in late 1967), "Hullo Goodbye"! Best, rama

dumbdodi said...

We all are individuals I think and I respect individuality a lot because all these individualities come together we all form a 'Whole', 'The Shared One'

Plus Ultra said...

Post this all over the Middle East and all over the heads and the hearts of the human race...blessings, agape love in the highiest!

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks to all of you for your comments: thanks Plus Ultra, Dumbdodi, Rama, Dan, Jim, Baxter, Renee, and Margie.

This is a tough one for many folks. The idea there is no separate individual self or permanent personality or soul blows many people's mind. It's not easy to grasp. Takes a while to really get there where you see beyond your self (my self). We get glimpses and try to hold onto them. It's more of a feeling that we are all one.

Blessings to your new week.

QUASAR9 said...

hi don, funny but I was talking to someone earlier today about theage of innocence and early childhood.

I asked him if he could remember when he first discovered that others could not 'read or hear' his thoughts. When he tested the waters with the first little white lie or falsehood.

That is where the link is broken, and the cloud thickens with every lie and falsehood we add daily.

Until of course we stop - at least communicating wilfull and deliberate lies and start connecting with truth ...

The risk of course is that we are still open to error, entangled in the illusion, unwittingly.

Sometimes when someone asks me for directions in the street I hesitate to answer or hazard a guess in case I give the wrong address. The subtlety is that when I do err I become aware of it - rather than just added more error to the thick fog of error and lies our minds are inadvertently often walking thru - like walking thru mist (even on a sunny day) or like walking thru a rainstorm even when there are noclouds in the sky.

This is not a present or perpetual feeling - this was a process of removing the scales from my minds eye, and detaching myself from the web of lies that drives society. Money appears to drive society, but it is not money that is the root of all evil, but the lies the deception the betrayal by people.

Those who can rise, in tune with your last paragraph, should then try to retain clarity and abstain from adding to the fog of falsehood

it is peculiar sometimes to find a young lady 'at peace' yet instantly irritated and driven to lie when receiving an unwelcome call from mother or whoever...

alas ce la vie on the journey to clarity, the search for truth, the quest for knowledge, the path to light, the light to peace, the peace to bliss, bliss divine.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Quasar...thank you so much. Can't thank you enough for your insight and openness. It's a journey for all of us. It's great to hear life journeys. Why do I get the sense you are a wonderful storyteller? Nice.

Anonymous said...

Intersting perspective and philosophy!
The connections among us *are* strong.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Sivermoon...thank you. This is almost a prayer or meditation for working things out of our system.

Mike said...

You took the words from my mouth, Don. This is a great contemplation to use to bring your meditation sessions to an end. Beautiful and wise.

anonymous julie said...

Don. Nice.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Julie and Mike. Glad you enjoyed it.

Dan said...

Had to read this one yet one more time. And will yet again.
The unvarnished Truth!

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Dan. That is the best kinda truth that I know of! Love!

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