BARAKA BASHMENT

Or I fight the uncontainable totality of is-ness pre-near and post-far while the maintainer of eruptive Truth-manifest fights to keep me interested.

1.
Recently I found myself (once again) in front of tall and well-stocked book shelves. Directly in front of me was the Buddhist section. This section was divided roughly into “Zen,” “Tibetan,” and a sort of mish-mash of Buddhist flavor. To my left was a section clearly marked “Sufism/Islam”—the “Sufism” being a tag to let people know that it is safe to look in this section. It was strange to not have the “Sufism/Islam” section in front of me. I was aware of its presense, and I’m sure it was aware of mine, and yet I was on a different mission.

I have not looked in the Buddhist section of a bookstore for years. I haven’t picked up my Buddhist books in just as long. Since the turn of intention, where my body/mind began asking people “Which way is East?” I have confined myself to excavating whatever I could dig up in Islamic folio that would keep me around. What can you offer me that something much more less-God-fearing can not? For years I have been challenging it. Prove to me I should engage your God! The universal God of the 124,000 previous Prophets. Show me something that makes so much NONsense that I can’t bare to resist it. Show me that nonsense makes more sense than sense. Where is your Maha Ati? Where is your nonduality? Where is your “not always so”?

There are times when I feel I am wrestling this path into “my path.” There are times when I try my best to squeeze Islam into the container I have spent a lifetime fashioning. “It is gentle but direct.” “The nothing? God IS the no-thing.” There are other times when the container overwhelms me like a dark sea envelopes a lonely ship—when Islam rolls the entire cosmos like a scroll and I, no longer able to catch my breath, go tumbling. There are times when it overwhelms me. There are times when it thoroughly underwhelms me. It can be massive or miniscule—uncontainable diversity or disposable bric-a-brac, marketed for a sell-to-able audience.

2.
My life and its respective paths is marked by the books I possess. I have felt for a long time that Reality speaks to me through the books it places in my hand. In high school I was given a copy of Myth of Freedom by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Little did I know what was going on there until a number of years later I picked it up in a totally different context and was off and running. (ooops divergence)

Most recently I stumbled upon Khaled Abou El Fadl’s newly reedited The Search for Beauty in Islam: The Conference of the Books. Back in that bookstore looking for the maha ati, or ati yoga books on true buddhic formlessness, a rather unimpressive looking book attracted me enough to buy it, much to my disappointment in not finding the radical this-is-going-to-destroy-you book that I had been hoping to find.

Truth is, El Fadl’s book is one of the most touching and inspiring takes on personal-political-scholarly Islam I have ever read. The sentiment is one that I identify with being the pinnacle of the Islamic TRADITION. Inquisitive. Patient. Reflective. Caring. Humble. Aspiring. Crisp. Clean. The cool breeze in the garden Islam. The rooftop sunset Islam. Despite this romance and appreciation I was having for the tradition in all its complexity, the interesting (if not scary) experience I was having while reading the book was one not of pleasure in knowing that this is part of my path, my tradition, but rather an experience of distance. This is someone else’s tradition. I realized that despite my love for this book, I was reading about Muslims and not as a Muslim seeking information that would benefit my path. I started to catch myself thinking, that’s very interesting and beautiful the way Islam’s scholarly tradition has developed. So inspiring to see it’s vastness. Basically, I was on the outside looking in and what shocked me was that it felt good! Almost like a relief. Like finally I wasn’t trying to prove to myself that this can work if only I translate it in such and such a way it’ll make sense I just know it. Which is not to say that I don’t believe that the world in all its ridiculous expanse is not a series of interpretations, cause I do, but that a conversation is always better than a wrestling match (not the pro-wrestling kind of course a la MMK & LS).

Which is to say: I’m not so sure I have the interest in battling the forms, mistranslated or otherwise. A sad day no doubt, but not really . . .

In the relating and (why am I posting) of the ongoing (de/re)construction of my so-called identity:

3 points universe
2 points conventional Islam

Perhaps the Free Order of Intentional Living has something to offer . . .

The Blue Lily of the Nile. “We did a remote study that came up inconclusive. Ten people went out-of-body to experiment with this plant. It’s coordinates were provided and the ten subjects made their way to the plant having first left their bodies behind. Gibberish is all we can tell. Though a personal experience showed me that this plant provides the person, if access is declared open and available, with a direct download of ancient Egyptian texts. Apparently the information has been declared closed and off limits for the time being. The plant itself has declared this to be the case.”

And this was just an evening at our host’s house.

That’s right. The second part of the GREEN HERMETICISM conference at Suluk Academy was this past weekend. And we were there in full force. As was the rain. And yes, it most certainly rained. It is probably still raining up there. It felt like it was actually raining inside my bones. I was freezing. But it teaches a far greater lesson than any book or dare I say TV program. Slugs kiss when you are not looking, and when they notice your presence they go on kissing. Life truly is short on a soggy dirt road. This road lead to a pond and a super-saturated row boat. This pond has a “nude section” at the eastern edge. For GH III both the boat and the eastern edge will be utilized.

And a spider, the totem of AW, our spirit guide and medium between the seen and unseen, drops steadily to her feet upon finishing a “reading” of a friend’s situation with the night-being who pokes his side. We found out he has some unfinished business to take care of. The masculine force will be met. It simply needs to be engaged. Jinn have weight and can pressure. Caught between two worlds, did you die an untimely death? Are you stuck? What can we do to help you let go if that is your desire?

I am told: Humans have no idea how much energetic power they possess. A ghost lingering around your house may pester you. Confront it. It is only a piece of it’s previous existence. You are the entirety. Your intention carries more weight. Be kind but direct. It should yield. But be kind is my advice. This is what I was told.

Consider the world as a teaching. Walking along a path and noticing any number of occurences. A red salamander! A temorary waterfall. It finds its way because of the rain. They negotiate a temporary solution. Spiders are not scary. Apparitions are not inherently disturbing though at first they may be. Magic is in the overcoming of what can not be overcome. A child, AW as a child, meets a being in her closet. Scary at first, but reconciled.

Consider now the images protrayed in films of ghosts and other spirits. The black magic of the represented image infects the brain and solidifies a workable experience. Otherness, a flickering light is evil. Is it? Or can this realm be managed?

Gravity was first called love. Newton the traitor! Green Hermeticism is based on the overcoming of the ego. Techno-science seeks to control the object. The science of love degenerates into the science of utility. The symbol is the living presence of what it symbolizes. Alchemy, spiritual agriculture. The re-enchantment of the landscape. Decartes deanimates the earth with “animals have no souls.” Speed is th death of nature.”I can’t stand guided tours.” But why re-enchant the landscape?

1. Because ugliness and stupidity are offensive.
2. Society is impossible without imagination of nature and culture, the imaginal world.
3. Mere survival

“I’m in favor of superstition.” Sacred space is haunted space. Thomas Paine the Druid. Kropotkin the Mutual Aid advocate. Erasimus Darwin (Darwin’s father) and his concept of “Survival of the Happiest.” Luddism, the destruction of anything deemed hurtful to the community. The Anabaptists. Joseph Boyce and his “social sculptures” planting ten-thousand trees “here and there.” The Qur’an stating that nature is another Qur’an. The town of Pang Yang. The disciples who followed a woman there. Tri-racial isolates. “These are the true Americans!” Euro-Afro-Native. Eugenics. Father Divine. The “eyes of fire.”

Thanks to Tauhid for unknowingly letting me sleep in his bed. If you are reading this: I appreciate you letting me do this without knowing I was doing it. Only one night. And I was alone. Except for the spirit realm of course. Carl and the hows and ways for personal summer retreats.

Rocks, water, moss. Trees, grass, puddles. Road, cabin, keep left. Salat, samad, ahad.

Life is so Muslim it don’t even know it! Salaams!

FIRST.

May Day! May Day! Love is in there air.

May Day! May Day! Today two years in state sanctioned partnership with the wife. 5 years total—renegade style. Five years?! It seems like only yesterday I was saying: You see, I have this thing with this other girl, and she’s cool with it ’cause she’s got another boyfriend, but….

The most beautiful woman on two legs. A 5′ 3″ wily coyote whose shoes are taking over the apartment. A not so hidden opinion of mine: all girls/women should have LOTS of shoes. Much much love to the wife.

SECOND.

Big Ups to Tawhid for slipping me the Lamb’s Bread record. Notice: 1 AM dark dirty road New Lebanon, NY acquisition.

A major acquisition.

Roots rock reggae dub-Islamic acquisition.

If this was in my possession in wax form this would be a big spinner in the set. As for now it’s a pre-party number. I recommend everyone fan of the one-drop to pick this up.

Lots of little records. Much roots/reggae/dub/dancehall on two turns in NY. Come see me. Some consistancy. Some random.

This past weekend I attended the Green Hermeticism conference/workshop lead by Peter Lamborn Wilson, Christopher Bamford, and Kevin Townley, which was hosted by the Suluk Academy under the umbrella of the Sufi Order International (SOI) whose lineage is benchmarked by Indian-Muslim mystic Hazrati Inayat Khan (s). Blessings to all the people I met and hung out with, including PLW, CB, and KT. Honorable mentions going to Mike “Universal Dancer” Muhammad & Patrick “Jungle Jim” Scanlon, Siddiqi “NJ-ex-Goth Reppin’” Heather, Aliyah “Pass the Cream-Puffs” Bookstore, Eduardo “Lamb Cake Skin Something Rasta Supreme” Tauhid, DJ Gil of the Gnostic Christians, Nur (I kept forgetting your name, sorry) Habib, Surah “Mystic-Magazine-Inquisitor” Susan, Khalid “Shuttle Master” Triebe, the girl who did Isha prayers with me who I unfortunately forgot her name, the girl who we did “Exquisite Corpses” with who I also forgot your name, Rent Wars lady, “I commune with plants” woman, first night roommate Bill who I left for secret sleeping quarters, the chefs!, the kid with questions regarding chess and when we’ll be back, and anyone else who I am forgetting names and otherwise. It was a blast and I’ll be back in May.

The title of this piece contains all the information you may need. However, let’s just add to that from memory: New Lebanon. Caanan. The one-dollar bill. The Articles of Confederation, the Iriquois Confederation, and The US Consitution. “I stayed in that abandoned cabin all summer.” Old Shaker Community. “I want to see tanks in the streets!” Hermes trickster, contradiction, designator of beginning and end whose life begins as a pile of stones. Symbols represent themselves and the cryptic language of the alchemist is completely contextual. A snake is only a snake to some. Magic exists in the distance between image and word. There is a friction. “When East meets West, sparks will fly.” —Chogyam Trungpa. Muhammad (s) the Shaman (Thee Shaman). Islam the maintainer of alchemical insights into the non-distance between human and cosmos. The Earth is the religion of the Gods. The human cremates into crystals. Geometric de-composition. Liberation Hermeneutics. The “Universal Dances of Peace” as a means to humiliate oneself and destroy any identification with what one believes is “do-able.” An engagement with the “un-cool.” Real ego work. For some of us, this is their purpose. For others they are Divine. And for others still, it’s merely a hoot.

You must respect the individual. I come to this in the most uncomfortable ways. While “groups” may seem vacant, they are merely structures propped by the Babylon we allow ourselves to maintain. “There are no things only beings.”—Christopher Bamford. One mustn’t judge, only take note of something’s relevance to one’s own life. While I may scoff at the “whole,” it’s necessary to investigate the part. The whole, the existence of which has yet to be proven. Is it a lie?. The parts, the microcosm, is authentic. The representation of this micro as macro is farsical, farsic. The group is the red-herring. Are we leaving the age of the “club” the “organization” the “posse” and entering the world of individual relations? Can we make this the norm? While groups will still exist, the plains will be a composit of dis-unified unification. Multiples interacting and separating. Compost. The world becomes the greatest heap where all transforms into the rich soils serving only to fertilize life—in total support of growth and investigation. The elderly woman who sings so sweetly, how can I lazily identify you with the fallacy of representation. You are not the simulacrum. My apologies.

What are we waiting for? Are we waiting for some group, some club, some band of merry-makers? Are we waiting for a definition? How many friends do we need? Waiting for some group we feel comfortable identifying ourselves with is lost time. It is a black hole where light no longer even tries to enter, for it has been too long since lights’ relatives have emerged from within. If you don’t hear back from me in fifteen minutes…The organization will never come. Not for those who want it most. On emergence—divergence. Versions, representations of their existence will arise and replicate a manner most un-fun. We want fun! An Islam that bases itself on it’s own limited understanding of “group” is a death vessel. We want more and Islam is the provider. Islam, a misunderstood Christian heresy. Islam, where one meal equals two. A joyful contradiction. Islam, the I: Salaam (Willow). Islam, the surrendering of one’s supply for the use of the whole. Islam, the offering of prayer times. Islam, the offering of guides. It comes as no surprise that Islam offers much more than we want to believe. Opening your home to a stranger is almost impossible to perceive. Today, being humble enough to NOT oppress others is considered innovation, bida. And yet, we focus our binoculars lest we loose sight of the anti-human blending into innumerable copies of itself. That cyborgian reptile of mimicry. The corrupted parrot whose internal rot worships the act and actor forgetting the inconceivable uncontainable. Be alert friends. And be aware. The only innovation is the forked tongue. A human is only a human to some.

BEFORE HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE ARAB-ISLAMIC WORLD, 1500–1800
Khaled el-Rouayheb. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Pp. 250. Hardcover.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again: if you believe that homosexuality is the “opposite” of heterosexuality; if you believe that there are TWO sexual preferences: “normal” and “faggot;” if you believe that a person is either entirely “straight” or “gay;” if you believe that “I am not gay,” because you think there is this queer solidified “other” floating distinctly outside your sexual radar; than my good friend you have been duped once again by the forces of Babylon. (more…)