Death Manifesto from Eureka Valley

I found a long piece of wood in the desert during my time with the school of lost borders (which if you get a chance do go be with them... holy hanuman GO).  I wrote this on April 22 with a ball point pen on that long piece of wood of which I hand carved a spear with my knife.  There is a certain sharpness that I own.  I have added a couple of sentences... since one thing time does offer is a bringing us closer to our own death in all of the forms that takes.    I offer it to you to take as you like from the vastness of the Eureka Valley of California from the great big quiet in the spaces in between breaths where Max and his marble players praise all of us, all of it, all of this as holy.

death manifesto from two valleys north of death

Dear Friends, Lovers, Lovers of Friends, Lovers of Life’s Mysteries and Warriors of the Heart. Please do get comfortable. I know. I devoted my entire life to teaching how to be present, steady and open in the radically uncomfortable but the desert taught me how to take a seat in the shade. Life will bring plenty of heat, plenty of windstorms. When they do come please do offer the gift of asking for help. It will change your life for the better.

Love is not about getting what you want. Love is not about getting what you want.  Love is not about getting what you want. And yet love with your entire being. Love radically and way too much. But whatever you do please do not try and capture it. 

Remember God, Your Beloved, or Your Big Bird.  or whatever it is that brings you into deeper relationship with your heart's longing. 

Cut in line and then buy everyone behind you a cup of coffee. Your beauty is your broken so please accessorize your scars by sharing your story.   Donate your breast milk even if your babies die. And when someone tells you that you have capitalized on your baby dying, give them a hug. They need it. 

 Love your work in a way that you would do it even if you were not getting paid for it. Eliminate the word “should” from your vocabulary. Get to know the invisible plane that is always conspiring to totally support you.  Coincidence awareness is learning God's language, so pay attention. 

 Be shameless, unapologetic,  unstoppable and totally vulnerable. When the waves look scary, paddle out. When mother ocean tells you it is too big out there, catch the next wave in. And yes, go heal a broken relationship and then release it. 

Use big words incorrectly. Make up your own punctuation. Take off your underpants. Write your advance directive. Drink sunshine.  Please just tell the truth. Hoarding it, concealing it or skirting it is both cowardly and time consuming. Truth always works its way out.  Go for a run. One day you will not hate it.  Divorce your grudges and then marry yourself. Invite all of the Bodhisattvas to your wedding including your mother. 

Our stories teach us where we have been, who we are now and all that we are becoming while simultaneously inviting us to outgrow them.  we are only here to grow. Replace the word "intention" with the words "compassionate action", you can intend all you want and still be a bastard. Note to self... sacred wounds are not sacred if they continue to hurt the people you love especially yourself.

 Give life all of you. None of us are making it out of here alive.  Please stay too intense. When your body does go it will have been very well used.  Please tell “hope” to fuck off and send someone flowers and a random thank you card instead. Let devastated, broken open and impossibly happy share the same smile. 

Even in the moments of impossible sadness, please do keep your sense of humor. 

and keep letting love in. there is nothing else.