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Oct 29, 2003

WHERE THE DUCK HAVE I BEEN?

Busy…that’s where I’ve been……violating the code of the Duck Club and its honor-bound pledge to do nothing for as long as possible……and I am here to tell ya that unless one is very, very careful, that precious emptiness that we are always trying to – to what? – achieve (that’s ridiculous….how does one ‘achieve’ emptiness)….What’s another way to say this…..create emptiness? That’s equally preposterous….to create is to manifest….Can one manifest emptiness????? Give that a thought…

Well, the bottom line is that empty space fills in mighty fast unless you are very determined to keep “nothing” as a sacred place in your life. It’s a curious thing, actually. Ever notice that when someone asks you, “What are you doing?” and you say, “Oh, nothing”…..that they often feel obligated to fill in that space for you…”Oh, well, in that case, I’ll come right over….” Or “You feeling okay?” – But just because this Duck was busy does not mean that the ever present observational eye of the Duck was lame…….not at all……I’ve kept my sights on everything from the Governor’s recall election in California….humph…..to Iraq to Washington to Iraq to Washington…..to all the many books pouring out into the book stores questioning the integrity of our President. Which brings up the question, “Is there room in the creed of nothingness to form political opinions?”

This is a question that often meets with odd responses, the most peculiar of which is the manner in which so many people dismiss “the news” as a primetime source of negativity that must at all costs be avoided lest the ever-so-delicate spiritual personality collapse under the weight of world events. I suppose it’s fair to wonder what politics has to do with a Duck’s dedication to nothingness, but actually a true understanding of “nothingness” and the intense fires burning in the collective unconscious form a perfect union.

It doesn’t take much these days to be overwhelmed by the rapidly increasing chaos and madness that is suffocating our global village. This world is changing faster than our minds can comprehend. We wake up every morning to a world that mutated more during our night’s sleep than it used to change in a month…maybe even a year. I have often wondered what the world would look like if we could view the political arena from behind the scenes….through the secret meetings that make the secret decisions that eventually impact all of our lives. I generally conclude this sojourn into the vast domain of global secrets and political maneuvering with the power of faith – actually, not the power of faith, but the consequence of the power of faith. That is, I have little need for proof of faith…but if I did, I wouldn’t need more than the fact that this world is still spinning in spite of the – now what words should I use here?….how’s about “highly skilled, peace loving, obviously wise and discerning…..ah…..”statesmen” that fate has for some unknown reason positioned as leaders. (Those words should carry enough of a double meaning that I don’t need to spell out what I would really say over the dinner table….). Sometimes, I have to admit, I need to remind myself in no uncertain terms that a classroom is no place for a teacher’s political opinions….that people attend seminars because of the topic and should never be fed personal opinions regarding world affairs. This is a classroom creed that has to be honored, and yet, it is also a challenging one since perspectives on world events discussed in a seminar on consciousness and spiritual responsibility seem a natural mix. At the very least I have to admit that for someone like me…..to do and say “nothing” has been an experience akin to a spiritual crisis…no kidding. I have had to reflect on the role of doing and saying “nothing” in the face of a traumatized America as an appropriate spiritual response because for me, saying “nothing” has often felt to be a coward’s response, something that I cannot live with at all. This attitude burns with even more intensity when a person who is well-versed in the obvious social and global dilemmas – such as the endless manufacturing of bogus reports of how well every thing is working out in the Middle East, in spite of evidence to the contrary - says, ‘But what can one person like me do?” Thus, “nothing” becomes the choice of action…..only it’s the powerless version of “nothingness” as opposed to the empowered field of power that can be generated when the alchemy of nothingness is spiritually animated. How can a person who claims to be committed to conscious transformation dare to utter one sentence that admits to helplessness? How? Does that not stand in full opposition to the very spiritual truths of personal responsibility that we hold dear?

Thus, I found it necessary to review the creed of the Duck club in search of the genuine power of “nothingness” as the most profound of responses – how can nothingness be a powerful response? In the midst of my struggle with this crisis, I was blessed with a dream image. In the dream, I saw a field of people holding on to empty bushels. Funnels formed over each of the bushels that originated from the cosmic atmosphere – and through the funnels came energetic debris. The bushels were flooded with heavy, dark, razor sharp energetic debris that became converted into empty, pure, harmless “nothingness” – just like that. The dense stream of deathly potent psychic thought forms were melted into “nothingness”, transformed into fresh, clear, energy through the conscious intent of each individual holding a bushel. The role of the individual was to not respond outwardly, but to act in non-response, to act in “nothingness” in the conscious awareness of how that action is a profoundly empowered act of spiritual alchemy. Absorb that which destroys and render it pure by redirecting that energy into non-action….a fundamental metaphysical law of transmutation….and healing…a law that can be applied to every area of personal, psychic, and physical stress.

And so my darling Ducklings……that’s what the Duck of Zen has to say now that she is back in action. I hope you missed me terribly…..

Xoxoxooxoxox
Duck of Zen

PS – I’m working on my next Salon, “The Fear of Becoming a Healer”, which is the sixth part of a seven article series on, ‘Why We Sabotage our Spiritual Enlightenment”. I hope you’ll find this material an intriguing read.

Checklist of Health Issues and Illness The purpose of the CHII is to allow you a fast and easy way to identify your own personal blocks and to allow you to work on removing these blocks should you care to do so. You will receive an individual profile that shows your score for each chakra as well as for three themes: vitality, relationships, and spirituality. You will be given specific ways to address issues for each chakra.

Personal Nutrition Provider The purpose of the PNP is to allow you a fast and easy way to identify your personal chemistry. You will receive an individual profile that shows you your score for each area and then a food plan with selected foods that support your well being on all levels: physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. We sampled over 500 adults in the United States, both people who are familiar with Susan's work and people who know nothing about it. We will continue to work on researching the PNP based upon the information we receive from this web site. Your individual responses will, of course, be totally confidential and held in strictest confidence as with a counselor or doctor.

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