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#3195 - Thursday, June 12, 2008 - Editor: Jerry Katz
Nonduality Highlights - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights
Excerpts from Wasteland Words, by Nicholas Czernin. From Non-Duality Books, this is a newly published hard cover book with a dust jacket. Beautifully designed and printed.
Wasteland Words
The Heart of Wonder
Nicholas Czernin
http://www.non-dualitybooks.com/Wasteland%20Words_Czernin.htm
168pp, Price: £10
($19.95)
ISBN: 978-0-9558290-1-7
Hardback with dust jacket.
*Available (from Friday the 30th May) in limited numbers only from this website and from Watkins Books, Charing Cross Road, London. Pre-order at the bottom of this page and on the purchase page*
Wasteland Words by Nicholas Czernin is a beautiful collection of poetry and verse written from the vastness. Outpourings of awe and wonder with an often zen-like twist.
Tony Parsons, author of The Open Secret, All There Is and Nothing Being Everything, writes
“Sometimes, in music or nature, or for no particular reason, there can be a feeling of something other, something beyond . . . like a deeper, fuller sense that is both fascinating and different.
Poetry often holds that whispered wonder that happens through the words in the way that they sing together and point to something unspoken. I have found this with many kinds of poets, including some of the so-called 'spiritual' poets when they aren't being sanctimonious or prescriptive. There is no chance of that with Nick Czernin's work which is joyfully irreverent whilst also being richly profound.
The clarity of the communication is unwavering, and every poem has its own particular take which can illuminate, sometimes with a gentle chuckle.
I am very happy to recommend such a rich expression of passionate wonder.”
About the author:
Nicholas Czernin lives in Asia where he has been based for
most of his life. An old-hand traveller, he frequently goes to
Africa, India and Nepal, but lives in Thailand. He studied and
made long solitary retreats within the Tibetan Buddhist
tradition. He now lives with his family in the centre of Bangkok
where he says "even the apparent distractions and desires in
the country of beautiful women can easily be reduced to
nothingness by simply seeing what is not, but if you want
distractions, there are plenty." He also says "living
surrounded by Vastness, we are already home".
Excerpts
Introduction
At the instant of perceiving, there is nothing – empty virginal space, but almost immediately the mind gets to work and fills in that space with all sorts of ideas about what is perceived, and so the original empty space is constantly filled up with thoughts, discriminations and emotions. Plus anything else the mind can get its hands on to keep control of the originally pure beingness. And so, all through our waking lives the vast, original empty untamed space is suffocated by the ever-busy mind. Suffocated but still quietly brilliant and ever-vast. This, I guess one could call the jewel buried in the mud!
And so imagine the joy when this empty space can just be …
But it’s not freedom from anything because it always was and
is there, but ignored like a wasteland. And suddenly we become
aware of life without the vice-like grip of the mind. And yet
this newly found space or nothingness simply is – it needs
no embellishment and is not accompanied by pride because it is
simply nothing and no mind to make it into something! Still, we
are in continual wonder and awe at this space that does not need
to be filled!! And this, our first glimpse into a world without a
central ‘I’, brings with it an as-yet-untapped source
of continual joy at seeing everything is allright as it is. And
the mind, at this point, has no role to play and so collapses,
disappears. And all this happens by itself as the mind is no
longer watching itself, its progress, its mistakes and its
apparent threats. And suddenly we are no longer a person with a
name, a history and a path to follow. We are no one! Staggering
in its simplicity? Yes, yes, and yes again! And, as we no longer
make nothing into something, it very simply just is …
This book of verses written as if by itself – the whole
period of writing is like a forgotten dream somehow – comes
from that space – the ever-pristine vastness – the
realm of pure beauty and love that has no bounds. And this is
love – liberated love which is the heart of wonder! So
please enjoy these words from the vastness, a wasteland that
nobody wants or even notices, but is truly the raw, open heart,
laid before us ceaselessly and seamlessly, brilliantly and
beautifully, as a gift, the gift of all gifts. And these are her
words….
Because it’s
endless wonder
that the vastness is love
& that the wasteland,
though appearing useless
is endlessly giving birth to
what is & what is not –
this!
This presence is all
encompassing
& total plenitude.
no path to follow, no footsteps to tread,
all is here & no one knows!
Sameness.
eternal gratitude.
Overwhelming love.
silence. grace. infinity. this.
The all-seeing eye opens & closes
for the first time every time.
Nowhere to put your knowledge?
doesn’t that sound bleak
& rather frightening?
you’re left empty, alone,
everywhere is infinity,
suckling at her bosom.
Nothing needs to make sense.
all is devoured
as soon as
it arises!
Empty words
sound beautiful
like the ringing of a bell
dissolving into nothing.
Being attracted to form or sound
is a lovely game to play,
but the fly gets stuck to the flypaper.
One is being led through life
like a dog without choice
do you know this?
But really no dog, no chain
no choice – what to do?
who & where is the doer?
The little stream
running through the fields,
can you see the wind?
leaves fall unattended.
All the greatest volumes of wisdom
fall into silence
at the death of the king.
Wasteland Words
The Heart of Wonder
Nicholas Czernin
http://www.non-dualitybooks.com/Wasteland%20Words_Czernin.htm
168pp, Price:
£10 ($19.95)
ISBN: 978-0-9558290-1-7
Hardback with dust jacket.