capybara you fat ol rodent what do you think? what inner demons are you struggling with...?

You've invoked my name Mick and so I appear. Ringing phones, ringing phones, is there no end to it? So I'm reminded of the story of the old Buddhist master, who upon having his temple raided by an infamous warlord and his horde, is finally after much bloodshed confronted by the General himself. Sitting peacefully he watches the General approach him, sword drawn, and yet the frail old master does not move. Astounded by this behavior the infamous warlord shouts "Old man, why don't you tremble? Don't you know who I am? I could behead you in an instant with my sword and it would mean nothing to me." 

Smiling the old master replies calmly  "Don't you know who I am? You could behead me in an instant with your sword and it would mean nothing to me." 

So it goes Mick. It is the inner demon we are damned to struggle with Mick, as you have stated, as those about us inflict theirs on the world. Nothingness. That's the heart of it isn't it Mick? Isn't that what we fear above all else? Birth and death are just doorways and we struggle with crossing their thresholds. Are we each assigned our own Bluebeard in life? That threatening entity that issues a warning about peeking behind the door and leaves us filled with fear and curiosity each time we approach it. I think the Buddha understood non-zero-sumness. Hmm...the Buddha and game theory. What a topic!

Let's move into the Judeo-Christian realm for a moment. I have a love of prophets of all kinds...

Jesus said:

"Let him who seeks not cease in his seeking until he finds; and when he finds, he will be troubled, and if he is troubled, he will marvel, and will be a king over the All."

I suppose that you could find in the musings above some strange contrast between east and west. I say OHM and go to a place of NOTHINGNESS. When I return I seek and become troubled and then, yes, I do marvel. I'm going to try the soap.

                                                          Doc