When God Made Me, He Made Me To Be His Abode

Last night I watched Jonathan Demme's concert film of Neil Young, "Heart of Gold." Somewhere near the middle of this marvellous movie, Neil sang the song copied out below, which I offer as solace to those whom diligence, time and wisdom have taught to stand exactly where they are and absolutely still to look through God's eyes at this world. God sees Himself in everything; it is the Light from His eyes that makes everything animate and alive. The coin of His realm is attention. We must learn to pay strict, undivided, compassionate attention to this field we share as members of a praise-singing group of psalmists called the Gnostics.

God must cease to be spell-bound Merlin trapped in the tall, sturdy tree of our bodies. We must break that spell with awakening. We must know with every atom and breath of our being that this liberation is meant to happen any time any where and succeeded the moment the first flicker of light addressed the candle wick from which it leapt in joy. That's the job and joy of the Christ within, a job only it can perform, a joy only it can emanate. Christ/Buddha/Bawa is God in time and flesh--our time and our flesh. Only this legacy-Christ within can affirm the unity and peace for which I have long prayed in words borrowed from his love for me.

If I stay as 'I' am, the I-am, then I will continue to be sickened by George Bush and kept en-thralled by the anger that has defined me for years. That 'me' is best described as the anti-Christ because it remains other and thus incoherent. There is higher refuge and coherence within me than anger and I must take it every chance I get until it becomes a gambler's winning streak.

Yesterday, in advance of Condi Rice's arrival to discuss a peace summit with Vichy Palestine, the Israeli government declared Hamas-governed Gaza an "enemy entity" and vowed to shut off water and electricity to the people there. This is the ultimate poisoned fruit of duality, the sanctification of fear and unsublimate fire. As I heard the news, my hand tightened into a fist, my throat constricted. But for the first time, a voice said, "There isn't enough hate inside you to make hate work. You can't travel this road any more. Act like you're the only man left alive and search for others of your kind. Make your mind a settlement of the new world you will discover by ceasing to hate the enemy."

Today the note of things to do left on the bureau reads: Commit to a coherence of kindness and compassion at all costs. Become, as your guru asked you to do, the proof of God. That proof is indestructible. Practice makes perfect and perfect makes practice. Let your life be the constant practice of heaven on earth, the doorway in which the prophets stand and through which they walk, the window sill on which they lean with lustrous eyes in moments of rest.

Here's Neil Young to sing to you awake, just as he did me:

"When God Made Me"

Was he thinkin' about my country
Or the color of my skin?
Was he thinkin' 'bout my religion
And the way I worshipped him?
Did he create just me in his image
Or every living thing?

When God made me
When God made me

Was he planning only for believers
Or for those who just have faith?
Did he envision all the wars
That were fought in his name?
Did he say there was only one way
To be close to him?

When God made me
When God made me

Did he give me the gift of love
To say who I could choose?

When God made me
When God made me

When God made me
When God made me

Did he give me the gift of voice
So some could silence me?
Did he give me the gift of vision
Not knowing what I might see?
Did he give me the gift of compassion
To help my fellow man?

When God made me
When God made me

When God made me
When God made

--Neil Young