*image by Ben Harubin

A runaway child will never come home
to collect the reward you've compiled.

And now for tonight's question in celebration of Transcendental History Month:
In a herd of mystics, how can you spot the one who is deeply concerned?
...That's correct, he'll be the one stumbling and falling down, tempting the thundering hooves.
...Of course, as always, being of the mystical persuasion carries with it its own subtle side benefits, in this case being that a man more aware can only be trampled by himself. Ain't it downright neat to have no one to blame but you? And then of course to discover the dreadful truth about what your "you" is? (Sigh. Is there no shame for the alert?)

 

One man said that he used to have the "Buddha Disease," but got over it.
And another asked, "Did you say the 'Boogie Disease'?"
"Naw!" replied the man, "I said the Buddha Disease."
And the other guy scratched his chin, then said, "I don't believe I've ever heard of the Buddha disease -- I've heard of the Boogie Disease."
"All right, dammit!" replied the first man, "I got over the Boogie Disease -- does that satisfy you?"
And the second said, "Oh, I was quite satisfied before you even got here
and started talking to me."
And the first guy suddenly grabbed him in a full hug and cried, "Buddha -- it's you!"

One man said, "You're on my list."
And the other man said, "I don't have a list."
And the first man said, "All right, that's better."

One man grew especially weary of his ordinary state of awareness,
he is beginning to think of himself as a "pack mule for ghosts."

A man asked a mystic, "What do you know about awakening?"
"Nothing now," he replied, "you should've asked me before I awakened."
"Ah, Istanbul -- that most beautiful of imaginary cities!"
...But don't be upset, everything's "real" from a distance.
So, better keep your distance.