Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The Obligatory Happy Christmas Blog Post

Tell me what you think about your friends at the top,
Now, who d’ you think besides yourself was the pick of the crop?
Buddha was he where it’s at, is he where you are?
Could Mohammed move a mountain or was that just P.R.?
Judas Iscariot (Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar)

The letter killeth....
2nd Corinthians, 3:6

Is there any word in any language more devalued by misuse as peace? Love would, at the very least, be a close runner-up....might be interesting if somebody did a study of how many people have been killed for peace vs. the number killed for love....then, it’d also probably be pretty depressing...and the number killed for some peculiar combination of both would most likely eclipse the individual totals, anyway....

...so I’m not gonna say anything about either peace or love...or any creative mixes of the two....in fact, I think it might be a good idea to strike both words from the dictionary...along with any and all synonyms...that way, if you want to signify peace, you'll actually have to be peaceful, and, likewise, if you want to signify love, you'll actually have to be loving....

Happy Holidays from Yoga for Cynics....

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is hoping you and yours find a peaceful and loving place to have a Happy Christmas ... even if just for a day. I agree with your sentiments and find the world careening in the opposite direction most of the time.
Weren't the lyrics/music of JCSS inspired for their time!
Wishing you a great 2009.

Anonymous said...

Mohandas Gandhi said it: Be the change you want to see in
the world. Learning how to become love and peace is not something that I will accomplish in this life. It will be a lesson that I will be taking up in my next life for sure because when I'm in the company of others who think that war can be rationalized and justified the warrior princess within me wants to smite them. My second reaction is to be horrified at what I just felt and thought. The only way I can break free of that cycle and experience myself as love and peace is to first embark on a walking meditation and then sit to meditate.

Karin Bartimole said...

By 'not saying anything about peace or love' I think you've ended up saying a fair amount about peace and love! They sure are words that we can way over use, misuse, and dilute - and much devastation has been done in the name of them. I couldn't agree more with your idea (plea?!) that we BE the essence of these words, rather than simply declare them - in our daily living, our exchanges with each other, and to ourselves.
Peace and love... no, sorry -
have a wondrous, celebratory, joyful holiday!!

MYM said...

Ah yes ... well said. It is an oxymoron (is that a word ..sounds like something Bugs Bunny would say) to go to war for the love of something or to find peace.

Anonymous said...

Merry Frakkin xmas drjay, you know i mean it, from the bottom of my broken heart

the walking man said...

Love and peace are words best left unspoken and better lived as desires.

Melissa said...

Glad to have found you recently. Happy Holidays to you as well.

*Tipping hat*

WritingsForLife said...

good points made.
Happy Holidays :-)

AD Miller said...

well, I often feel great peace and love when in your presence--provided we aren't getting into a heated political debate. Hell, even then I at least feel love if not peace, so you must be doing something right! Happy Holidays Dr. Jay. I also was told to send holiday wishes from the author of the Fargo cantos and the cat who stole the key lime cheese.

Lydia said...

Happy Holidays you cynical blessing to truth.

Rhiannon said...

Nevertheless I hope you don't mind if I wish you a Happy Holiday and yes "love and Peace" for all who still believe in it..and even if they don't..I still do and I still believe in it and won't give up..

Blessings,

Rhi

Erik Donald France said...

Happy Holidays, man. I'd break out the Lao Tzu quips, but it's already Christmas morning.

Three cheers . . .

SHUBHAJIT said...

peace and love can't be searched in outside world, it is all about our inside world. Happy Christmas!

Ruby Isabella said...

I love doing upward and downward facing dog too. And anything in between. I reckon you must have been a hound in your previous life.

Humans do have a way of twisting words but you can never lie to a dog. We know.

Brunhilda said...

Beautifully put.