EDITOR'S COMMENTS

     In these times of spiritual darkness, there is a great and urgent need to manifest Spirit in our lives. There are many ways of doing this. The particular spiritual focus, however, for this summer issue of The Caldron is Taoist in nature, mixed together, of course, with a fair amount of sixties acid wisdom.
     Wisdom'sCorner presents a good mix of both. In it, are quotes from both Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, two ancient and very wise Chinese holy men. In it, are also quotes from both William Martin on Taoism for parents and Timothy Leary for a psychedelic take on Taoism.
     In my essay, "Spirit in Action," I suggest that we have to let go of our egos so we can surrender space to Spirit. We have to be empty so we can manifest Spirit in our actions and in our everyday lives. We have to do this if we wish to save ourselves and our world. I suggest that we turn off our therapists, our gurus, and our TVs and come together to share ourselves and our stories, sitting perhaps around our kitchen tables and learning always to be open and honest with one another.
     My other essay, "In the Flow," describes the Tao as an indescribable dance of energy. It also tries to show the Tao-imprint, that is, who we become when we let go of our egos and live in the Tao instead. It draws again from Taoists writings and acid wisdom but also includes the relevant findings of modern, quantum-relativistic physics.
     Finally, I have included a short piece that I wrote when Bush Senior invaded Iraq. Unfortunately it is still relevant today.

     Like Bush Senior and his gang, the folks in power today are certainly not Taoists. They are definitely not manifesting Spirit in their actions. They are definitely not following the flow. Instead they are power-tripping control freaks. They are the sort of folks whom we should "walk carefully when we are among," as Tim Leary says (Psychedelic Prayers, Chapter VI-17.)
     The election in November will be an intelligence test for all of us Americans. Will we pass it? Certainly not if we don't vote at all. And especially not if we don't overwhelmingly reject those black magicians in Washington, with their wars and their dark policies of hatred and greed, and vote instead for those folks who are striving for world peace and for a collective consciousness that is both higher and more compassionate.
     When we vote in November, and I hope we all do, we should focus upon the chief issue confronting the human race today - Global Warming. Iraq and the war based upon greed and power over others that is still going on over there is very important. The fact that we Americans are fast losing our civil liberties in the name of false security is very important too. But these and other equally important issues pale in comparison with the very real and imminent threat of Global Warming. If it continues at its present accelerated level, there will be no future at all for the human race here upon Mother Earth.
     For example: An article titled "Greenhouse Gas Warning," reports that "a chief United Nations climate official warned, that despite efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world, the climate-altering pollution has begun to increase at 'an alarmingly rapid' rate." It goes on to say that the scientist, Joke Waller-Hunter, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate, "referred to measurements made by U.S. scientists at the high altitude Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii, which she said were evidence of the rapid increase in atmospheric CO2 (carbon dioxide) concentrations. She said that CO2 levels in March, showed a 3-parts-per-million (ppm) annual increase compared with an average annual growth of 1.8 ppm during the past decade. 'Recent news about a disintegrating Arctic ice cap and the increased frequency of extreme weather events . . . have added to the sense of urgency' about climate change, she warned." (Daily Camera, "Earthweek," p. 10A.)

     Global Warming has become an even greater and much more urgent threat to life on Mother Earth since I first wrote about it several years ago. (See "Earth Watch" in The Caldron Archives, winter, 2002.) Read it again, and you certainly won't vote for a man and his cronies who favor making money and gaining power over others rather than preserving and maintaining the viability of our Spaceship Earth.
     Also, while you're wandering around the Archives, check out the piece I wrote, called "Today's Quest for the Holy Grail." It's in the fall, 2002 issue. It is certainly relevant to how we today - like those Arthurian Knights of old who turned from war and killing and sought the Holy Grail instead - how we too can turn from today's wars and killing and manifest Spirit in our own lives as well.

     We are again blessed with our contributors. Aspen Marks is sharing her wisdom again in "Seeds from Plot 509." This time, she shows us how gardening helps center her in the Tao - and especially how, over the years, it has taught her patience and trust in seed.
     Partha Majumder has written another wonderful story for us, called "The Gatekeeper of the Heaven." In it, he shows us how two old soul friends, one a Hindu and one a Muslim, finally realize that their time-tested friendship is more important to them than all the beliefs and rituals of their two separate religions. When it comes down to it, their friendship is worth more to them than either of them becoming the Gatekeeper of the Heaven.
     Ken Wisman is the author of more than seventy short stories. He shares himself and his interesting ideas here, both in the excerpt from his book, Eden, as well as in a conversation with Judy Bednarz. If you find his ideas stimulating, his book Eden is available at amazon.com and at barnesnoble.com.
     Samuel Beast is also back with us, this time with an amazing and inspiring story about meditation, called "Sea of Breath." It is one of the stories in his book, Now and Again. He would like to offer anyone who reads The Caldron a five-dollar discount on his wonderful book. This can be obtained by emailing him at beast@samuelbeast.com. As you will see from reading his story, it will be well worth it.

     We have long considered making The Caldron a bimonthly e-zine. However, we have decided instead to be more fluid. As of the fall of 2004, we will welcome submissions at any time. If they fit with the theme of the issue that is already out, we will add them to that issue at midpoint in the quarter. For example, if you have a piece that you wish to submit after the deadline for fall submissions - September 1, 2004 - but before the winter issue, please send it in anyway and we will add it to the fall issue, probably sometime in early November. This goes for each and every quarterly issue.
     In addition, beginning again in the fall, we will institute a new place in The Caldron, called "Be Here Now," where we can share information, comments, and insights that are relevant to the current world situation. These will be posted as they come in. Feel free to submit these at any time, beginning in the fall of 2004. Also, please limit each submission to less that two hundred words.

Eugene Marks, Editor