Thursday, February 12, 2015

Behold the Wonders...Love Many Things


Quote of the moment:
"Let a smile be your umbrella, you’ll get soaked anyway.”
-Anonymous 

Blog Mission Statement.  Only half-jokingly my ambition in life has been to become the “World’s Greatest Appreciator” of the beauty and wonder around me, to be “the explorer who stayed at home,” who is  fascinated by the “common miracles” that abound everywhere.  Van Gogh, the passionate painter, said: “if you want to know life, love many things.”  I want to be a universal lover, thus a rich man, even if I have little money.  

The next thing for me to do is to share what I have learned from the learned and my own observations, and to completely loose myself in the “wonder of it all” before I run out of quotation marks and breath. Of course it is much more fun to do this with others, hence this blog. Fellow traveler let's marvel together until we merge into the “Great Mystery, until the tiny, tiny ego is gone and there is only, for a lack of a better term: “ God.”  For decades I have collected quotes, “the best stuff” I can find, especially from the mystic poets from every era and culture.  I have made it my business to gather and contemplate the words of the “wise guys” (and women) who have seen further, who make me laugh and wonder. Share your discoveries and observations, walk with me.

My earthly name is Sky, but like you, this is only part of my identity because you are part of my identity. I cannot be separate from the Universe. My separateness is only a case of mistaken identity.  My fears, which result from the illusion of separateness are gradually subsiding.  Peace comes with the merge into the Great Identity as all the sages have done.  Listen to their words for solace and wonder.

So welcome to the Vast Intelligence which is within you; (which is you). This exploration is not so much about the head, as it is listening to ones heart. It is not so much about words or concepts, but about guiding us in the direction of the Divine Source, touching lightly on the teachings of the enlightened ones and reveling in our deepest truth.

As the 12th Century poet Rumi said, "What you want is as close to you as the blood in the big vein in your neck.”  You don’t even need a computer or smartphone to listen.  But these blogs may point you in a direction toward insight, healing, humor, hope and helpful resources for you as you journey more deeply into your Our True Self.. 

Note:  I need an life outside of the computer (and you do too), so please understand that I probably will not respond to many comments to this site no matter how wonderful or critical  those comments are.  Feedback, for me. is nice and necessary but I cannot respond to all who write since I must have time for all the things I love that are not digital.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Welcome, to the International Society for Awe, Wonder, Mystery, Gratitude, Love, and Laughter


“Would you rather listen to me or God?  I thought so. Well, at least I might be able to show you where God lives.”
    -Sky Schultz
Welcome, to the International Society for Awe, Wonder, Mystery, Gratitude, Love, and Laughter, of which I am the founder and CEO.   I am currently the only member, but you can become a member by just wishing and clicking to do so.  (Actually, we have almost double our membership in the last year…my mother, who has always been very supportive of me has joined…or she is considering joining.)

I remember in graduate school in psychology, my fellow students labeled me “the latent mystic” because I could not quite fit into the standard scientific paradigm.  I am afraid I am not latent anymore.  When I am at my best, I see a mysterious unnameable “Spirit” everywhere prevailing everything.  So this blog is for fellow travelers on this journey to find out what this whole show is about.

I have been a student of religious and spiritual traditions since grade school, so I will try to share the most profound, interesting, and sometimes funny things I have found in my seventy year journey into depth psychology ad  the mystical side traditions like Christianity, Buddhism, Sufism, Judaism.  I love to find and share the commonalities in all these traditions…the perennial philosophy.  This is not a hobby for me.  I collect the practical wisdom, which help people make it through life.  I especially love the poets like Whitman, Rumi, Hafiz, Gibran and I will share their gems with you. But I can’t leave out the wags, humorists with trenchant  insights and contrary opinions; my favorite is Mark Twain.

  By the way, I hope you have noticed, that I can’t seem to write about stuff like this without humor.  Religions and philosophies can go way wrong if they don’t have a good mix of humility, humor and humanity, so the path of the holy fool seems to be one I want to hop along on.  I am a student of the comic arts so I will try to turn you on to the most profound and funniest stuff I have found on my meanderings journey and I would like to hear what you are discovering on your journey.  We are all pretty much alike and simultaneously alone and together so your story has got to have points of contact with mine.