Steve Taylor's June Newsletter
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Dear
I hope you are all well and have been enjoying the summer (depending on where you are in the world). When I was younger, I had mixed feelings about summer. Particularly when I was depressed my late teens, I disliked the feeling of exposure in the bright light and long evenings. In the winter, I felt comfortable staying in my room and hiding in the
darkness. I'm still quite reclusive, and relish quietness and solitude, but now I love the light and vibrancy of summer. I love the long evenings as a chance to spend time in nature, to go for walks and to play sport with my kids. I love the still blue sky and the rich greenness of nature. I find it all intoxicating! Over the last few years, people have occasionally offered me the chance to take psychedelics, like ayahuasca. But I always think, 'Why should I do that when I can go for a
run in the park or swim in a lake, or by play a game of tennis?' I have nothing against psychedelics though, and did take them several times when I was younger. But as I say in The Leap, they are a window, rather than a path. That is, they can show us a realm of meaning and heightened awareness, but they can't help us to inhabit that place on a permanent basis. I like what Alan Watts said about
psychedelics: "Once you get the message, hang up!"
Extraordinary Awakenings Launch Team
Thanks to everyone who signed up the launch team of my new book! My publisher was pleased with the response, although we’re still about 50 short of the target number of people. Basically, all you need to do is pre-order the book from your normal online bookseller, and send me the order number and
your email address. Then the publisher will send you a pdf of the book in a few weeks, so that you can write an online review in the period before publication. If you’re happy to do that, just respond to this email, or write to me with your order number (and the country you live in) at [email protected].
In the UK, you can order the book here while in the US it's here
New Event with Serge Beddington-Behrens
In March, I held an event with my very wise and humorous friend, Serge Beddington-Behrens. It was a great evening, and we had fantastic feedback, so we’ve decided to hold another event, on July 20th. It’s called an ‘Evening of Awakening.’ We will explore the experience and meaning of spiritual awakening with discussion, meditation and poems. We will also share our own experiences of awakening and
discuss what awakening means for the future of the human race.
For further detail and booking, see here
New Article
I recently heard about the amazing story of a man called Tony Kofi who fell from a building at age 16 and had a ‘life review experience’ in which he saw future events of his life. He saw himself standing and playing a musical instrument, and eventually became a famous jazz musician. This inspired me to investigate the ‘life review experience’ in more detail. You can read the
article here
New Poems
I’ve been inspired to write some new poems over the past couple of weeks. I’ll share two of them here. Let me know if you enjoy them!
Naked Life
Can you accept life in its naked state
with nothing but your experience of now?
Are you happy just to be alive
to occupy your space in the world
to breathe and move and sense and feel
without ambitions or attachments
as if you’ve just been born
and there is nothing beyond what you see now
and you are nothing but your awareness of now?
Are you satisfied with the simple gifts
of air and sky and sunlight
and friendship, love and laughter?
If life in itself is enough
then everything that is added to your life
is an adornment, like fine soft-falling clothes
that enhance a woman’s natural beauty.
Then you can relish success without striving for more
savour pleasures without craving for more
and enjoy excitement without being overwhelmed.
And when they pass away, you won’t feel empty.
You’ll relax and return to naked life
like taking off a shirt or dress
and feeling the sunlight against your skin
knowing that whatever comes or goes
and whatever is added or taken away
you already have enough.
Quality
There’s no need to fill your house with luxury goods
hoping their quality will reflect on you.
There’s no need to wear designer clothes
hoping their quality will seep through your skin.
There’s no need to travel to strange countries
in search of quality you can’t find at home.
There’s no need to ingratiate yourself
to people who seem beautiful or special
hoping their quality will enrich your life.
Quality is not the content of your life
but the content of your mind.
Quality is not your situation
but your state of being.
Quality arises
when your attention is freed from thought
and becomes gently alert to the world
and your surroundings become real and beautiful.
Quality arises
when you uncenter from your ego
and your identity expands beyond separateness
and you sense the essence you share with others
and feel your connection to the world.
Quality arises
when your mind is calm and empty
and your inner space grows deep and wide
and the radiance of spirit
rises to the surface of your consciousness
filling you with natural well-being.
The quality of your life
is the quality of your consciousness.
All best wishes and blessings, Steve
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