Steve Taylor's July Newsletter |
Dear II hope all is well with you. After weeks of marking and teaching and doing promotion for my book
DisConnected, it's a great feeling to return to writing. A few days ago, I went back to writing my book Timeless. I wrote the first half last year and will hopefully finish the second half of the book over the coming weeks or months. I feel that every book is a living being, with its own self-organising power, and I feel as though I'm just being carried along, allowing it to take form. It's invigorating and fascinating, as I'm never quite sure what will happen. When I’m
writing, I always feel that I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to…I must surely have been a writer of some form in my previous life! Over the years, I’ve taken a few teachings roles and other responsibilities, mainly for financial reasons (I have three kids after all!). I’ve been a strong impulse to simplify my life, as my non-writing roles have been taking up too much space. So I’ve recently let go of one of my teaching roles. I feel that at some point, I’ll give my whole
life to my writing and the talks and events that flow from it, when it’s financially viable. I’ll allow the Tao to guide me in the right direction!
Zak Khan So many people have spoken or written to me about my conversations with Zak Khan, saying that they found the recordings profound and moving. As I mentioned last time, Zak sadly died in April, and the conversation took place two weeks before his passing. This is the
third and final part of our conversation. I still feel very sad at Zak’s passing, but it was a privilege to share such a profound encounter with him. The podcast here Talk at Watkins Bookshop
In 2016, I spoke at the Eckhart Tolle Foundation conference in Huntington Beach in the US. Jack Kornfield was also a speaker, and one lunchtime, I sat down next to him to eat, with Eckhart on the other side.
Recently, I did a talk at Watkins Bookshop in London, and found a small section devoted to my books. Bizarrely, I was sitting between the shelves between Jack Kornfield’s and Eckhart’s books! It must be a synchronicity of some kind…
Dialogue with Serge Beddington-Behrens Over the past couple of years, I’ve had a number of online dialogues with my friend, the psychotherapist and author, Serge Beddington-Behrens, including meditations and questions. Our next dialogue is on Monday July 31st, at 7 pm UK time (or 2 pm EST). The title is
‘The Spiritual Power of Friendship and Intimate Community.’ We’ll be discussing
For further details and booking, see here
Poem As usual, let me end this newsletter with a poem. I haven’t been writing many poems recently, which is partly why I’ve decided to let go of some of my roles, so that there is more space for poems to flow through! The so-called ‘punk poet’ John Cooper Clarke (who I love) one said that there are two things you
need to be a poet “idleness and a pen.” So with a little more idleness, I’m sure more poems will come…This is one I wrote a few weeks ago: The Natural Lottery
Congratulations are in order.
I am delighted to inform you
that you’ve won the natural lottery - not once, but twice.
The first prize was
your birth.
While so many other souls float endlessly
outside the material world
you were chosen for incarnation
to savour the delights of a physical form
to roam for a lifetime through time and space. The second prize was your privilege.
While so many others suffer and struggle
you were sent to a luxury resort
with a lifetime’s supply of food and shelter
to satisfy your body’s basic needs
so that you’re
free to follow your soul’s deep urges. So what will you do with your prizes? Of course, you’re free to fritter your wealth away
on pleasures and possessions
then leave this world of form
alone and disheveled, with a withered soul
like a drunk stumbling home at dawn. But you know, deep down
the real reason why you were sent here
and bestowed with so many gifts:
to spread your
good fortune, to share your wealth
to donate your time and energy
to the cause of kindness and goodness
to use your freedom to help free others
to use your health to help heal others
to harness the powers of your soul
to lighten the world’s weight of suffering. Then you’ll gracefully depart this realm
contented and fulfilled, at one with the world
knowing that you have served your purpose
and your life has been well
spent. All best wishes and blessings, Steve |
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