Floating Nonduality: continued

Impermanence in action: In 1976 our son Mike, then age 4, transplanted this tree from a seed pod that had sprouted in our garden, It grew to over 80 feet, spreading its branches over the storage shed and house. Then the trunk developed rot, endangering the buildings and anyone who might be standing under it, and our neighbor’s house too. Ten years ago, the  limbs were cabled but now that threatened not to hold. Yesterday we had it taken down, a sad and hugely expensive undertaking ($6800; quotes varied from $500- no experience, equipment, or insurance, just “sure I can take that down!” – to over $10,000). Here it is, with about half of it removed.

I’ve spent many happy hours under that tree for half a century. It provided shade 45 years ago in an otherwise shadeless yard. The huge (30 x 60)  vegetable garden was there, just behind the shed, and the tree was the place to rest after hours of gardening. For some years there was a big swing hanging from its branches. Other years, there was a small above ground pool nearby, cooling us after the gardening.  In October it was filled with amazing color, and then the site of joyful play in the raked leaves. And now it’s a pile of firewood left to season, a huge stump and 8 yards of mulch.

Is the tree an expression of God / Unconditioned? Is the firewood and mulch? Are the memories? There is that beautiful song that begins: “No coming, no going, no after, no before…”

Continuing from the book: 95.02.09 p.c.
Barbara and Karen

 Karen: When God moves into an expression of Itself, is that always on the relative plane?

Aaron: The expression can only be of the relative plane. That which we call God in its purest sense is beyond all expression of Itself and exists in the ultimate plane. That is all.