within you, without you


i read the news today. oh boy. it sure was disturbing. race riots in windsor. an innocent father stabbed to death by a gang of savage yobs. super-strength skunk that turns youth's into snarling murderous beasts. the continuing wars in iraq and afganistan. the isreali-palestinian dispute. the threatening defensive fanatiscm of islamic leaders. muslim veils. islamic ghetto's. irresponsible and hypotcritical comments from the pope. death at a gay orgy. prince william playing bingo. spurs in the bottom half of the table.

i needed some cheering up when i got to work. so i put on some music. the beatles. i sure do love the hippie culture. compassion and tolerance. it's super cool. whatever happened to that good old weed that got you giggling, then mellowing, then loving, then munching, and finally sleeping? everything seems too intense nowadays. everyone is too self indulgent. people need to take a step back. chill. take stock of what's really important in life: like free love. and good music. and nature - the ocean, the trees, the mountains, the animals, the moon and the stars. and the soul. and the role it plays in the collective happiness of the world. and free love. and free love. and the spurs.

so i reached track 8 of sgt pepper's lonely hearts club band. and the words were so profound that i just had to post them here. it's a harrison song. within you, without you:

we were talking
about the space between us all
and the people
who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
never glimpse the truth
then it's far too late
when they pass away.

we were talking
about the love we all could share
when we find it
to try our best to hold it there
with our love
we could save the world
if they only knew.

try to realise it's all within yourself
no-one else can make you change
and to see you're really only very small,
and life flows on within you and without you.

we were talking
about the love that's gone so cold
and the people
who gain the world and lose their soul
they don't know
they can't see
are you one of them?

when you've seen beyond yourself
then you may find peace of mind is waiting there
and the time will come when you see we're all one,
and life flows on within you and without you.

by the way, for those of you interested in some hard hitting, philosophical debates on love, and the soul, and the meaning of life, check out this blog:

www.ojjo.blogspot.com

it is written by one of my personal bohemian mentors (he introduced me to the concept of reincarnation). be warned, it is heavy stuff.