Relative Comfort

Of those who find their way,
many pitch a tent at the gate,
content to wait in relative comfort.

They may feel this is a special relativity,
their arrival seen as an accomplishment
to add to their C.V. of “see me.”

Some regard the opening as far too small
as what they carry will not fit through,
let alone admit their “who.”

Even relief, including the fig leaf, must go;
all that one believes or knows,
surrendered at this gateless gate.

As for the how, it cannot be said…
there is no prescription or instruction
to ensure your induction.

The streetlights have just come on.
Hide-and-Seek is over.
You're being called home.

• For more poetic pointers, check out my books “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence” at this link.

No Precedent

It's best to state Truth plainly,
but these words are so ungainly,
and each time that one tries
they find nothing to describe.

If one did find the words,
nouns, adjectives, and verbs,
you'd need to use your mind;
each must be defined.

So let's take a different tack,
for this really is a knack:
to leave the mind alone
and see THIS is always known.

Known prior to any thought,
by very silence taught,
no precedent exists,
for THIS alone subsists.

There is only now, no do,
to reveal what is always True.
Prior to busy mind:
Remaining undefined.

Interested in more nondual pointings? Check out my books “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence” at this link.

As It Is

Held within stillness,
alone, undisturbed...
nothing to add,
at rest, unperturbed.
Left as it is,
existence unfurls.

Struck dumb by silence,
words lose their meaning.
Empty, yet brimming,
energy teeming.
Left as it is,
undiluted light streaming.

Quietly basking
in the suchness of This,
a gentle unmasking
reveals only bliss.
Kissed by this moment...
left as it is.

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Belling the Cat

being caught, lost in thought
in this cat-and-mouse game,
when mind offers fear
I am once again tamed
and escape to the known,
to the comfort of names.

yet one voice is heard,
which is largely unheeded:
“BELL THE CAT,” it intones;
“BELL THE CAT,” is repeated,
as I turn from the thought
feeling lost and defeated.

the voice comes again:
“BELL THE CAT,” it invites...
yet does it not know
the cat scratches and bites?
“BELL THE CAT,” once again…
dare I take up the fight?

and now comes the fear!
“BELL THE CAT,” issues forth
from my own very mind;
as I turn ’round and find
THE CAT looming large,
crouched and ready to charge.

“BELL THE CAT,” in my mind
as I step into the fear
and find peace at the center:
no ‘me’ or ‘cat’ here,
no bell hung to knell,
all is now clear.

the illusory cat,
when kept at a distance,
seemed separate and real
due to resistance.
step into the fear...
see? it has no existence!

• Check out my books “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence” at this link.

• See more about the origins of the phrase “Belling the Cat” at Wikipedia.

“Nothing Whatever” is from the book “The Temple of Silence” and expresses the natural conclusion of inner inquiry… the point at which effort, identity, and seeking dissolve into simple awareness. It describes the falling away of ignorance and the recognition that nothing new is gained or lost, for what is realized has always been present.

Nothing Whatever

the chains that held me have loosed
the bonds that kept me are broken
now this silence is all that is left
to point towards what cannot be spoken

the darkness that hid this has vanished
the weight that crushed me has lifted
now this stillness remains undisturbed
what was already here has been gifted

the ignorance that blinded, dispelled
the knowledge of Self, remembered
the person once believed in as ‘Me’
seen through and completely surrendered

only Awareness remains
nothing to maintain or sustain
nothing whatever is lost
nothing whatever is gained

Check out the books “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence” for more direct pointers.

The following poem makes a concession to one who feels like a “doer” of actions. It begins with suggesting a practical way in which “someone” can help “someone else.”

However this leads to the undoing of the doer and dismantling the dream of separation. Ultimately it’s not a directive to serve but rather an apparent means to dissolve the server.

Find this poem and more in the books “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence”, at this link. Enjoy your absence!

How May I Serve?

The seeker lamented
I don’t understand!
The teacher replied
just hold someone’s hand.

Offer them silence,
offer them space,
offer non-judgement,
move at their pace.

Watch the world keenly
spend time and observe
and whisper this question:
how may I serve?

The answer will come
with another in need,
you become the solution
and plant one more seed.

And in this constant sowing
the world is transformed
by compassionate action
our One heart gently warmed.

Selfless service to Self...
for there are not two here,
you will lose nothing in this
but will soon disappear.

Dear Friend,

You are warmly invited to join the Temple of Silence, an online Zoom group dedicated to exploring the essence of non-duality.

The Temple of Silence Mission Statement: “The Temple of Silence Zoom group offers a decentralized space where friends gather, some seeking to realize their true nature, others resting in its recognition. Discussions focus less on fleeting personal stories and more on the reliable, wholeness of our True nature. Questions are welcomed, and when attention drifts into mental narratives, it is gently redirected to what never comes and goes. In this open space, all are invited to knowingly experience the oneness that underlies all appearances."

The Temple of Silence Zoom Group is not a therapy group, and there is no charge to attend the meetings.

When: Open meetings on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00 AM Eastern Time on ZOOM. There is also a book club that takes place on Thursdays at 8:00pm Eastern Time.

If you wish to obtain the ZOOM ID and PASSCODE, please direct message me using the button below.

Please visit this link for information regarding Walter’s books “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence”.

Experience the authentic Nepali/Indian cuisine at The Northern Himalayan Cafe while immersed in warm resonance of Laxmi’s singing bowls and Walter’s poetry and nondual discussion.

There will be a book signing of Walter’s books, “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence”.

There is no cost for this event beyond any food/drink you order.

Tossing a word salad is fun. During a conversation in The Temple of Silence yesterday, I credit Brad for revisiting the word revelatory, and sparking a discussion which led to this poem.

Revelatory

Awareness is axiomatic,
and perfectly homeostatic.

enigmatic to the mind,
yet in its simplicity, it is primary,

the absolute fact
that allows all relative facts.

its presence, steady, emphatic,
allows all fleeting stories.

itself not a story, but revelatory.
Awareness IS axiomatic.

Axiomatic: self-evident, unquestionable, or taken as a universally accepted truth without needing proof.

Homeostatic: the tendency toward stability and balance.

Revelatory: revealing something previously hidden or not realized, often in a striking or enlightening way.

This is considerably longer than any of my other poems so I invite you to close your eyes and listen. You could also read along with the attached PDF. I’d love to hear your comments. Download a PDF of "Journey to Resignation"

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mind struck deaf and dumb
by the depth of true silence…
no grist for the mill

I sometimes will write one of these little nondual multi-vitamins on a slip of paper and leave it lying on a desk at work. Who knows how this will land ☺️

Exploring the Embodiment of Nonduality

Introduction

I play the role of a long-time police officer, fortunate to include advocacy as part of my approach to serving the community. For the past several years, I have worked as a Mobile Crisis Officer, patrolling in partnership with a mental health nurse. Together, we engage with those facing mental health challenges, addictions, dementia, homelessness, and other complex struggles.

Through the lens of the non-dual understanding, our aim is to meet people exactly where they are—without judgment, without agenda—and ease the suffering of those who are often among the most marginalized in society. This same understanding that informs my work is also what I share here.

Welcome

This space is for exploring nonduality—not as a belief system, philosophy, or practice to master, but as the direct recognition of the ground of all experience. Here you’ll find reflections, poetry, and practical discussions pointing to the peace, clarity, and freedom already present, even in the midst of life’s challenges.

What is Nonduality?

· Not a belief to adopt - it is what you already are

· The recognition that all experiences arise in Awareness

· Radically inclusive: nothing is outside of this

· Even the sense of separation is embraced within Awareness

Why This Matters

Recognizing Awareness as your true nature brings:

· Peace untouched by circumstances

· Freedom from psychological time

· Resilience when faced with life’s challenges

· Clarity in seeing through the mind for what it is - a survival program

· An end to psychological suffering

The Tenets of Nonduality

Attached to this post is a document that outlines “The Tenets of Nonduality” as put together by members of “The Temple of Silence” zoom group. The tenets are listed here but the document provides an expanded explanation of each one. Nonduality points to a fundamental understanding: our essence is Awareness - an open, unchanging presence that underlies all experience. In recognizing this, we uncover a peace and contentment that do not depend on circumstances. These tenets outline a journey of self-discovery, inviting us to shift identification from the transient phenomena of mind and body to stable, ever-present Awareness.
Download "The Tenets of Nonduality" (PDF)

1. The Sole Reality of Awareness

2. The True “I Am”

3. The Ordinary Nature of Awareness

4. Awareness as Unchanging and Stable

5. Impermanence of Phenomena

6. Unconditional Openness of Awareness

7. The Immediacy of Now and Freedom from Psychological Time

8. The Non-Existence of a Separate Self

9. Awareness as the True Experiencer

10. True Happiness as Non-Resistance

11. Recognition of Inherent Bliss

Poetry as a Pointer - “The Journey” by Walter Cecchini from the book “The Temple of Silence”

The Journey

There is no need to pack for this journey of ours,
no toothbrush, no luggage, no planes, trains or cars

Dropping the thought that this journey is far
we have no need to wait to arrive where we are

Our birthname forgotten and roles left behind
we remove all the traces of how we once were defined

Closing our eyes we leave our senses alone
set aside past and future and return to our home

The mind may complain and say that it’s bored
always wanting an outcome, it seeks a reward

Let mind say what it will, allow these protests,
pay no attention, soon it will rest

What remains can’t be measured, no shape, color or size
nothing to hear or to see with the eyes

What cannot be removed cannot be denied,
re‐discovering our Self, in this we abide

Turning back to the world, we take our stand as the light
experience losing its power to alter our sight

***

‘The Journey’ could be seen as a metaphor that describes going from restless and searching to quiet homecoming.

It begins in the familiar way, ‘the human condition’: chasing, striving, collecting moments and milestones as if they could complete us. That restless movement outwards is something nearly everyone knows: the sense that somewhere else, somehow else, is the key to peace.

But then comes a gentle turning around... The recognition dawns that the running/striving itself was the veil, and that what we longed for was never absent. In the simple act of stopping, of letting go into what is here, the imagined distance between “me” and what I seek dissolves.

The seeker, once so central, falls away as darkness disappears when turning on a light switch. What remains is not an achievement but an unveiling - a clarity that was here before the chase began and will remain after all striving fades.

In that space, life is no longer something to grasp at or arrange. It is simply lived - without the burden of becoming, yet rich with the quiet completeness of being.

Summary

Nonduality is not a belief to adopt, a practice to master, or a destination to reach. It is the recognition of what is already true - the simple fact of being, unbound by time, unaffected by circumstance. In this re-cognition (or remembering), life’s challenges still arise, but without the added burden of a separate “me” to carry them.

Here, all views, all experiences, all (apparent) people are included - yet are seen as passing appearances within the unchanging ground. This understanding is not about escape; it is about living fully, openly, and fearlessly, right here where you are.

Thank-you

If you enjoyed this content, please subscribe to receive email when new posts are made. If you enjoyed the poem “The Journey”, please visit books.by/beingwalter to check out my books, “Take Heart, Seeker” and “The Temple of Silence”.

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