Header Image
LOOK MA, I'M ENLIGHTENED!

        JULY 1, 2017        

In This Issue
LOOK MA, I'M ENLIGHTENED!
JENNIS NEWS
'WHY IS LIFE' - ONLY $6
Greetings Dear Friends

Sorry to be sending this a day late - I'm currently in bonnie Scotland and yesterday was a travel day. It is truly a breathtaking place where there's always a hint of mystery in the air. I was moved to write a wee blurb about that elusive butterfly, enlightenment. This was inspired by a few things I've been reading lately, which have reinforced my own notions and methods as I dance down the path.

I'm excited that Jennis has a busy summer of fun gigs in store, including a western tour in late July/August. I'll send more info about the tour later. See below for more details about July dates.

If you'd like to access past newsletters containing articles on the Big Shift, the Physics of Mysticism, Magic, the Power of Mantra, Conciousness and other topics, please visit the 'newsletter' page of my website: 

 whyislife.com


Peace and love, Dennis.
  
LOOK MA, I'M ENLIGHTENED!
by Dennis Gaumond 

In the past couple of weeks I have been reading two pieces of writing that, quite coincidentally, have something in common. One is 'Tibetan Peach Pie', an autobiography by one of my favorite authors, Tom Robbins. 'Look Ma, I'm Enlightened' is a chapter in the other piece of writing by Thaddeus Golas, called 'The Lazyman's Guide to Enlightenment'. Both of these writings were given to me by good friends and both have stimulated me to write a few words about what I feel is an effective path to enlightenment for me.
 
I am not the type to take a disciplined approach to the process, involving daily ritual practices, for example. Nor am I the type to impose rules upon myself, not allowing myself to ingest certain foods or substances, or to abstain from certain activities, etc. I have faith that when my body feels that it's time to quit something, it will let me know in no uncertain terms. So far it has let me know that some things - like eating meat and most dairy products, drinking a lot of alcohol, smoking pot or tobacco or behaving like a moron - are not recommended for me. That's not to say that this advice is written in stone - there are times when I may allow myself to indulge under certain circumstances. They are guidelines, not rules. Generally, I have difficulty with rules, whether self-inflicted or otherwise.
 
For me, the process of enlightenment involves getting to know myself - what makes me tick, what pushes my buttons, what are my issues. What aspects of myself keep me from being a more loving person in every circumstance. Trying my best to be mindful of these things on a daily basis, to be sensitive to others, to be in the present, etc. - and to adjust my behavior accordingly - these are effective tools for me. Tom Robbins talks about a Zen concept - wabi-sabi - the art of finding beauty in all things. He also talks about finding humor in all things. I often say to myself, "Dennis, lighten up - life is a sit-com."
 
I don't believe that one needs to suffer in order to heal or that the path needs to be difficult. But if that's what works for you, go for it. I will always be looking for the easy way.
 
For me, a great healing tool is being in touch with my joy. I know that I am heading in the right direction when I am feeling joy. I have learned that giving and receiving love gives me great joy. So does painting and playing music, being in nature, having sex, exercising, doing yoga, repeating mantras and many other things. These kinds of activities make it easier for me to love. If I am not feeling joy, then it is time for an intensified session of self-examination. What am I doing wrong? What attitudes need adjusting? What needs to change?
 
Me and my friend Jeff, who sent me the "Lazy Man' writing, often get into conversations about the nature of reality. We both agree that it is a figment of our collective imagination, like a movie projection, and that we are all cartoon characters in this movie. Someday we will move beyond this projection and realize our true identities. I, for one, am in no hurry for that to happen. I know it is inevitable. I am determined to enjoy the ride, to revel in my physicality while I can. I am happy with my rate of progress and feel no need to accelerate it. When I do feel the need, I will. At this point, I am happy to play the game, with all its ups and downs, all its yins and yangs.
 
I could say a lot more, but instead I invite you to read 'The Lazyman's Guide to Enlightenment' for yourself. I can relate to many of the things being said, even though I believe there are as many paths to enlightenment as there are living beings. What works for you? (Warning - it was written in the sixties, so there are many 'hippyisms' and drug culture references.)
Click here:
GUIDE TO ENLIGHTENMENT 

JENNIS NEWS 

Jennis has a very busy summer scheduled, which includes a western tour later this month and most of August. More details of the tour will be sent out later. Here is a list of our southern Ontario gigs for the month of July.
Fri & Sat, July 7 & 8 - the Waring House, 395 Sandy Hook Rd., PICTON - 6:30 pm  
Thurs, July 13 - the Spill, 414 George St., PETERBOROUGH - 9 pm  
Fri, July 14 - the Wilno Tavern, WILNO - 6:30 pm 
Sat, July 15 - the Arlington Hotel, MAYNOOTH - 8 pm 
Fri, July 21 - the Standeasy, KINGSTON - 8pm 
Sat, July 22 - the Stonewater Pub, GANANOQUE - 8 pm 

 

  
'WHY IS LIFE?' - NOW ONLY $6

My book, Why Is Life?, has been released as an e-book, available for approximately $6 or less, from a list of online bookstores:
Apple i-Books, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony Reader Store, Koby, Copia, Gardners, Baker & Taylor, eBookPie, eSentral, Scribd and PagePusher.
The book can be purchased at any of these outlets, searching with either the title or this ISBN number: 9781483515403
OR, just click on one of these links: 
New to e-books?
Click this link for a wikipedia article about e-books:
If this is the first time you've bought an e-book, you may need to download an app - the most popular ones are from Amazon and are free to download. You can read an e-book on your computer, laptop or an e-book device like a Kindle (Amazon) or an I-Book or I-Pad (Apple). For an article comparing them, click here:

To download a Kindle app for any reading device including Apple products, click here:

ABOUT 'WHY IS LIFE'
To read a variety of reviews of this book, click here and then, once in the website, click 'reviews':