Once self-realized, you can start to notice the lyric of Pretty Vacant as a direct pointer to non dual awareness.

The first verse is clearly a pointer to no self, no-one replies. Awareness just is, it doesn’t need to be decided, reasoning is too much.

While the second examines the nature of reality.

The universe is expressing itself.

So which former Sex Pistol attained enlightenment?

After reviewing the lyric, you are invited to comment below.

There’s no point in asking
You’ll get no reply
Oh just remember a don’t decide
I got no reason it’s all too much
You’ll always find us
Out to lunch

Oh we’re so pretty
Oh so pretty
We’re vacant
Oh we’re so pretty
Oh so pretty
Vacant

Don’t ask us to attend
‘Cos we’re not all there
Oh don’t pretend ‘cos I don’t care
I don’t believe illusions ‘cos too much is real
So stop your cheap comment
‘Cos we know what we feel

Oh we’re so pretty
Oh so pretty
We’re vacant
Oh we’re so pretty
Oh so pretty
Vacant

Oh we’re so pretty
Oh so pretty
Ah but now
And we don’t care

We’re pretty a-pretty vacant
We don’t care

See you on the other side of the looking glass,

Mark Ty-Wharton

Speaking in metaphors slightly here but I there is a huge void within us that shines like a diamond and is multi-faceted.

You could say “It’s all music” of which there are many different manifestations, yet at the end of the day it’s all sound.

Adyashanti, Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle, Gangaji, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Paul Hedderman, Osho, Tony Parsons and many more?

All these teachers have experienced, yet approached melody by different means.View post

What makes it even harder for the seeker is the lack of consistent terminology across genres.

A bass guitar is a bass guitar is a bass guitar in music, but Satori is not Satori is not Satori.

Buddhism, Hinduism and Zen label positive states by different dreams.

So avoid listening to negation. This is not it, that is not it, the other is not it, because there is only this.

Even Charles Manson is enlightened if you listen to him in a certain way.

See you on the other side of the looking glass,

Mark Ty-Wharton

Privacy, that’s what he called it, a strange name for a house. The reinforced steel gate gave it an ominous feel, like a prison, though strangely it was never locked.

It was once Simon Le Bon’s house, perhaps he had fitted the shutters?

Donna was sitting on the wall outside with a pen and a camera and asked Nick to sign something for a friend while he stopped to pose for a photo with one of the Italians.

Just how many women were there in Italy. Always Italians… And Donna, always Donna. I am sure Duran Duran had other fans but I don’t remember them.

The gate clanged behind us and we were plunged into darkness. With only the mirrors on the banister glinting a reflection of the black light on the stairs, we stumbled along a dark corridor and into the living room.

Privacy, like private, like private shop I mused. Something pornographic? This is more seedy night club than retreat.

I say living room as it was a typical Victorian house with a bay window and a divider between the front and back rooms, though this had long since gone.

This double room was about thirty foot long with a massive DDA mixing desk at one end, a couch which had been there so long it was reputed to have an Indian burial ground underneath it, and racks or stacks or musical equipment arranged in stations. Guitar central, synth corner and Pro Tools.

And it was at Pro Tools that I sat, in front of a Mac Quadra till it inexplicably exploded and then an identically shaped Power PC. This whole system was synchronised to a pair of digital tape machines which whirred like fan heaters under the mixing desk and the trick was to bounce things back and forth in the most efficient way.

Music technology was in its infancy and we were at the bleeding edge. When a computer crashes in creative flow it can be as disastrous as using a balsa wood boat down rapids. Pop stars can explode with the same ferocity, and sometimes do. Never Nick though, always the gentleman with impeccable manners, he would simply settle down to arriving late or writing another list.

It was on one such day that he announced that I was part of the movie he was directing and then handed me a piece of jigsaw telling me it was what I had been looking for.

It wasn’t.

What was fascinating about this surreal conversation was, it would start to shape some of the ideas I formulated about life when I did actually start to look for what was missing. We all have something missing right? And some of us know what it is and some of us don’t. I didn’t, still don’t, don’t care now, but had to look for it all the same.

So here I am recounting the tale and have yet to mention Warren. Privacy was Warren’s house and he had given up his entire living space to a recording studio. Excellent! I would have loved to have done the same, except for having a wife. What an inconvenience, although she was something I thought would fill the void.

At this point Warren walked into the living room waving a large tuna steak on a plate and mumbling something incomprehensible like “What up Mister Tin”, then  plonked himself down on the sofa next to Nick.

And thus the day began, busy busy busy, no time to think about what was missing again.

I put the jigsaw in my pocket for later.

See you on the other side of the looking glass,

Mark Ty-Wharton

I just noticed a cloud of fruit particles in the water I left standing in my juicer overnight.

What was interesting about it is, it looked like the kind of cloud you would get in the sky.

Something about this planet and its design gives rise to such phenomena.

So is it by design? or purely accidental.

Inherent in nature is, the exact criteria needed to provide life in its current form.

Why do crystals form in patterns? in the patterns that they do?

Perhaps a vibration or wobble is caused by the earth being off centre, tilted, or caught between two huge gravitational fields?

And this very vibration shakes things into the familiar patterns we see before us.

A flower, a tree. Why is life life-ing that way?

Whatever it is that does it, it is responsible for the patterns that make up you and I.

We owe it our lives.

Life is us.

See you on the other side of the looking glass,

Mark Ty-Wharton

The sound of one hand clapping

Enlightenment, liberation, spirituality…

Gurus make something simple into something horribly complicated.

Clap hands hard.

Smarting…

A direct experience.

Now have a direct experience of awareness.

It cannot be done.

Awareness and experience correlate but cannot be separate.

You are not awareness.

You are not experience.

See you on the other side of the looking glass,

Mark Ty-Wharton

Hello, your Parallels Desktop/ Workstation Licensing representative is Vijay Kumar R.

Welcome to chat.parallels.com, Vijay Kumar R. will be right with you.

Mark Ty-Wharton

We have just created trouble ticket for you. Ticket number: #1275156.

Vijay Kumar R.

Thank you for contacting Parallels Customer Support.

Vijay Kumar R.

How may I assist you today?

Mark Ty-Wharton

Hi I just spoke with your colleague

I want to upgrade to Parallels 7 from Parallels 3.0

I have been offered the full product version of Fusion by VMWare for $34.99 and I wonder if you can match the price for my upgrade and keep me as a customer?

Vijay Kumar R.

I am sorry to inform you that you will have to buy Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac full version for $79.99 as the upgrade from Parallels 3.0 to V.7.0 is not possible.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Okay, can you give me a promo code to buy the full version of the program for the same price as VMWare are offering Fusion for? $34.99

Vijay Kumar R.

I am sorry to say that it is not possible.

Mark Ty-Wharton

In other words what steps can you take to stop me from buying and using your competitor’s program?

Mark Ty-Wharton

Why is it not possible?

Vijay Kumar R.

However, provide me with 2 minutes while I have a check with ourSupervisors.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Okay, thanks

Vijay Kumar R.

We appreciate your patience.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Okay, thanks

Vijay Kumar R.

May I know where have located?

Mark Ty-Wharton

I am in the UK

Mark Ty-Wharton

London

Vijay Kumar R.

Thank you for the information provided.

Mark Ty-Wharton

I can download the product. I have helped Beta test in the past.

Vijay Kumar R.

I had a word with our supervisors and I am sorry to inform you that you need to purchase if for $79.99.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Wow, that’s unbelievable

Mark Ty-Wharton

You can tell them I am going to buy VMWare then, I won’t be helping you with any more beta tests!

Vijay Kumar R.

They are kept informed about that as well sir.

Mark Ty-Wharton

I already bought your product once and VMWare offer the same or better functionality for half the price – is this how you reward customer loyalty?

Mark Ty-Wharton

In the words of Seth Godin, a company folds one customer at a time!

Vijay Kumar R.

You will have to pay $79.99 for our product just because our product is worth buying and its twice

faster and better than the other products.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Your product is worth buying twice? Is that company policy? To sell things twice!

Vijay Kumar R.

Sorry, I did not mean

in that way. I just gave you an answer to why you should buy our Product for $79.99.

Mark Ty-Wharton

I think you sould read Seth Godin’s blog before we conclude this conversation

Mark Ty-Wharton

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/11/preparing-for-the-breakthroughcalamity.html

Mark Ty-Wharton

Products and services succeed one person at a time, as the word slowly spreads. Customers defect one person at a time, as hearts are broken and people are disappointed. Doors open, sure, but not all at once. One at a time.

Vijay Kumar R.

I do understand your concern sir, but we have to go with the company’norms.

Mark Ty-Wharton

No you don’t

Mark Ty-Wharton

Company norms become stagnant business that loses sight of its customer base

Mark Ty-Wharton

Have you any idea how hard it is to talk to an advisor?

Vijay Kumar R.

Yes sir, I understand.

Mark Ty-Wharton

As a parting note, I write a blog and I will be sure to let my readers know the outcome of this conversation.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Thank you for your time and have a great day.

Vijay Kumar R.

Is there anything else I can assist you with?

Mark Ty-Wharton

No, I am filling the credit card details I was going to give to you into a form on the VMWare website

Mark Ty-Wharton

I get 18 months free support too!

Vijay Kumar R.

I am happy about that sir.

Mark Ty-Wharton

And a FREE copy of McAfee

Mark Ty-Wharton

My blog is http://likebeing.com

Vijay Kumar R.

We do provide Kaspersky anit-virus, Kaspersky internet security alongwith Parallels 7.

Mark Ty-Wharton

I think you are missing the point

Mark Ty-Wharton

I am already a Parallels customer

Mark Ty-Wharton

and I helped beta test Parallels

Mark Ty-Wharton

and you can’t match a competitors price

Mark Ty-Wharton

I only want to upgrade

Vijay Kumar R.

Thank you for using our product sir.

Mark Ty-Wharton

I am not going to use your product any more!

Vijay Kumar R.

We respect you all the time as you were using Parallels product.

Mark Ty-Wharton

And now you don’t?

Mark Ty-Wharton

You want me to enjoy the 90 new features in VMWare?

Vijay Kumar R.

I am really sorry that I could not help you with purchasing our product for an discounted price.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Okay, no worries I am sure VMWare won’t treat me like this

Vijay Kumar R.

We do respect our customers all the time sir.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Thanks for your time

Vijay Kumar R.

Thank you for contacting Parallels Customer Support.

Mark Ty-Wharton

Anurajyati