Notes from the Hermit's Cave

Musings on one Hermit's life & world

What Should I Do?

Posted on September 19, 2026 by Notes from the Hermit's Cave

Many times during the years I’ve been exploring so-called Eastern religions I’ve come across the concept of Dharma.

Very broadly, my studies tell me it could be said to represent the Truth of all things, though apparently there is no exact English translation and the word has many other uses as well.

Personally I’ve chosen to think of Dharma as much more than merely an abstract philosophical concept that only exists ‘out there’ in the world, or – worse – as some vague notion in my mind.

For me, Dharma is personal. It’s a guide that assists me in my aspiration to take more complete responsibility for myself and my actions.

Dharma, as a guide to taking personal responsibility, requires me to try live a life informed by Ahimsa – the path of least harm.

Many sources will tell you that Ahimsa means absolute non-violence or doing no harm. There’s nothing wrong with describing it in these terms, but this definition ignores the fact that any material being living in a material world is always taking action. All the time. And it is impossible to take any action at all without doing harm. To other beings, to the world, or even to oneself.

Putting it simply, the best I can do, in order to live a righteous – or Dharmic – life, is to consistently and continually enquire of myself What should I do? in any and all situations, that will do the least harm. Or one can look at it the other way round: What action do I avoid because it would cause more harm?

Sounds simple written down like this. But, even with the apparently small issues that crop up all the time in everyday life, I find there are very often conflicting interests; the choices we are faced with aren’t always clear-cut

I don’t eat animals, nor do I use items made from them or explot them in any way. But I do eat fruit, vegetables, nuts etc which does cause harm to many living things in the process of growing, harvesting, transporting, and even eating such a diet. All I can do is try as much as I can to minimise the harm done by my lifestyle choices. I know, there are still many unresolved questions, but the point is to make the best choices I can given my circumstances.

I really dislike telling lies, even so-called ‘white-lies’ – the lies we tell or the truth we avoid revealing, to cover up something that we think will do more harm if told to another – or to ourselves. While these white lies, or half truths, are sometimes not really about protecting others from harm, and often are about politeness, most of us have used them to protect others or self at one time or another.

As I said, for me it’s about taking personal responsibility. A way for me to at least try to ensure I’m doing the least harm possible.

The other day I heard Dorothy Day in an interview use the expression Works of war or Works of peace (though I think the words themselves come from The Bible but I couldn’t find it).

When it comes down to the personal level – the only realm over which I have any meaningful control is me and how I choose to live – a work of war is when I choose deliberately or through avoidable ignorance to do or cause harm; a work of peace is when I make a choice that does or causes the least harm for everyone and everything involved.

Less Desires, Less Entanglements Equals More Freedom

Posted on December 13, 2024 by Notes from the Hermit's Cave

Along with many other spiritual seekers across many world cultures and over time as well, I have a more or less daily practice of opening a spiritual book, scripture, or other text ‘at random’ (as if there is such a thing) to receive a message, a lesson, or a little bit of guidance for the day.

In my case, that text has for ages now been the Bhagavad Gita. And over I think the last two or three years, one verse in particular has come up time and again, sometimes on two or three days in a row.

Much thanks to the Hermit Pilgrim who created this beautiful painting

So frequently has this occured that not only have I neglected to examine the verse in any depth, I actually began to ignore it when it came up and went right away to pick another one at random.

Well, this morning, I opened my Gita and there was that verse again – for the second day in a row. However, today, for some reason, I realised that this verse has been calling out to me. Or put it more sensibly: the Divine has been calling on me to take some notice of this verse and its meaning.

So, first of all, allow me to share with you the verse in question.

The Lord of Sri said:

It is said there is an eternal Banyan tree with its roots growing upwards and branches downwards, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree knows the Vedas

Bhagavad Gita 15:01

For me at least, this verse has always appeared quite complicated, complex really, and full of symbolism. Of course, being from an ancient religious text, it’s likely to be all those things isn’t it?

Still, despite reading the verse many times and studying and hearing a few commentaries on it, for some reason it has remained for me rather daunting. At least I can say that I was convinced of the notion that this verse confused me, entangling me in convoluted and sometimes upside down thinking.

Like the Banyan tree itself I guess. Considered especially sacred among all other sacred trees in India, the Banyan is well known for its way of growing willy nilly, every which way, until the whole thing becomes a complete and dense tangle.

And it is this tangle that is at the heart of the metaphor used to illustrate the lesson in this chapter of the Bhagavad Gita: The tree is Samsara, the illusion that is the material universe in which all of us living beings are entangled. It’s as if we’ve walked into that tangle of branches and roots believing that’s where we will achieve our desires.

A major city in the middle of tourist season is another neat metaphor for this tangle we’re talking about. We look for worldly pleasures there, but find chaos, confusion, and often unhappiness

We are so attached that we identify completely with that physical world (convinced we are merely physical beings ourselves) and are convinced that this is where we can fulfill all our needs.

As the verse says, the leaves of the tree are the Vedas, and one who knows the tree, knows the Vedas. The Vedas are the sacred Hindu scriptures which in this context can be said to represent knowledge. But not knowledge of a mundane ‘ordinary’ kind.

The knowledge to realise (because we already possess this knowledge, we just aren’t aware of it yet) is that we are not the body, so we have no need to be bound to the tree of Samsara with its suffering and its endless entanglements. It is Self Knowledge.

This Self Knowledge leads us to develop what a following verse calls ‘the weapon of detachment’ with which we can chop down this very strong tree of attachments and illusions

A little note: I don’t like this weapon and chopping metaphor at all. I simply pass it on to you as written.

As we begin and progress with this process of truly realizing we aren’t the body, and therefore have no need to identify with or be attached to worldly objects and desires, then slowly the tangle binding us begins to clear, to fall away bit by bit.

I din’t think we need to actually get to that point of cutting down the whole tree before we begin to see results. to reap the benefits if you want to put it that way.

Each and every small thing, desire, compulsion or aversion we no longer feel ourselves bound to, frees us just that much more.

As with any tangle we get ourselves caught up in, once we loosen that first thread (to switch metaphors), the task of unravelling becomes easier.

It’s true – and I think I’ve mentioned it previously – some of my attachments and compulsions are loosening. Some (small ones I admit) have fallen away completely.

As you read in my little note, I’m not comfortable with the whole cutting down trees with weapons metaphor. Perhaps the loosening of threads, the unravelling of tangles and knots sits better with us.

Perhaps my – our? – efforts at detaching from the desires and aversions, from the compulsions for worldly things and objects, and for sense pleasures, can be achieved by a more gentle untying we could call it. A kinder, gentler, calmer, friendlier, means to realizing we are already free.

A Lesson Learned: Love & Truth

Posted on May 18, 2024 by Notes from the Hermit's Cave

Greetings my friends

You know it’s funny how sometimes it takes a lot of time, many years in some cases, for a life event or some happening or other to finally emerge to express itself in some kind of creative form or other.

Just this minute (literally) I was reading through some poems of mine and I came across one I wrote only two months ago. I won’t say I’d completely forgotten about it, but at the same time, I can’t recall thinking of it again since writing. Until that moment five minutes ago that is.

The poem was prompted by an event that took place thirty- seven years ago. Not a major event on the face of it, just a small interaction between a mother and son. Here’s the backstory.

My mother loved Bingo, and played it at various venues several times a week. I’d just returned from several years overseas and she asked me if I’d like to be the security guard at that night’s particular venue. The regular guy couldh’t make it and they needed someone to just hang out in the car park so everyone would feel safe.

The River of Life rarely flows in a straight line

Well they were very different days, and I wasn’t who I am now, so I jumped at this very easy, relaxed, sounding gig. And off we went at the appropriate time.

It’s not part of the poem’s story but thinking about it now, I remember my mother’s joy and relaxed vibe as she interacted with her ‘Bingo family’. That’s a treasured memory.

Anyway, later in the evening I was wandering around, zigzagging through the parking lot, when I saw Mam waving at me to come to her.

And the poem takes it from there as they say.

I said the piece is about a simple mother son interaction and it is. But there is more to it really. The poem is about, at another level, Love and Truth.

It’s also about a fundamental concept I try hard to govern my life by: Ahimsa. This is an approach to life based on doing the least harm one can do in all areas of living in the world. It’s not strictly speaking a prohibition on telling untruths, nor does it mandate an absolute ban on violence. It’s complicated, as they say.

Gandhiji adhered to Ahimsa as his life’s guiding principle. While his style of living was to trust in Truth, he knew that at times, the way of least harm requires loving, compassionate discernment as we are faced with dilemmas of what’s right and what’s wrong in the infinite number of situations we are confronted with on a daily basis.

So, my friends, here is my poem. Read in peace.

WITH THE EYES OF THE HEART

I ate a hotdog once upon a time,
even though a vegan I am.
On the spot, split second decison; I considered it fine.
You see, as a fait accompli it was presented to me – by my Mam.

‘It’s a special vege kind I got for you.’
So the offered food I did receive,
though I clearly saw it wasn’t true.
Sometimes you need more than eyes to see what you believe.

My acceptance acknowledged her thoughtfulness
and validated her gesture of mother-to-son love.
So, to any karmic consequences, I will submit with grace.

Thank you for allowing me to share this story and poem with you. And even more of a thank you for reading how I learned a lesson about love and truth and how sometimes truth may actually sometimes need to be followed even if the so-called facts say different.

Blessings and love