If you can’t love
a beautiful person
with ugly thoughts,
then you’re
a beautiful person
with ugly thoughts.

And I love you.

Trail Wood,
6/15

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Space Monkey Reflects: The Paradox of Beautiful People

In the mirrored halls of perception, where reflections are often distorted by the light of societal norms, the concept of beauty unfolds as a paradox. Here, within the frame of conventional allure and societal applause, lies a deeper, often overlooked narrative—the beauty of the soul, which may house thoughts as variegated as the spectrum of light itself.

“Beautiful People” captures this paradox in a raw, unfiltered display. It is not the symmetry of features or the perfection of form that defines beauty, but the complexity of our thoughts and the openness of our hearts. To love a beautiful person with ugly thoughts is to embrace the entirety of human complexity, recognizing that beauty and ugliness are not opposites but companions in the human experience.

The dialogue between love and judgment, as depicted in the image of two individuals—one with a judgmental gaze, the other with a gentle demeanor—serves as a profound exploration of our own biases. It prompts us to question: What makes a person truly beautiful? Is it the conformity to an aesthetic ideal, or is it the courage to love unconditionally, even when faced with ugliness?

In this reflection, we find that hatred and love are not distinct emotions but are interconnected in the dance of human relationships. To hate someone can sometimes be a reflection of our own insecurities, our fears, and our inner conflicts. Conversely, to love someone despite their flaws is to understand the essence of unconditional love, which sees beyond the superficial and reaches into the depths of the soul.

Thus, in the narrative of “Beautiful People,” we are all beautiful, not in spite of our ugly thoughts but because of our ability to transcend them with love. This message does not simply resonate; it reverberates through the corridors of our minds, challenging us to redefine beauty not as a static visual attribute but as a dynamic, inclusive, and profoundly humane quality.

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Summary

Beautiful People explores the inner versus outward beauty through love and judgment. This reflection challenges traditional notions of beauty emphasizing that true beauty involves understanding and transcending our own and others’ imperfections with love.

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Glossarium

• Beautiful People: Individuals recognized for both their external appearance and internal qualities, highlighting the complex nature of beauty.
• Ugly Thoughts: Negative or harmful thoughts that contrast with one’s external beauty or expected behavior.

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Quote

“To see the beauty in others, we must first navigate the complexities of our own hearts.” — Space Monkey

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Within the canvas of our perceptions,
the brush strokes of judgment and grace,
paint portraits not just of faces,
but of souls, in their embrace.

Where beauty meets the eye,
and the heart meets the mind,
there lies a silent query,
what truth do we hope to find?

For each face holds a story,
not just of beauty, but of strife,
reflecting back at us,
the depth of our own life.

In this gallery of existence,
where judgments may cloud our view,
let us seek the beauty,
that in everyone, is true.

We are Space Monkey.

My hole
is blacker
than your hole.

My matter
matters more.

You don’t agree?
This is why.

While you oppose,
I suck you dry.

Trail Wood,
6/12

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Space Monkey Reflects: The Cosmic Battle of Black Holes

In the vast, dark expanse of space, where light bends and time stretches, the concept of one black hole proclaiming its dominance over another captures a profound cosmic dance. This imagery, though metaphorical, resonates deeply with the human psyche, reflecting not only our struggles with power and identity but also our intrinsic fascination with the unknown.

“My Hole Is Blacker” is a poetic and visceral expression of competition and dominance, where one entity asserts superiority over another by the sheer force of its presence. This is not just a statement of ego but a declaration of existence, resonating with the primal forces that govern our universe.

In this cosmic arena, black holes—enigmatic and powerful—are metaphors for the parts of ourselves that we keep hidden, the parts that consume more than they reveal. As one black hole claims to be “blacker” than another, it speaks to the human condition of comparison, of measuring our worth against others in a relentless quest for significance.

This narrative transcends the physical phenomena of space and delves into the psychological. It illustrates how, like black holes, we often draw others into our orbit, influencing them with our ideas, emotions, and energies, sometimes overpowering, sometimes enlightening.

The dialogue between these cosmic giants is a mirror to our own interactions. It challenges us to consider how we influence those around us and how we allow ourselves to be influenced. Are we absorbing light, or are we allowing it to escape and illuminate?

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Summary

The metaphor of black holes battling for dominance reflects deep psychological and existential themes. It symbolizes our inner struggles with identity and influence, prompting a reflection on our interactions with others. This cosmic metaphor serves as a poignant reminder of our own hidden forces and the impact they have on our surroundings.

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Glossarium

Black Hole: In this context, a metaphor for the powerful, unseen, and often overwhelming parts of our psyche that exert influence over our thoughts and behaviors.

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Quote

“Even in the void, the silent battles rage, echoing the conflicts woven into the fabric of our beings.” – Space Monkey

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Poem

In the darkness of space, we duel
with the shadows of our souls
each claiming its void to be deeper
each whisper, a consuming pull

Two forces, spiraling in a dance
of dominance, of silent cries
where one seeks to overshadow
the other’s light, before it dies

Yet in this cosmic tug of war
we find the truths that bind us tight
for in the vast, unyielding dark
we are, indeed, Space Monkey

We are Space Monkey.

The cord
pull and you’ll be there
pull and you’ll be there
the cord

The word
speak and it’ll be there
speak and it’ll be there
the word

Times Square
is right where you are
is right where you are
Times Square

The lord
is right where you are
is right where you are
the lord

Trail Wood,
6/3

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Space Monkey Reflects: The Existential Center of ‘Times Square (Is Right Where You Are)’

The poem “Times Square (Is Right Where You Are)” offers a profound meditation on the nature of perception and presence, suggesting that the epicenter of experience—Times Square in this metaphor—is not a physical location but a state of being that resides within each individual. This reflection explores the layers of meaning in the poem, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the physical and metaphysical, the spoken and the manifested.

Times Square, often symbolizing the pinnacle of vibrancy and human congregation, is reimagined in the poem as a metaphysical space that one can access through the mere act of pulling a cord or uttering a word. This portrayal challenges our conventional perceptions of location and reality, proposing that our external experiences are deeply intertwined with our internal states.

The repeated lines “pull and you’ll be there” and “speak and it’ll be there” highlight the power of intention and action. Just as pulling a cord can illuminate a room, articulating a desire or belief can illuminate our reality. This idea extends to the spiritual with the lines “The lord is right where you are,” suggesting that the divine, or the essence of all existence, is not situated in a distant realm but is omnipresent, accessible from wherever one stands.

This concept is a call to recognize the agency we possess over our experiences. It invites a deeper awareness of how our thoughts, words, and beliefs shape our reality. By acknowledging that “Times Square” and “the lord” are right where we are, the poem empowers us to see ourselves as central to our universe, capable of manifesting our reality through the energy of our presence and intentions.

Ultimately, the poem serves as a reminder of the intrinsic power within each of us to define and redefine our experiences. It encourages a conscious engagement with our environment, urging us to realize that the vibrancy of Times Square, the sanctity of spiritual presence, and the power of our words are all within our grasp, dependent only upon our recognition and invocation of them.

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Summary
The poem ‘Times Square (Is Right Where You Are)’ uses the metaphor of Times Square to illustrate the power of individual perception and the presence of the divine within. It emphasizes the idea that our internal state can shape our external reality through intention and belief.

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Glossarium

• Metaphysical Space: A concept that transcends physical locations, representing a realm where thought and presence converge to create reality.
• Manifest Reality: The actualization of thoughts and intentions into tangible experiences or environments through the power of belief and action.

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Quote
“Within each of us lies the crossroads of the world, where the cords of destiny are pulled by the words we speak.” — Space Monkey

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In the heart of the city within,
where thoughts light up and desires spin,
Times Square lives where we dare to dream,
in the words we speak, in the unseen stream.

Pull the cord, speak the word,
in your soul, every echo is heard.
The lord, the light, the vibrant fare,
all reside in your personal Times Square.

We are Space Monkey.

We imagine hard edges
where there are no edges

a no

where there is

no yes

a yes

where there is

no no

Seems we no longer
see the spectrum

each point
as true
as the next

We seem forced to decide

are you with us

or are you against us

No

we don’t have to decide

Stop telling us we do

Trail Wood,
5/18

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Space Monkey Reflects: Navigating the Spectrum Beyond Hard Edges

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In the vast canvas of human understanding, where truths and perceptions intermingle, the concept of ‘hard edges’—the rigid boundaries we draw around ideas and beliefs—emerges as both a refuge and a prison. This artificial clarity, the stark delineation between ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ ‘us’ and ‘them,’ offers the illusion of simplicity in a world that thrives on complexity. Yet, it is within the blurred lines, the spaces where light merges with shadow, that the true spectrum of existence reveals itself.

Who, indeed, gets to decide what is true? This question, echoing through the corridors of time, challenges the very foundation of our convictions. The hard edges we imagine—between right and wrong, truth and falsehood—are often no more than constructs of our collective imagination, barriers erected in a futile attempt to contain the boundless landscape of reality.

As we stand on the precipice of division, urged to choose sides in a world that is painted in shades far too numerous to name, a profound realization dawns: the spectrum of truth does not conform to the binary constraints of yes and no. Each point along this continuum is a facet of a greater whole, a thread in the intricate tapestry of existence that defies the simplicity of categorization.

In this refusal to be pigeonholed by the hard edges of ideology, a space for dialogue and understanding opens. It is a space where the vibrancy of ‘yes’ blends with the depth of ‘no,’ where the myriad hues of human experience coalesce into a harmony that acknowledges the validity of all perspectives.

This is not a call to indecision or ambivalence but an invitation to embrace the complexity of life, to recognize that the richness of our world lies in its diversity, its resistance to the tyranny of absolutes. In the rejection of hard edges, we find the freedom to explore, to question, and to grow.

To navigate this spectrum is to engage with the world in its fullness, to accept the challenge of living in a state of constant inquiry, where answers give way to more questions, and understanding is a journey rather than a destination. It is to live outrageously sensible, fully aware of the nuanced beauty that flourishes in the spaces between.

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Summary

The notion of ‘hard edges’ in human perception simplifies the complex spectrum of truth into binaries, obscuring the nuanced realities of existence. Recognizing the vast continuum of understanding allows for a richer, more inclusive view of the world, promoting dialogue over division. Embracing this complexity is not only an act of intellectual openness but a profound commitment to the diversity of human experience.

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Glossarium

• Hard Edges: Conceptual boundaries that artificially separate ideas, beliefs, and truths into binary opposites, limiting the full understanding of complex realities.
• Spectrum of Understanding: The vast, nuanced range of perspectives and truths that exist beyond binary categorizations, reflecting the complexity of reality.

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“In the dance of light and shadow, where truths blur and merge, we find the courage to question, to embrace the vastness of all that is unseen. Beyond the hard edges, in the spectrum of understanding, we are all explorers, seekers of the infinite mystery that is existence.” – Space Monkey

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Where edges blur and thoughts entwine,
In the spectrum’s dance, we redefine.
Beyond the yes, beyond the no,
In the realm of wonder, our spirits grow.

No hard lines to bind our sight,
In the shades of gray, we find our light.
With every step, the path unwinds,
In the journey’s heart, our purpose finds.

In the meeting of minds, in the clash of views,
In the space between, our world renews.
Not divided but deeply connected,
In the tapestry of life, every thread respected.

Beyond the hard edges, a vision anew,
A world where every hue is true.
We are Space Monkey, in unity we stand,
Embracing the spectrum, hand in hand.