The Beast with a Dream in its Belly
Not Necessary
Sometimes it is just not needed
not necessary…
What? Well, the distractions… endlessly urgent
Who needs to be diverted from plain simple life
From life’s breath – in the belly – who needs it?
Rising and falling waves of aliveness, nourishing
consoling, energizing, roaming, traversing, visiting
meandering, questing, wandering, pondering the
softening and comforting, if we ever would tune in
get to know Breath, listen, linger, but we so so busy
we can’t help it, we need really – really need to be
absent, definitely…
sometimes, the deep cave of my throat fills up with soft happy
feeling flaunting a certain fragrance like that of my mock orange
bush against the house, unassuming white petals, yellow stamen
resembling plum blossoms – sometimes, delicate taste of sweet
out of nowhere lingers on my puzzled palate, humbled tongue
infusing each belly breath with life, confident in ebb and flow
till death will take me…
simply swelling, calmly vanishing, what could astonish
more than the Great Mystery, silently on soft cat paws
stalking and guiding me through the confusing maze
called being alive, vibrating, resonating with a myriad
responses to all that is alive, give and take, conscious
stone, metal, concrete, brick, all singing back to us, all
is consciousness…
who wants to be present, when so much is going on?
distracting those who reside in the belly of the beast
As they call America in many other lands, the beast
So much is really not needed
not necessary…
Why – rarely we are seduced by the eloquent cosmic signals
Breath offers us at all times – rather faithfully we avoid being
present, lose ourselves in haughty habits, never-ending desires
wants, needs, all freezing the hungry heart, crippling our joints
willfully, forgetfully, we ignore destiny’s call, addicted to refusal
and forgetting, we walk away from Breath, regret life not lived
all not necessary…
essence of spirit songs leaping from heaven to earth
– life, precious, calls out
in response….
Karina Epperlein, Berkeley, February 2026
For many decades I have been exploring natural breath as part of my daily studies and practices. Like evolution or weather, natural belly breath cannot be conquered by thinking. But with patience and experience, it can make us feel safe, or safer. This leads me to the notion of living “in the Belly of the Beast.” In 1983, when visiting Brazil, several Brazilian musicians confided in me, that they consider traveling to or living in the United States as venturing into the “Belly of the Beast.” At the time, having lived in America for only 13 months, I can relate deeply. I am young and ready to be brave. And that readiness is necessary, then and now.
America – the beast with a dream in its belly. People coming from all over the world wanting to be American, mingle and make possible new visions and dreams. Perhaps the one of justice, respect, and equal rights for all of us, all different by origin, skin color, food, language, genders, erotic leanings, history, prayers, class, talents, interests. What a dangerous adventure. The newcomer might get confused what their own dream really is – money, safety, or…? Not sure what the “American Dream” really means. What this dream is asking of the dreamer. Those in the belly must be awake, because the “great promise” is eternally calling to us. We leave behind our homelands, family, ancestors, we migrate to be part of the dream, a better life. We might flee from persecution via treacherous routes. Or we might have been kidnapped, sold, forced to reside in the belly of the beast – we are tired, we are generous. Once here, we risk being lost, distracted, and confused. But we also might resist, refuse temptations and keep our “eyes on the prize” – only history will tell.
The American experiment. It is up to us the people to muster our best courage. Our dedication to human rights and dignity, honesty and steadfastness. In order for us to counter the beast’s outrageous and shameful behavior here at home, as well as on the world stage. Let’s be awake, and ever present to any possible movement of the gate swinging open. Later perhaps, it will be brushed closed by the evening breeze. But we might feel possibilities even in the closing. Perhaps, before we understand the new mandate of the land, certain doors need to be shut, to protect. The land of the free and equal. No matter how powerless or powerful we feel, may we be part of the essential great awakening that is already underway.
My own journey into the Belly of the Beast
https://karinalandriver.blogspot.com/2024/09/immigration-on-friday-morning-of.html
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