Ty Crisp

A record of my search for greater insight and understanding

October 8, 2013

Surgery

Our suckled wants lay exposed on metal, where surgeons’ tools reveal their bleeding truth Synthetic light glares upon open breasts Her ersatz smile, pierced by love’s incision Through stagnant days I see you watching and waiting for my fear to end this surgery. Your skin I cut through while I search for…

Poetry

blank verse, discovery, doubt, fear, heart, hesitation, love, poetry, search, surgery
August 23, 2013

Forgotten

I’ve always found it intriguing how a single perspective can become the dominate way of viewing reality. No matter how flawed the outlook, we can become blinded. Eventually we become puppets to the vision, and we lose sight of any alternative. The possibility of stepping back and seeing the bigger picture becomes null. Every kernel…

Essays, Spiritual Musings

enlightenment, life, perspective, philosophy, reality, spirituality, the bigger picture, thoughts, time, truth
August 22, 2013

Interview with Myosen Marcia Olsen

It has recently been my pleasure to make the acquaintance of Myosen Marcia Olsen, a Zen Buddhist Priest and author of Experiencing God Through Zen Insight. Through this intriguing book, Myosen endeavors to shed light on the often misunderstood practices of Zen Buddhism. Through her own personal experiences and realizations, the author appeals to readers on…

Author Interviews, Essays, Inspirational Interviews

books, Buddhism, interviews, spirituality, Zen
July 10, 2013

Interview with Alex Sjögren

I would like to thank my dear friend, Alex Sjögren for a truly enlightening interview. I’ve expanded my journalistic inquiries of authors to any individual that manages to inspire me in some way or another. Today I am sharing a dialogue between one such person, a character that I’ve been honored to communicate with in…

Essays, Inspirational Interviews

authenticity, culture, experience, honesty, inspiration, integrity, interviews, life, spirituality
May 4, 2013

Transience

Dusk was settling in and the fireflies began illuminating our vista with intermittent rhythm. I grasp tightly to the aged, shriveled hand nestled in mine and project our souls into the surrounding dance of light. Mindless, unconcerned, and only existent in a reverie of love, we dance; my Miriam and I. Hearts colliding and minds…

Essays, Spiritual Musings

alzheimer’s, death, impermanence, love, transience

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April 25, 2013

The Art of Speaking with Style

The might of literature is far reaching and ever-prominent, although the spoken word harbors an unappreciated power. With the ability to immerse an audience in a lyrical and utterly mesmerizing spell, the human voice is an integral aspect of emotional communication. Varying degrees of subtlety can transform both cadence and diction, in turn weaving different…

Essays, Random Musings

charisma, Morgan Freeman, speech, style

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April 8, 2013

Under the Cedar Tree

I was surrounded by a thicket so dense I could almost feel the rhythmic throbbing of hearts in every tree. The needles beneath my feet padded every footstep, and my tread was silent. I could hear the birds chirping their songs of joy and sweet content, careening through the skies like angels patrolling the heavens. Dawning bright…

Essays, Random Musings, Spiritual Musings

Buddha, Buddhism, cedar trees, discovery, enlightenment, existence, life, nature, spirituality

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March 12, 2013

Hope is a Fickle Thing

The total obliteration of hope within the human consciousness is an uncommon occurrence. There is a strength of will and mental fortitude within the human psyche that keeps our soul and very spirit on top of its game. The nearly indomitable belief that a better outcome is always possible can be likened to faith in…

Essays, Random Musings, Spiritual Musings

hope, humanity, spirituality, willpower
March 7, 2013

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

There are times when the tumultuous emotion of a novel hinders an honest opinion. There are even times when the unexpected twists of an author’s imagining leave the reader with a quiet sense of baffled awe. Combined, these factors may result in a truly interesting review. Being only the second novel by Hemingway I have had the chance to read, A Farewell to Arms has left a powerful, albeit mournful…

Book Reviews, Classic Reviews, Extended Reviews
March 1, 2013

“To Thine Own Self Be True”

Relationships are often the focus of emotional speculation and sometimes, unfortunately, derogatory criticism. It it my opinion that this outlook stems from a misunderstanding of the mysterious phenomenon called love and an often one-sided view of relationships in general. In order to develop the correct understanding of love, one must first dissolve any preconceived notion…

Essays, Spiritual Musings

friendship, honesty, identity, integrity, love, relationships, sincerity, spirituality, truth
February 5, 2013

Heroic Humanity

Looking at humanity from a detached point of view can be enlightening, yet quite frankly, confusing. At first glance, we seem to be a selfish and fairly materialistic folk. Consider our vain treatment of appearance and the standards of society we deem so important to adhere to. How about our ineptitude in liking someone for…

Essays, Random Musings, Spiritual Musings

altruism, compassion, heroism, humanity, John Lennon, love, spirituality
January 15, 2013

The (Un) Discovered Country

There was once a Mother and her many children. Together, they lived and coexisted in a large and frightening world. In the beginning, there was only love and appreciation in their relationship. The Mother provided for her children by growing crops and raising animals. In turn, the children were charged with harvesting the crops, domesticating…

Essays, Random Musings, Spiritual Musings

appreciation, coexist, Earth, environmental awareness, love, peace, society