I have painfully stumbled into a paradox of sorts.

What if “follow what feels alive” is quietly killing the art of devotion?

Yeah, it has its wisdom—beautiful even. But what happens when your practice feels dry, hollow, or dead? Do you quit? Go find something sexier—an ecstatic dance, a kink fest, a new shiny path?

This episode of Bardo Blues plays in that paradox: the wisdom of following resonance and the shadow it can cast, turning the spiritual path into a comfort-first lifestyle.

I riff on this shadow of contemporary spirituality, then drop into the poem When Dead Prayers Dance —a love letter to the crucible of devotion.

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Dedication

May this nourish us all –somehow someway– to the non-dual heart.

Caked in ash, mud, and kettle-chips,

Jampa James Alfieri

For those that prefer reading poetry, the poem only (no intro) is below.

https://bardoblues.substack.com/p/when-dead-prayers-dance

MUSIC CREDITS

Thanks to Peter Barbaix via Pixabay. He’s a professional and I humbly remixed this sound track to fit my silly poem while caramelizing onions. Forgive any sloppiness.

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