Friday, August 17, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The Circle of Life
A few days ago I returned from a family camp
where I was a teacher to the teenagers. We were in the redwoods, with
many beautiful ferns, a small creek running through the camp, and lots
and lots of banana slugs.
Banana slugs are interesting creatures. Yellow with brown spots (hence their name), if you touch them, you are liable to get covered in a sticky substance that won't come off for hours or days. Although they often inch around the forest at low speed, they can and do cruise along the pine needle-covered dirt much faster than you would expect.
The third or fourth day of the camp, I was watching a banana slug move along the log benches where the teens gathered every day. He or she meandered around my shoe which was obstructing the path, even climbing vertically for a while. I decided to practice 'animal tarot', asking myself, What can I learn from this creature? What message of wisdom does this creature bring?
After watching this slug for about 20 minutes or so, he had completed a large oval path, winding up at the place he had started when I first began watching him. Ah, I thought, I get it! Nature goes in circles. And it's OK to go in circles, totally functional - the banana slugs are thriving after all. We don't always have all the information available to know directly where the sweet spot is (where the yummy mushrooms grow to nibble on). We can't always make a 'beeline'. Not that bees fly in straight lines either. Sometimes we travel circular paths in life, and we still get all our needs met.
This is applicable to me in many ways. I hadn't connected with the community that puts on this camp for two years, and felt very 'out of the loop', he he. The banana slug reassured me that that was alright. Another way in which I am going in circles right now is that I am moving back into a house I moved out of about a year ago. I feel confident that not only is it a good thing I'm moving back in there, it was good that I left. It wasn't a waste of energy. I was doing the loop of life, gaining familiarity with the terrain.
What about you? Where in your life are you going in circles, but it may be actually benefiting you? Perhaps you ought to take a second look if you think you are stuck in some area. There is a difference between being stuck and simply revisiting something. The banana slug knows!
Banana slugs are interesting creatures. Yellow with brown spots (hence their name), if you touch them, you are liable to get covered in a sticky substance that won't come off for hours or days. Although they often inch around the forest at low speed, they can and do cruise along the pine needle-covered dirt much faster than you would expect.
The third or fourth day of the camp, I was watching a banana slug move along the log benches where the teens gathered every day. He or she meandered around my shoe which was obstructing the path, even climbing vertically for a while. I decided to practice 'animal tarot', asking myself, What can I learn from this creature? What message of wisdom does this creature bring?
After watching this slug for about 20 minutes or so, he had completed a large oval path, winding up at the place he had started when I first began watching him. Ah, I thought, I get it! Nature goes in circles. And it's OK to go in circles, totally functional - the banana slugs are thriving after all. We don't always have all the information available to know directly where the sweet spot is (where the yummy mushrooms grow to nibble on). We can't always make a 'beeline'. Not that bees fly in straight lines either. Sometimes we travel circular paths in life, and we still get all our needs met.
This is applicable to me in many ways. I hadn't connected with the community that puts on this camp for two years, and felt very 'out of the loop', he he. The banana slug reassured me that that was alright. Another way in which I am going in circles right now is that I am moving back into a house I moved out of about a year ago. I feel confident that not only is it a good thing I'm moving back in there, it was good that I left. It wasn't a waste of energy. I was doing the loop of life, gaining familiarity with the terrain.
What about you? Where in your life are you going in circles, but it may be actually benefiting you? Perhaps you ought to take a second look if you think you are stuck in some area. There is a difference between being stuck and simply revisiting something. The banana slug knows!
Monday, January 30, 2012
What if Pagans Proselytized?
Walking into downtown Chico today, I noticed a small card sitting on the corner trash can. It was a solicitation from some enthusiastic Christian, inviting people to join him in loving and serving Jesus Christ as the Savior and Son of God.
At one point in my life, I might have tossed it into the trash. However, I want respect for my spirituality, so I choose not to throw away these little ads (which sometimes manifest as flyers or pamphlets instead of note cards). Sometimes I add to them instead, writing notes about where and why I disagree. I got this idea from someone writing about conversation instead of censorship. Anytime you disagree it is an opportunity for conversation.
One of my standby arguments for why proselytizing Christians are exactly what we should stay away from in terms of religion is that they try to convert others. How insecure does someone have to be in their spirituality to have to push it on others to feel good about it? As you can see this attitude comes from a strong value of respect for people's personal freedom. However, I can understand being so excited about some new perspective that you want to share it, believing that this perspective will benefit anyone who embraces it.
This, along with irreverent sarcasm, is why I have often imagined going door to door with some other pagans, handing out pamphlets about the benefits of worshiping the Sun and Mother Earth. I've worried that it would only be taken mockingly though, perceived as an insult by Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons. I don't want to turn people away from Earthly spirituality, so, following the Golden Rule, I don't proselytize them about it.
Considering the state of the world though, I wonder if it wouldn't be worth a try to set up a little Witches' table on my campus free speech area, with information about the social and psychological benefits of an animistic world-view. What would my quarter-sheets read?
"You may have been taught that Witchcraft, or any form of Paganism, is idolatry and devil-worship. Or, you may have been taught that it is superstition, old-fashioned cultist beliefs coming from a time pre-dating the modern scientific era. In actuality, Paganism and Witchcraft are life-affirming spiritual paths, sharing many values that religious traditions worldwide profess, and offering many insights into the world that science has not yet and may never give us, due to its limitation of only reporting on that which is quantifiable.
In a time when our planet's ecological integrity is jeopardized, and our lives are dominated by the unnatural schedules of school semesters and work shifts, Paganism can be a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Most Pagans learn to attune themselves with the cycles of the cosmos, honoring the phases of the Moon and Sun, by setting intentions, working in their gardens, or gathering in parks for rites to connect with the spirits of nature. Many also choose to become active socially for the health of our shared biosphere - something participants of all religions benefit from, since we all depend on this Earth for our existence and survival, however She came to be here.
Although some Pagan traditions, such as Wicca or Druidism, often have elaborate dedications involved with them - a plus for those who enjoy structure in their spiritual communion - Paganism in general is quite compatible with other world-views and traditions. We acknowledge the basic archetypes of God and Goddess, which can include deities or figures from many cultures. Mother Mary, for example, is often seen as a Goddess figure. If you are interested in finding deeper connection with yourself, the Earth, and a community of grounded individuals, we invite you to explore Paganism further by...."
And it would list some websites or meeting times. So, what do you think, if you passed by a table with this kind of propaganda, would you dismiss it as a joke? Appreciate it as a balance to the conversion attempts of other religious communities? Or something else? Please share your response and any suggestions for my Pagan table below.
At one point in my life, I might have tossed it into the trash. However, I want respect for my spirituality, so I choose not to throw away these little ads (which sometimes manifest as flyers or pamphlets instead of note cards). Sometimes I add to them instead, writing notes about where and why I disagree. I got this idea from someone writing about conversation instead of censorship. Anytime you disagree it is an opportunity for conversation.
One of my standby arguments for why proselytizing Christians are exactly what we should stay away from in terms of religion is that they try to convert others. How insecure does someone have to be in their spirituality to have to push it on others to feel good about it? As you can see this attitude comes from a strong value of respect for people's personal freedom. However, I can understand being so excited about some new perspective that you want to share it, believing that this perspective will benefit anyone who embraces it.
This, along with irreverent sarcasm, is why I have often imagined going door to door with some other pagans, handing out pamphlets about the benefits of worshiping the Sun and Mother Earth. I've worried that it would only be taken mockingly though, perceived as an insult by Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons. I don't want to turn people away from Earthly spirituality, so, following the Golden Rule, I don't proselytize them about it.
Considering the state of the world though, I wonder if it wouldn't be worth a try to set up a little Witches' table on my campus free speech area, with information about the social and psychological benefits of an animistic world-view. What would my quarter-sheets read?
"You may have been taught that Witchcraft, or any form of Paganism, is idolatry and devil-worship. Or, you may have been taught that it is superstition, old-fashioned cultist beliefs coming from a time pre-dating the modern scientific era. In actuality, Paganism and Witchcraft are life-affirming spiritual paths, sharing many values that religious traditions worldwide profess, and offering many insights into the world that science has not yet and may never give us, due to its limitation of only reporting on that which is quantifiable.
In a time when our planet's ecological integrity is jeopardized, and our lives are dominated by the unnatural schedules of school semesters and work shifts, Paganism can be a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Most Pagans learn to attune themselves with the cycles of the cosmos, honoring the phases of the Moon and Sun, by setting intentions, working in their gardens, or gathering in parks for rites to connect with the spirits of nature. Many also choose to become active socially for the health of our shared biosphere - something participants of all religions benefit from, since we all depend on this Earth for our existence and survival, however She came to be here.
Although some Pagan traditions, such as Wicca or Druidism, often have elaborate dedications involved with them - a plus for those who enjoy structure in their spiritual communion - Paganism in general is quite compatible with other world-views and traditions. We acknowledge the basic archetypes of God and Goddess, which can include deities or figures from many cultures. Mother Mary, for example, is often seen as a Goddess figure. If you are interested in finding deeper connection with yourself, the Earth, and a community of grounded individuals, we invite you to explore Paganism further by...."
And it would list some websites or meeting times. So, what do you think, if you passed by a table with this kind of propaganda, would you dismiss it as a joke? Appreciate it as a balance to the conversion attempts of other religious communities? Or something else? Please share your response and any suggestions for my Pagan table below.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Why Not Review A Book?
I can't think of any good reason. My art history teacher this semester has a blog devoted entirely to book reviews. And the book I just finished gave me enough to write about.
It's called The Brave Cowboy and its by Edward Abbey, most famous for his rebellious novel The Monkey-Wrench Gang (which my mom ceremoniously presented me with at age 13). This book is quite different from that how-to guide on tripping up the system, although it does involve a jail break and subsequent manhunt.
Cowboy starts in the desert, with protagonist Jack Burns cooking a simple dinner over an open fire. The first chapter struck me with its attention to describing the environment, more than action or dialogue. Abbey knows his wildlife, plants and animals and geology alike. It's like reading a field guide converted to free-verse poetry.
Once Burns rides into town (on his easily-spooked horse, a young mare named Whisky), I could tell that tragedy was on its way. His old college pal, Paul Bondi, is in jail for draft evasion. Jack's mission: bust him out. However, this is not the Old West, as one might imagine from the horse. It seems to take place in roughly the '50's, or at least the book is copyrighted in '56.
I don't want to spoil too much, so I won't give any more details here. I will say this though: if you decide to read this book (and if I know you I'll be happy to give it to you with your agreement to pass it on), you may want to seriously consider skipping the last chapter. I know, not many people have the will power to do such a thing, but if you are a sensitive soul (like me), and you don't need any more reminders of how f*ed up the world can be, just stop at the second to last chapter, and be happy. Really. I was seriously disturbed until I just started pretending the last chapter didn't exist. I contemplated taking my feelings to EFT circle. However, if you think civilization is just peachy keen, maybe the last chapter would be a good wake-up call for you. I imagine that was Abbey's intention in writing it.
It's called The Brave Cowboy and its by Edward Abbey, most famous for his rebellious novel The Monkey-Wrench Gang (which my mom ceremoniously presented me with at age 13). This book is quite different from that how-to guide on tripping up the system, although it does involve a jail break and subsequent manhunt.
Cowboy starts in the desert, with protagonist Jack Burns cooking a simple dinner over an open fire. The first chapter struck me with its attention to describing the environment, more than action or dialogue. Abbey knows his wildlife, plants and animals and geology alike. It's like reading a field guide converted to free-verse poetry.
Once Burns rides into town (on his easily-spooked horse, a young mare named Whisky), I could tell that tragedy was on its way. His old college pal, Paul Bondi, is in jail for draft evasion. Jack's mission: bust him out. However, this is not the Old West, as one might imagine from the horse. It seems to take place in roughly the '50's, or at least the book is copyrighted in '56.
I don't want to spoil too much, so I won't give any more details here. I will say this though: if you decide to read this book (and if I know you I'll be happy to give it to you with your agreement to pass it on), you may want to seriously consider skipping the last chapter. I know, not many people have the will power to do such a thing, but if you are a sensitive soul (like me), and you don't need any more reminders of how f*ed up the world can be, just stop at the second to last chapter, and be happy. Really. I was seriously disturbed until I just started pretending the last chapter didn't exist. I contemplated taking my feelings to EFT circle. However, if you think civilization is just peachy keen, maybe the last chapter would be a good wake-up call for you. I imagine that was Abbey's intention in writing it.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Exaggeration in the Rear-View
A few days ago, I got in a blowout fight with my on-and-off partner of the last two years. During this fight, I said, "You don't even want to connect with me at all." Later, in heated Facebook messages, he brought this up as one of the things I'd said or done that bothered him the most.
The day following the fight I was in the car with my mom, on the way to her place for Christmas. We were discussing (more aptly, complaining about and processing) the biggest trauma our family has seen in a long time- my aunt selling the family land, which, although she has the title to, was supposed to be available for my mom to live on permanently in lieu of the inheritance she signed off on. And, as of last summer, was supposed to be left to me. My aunt is selling, she says, because she has severe health problems and needs money to retire. In a recent letter to my mom, my aunt wrote that "you [my mom] don't care about my health at all". This part of the letter upset my mom more than almost anything else my aunt has said.
As soon as I heard my mom relay this, I began to draw parallels. In both cases, the speaker is desperately upset. In both cases, the statement is not entirely true. And in both cases, the person the statement is about is incredibly bothered by it. My mom and I do care about my aunt's health problems - but not as much as we would if she had come to us and asked us for help financially, instead of selling this precious property out from under us. Similarly, my (ex?)-boyfriend did express care for me, but was more focused on himself than helping me at the time.
I shared my thoughts with my mom, wanting her to philosophize with me, hoping that perhaps together we'd find some great revelation about life. But she was still focused on her frustration with my aunt, leaving me to mull it over myself.
I don't have any answers really, except to note this tendency (is it just my family? or is it a human thing?) to feel so desperate and empty that we exaggerate, in a sense, although in the moment it seems true, the lack of care we perceive from others. The only better option I see for myself, or my aunt (though I won't be telling her directly) is to do our best to stay present with our feelings and needs. It would be different, if my aunt or I had said instead, "I am hurting so much right now. I am really needing to be cared for, I am needing help taking care of myself!" I don't know how my mom or my (ex?)-boyfriend would have responded to my aunt and me, respectively, but I imagine it would have gone over a little better.
Hindsight is always 20/20 though.
The day following the fight I was in the car with my mom, on the way to her place for Christmas. We were discussing (more aptly, complaining about and processing) the biggest trauma our family has seen in a long time- my aunt selling the family land, which, although she has the title to, was supposed to be available for my mom to live on permanently in lieu of the inheritance she signed off on. And, as of last summer, was supposed to be left to me. My aunt is selling, she says, because she has severe health problems and needs money to retire. In a recent letter to my mom, my aunt wrote that "you [my mom] don't care about my health at all". This part of the letter upset my mom more than almost anything else my aunt has said.
As soon as I heard my mom relay this, I began to draw parallels. In both cases, the speaker is desperately upset. In both cases, the statement is not entirely true. And in both cases, the person the statement is about is incredibly bothered by it. My mom and I do care about my aunt's health problems - but not as much as we would if she had come to us and asked us for help financially, instead of selling this precious property out from under us. Similarly, my (ex?)-boyfriend did express care for me, but was more focused on himself than helping me at the time.
I shared my thoughts with my mom, wanting her to philosophize with me, hoping that perhaps together we'd find some great revelation about life. But she was still focused on her frustration with my aunt, leaving me to mull it over myself.
I don't have any answers really, except to note this tendency (is it just my family? or is it a human thing?) to feel so desperate and empty that we exaggerate, in a sense, although in the moment it seems true, the lack of care we perceive from others. The only better option I see for myself, or my aunt (though I won't be telling her directly) is to do our best to stay present with our feelings and needs. It would be different, if my aunt or I had said instead, "I am hurting so much right now. I am really needing to be cared for, I am needing help taking care of myself!" I don't know how my mom or my (ex?)-boyfriend would have responded to my aunt and me, respectively, but I imagine it would have gone over a little better.
Hindsight is always 20/20 though.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The Truth of Kindness
If I could tell the whole world one thing today, it would be that honesty and kindness are in no way in opposition to each other. Not at all. Anything that is unkind can also not be true. Anything that is true cannot be unkind.
Why do I believe this, when I live in a culture where people use phrases like "I'm just being honest" after calling someone a bitch? Well, its mostly because of my exploration of a process called Nonviolent Communication, or Compassionate Communication. This philosophy, developed by Marshall Rosenberg, teaches that the only statements we can make with any strong degree of certainty are descriptions of our internal world. This is known as what is alive in us.
While judgments are always open to interpretation, I alone know what is going on inside of me at any moment (if I am self-connected that is, but that is another story). If I say that you're an idiot, we may start arguing about whether that's true. Chances are you'll only agree if you have insufficient quantities of self-worth, or have reached enlightenment and therefore embrace every quality or characteristic equally. If I say instead that I feel frustrated when I see that you've left the ice cream out on the counter, because I'm wanting cleanliness and also to enjoy the ice cream in a slightly less viscous state, you are a lot more likely to understand what's going on with me.
This approach can be taken in the political realm too. It is not very kind of us to say that Obama is a lying two-faced bastard of a pawn who might as well be Bush in a mask, even if we think it is true. This thought is really speaking to how deeply the thinker may want to live in a world where everyone is safe, where we resolve our conflicts peacefully, and people have the ability to speak and travel freely without fear of losing their physical freedom. As Rosenberg would say, judgments are superficial. We really start to move towards resolution when we identify the desire or need fueling the judgment. And the more intense the judgment, the more desperately we probably want whatever is behind it.
Awhile ago I was involved in a situation where someone called another person a dirtbag, and then tried to say this was 'true' because of the person's actions. I am disturbed and unsettled about this. If anyone can ever 'truly' be a dirtbag because of their actions, then that means you and I can too. But I know, and maybe you know too, that all of our actions are just us doing the best we can with what we know. Maybe if the speaker of these words knew better, they would connect to how deeply they are wanting safety, or respect, or whatever it is, rather than throwing around insults. Then they would express their truth, and it wouldn't take away from the ability to be kind whatsoever.
This idea is a pretty radical departure from many people's worldview, I know. Yet can you see the truth in it? Please share what this brings up for you below!
Why do I believe this, when I live in a culture where people use phrases like "I'm just being honest" after calling someone a bitch? Well, its mostly because of my exploration of a process called Nonviolent Communication, or Compassionate Communication. This philosophy, developed by Marshall Rosenberg, teaches that the only statements we can make with any strong degree of certainty are descriptions of our internal world. This is known as what is alive in us.
While judgments are always open to interpretation, I alone know what is going on inside of me at any moment (if I am self-connected that is, but that is another story). If I say that you're an idiot, we may start arguing about whether that's true. Chances are you'll only agree if you have insufficient quantities of self-worth, or have reached enlightenment and therefore embrace every quality or characteristic equally. If I say instead that I feel frustrated when I see that you've left the ice cream out on the counter, because I'm wanting cleanliness and also to enjoy the ice cream in a slightly less viscous state, you are a lot more likely to understand what's going on with me.
This approach can be taken in the political realm too. It is not very kind of us to say that Obama is a lying two-faced bastard of a pawn who might as well be Bush in a mask, even if we think it is true. This thought is really speaking to how deeply the thinker may want to live in a world where everyone is safe, where we resolve our conflicts peacefully, and people have the ability to speak and travel freely without fear of losing their physical freedom. As Rosenberg would say, judgments are superficial. We really start to move towards resolution when we identify the desire or need fueling the judgment. And the more intense the judgment, the more desperately we probably want whatever is behind it.
Awhile ago I was involved in a situation where someone called another person a dirtbag, and then tried to say this was 'true' because of the person's actions. I am disturbed and unsettled about this. If anyone can ever 'truly' be a dirtbag because of their actions, then that means you and I can too. But I know, and maybe you know too, that all of our actions are just us doing the best we can with what we know. Maybe if the speaker of these words knew better, they would connect to how deeply they are wanting safety, or respect, or whatever it is, rather than throwing around insults. Then they would express their truth, and it wouldn't take away from the ability to be kind whatsoever.
This idea is a pretty radical departure from many people's worldview, I know. Yet can you see the truth in it? Please share what this brings up for you below!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Occupy Wall Street - 100%
Dearest Occupiers, in New York, in Portland, in Los Angeles, in Seattle, in my city Chico, and everywhere,
Thank you for your courage in standing up during these fucked up times to say, we can do better than this! I honor your bright hearts and directed, unified action.
I have been hearing a lot about the 99% of Americans who collectively make less than the other 1%. This is indeed a sad and telling statistic. It is a good thing to ask where our values lie, and if we are willing to participate in a system that creates such unequal distribution of resources.
I want to encourage you, however, to realize that this statistic does not have to be a dividing line in an Us vs Them revolution. The powerful movement unfolding in front of us can, and I believe must, be open and inclusive to 100% of our fellow citizens.
I would advise you to not get caught up in the trap of thinking that money can provide happiness. It can provide ease and comfort, but the bankers and stockbrokers are surely no more fulfilled in their lives than any of the rest of us. In many cases, I would wager less so. They know on some level that they daily contribute immensely to others' suffering and the degradation of the planet. Now is your chance to offer them something better: a way out of the gang they've been trapped in.
I feel very concerned that if we do not offer a vision of the future that is happier than our present to everyone, this revolution will be much more painful, and in the long run, less significant.
So, as you walk the streets of New York, I invite you to call to the police officers and high-rise windows: Join us! Leave your lives of isolation and depression, trying to buy enough commodities to fill up the hole in your heart! Come play music, eat a communal meal, learn the simple but incomparable joy of sharing with a community and having deep friendships. Invite them to consider the possibility that their souls will be nourished by acting from a place of love rather than individualism.
I worry that some protesters will think this is unrealistic. That the bankers are too corrupt, are inherently evil. I understand why it is difficult not to think so. Believe me, I condemn and hate people fiercely at times too, when I hear of an atrocity that speaks particularly to my heart. Nevertheless I know we are all sentient, living creatures with the potential to act wisely and compassionately. Give people enough opportunity to do so, offer them a vision of a better world, and they will eventually take it.
Thank you for your courage in standing up during these fucked up times to say, we can do better than this! I honor your bright hearts and directed, unified action.
I have been hearing a lot about the 99% of Americans who collectively make less than the other 1%. This is indeed a sad and telling statistic. It is a good thing to ask where our values lie, and if we are willing to participate in a system that creates such unequal distribution of resources.
I want to encourage you, however, to realize that this statistic does not have to be a dividing line in an Us vs Them revolution. The powerful movement unfolding in front of us can, and I believe must, be open and inclusive to 100% of our fellow citizens.
I would advise you to not get caught up in the trap of thinking that money can provide happiness. It can provide ease and comfort, but the bankers and stockbrokers are surely no more fulfilled in their lives than any of the rest of us. In many cases, I would wager less so. They know on some level that they daily contribute immensely to others' suffering and the degradation of the planet. Now is your chance to offer them something better: a way out of the gang they've been trapped in.
I feel very concerned that if we do not offer a vision of the future that is happier than our present to everyone, this revolution will be much more painful, and in the long run, less significant.
So, as you walk the streets of New York, I invite you to call to the police officers and high-rise windows: Join us! Leave your lives of isolation and depression, trying to buy enough commodities to fill up the hole in your heart! Come play music, eat a communal meal, learn the simple but incomparable joy of sharing with a community and having deep friendships. Invite them to consider the possibility that their souls will be nourished by acting from a place of love rather than individualism.
I worry that some protesters will think this is unrealistic. That the bankers are too corrupt, are inherently evil. I understand why it is difficult not to think so. Believe me, I condemn and hate people fiercely at times too, when I hear of an atrocity that speaks particularly to my heart. Nevertheless I know we are all sentient, living creatures with the potential to act wisely and compassionately. Give people enough opportunity to do so, offer them a vision of a better world, and they will eventually take it.
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