The View from Here: May 2005

Pearl's Girls (assemblage by Px, 4" x 10")

Homemakers (assemblage by Px, 4" x10")

The Paley Sisters, assemblage by Px (4" x 10")

full moon arising over the Atlantic

as above, so below

spheres and angles, seaweed and sky

Mystical Activism

My mother, who is now 73, remembers the real terror that enveloped this country during WWII. It is frightening to me, especially given the fear-based patriotisim that much of this country is enveloped within, that all those who survived the rampage of Hitler's madness first hand will soon be history themselves.

It is time to speak out against the madness growing with each passing day, and even more importantly to act. What we do not speak out against, we condone. It is time for Mystical Activism: the fusion of deep prayer and profound action employed in the search for radical truth, ala Andrew Harvey. http://www.andrewharvey.net/andrewharvey/default.asp

Below are 7 Steps of Mystical Activism which Harvey covered at a workshop I attended recently at Unity on the River, Amesbury MA. I present them as information and inspiration, not necessarily as gospel.

1 - Adopt a daily spiritual practice, grounded in God/Spirit/ Universe/Higher Power - however you view the Source. A spiritual practice is calming and energizing, it awakens juicy living and the compassionate heart.

2 - Give up any attachments to the fruits of actions. There are no ego rewards given out for being vehicles of the Divine; total transparency = total effectiveness.

3 - Embrace the alchemy of anger from an open heart; it signals a need for change, transmuted appropriately it provides the energy to act, it is the motivation to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.

4 - Evil exists, as we are witnessing in the world today. It is the misuse of power, and the potential for it resides in every one of us. How does it resonate within you? Embrace mystical passion and radical action to transmute that energy into the light, love, prayer and humbleness of alignment to/protection within the Divine.

5 - As far as humanly possible, act nonviolently.

6 - The world is going to be saved by people living from places of love,joy and bliss, acting as vehicles for the Divine - not those propelled by fear, anger, revenge, hatred and greed.

7 - Deep, effective radical action is best created by working together. Join with others and be co-conspirators in bliss.

If this information resonates with you, embrace it; if not - ok. There's a lot of ugliness in the world - be radical and hold the beauty, be bliss!

Traveler 1

travelers 2

sea and sky

lowtide

silhouetes

sunset

What is it about being good for awhile that makes me want to be so bad?!

I've been taking macrobiotic cooking classes this spring, and implementing many of the recipes and principles into my daily life. The last couple of weekends I've fasted and it felt wonderful. Then all hell broke loose.

I rarely go to the grocery if I'm tired or hungry. I know that if this happens I get home with all kinds of crap I normally wouldn't buy. However, this week I was ovulation and the hormones were pushing the grocery cart. That's how the two-bite brownies got into the cupboard. Thursday I had one. The next day I had six. Then the rest of them went in the trash. The slide had begun.

Last night was a birthday/Mother's Day celebration dinner with my Gals. I had a superb seared salmon in miso broth with wild rice. I ate half of it, and had pot au chocolate for dessert! It was creamy, intense, rich and divine. A partial recovery.

Today I had french toast and sausage for breakfast. And coffee. I wanted a nap immediately. I went to a movie, then I went and bought wine, brie and crackers for lunch. The weather's miserably cold and windy and rainy for the umpteenth day in a row and I wanted comfort food. That was my logic anyways.

The wine was too dry. I had a couple of crackers; they were tasteless, boring and the brie was like sludge. So not only was I not satisfied, I felt like crap: slow, blob-like and dissapointed! I'd hit maximum density.

The positive side of this is that after dancing back and forth across the edges of body/food awareness I now get it on a level that I hadn't before. I have finally accepted the clear and blatant cause and affect between my body and the substances I put into it. The loss of the lightness, energy and clarity I attain when eating well are not worth the momentary tactile and taste experience of those other foods.

Bottom line is that I'll make more conscious choices now. And if I'm going to be bad, I'm going to be Mae West bad: I will on occasion have something 'worthy' and savor every moment of it!

It's been a quiet week here in Lake...

Sometime's you don't realize how much noise there is in your life or how many varieties it comes in until its gone.

Last week I fasted for 2 days. Let go of food and speaking for those 48 hours. I drank juices, teas and water. Each beverage became distinct in flavor, density, texture, aroma. I didn't miss cooking or washing dishes. I realize now how much of food's appeal is the sensory stimuli, and that often I'll eat from that place rather than from the awareness of what my stomach is feeling.

Not talking came with a sense of relief! I didn't listen to music or watch tv. (The latter of which I do little of anyways.) Sensory focuses became simultaneously local and broader. Less incoming/outgoing data allowed more awareness of what goes on inside myself, what distracts or attracts my attention. The only sounds were the birds, spring peepers, the wind in the pines or the ocean waves, and occasional traffic. Returning from my beach walk, a stop at the mini-mart was jarring - human voices, television, radio. I grabbed my NYTs, smiled my thanks to the clerk and rushed back to the silence of my cottage. Ahhh, relief. I didn't leave for 36 hours. Ahhhh, luxury.

Lack brought abundance. Quiet shepharded communication within. This is a keeper. Maybe next I'll forgo text and computer. That will be more of a challenge than giving up food and speaking!