12 --21-- 2012

Today is magical, and so was yesterday.

Today is Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, and the shortest day. Many people think today would mark a huge change and transition to a world that is filled with higher consciousness, more loving vibrations and new possibilities. I see the great possibility inherent in each sunrise but this one has been predicted as a turning point by the Mayans and other folks who are tapped into some potential changes.

The way I see it, if people as a whole, as a species, do  not begin to really shift their views and awareness toward ways that are sustainable, we will not have a world that can be inhabited by humans, and that could happen quite fast. We need the earth, she does not need us.

lyrics

"before i fall"

Take me away
from these monstrosities

If you can see me
Please please please
take my hand
before I fall deeper into what
they have planned

the weather doesn't start in the sky
here in California
ballot boxes are supposed to get us by
but just like the election
we could all use some protection
just look at the people
and what they are trying to say

take us away
from those monstrosities

the weather doesn't start in the sky


-------------------

"belongings"

I belong to nobody but me
you belong to nobody but you

we can meet in the middle
for communication
a little conversation
but you reveal my identity
don't shine that light on me

so take off your mask now
i will do the same
there has been nothing but lies
since you came
despite that i know
nobody is to blame

if you were in my shoes
maybe you would see
there is nothing but shadow
dwelling where i used to be
so i ask for your mercy
---------------------------

"twirl"

twirl and unfurl the curl from your stare
it's like I knew you but you weren't there
I like that I saw you when others took distance
I cannot forget the odd hue of that dissonance
you were so real
I thought I knew what I wanted to feel

(chorus) so no matter what you thought you were lookin at
I can prove, baby, I can prove I am better then that

nothing can change the way lightning struck when we first locked gazes
or how i instantly understood all your previous phases

chorus-

nothing can change our dedication to each other now
we are as close as time and space will allow
------------------------------

"open up"

if you would open up
a little more
you would find
we could go so far

if you open up a little more
you would not regret
getting your feet wet

i can show you places you never seen
i can take you places out of this dream

if you hear me out, you will see
a little trust goes a long way

i just wanted to say
i'm here for you, despite the pain
i'm here for you, through sun and rain

if you open up a little more
life will shift, spirits will lift

I can see you through it
I can take you deeper
I can love you better

if you open up a little more
we would go so far

sacred soil

lookin up i always wonder why
there is so much distraction before we reach the sky

and if i could shake off this mortal coil
i might just stay grounded in the sacred soil

if given the choice i would forfeit my own voice
so humanity could heal from the suffering they feel

i know it seems kinda strange that this is how i call for change
but what else can i do but give all that has helped me to live?


"someday"

someday i will tell you
how i got through it
for now all you need to know
is I can do it

you think I am still scared of myself
I say put those labels back on the shelf
where they belong
too tainted for this song

let those secrets out
holding you hostage
out into the breeze
to be cleansed by water
purified by fire

someday I will tell you how I do it
for now all you need to know is I am
gettin through it
for now all you need to know about me
is I can do it

FTP-Feed the People

This event became rather confusing as we attempted to keep it going. On an individual level, people started out feeling motivated and then all of the issues below the surface began to rise.

There were attempts at smearing the reputations of people who were trying to help out and be allies to the cause, there were accusations of elder abuse when participants who were younger began to be critical of those who were older and more established. One of the issues at the heart of many of these conflicts is the idea that a person must criticize and step on the toes of people who have been organizing and working for a number of different causes, in order to establish their own leadership, when in fact, people would be better off learning from the stories of those who have done such events and actions many times before.

Our intention, and we did have a mission statement, was to hold space for people who wanted to paint, get a chance to rock the mic, or sell crafts and so forth. the only alcohol or sugar available was sold for a small price. All other food was free and nutritious.

In many ways, the 2 events were successful and now we want to find another location. If more drama ensues, we will handle it with compassion and patience. We are committed to the vision of starting momentum. We are creating a model for organizing it in a way that shows awareness for people who can follow our model and make it happen in other communities that are thirsty and hungry for welcoming arts/food/crafts/music spaces that are built from the ground up, as a labor of love.

unconditional

on the forest floor
there are
sea shells
broken and quiet
the ocean was there
left her mark

on the ocean bed floor
there are many leaves
soft, green, comforting
the forest was there
left her mark

we make this dream
out of moments
handed to us
as offerings
we can hardly
recognize

and so
pull from me
all that you desire
i have access to all that is
was and shall be

and so
give to me
all that you suppose i desire
you have access to all that
is, was, and shall be

and so
water quenches your thirst
without asking who you are
or what you have done

and so
earth shelters you
without asking who you are
or where you have been

and so
the fires of the sun star in the distance
warm you
light your way
the fires you build
into your grids maintaining your survival
still warm you
but do not ask, have never asked, will never ask
what you are doing here, why you have come
needing what you need

when in truth
you are
some part of
all that is
was and
shall be

Interfaith work is also play- hopefully

----- Being lighthearted about interfaith work and talks is key, i imagine, to the success of the interactions----

when it comes to religious/spiritual views, we lack common language and often end up misunderstanding each other. many discussions take place when participants are drunk or high on some kind of substance. this leads to problems that could easily have been avoided if only the folks had waited until they were calm and ready to tackle such a discussion. passion is part of our psyche, when it comes to right and wrong and the BIG questions.

Most folks live day in and day out not worrying too much about the big picture, the focus remains on survival and all that entails. And then, of course some of us cannot help ourselves. Personally, I think about the BIG questions in some sort of way on a daily basis. What does that make me? Religious? Spiritual? I do not relate to these labels so well. A friend of mine says to me "Well, you have spent a lot of time 'there'.."

to be continued...

choices

choosing to medicate or choosing to sit with what ails you can be challenging. you must know which way to go, since you are your own best doctor in many ways, and have been your whole life.

what are the true laws we all really live by now, now that the 1990s have created space for the chaos that reigns government to persist, even when calm cool alternatives exist. Plants cannot be outlawed. Forms of self expression cannot be outlawed. Fighting unjust laws created a movement not long ago, the civil rights movement, in the USA. Now, we continue to need to be vigilant about protecting freedom from people who have agendas that stifle true alternatives to oppressive conditions.

.

for the season as it moves

It helps us all to know when to engage a topic and when to walk away from a discussion. When tempers flare, and ego minded self appears, it is good to notice that and state an intention to step back from the talk.

that is one way we can shift our paradigm.

as a peacemaker, I have learned how easy it can be to become frazzled when a person attempts to twist our words that we used and the best tool i can offer is to constantly know that the present is all there is, so if a person brings up the past you can be confident that you do not live in that space, you live in the present, where it is either warm, cold, hot, pretty, ugly, north, south, and so on and so forth.

present time is the only time there is.

ashe

Regarding occupy and decolonize and the "Movement" in 2012

who is able or willing to listen to reason?

when it comes to the distribution of wealth and resources, including basic needs, food, water, shelter and then extending to more frivolous items -- the basic truth is this: the more equitable the distribution, the less likely it is that there will be vast numbers of people trying to take what the super wealthy have. before i start to sound too "socialist" or "communist" whatever those words mean to you, let me say that i am coming from a place of logic and i do not have an agenda to promote some platform or whatever, i am simply drawing attention to this fact. what would be the antidotes to our current dysfunction and imbalance?

empathy versus psychic ability

When is the line crossed between an empathic experience, wherein you can feel what the other person is feeling, and a psychic one, wherein you sense information beyond just their emotions? These experiences are linked.

i am convinced you can develop both empathic skills as well as psychic skills like many other skills that need practice. the question is who are the best teachers? are you one of the best teachers for yourself? and then more importantly, most important, what are the intentions behind the practice? Who are you serving? your own interests, and your own pursuits? service to the higher good?  these are tricky areas because we might have hidden motivations we are not aware of, that are to be discovered after certain actions are taken. 

we are born with gifts, inherent in our human nature. these gifts take time and effort to cultivate but some of us are born into levels of awareness that appear more advanced than others. we struggle with the desire to compete with each other in order to build identities based upon what we feel will give us the most glory and satisfy the egotistical need to be recognized for what we can do - this need is not necessarily a negative one and can clearly be a part of us that serves to motivate and create- which can lead to highly productive and useful entities, actions, endeavors, etc. When motivations go unexamined that is when the results end up being often quite disturbing.

feed the people event -- July first!

yes! live performance can make you feel alive, more alive than a shot of pure adrenaline but does it really change you?

this event today celebrated what we call "interdependence day" and we thank all who helped and showed up because it was a success-- we fed people - we entertained them, we included them, we possibly uplifted them, we showed a couple films. overall, it went very well. people were free to paint with graffiti boards set up and that kept folks focused on making art happen. 

Lauryn Hill articulates her position on why she chooses what she does.

 Lauryn Hill's blog post. In her own words. I may not understand all her choices but I believe in letting her get her word out, and in general not making assumptions about people in the public eye.

“For the past several years, I have remained what others would consider underground. I did this in order to build a community of people, like-minded in their desire for freedom and the right to pursue their goals and lives without being manipulated and controlled by a media protected military industrial complex with a completely different agenda. Having put the lives and needs of other people before my own for multiple years, and having made hundreds of millions of dollars for certain institutions, under complex and sometimes severe circumstances, I began to require growth and more equitable treatment, but was met with resistance. I entered into my craft full of optimism (which I still possess), but immediately saw the suppressive force with which the system attempts to maintain it’s control over a given paradigm. I’ve seen people promote addiction, use sabotage, black listing, media bullying and any other coercion technique they could, to prevent artists from knowing their true value, or exercising their full power. These devices of control, no matter how well intentioned (or not), can have a devastating outcome on the lives of people, especially creative types who must grow and exist within a certain environment and according to a certain pace, in order to live and create optimally.
I kept my life relatively simple, even after huge successes, but it became increasingly obvious that certain indulgences and privileges were expected to come at the expense of my free soul, free mind, and therefore my health and integrity. So I left a more mainstream and public life, in order to wean both myself, and my family, away from a lifestyle that required distortion and compromise as a means for maintaining it. During this critical healing time, there were very few people accessible to me who had not already been seduced or affected by this machine, and therefore who could be trusted to not try and influence or coerce me back into a dynamic of compromise. Individual growth was expected to take place unnaturally, or stagnated outright, subject to marketing and politics. Addressing critical issues like pop culture cannibalism or its manipulation of the young at the expense of everything, was frowned upon and discouraged by limiting funding, or denying it outright. When one has a prolific creative output like I did/do, and is then forced to stop, the effects can be dangerous both emotionally and psychologically, both for the artist and those in need of that resource. It was critically important that I find a suitable pathway within which to exist, without being distorted or economically strong-armed.
During this period of crisis, much was said about me, both slanted and inaccurate, by those who had become dependent on my creative force, yet unwilling to fully acknowledge the importance of my contribution, nor compensate me equitably for it. This was done in an effort to smear my public image, in order to directly affect my ability to earn independently of this system. It took a long time to locate and nurture a community of people strong enough to resist the incredibly unhealthy tide, and more importantly see through it. If I had not been able to make contact with, and establish this community, my life, safety and freedom, would have been directly affected as well as the lives, safety and freedom of my family. Failure to create a non toxic, non exploitative environment was not an option.
As my potential to work, and therefore earn freely, was being threatened, I did whatever needed to be done in order to insulate my family from the climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism that I was surrounded by. This was absolutely critical while trying to find and establish a new and very necessary community of healthy people, and also heal and detoxify myself and my family while raising my young children.
There were no exotic trips, no fleet of cars, just an all out war for safety, integrity, wholeness and health, without mistreatment denial, and/or exploitation. In order to liberate myself from those who found it ok to oppose my wholeness, free speech and integral growth by inflicting different forms of punitive action against it, I used my resources to sustain our safety and survival until I was able to restore my ability to earn outside of it!
When artists experience danger and crisis under the effects of this kind of insidious manipulation, everyone easily accepts that there was something either dysfunctional or defective with the artist, rather than look at, and fully examine, the system and its means and policies of exploiting/’doing business’. Not only is this unrealistic, it is very dark in its motivation, conveniently targeting the object of their hero worship by removing any evidence that they ‘needed’ or celebrated this very same resource just years, months or moments before. Since those who believe they need a hero/celebrity outnumber the actual heroes/celebrities, people feel safe and comfortably justified in numbers, committing egregious crimes in the name of the greater social ego. Ironically diminishing their own true hero-celebrity nature in the process.
It was this schism and the hypocrisy, violence and social cannibalism it enabled, that I wanted and needed to be freed from, not from art or music, but the suppression/repression and reduction of that art and music to a bottom line alone, without regard for anything else. Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual. I Love making art, I Love making music, these are as natural and necessary for me almost as breathing or talking. To be denied the right to pursue it according to my ability, as well as be properly acknowledged and compensated for it, in an attempt to control, is manipulation directed at my most basic rights! These forms of expression, along with others, effectively comprise my free speech! Defending, preserving, and protecting these rights are critically important, especially in a paradigm where veiled racism, sexism, ageism, nepotism, and deliberate economic control are still blatant realities!!!
Learning from the past, insulating friends and family from the influence of external manipulation and corruption, is far more important to me than being misunderstood for a season! I did not deliberately abandon my fans, nor did I deliberately abandon any responsibilities, but I did however put my safety, health and freedom and the freedom, safety and health of my family first over all other material concerns! I also embraced my right to resist a system intentionally opposing my right to whole and integral survival.
I conveyed all of this when questioned as to why I did not file taxes during this time period. Obviously, the danger I faced was not accepted as reasonable grounds for deferring my tax payments, as authorities, who despite being told all of this, still chose to pursue action against me, as opposed to finding an alternative solution.
My intention has always been to get this situation rectified. When I was working consistently without being affected by the interferences mentioned above, I filed and paid my taxes. This only stopped when it was necessary to withdraw from society, in order to guarantee the safety and well-being of myself and my family.
As this, and other areas of issue are resolved and set straight, I am able to get back to doing what I should be doing, the way it should be done. This is part of that process. To those supporters who were told that I abandoned them, that is untrue. I abandoned greed, corruption, and compromise, never you, and never the artistic gifts and abilities that sustained me.”

"what happens to the earth happens to us"

 check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbjzujo1Qx8&feature=BFa&list=LLL-cKcfU9X3Kju_Vk2R4KLQ

wake up call - manifesto- summer 2012

energy is everything and everything in existence carries energy so
what is the money?
printed green by machines
we imbue it with meaning
but it means no more or less than the leaves from which it comes
the paper itself
we dream meaning into existence
just as we were dreamed into existence by forces we cannot
clearly name
until we do
until we shift toward what is really true
and  a new currency -a new world order
just might be under way
but whose dream is this? whose reality are you willing to share?
and how much of your energy do you pour into
manufactured happiness?
the patriarchs that perpetuated slavery are printed on these bills
and yet they are our ancestors who represent the energy of their era
but this era- this is our time!
this era just may promise long awaited remedies
to their mistakes
we must manifest alternatives to their atrocities
or history will continue to repeat itself 
whether capitalist or communist or anarchist or street hustler
what are the new remedies to the old poison?
the deities in us are struggling to come forth- to emerge
sometimes through egotistical shouts- sometimes in silence
but you can refuse to feed the demons
whose dream are you serving?
how do your actions reflect this?

A different kind of F-word

"I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is. I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute."

calling out for compassionate awakening

I generally do not use this blog to post responses to high profile news cases but I was just SO struck by the headline regarding a possibility in the Trayvon Martin case. This is a case where a black male teenager in Florida was walking home with candy and an iced tea, yet had no weapon on him but he ended up shot to death by another Florida citizen.

The part that makes me so frustrated, while the whole situation is terrible and sad, is that if Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon, is convicted of a hate crime, he could be sentenced to death. This demonstrates exactly how our society fails to rehabilitate people who are suffering from any number of psychological issues. Killing Zimmerman sends a message to impressionable people in our nation, children and others, that "An eye for an eye" is an acceptable method of handling the suffering of human beings. The death sentence is archaic. We need, as a society, to come up with better solutions. Essentially, "an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind." Trayvon should never have been killed, obviously. But now that he is gone, there is no need to perpetuate murder. State sanctioned murder is one of the sickest kinds there is. Let us awaken to the reality that compassionate solutions can lead us to the kind of society that the vast majority of us dream about.

day to honor your mother

these days of token appreciation are funny. on one hand, it is nice to have a special time set aside for a specific person or intention, but then of course there is the idea that we should honor these people and hold those intentions year round. when it comes to "mother's day" I feel how it connects to earth day...not because the inventors of the holiday intended that but many people on the planet feel that this earth is our mother and if you have a terrible relationship or no relationship with the woman who birthed you or raised you, maybe you can spend today immersed in a beautiful, natural place and honor that experience, connect to the planet that you are inherently connected to and will return to- maybe "she" is your mother, at least in one sense.

2 points

1. Fixation

It is not generally a good idea to fixate on anything-- yourself, another person, an issue, etc.
The distinction to be made is fixation versus focus. When you fixate, you cannot make progress, you cannot move a situation forward, you cannot improve. When you focus, you can do all those things and more.

falling in love can involve a fixation-- on an idea of eternal love, other fantasies...

or it can be a chance to focus and to grow/change

2. everyone is is student and everyone is a teacher

some just have more to learn, some have more to teach, but all of us are both.

for the seekers

Who would want to be responsible for the Ultimate Truth...for no mortal being is meant to contain such a thing or to be endowed with the responsibility to share it or hide it...

who would want political power, for how could anyone be sure it would not corrupt them?

why seek power over other beings, instead of just control of your own state of mind?

a sad one

this is sickness

and you are not more than

human

disturbed flawed

dissonance,

we are fragile and dissonant

terrible earth

from this corner we emerge

all torn to pieces inside

this is pain

and before i can move on

i look closely

force myself to see

send one last glance in your direction

before release

welcome

1. Welcome to Planet Earth, may I take your order?
2. Welcome to heaven, your order is ready.
3. Welcome to hell, why are you not in your uniform yet?

Dedication

We have the power to change our circumstances. All of us do.  Even if we cannot fix every minute problem or relieve every discomfort, we all have powers and abilities that lay dormant at times but that can be awakened, with consciousness with the right catalysts and right energies, within and around us. I intend to provide tools that can be used by anyone, but I am dedicating this work to folks who have been told they will be mentally ill for the rest of their lives, who in many cases are not provided with tools due to the fact that so many believe they would not be competent enough to use them. This assumption is destructive and unfair. I offer what I have and I will not stop offering more as I learn more, in the hopes that my offerings are found useful, even to one other living being.

joining the chorus

joining the chorus can
go hand and hand
with
preaching to the choir
but I do both
on a regular basis
because it must be done
the fights must be won
and yes
I choose my battles
more and more selectively but
there are times
for the warrior to rise
and she does
and eventually she gets wise
wearing a convincing disguise
make way
there will be
so
much more
to say

Dragonfly

"One of the most magical sights on a summer day or early evening is that of the dragonfly. With its shimmering wings and delicate form it seems a creature from the land of Faerie, and it is a power animal which can help to put us in touch with nature spirits.

Dragonfly medicine is about the breaking of illusions, especially those illusions that prevent growth and maturity. Dragonfly is the bringer of visions of power. Flighty and carefree dragonflies symbolize whirlwind, swiftness and activity.

Dragonflies and damoiselleflies live and breed near water. Therefore, they are found around ponds, pools, lakes, rivers, streams, even bayous or swamps. Access to running water is not only preferred, it is essential. Eggs are laid in the water and the entire nymphal (infant) period is spent there. As adults they take to the air. Those who find themselves overwhelmed by emotion and seek some detachment from their problems so that they can solve them can benefit from Dragonfly medicine.

Dragonfly medicine helps during a transition, or it may fortell a time of change. If uncomfortable with innovation, seek assistance from dragonfly, for such things are within its domain.

Dragonfly is of the dreamtime and the illusionary facade we accept as physical reality. The iridescence of Dragonfly's wings reminds us of colors not found in our everyday experience. Dragonfly's shifting of color, energy, form, and movement explodes into the mind of the observer, bringing vague memories of a time or place where magic reigned.

Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment, and the communications from the elemental world. This elemental world is made up of the tiny spirits of plants, and of the elements air, earth, fire, and water. In essence, this world is full of nature spirits.

Part of dragonfly's medicine is its ability to play among the air currents and to dazzle others with light. However, its gift also carries an implicit warning; as master of illusion, those with dragonfly medicine should be warned not to fool themselves.

If Dragonfly has come to you, you may have forgotten to water your plants. On another level, you may need to give thanks to the foods you eat for sustaining your body. On the psychological level, it may be time to break down the illusions you have held that restrict your actions or ideas.

Dragonfly medicine always beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which you need to change. Have you put on too much weight, or have you started to look like a scarecrow? Have you tended to the changes you have wanted to make in your life? If you feel the need for change, call on Dragonfly to guide you through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation.

See how you can apply the art of illusion to your present question or situation, and remember that things are never completely as they seem.

Dragonfly teaches us how to balance emotion and mental clarity and control. Dragonfly medicine works in a two year cycle, so if Dragonfly has come into your life you can expect change within this time period. Dragonfly people need to honor their health by spending time outdoors in the sunlight near streams or lakes. Dragonfly also teaches us to see through our own illusions."

unknown source

ways to say it

1.
Life is temporary. Express yourself.
Love, The Universe.

2.
Life is. Temporary Express.
Yourself Love. The Universe.

3.
Life is temporary
express yourself
love the universe

Tara

Way back in the beginning of this blog, I explained that Tara's Tongue is named partly for the Goddess of Compassion. I have been giving much thought lately to who or what I think she is. I was raised in an Alternative Faith Tradition, which I will not really go into now, I am only mentioning it to point to a familiarity with the idea of Goddesses.

Faith and practice are separate but very connected. What you believe directly affects what you practice, or do not practice. Like most folks, I work on figuring out what I believe over many years and by trying out different practices. For some folks, this all seems very simple. The truth is such and such, that is all, there is no more to it. Move on. For me, the subtleties, nuances and complexities that are present in spiritual awareness cause me to constantly edit what I was thinking in order to update it to what I currently think. The practice that seems to stay consistent with all the shifting that goes on is compassion. That does not go away. It seems so vital and necessary, and the way I see it, compassion is directly connected to intelligence.

This relates to Tara's Tongue because one of my ideas is that the language of compassion is a language unto itself. Maybe one name for it would be Tara's Tongue, specifically, the mother tongue of our species is inherently a compassionate one. Infants of our species have innate understanding of compassion and a deep need for it. As anyone, who knows anything about human development; will know, without loving touch, without being held for a good part of each day, an infant will suffer terribly and in some cases, may even die. This blog is in many ways a devotional work, the content therein being devoted to the spirit energy of compassion manifested in us and beyond us.

As far as Who or What Tara is, this question is still very much up for debate. The story that seems likely to me is that there is an archetype; meaning : A very typical example of a certain person or thing, or: An original that has been imitated. Maybe she is an archetypal energy found in many places- inside ourselves and each other, in other spirits perhaps, in the water, in the soil and that which nourishes us, that has been so compelling to us that we as Humans, needed to give it a name and honor it as a deity, a Great Goddess. This seems most possible.

Mental health and Choice. Mind over matter, right?!

"Some of the first research in this area focused on simple correlation studies, looking for quantifiable evidence that mental illness is more common among creative people. In a 1987 study, Dr. Nancy Andreason of the University of Iowa, found that a sample of creative writers had significantly higher levels of bipolar disorder than a control group. It is not hard to see how these symptoms might be loosely analogous to creative processes – drawing unusual connections or thinking in a unique way are hallmarks of the artistic mind. But the traits of creativity are not only descriptively similar to some of the side-effects of mental illness – the neurological brain states are actually the same."


Note-
If the brain states are the same, as stated above, why then, would some people express these states in a way that indicates real suffering and other people express them purely in ways that boost their creative output? How can we learn from those who only use the state to be creative, minus the suffering? Is there a way to transfer this ability or teach this ability to people who experience similar states but who appear unable to channel the energy in creative and or productive ways?

Chemical Imbalance theory-

Scientists are quite convinced that medication can correct chemical imbalances. These imbalances typically result in deviant behavior and symptoms people report which suggest that the person is suffering a great deal.

The question that does not often enough get asked is; what are all the other factors involved in each case? There are almost always possibilities that people can recover fully from mental states that were, at one point, or at many points, debilitating.

How much of these cases are mind over matter? How much of the behavior is a choice? None? Some? All? Some variation of these options?

Like so many things, the most probable answer would be that the level of choice involved varies from individual to individual. It would make no sense that two people with the same diagnosis would have all the same abilities to use self control and discipline and so forth in regard to handling their symptoms. It also makes no sense at all to pathologize a person's behavior and attribute all of it to an illness. What kind of role does the "chemical imbalance" really play?

If there were nothing at all to the imbalance theory, as some of the more radical folks suggest, then why would so many people have been successfully treated with medication? There must be some legitimacy to this method of treatment, but clearly it is not the only one or always the right one. We must use discretion and discernment, two things so frequently thrown out the window when it comes to mental health.

My intention in writing about this is to pose questions about a complicated subject and encourage people to think outside the boxes of traditional perspectives. We must think for ourselves, when we are blessed enough to be able to think clearly.

Taking this post in a slightly different but related direction, the idea of heaven and hell as states of mind, not actual places seems very relevant to mental health. This also brings in the matter of spiritual awareness. Many believe that each person "creates" their reality. I think this is an over simplification but what resonates is the idea that our mental state is directly connected to what we create and focus on. Some of what we collectively dream and create is a shared reality, some of it is not shared from community to community let alone from person to person.

In a Christian dominated society, such as ours, with Churches and Cathedrals in great numbers all over this land, the idea of salvation for many laypeople has been relegated to the concept of an external force "saving" us from ourselves. Most people adjust this idea to fit what seems more plausible. I assert that on any given day, we have some heaven and some hell in our thoughts and psyches that we are working with. It is rarely a clear case of either/or. It tends to be a combination.

To be continued....

IN the world, not OF it

"In most of the secret teachings there is the belief that one must separate oneself from the world if one is to awaken to the greater reality beyond this life. Yet if we look closely at this belief, we find that the separation is more accurately a detachment than a separation. One is to strive to release oneself from the possessive power of the things of this world while still actively participating in it. In other words, one is to enjoy food and drink without being possessed by food and drink; one is to enjoy material life without being possessed by it."

This sounds deceptively simple, doesn't it? Do not be possessed by it, right? Just choose not to be. Maybe it is that simple. Maybe, in most cases we can make a conscious choice not to be taken over and possessed by material substance, that which we wear, consume and so forth. If you are in a relatively clear state of mind, this is a task that would not be too challenging to accomplish.

The Occupy Movement has a clear purpose-here is a version of it

"We the people (also part of Occupy Wall Street) declare treason against any corporations or banks who seek or have sought to subvert the will of the people by unconstitutional means. We declare the purpose of the occupy movement is to make known that there are private corporations and banks in this nation who have systematically infiltrated all the branches and boards of our government as well as our voting system by bribery, promises, rewards, and monetary gain thus trampling the rights and the will of the people. We demand a reversal of all laws created by bribery to the benefit of said corporations. We demand enforcement of all laws designed to prevent such infiltration. We demand any such corporation or branch of government in violation are held to account and charged with treason and enact the people's power to dismantle and rebuild each branch in accordance with the constitution."

and a good quote to follow...

"Loyalty to the country always, loyalty to the government when it deserves it!"

conversations underneath conversations

subtext grabbing so much attention
asking us to look deeper

and looking deeper can unearth
revelations
you are not
so ready for

but then again
preparation
is a luxury

mini - manifesto

We do not enter into human form
as clean slates

We come with knowledge
wisdom
memories
information
uncanny abilities
psychic truth
various types of medicinal gifts

we are not from nowhere
we are from somewhere
our origins remain unknown
and
unverified

we start with sound
movement
word
image
sentence
intention

life is set into motion
as if we came from the ocean

easy to find definitions of elusive word : sacred

1. sa·cred/ˈsākrid/
Adjective:

Connected with God (or the gods) or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration: "sacred rites".
Religious rather than secular.


2. Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy (perceived by religious individuals as associated with the divine) or sacred (considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspiring awe or reverence among believers in a given set of spiritual ideas). In other contexts, objects are often considered 'holy' or 'sacred' if used for spiritual purposes, such as the worship or service of gods. These terms can also be used in a non-spiritual or semi-spiritual context ("sacred truths" in a constitution). It is often ascribed to people ("a holy man" of religious occupation, "holy prophet" who is venerated by his followers), objects ("sacred artifact" that is venerated and blessed ), times ("holy days" of spiritual introspection, such as during winter holidays), or places ("sacred ground", "holy place").

comment:

The concept of sacred is one that is worth exploration. Some say sacred has an opposite, which would be  mundane, but what if the sacred and mundane are wedded together by the fact that there is a spot of one within another, not unlike the yin/yang symbol. Sacred denotes a sense of otherworldly special, as though that which is regarded sacred, is not necessarily connected to the world we live in and experience on a daily basis. The sacred object/image/symbol/experience is leading us to believe in more than what we take for granted via our five senses. We experience the sacred in countless ways, ask 5 people what is sacred to them, chances are you will get 5 varied responses. No two people are going to define it or experience it the same way, or if they do, that will create phenomenon unto itself that is worth looking into. Yet, in my quest to pin down a reasonable definition, I find much more contradiction and disagreement than harmony.....

Building Self Love. Dialogue. Female 1 and 2

Female 1: Men tell me, "Look at you" and I don't see it. I do not understand. Friends tell me, "Look at you" and I am confused.

Female 2: They are complimenting you. You are supposed to understand your own beauty. You are supposed to be confident. They assume you are.

F 1: How is that supposed to happen when the pressure to measure up to some unattainable standard of beauty rips me apart? The mirror is not my friend.

F 2: It can be. It will be. You must transform the way you see, and that will change how you feel

F 1: How do I do that?

F 2: You start by eliminating influences in your life, such as many kinds of media, that promote ridiculous standards of beauty. Maybe you create some visual art that shows women of all kinds, shapes, sizes, races, ages, feeling strong, healthy, peaceful and radiant. You honor your body for what it does for you and how it responds to good food and gets energy. It is a complex map of systems that helps you function. It is a home for your spirit. Your worth is not determined by the appearance of physical self. You get in touch with this truth, over time, in many different ways.

F 1: That will take real effort, and yes, I know it will be worth it.

Holding space

If I may be so bold, I would assert that we need to learn how to hold “space” for people. This means that whatever they speak about, the listener does not react with strong emotion. Instead, they hold space to simply process what has been happening for them.

The task is to listen without judging. This is different from simply hearing someone. Holding a space is crucial when developing a relationship- friendship -etc. with a person who comes from a very different background. Normally, we wish we could react in calm smooth way at all times, but certain moments present challenges that take us away from our center and cause us to become overly emotional in our response.

Many people never learn how to hold “space” for anyone. Space was never held for them. If the individual has had experiences wherein they needed to tune someone out and not listen to them, they will have a difficult time getting into the place where they can listen easily to just anyone. They might be hearing but not listening.
Another piece to this puzzle that is relevant, and really this is always relevant, IMHO -at all times, is that YOU ARE NOT the stories in your mind. Our human identity is tied up in all kinds of false stories of what we are based on the way we have been programmed and conditioned. The essence of what we are can be summed up by the word- breath, the air that moves through us as it circulates and that leaves us when we exit this realm and head where ever it is we head, or are exterminated.

That mystery remains unsolved for the vast majority of us, though some claim to know. The point is, we are BREATH, breath is spirit and that is all we really are, we are not false constructs that make up identity. We breathe and then we stop breathing. We over complicate this and misery ensues.

This connects to holding space because we are simply breathers who slip into and out of existence with no formal instructions given while we are here, and the space we hold for each other can transform the quality of our breath, and the quality of our time here. Many can attest to this as true.

and now for a poem-- "go silent, get loud"

Showing up.

Showing up on time.

Breaking down.

Breaking down knowledge, breaking down into pieces

Showing up again.

There was a completion, a full circle 

There were words spoken but not by a tender mouth

There were words spoken in gazes -in familiar galaxies

we showed up-

we broke down-

our fiction temperature was raging,

our truth movement was astonishing-

our pieces were broken until suddenly hope formed an ice sculpture and as it melted it became the water we needed to take in
our broken pieces spoke directly to each other at the time- at the time we thought we were fine

And this time presents new truths-  we are whole
we break down again only this time it is a necessary fragmentation in a process 
designated to re- design us

A new template.

Give us seconds-- we will make hours.

Give us hours-- we will condense them into minutes. 
Time is barely breathing on the back burner 
We are showing up again…still. 
We show up in the stillness.

We are whole again.

upon being spirit in flesh

casual density
formal intensity
weight of fingers upon skin
is like light upon soil
necessary and natural
we listen to opinions that reek of false pretense
and echo this ignorance
hiding our gifts of warmth
standing steady, dreaming over fires of lust
oh how we get burned, such betrayed trust
distance is created
appetites sated

who are we now?

remember when it was best to forget?
remember when the present moment was all there was
star shattering upon moon surface
if you stand from this perspective, shattered star pieces glitter and glow but if you stand from the other perspective they glint and gleam with menacing intent
how do you choose to stand?
the power in your mind
is vast
and can conquer what we call demons
from our perspective
lacking scientific input
we refer to faintly biblical mythology
producing profound reasons to search for answers
left alone
left to my own devices
I search madly
but they say the universe lies within
and you must break the dams and withstand the floods
you must hold back the flood waters
and feel the essential spray
from escaping waves

ready to grow

do not tell me those secrets, now, please
these everyday interactions
are laced with emotions
that we wish to process
but the masks we wear
prevent us from being seen
even in a mirror
branches lean down toward water
sun leans down toward horizon
sinking
slow and unsure of herself
until time after time
she gains confidence
she masters the motion
of setting out of our view
sun setting
moon rising
perspective shifts
mountainous rifts
providing gifts
treasure the time you have alone
creating a personal space zone
happiness is more possible
than you believed during the vast confusion
someday
I will take in those secrets and release them
on the wind so they land gently
like seeds ready to grow
in fertile soil

bitter end

he handled her roughly
until a golden silence
fell upon his heart
and endeared him to a calmer way
what alchemy is this?
still nothing to say
he could not fathom
her immense sensitivity
or calculate the correct date of her fertility
she showed him more than her body
but he was blind to the treasures
until quiet rumbling revelations
began like earthquakes
"be with me....
(her eyes plead)
until the bitter end
but
please
do not call me friend"

service

that immense natural beauty on this planet can be so rich
that the eyes tend to neutralize themselves
against such power

we sister speak of our woman worth
but the truth is that
our tears remain composed of salt
no more or less salty
than the tears of our suffering brothers
but what if joy were to link us together
not pain?
what if happiness were to bring us into the same space
not anger?
our very survival depends on this
this is a calling for the meetings of our conscious minds
pluralize this
multiply this
expand it

and why is it
that we must DO in order to Be
is it not true that we would not be able to DO
if we were not first to BE
let go of the self notion
let go of the idols inside the selfish brain
let go of the maps to self created misery
you know what they look like.
you do not need them

let go of the fast paced nature of modern societal distractions
despite the fact that you live in
an urban jungle
with shiny material temptation
every which way

you do not need it

let go of the people who drain from you
your most child like,
sincere smiles, dreams
and reserves of energy

you do not need them

and if you wish to serve
go ahead and find a way
serving
the highest good
serving
the force behind the
trees
and rivers
and plants that nourish
remains
a real choice
for any
living being