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Time Lines Tell the Truth
July 5, 2014
— 6 Comments
cactus blooming
Our memories are not accurate. Our self images are not well aligned with reality, and our sense of time is warped. This is true for almost everyone. I have embarked on some time line drawing exercises that have proven to me how far off base I am with a lot of my beliefs about my life and myself. The course in archetypes asks that I draw a time line for each of my dominant archetypes, including first meeting and how their powers entered and left the scene. I am surprised about the details I recall when I focus on only one aspect. This is also true if I draw a time line that includes all my physical injuries, surgeries, and illnesses. I have lead a healthy life, but I do see a pattern when I study the tendencies I have had. My doctors ask me to outline my injuries and illnesses, but I had never drawn them out on a paper with dates before. This chart alone tells a big story about your health and your life. There are other valuable time lines to draw for self knowledge:
- Mental time line- included studies, hobbies, development of talents
- Emotional time line- describes the highs and lows of living as it occurred
- Spiritual time line- takes some concentration to detail moments of enlightenment and deep meaning to the soul
- Global time line-the places we go during our early years especially, influence many of our cultural patterns
- Physical time line- mastery of skills and sports, as well as the injuries and illnesses
When you have drawn these lines (all in the same scale) line up the sheets of paper under one another to see if they have any sequential patterns. Putting them all in a row shows detail that can sort out patterns in our lives. We tend to think of time in various delusional ways. We believe we have always been like this (whatever this may be), for instance. We often believe we were innocent when we were guilty, and sometimes believe just the opposite. The time line describes turning points and events that were pivotal in our development. If we then overlay the archetypes in our personalities, and which ones were dominant at what times the portrait becomes even clearer and more detailed. I started with the assignment of the archetype timelines, which is the most intricate and difficult of them all. By doing the easy ones above first we become accustomed to the focus it takes to really remember accurately. Then we are warmed up to question who was in charge and when. Time lines contain a great deal of power while still holding mystery in the line where it says nothing. Obviously there were constant events, but only some can be brought to mind. More practice brings better proficiency in stringing it all into place.
Contemplatives in the Desert
June 23, 2014
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Hilton Big Horn
I was privileged to spend the weekend with a group of about 170 people who came from all over the country to a conference on the Spirituality of Healing taught by James Finley. The group included many mental health professionals and teachers who were earning credits in continuing education in their professions. Many were members of churches with meditation/prayer groups. I was new to the genre, but felt right at home in he congenial student group. I saw an ad for this in a local paper and followed up with some research into James Finley. I ordered a couple of audio books he wrote and signed up for the conference. The resort where it was held is where the Dalai Lama taught in September of 1993, so I have very fond memories of the place. The Hilton El Conquistador was turned into the the El Comtemplador for a couple of days. The hotel is dog friendly so my partner and dog could come along for a staycation away from home. It was a remarkable experience. I did not photograph the sessions or the participants because I did not want to distract myself from the teaching. I am happy I made that decision because those photos would add little to this post.
Dr. Finley is very generous with free resources on his website, His teaching in person is designed to pack the time spent together with dense, rich, profound, yet simplistic and practical ideas. His background allows him to use language of psychotherapy as well as religious language to explain his concepts. He is a brilliant speaker, but the style of presenting really enhances the message he brings. First of all, he establishes silence in the hall where the conference takes place. There is time and space outside the room to talk. On the second day the group broke bad and got noisy, so he asked that we reestablish the silence in the room. He uses humor to make his point many times, and refers to patient/clinician dialogs to shed light with specific examples. In his opening remarks he lets the audience know that trauma is a difficult and personal subject to address. He encouraged each person to leave the room, move around, take breaks as needed. He repeated several times, “To thine own self be true.” This was good for me when I decided the chairs were not sized so well for me, so I took up a spot against the wall where I had support from the wall for sitting or could even lie down. The sessions covered in sequence his Seven Steps of Spiritual Healing, which logically build upon the preceding steps. He speaks for a little over an hour to cover the material and then a 15-20 minute discussion is opened with the students. A short break for everyone is followed by the next lecture. The time is very well ordered and managed to the greatest advantage of the students. I must say the staff at the resort could not have been more pleasant and helpful, which was icing on the very tasty cake.
He shows the highest regard for the integrity of the students in his assignment of homework. He gave us several exercises to do on our own that will require a great deal of time and consideration, and then moved on to his core curriculum. If you practice you reap the benefits of practice. If you don’t, you don’t. Dr. Finley drives this point home in dramatic and impressive ways in his teaching. Not only is the task of enlightenment or healing our own responsibility, but we are doing it as a microcosm of all that is. We can only put ourselves in the position of least resistance for our desired outcome, and then let go. Deep meaning, philosophy, poetry, art and love are contained in each precious moment, available to us, and being created by us. We have all heard such statements somewhere in our past, and may believe them. What Dr. Finley offers is a system, a practice, a devotional idea to stabilize the consciousness in a state of pure love. It requires diligence and patience. He ended by giving us homework for seven years. It was the perfect wrap up for this conference. He showed how to use lexia divina, discursive meditation, and practice to move into and through the seven steps. He assigned us a step each week for seven weeks, then do that seven times (49 weeks) after a short break we were to take it up again from the beginning..seven steps, one step a week , repeated 7 times. Of course, after a break we are to start at the beginning, until we have done this practice for 7 years. I am sure some kind of heavy duty breakthrough would have to take place if we were all to do our homework. I love his optimism in assigning it. If you have a chance to study with these contemplatives, take advantage of it.
Counting and Comparison
June 20, 2014
— 1 Comment
The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth
There are different ways to approach finances, but there is only one way to count. You can count by 5’s or by 10’s but when you come up with a sum, that is reality. People today are often confused about what constitutes wealth, security, or satisfaction. One of the problems I notice is the addition of interest rates and complicated denial schemes to hide from financial reality. When people became accustomed to using credit cards many also abandoned balancing the budget. Some might believe ignorance is bliss, but when the interest rates catch up with your finances there will be no bliss for you. The popularity of Suze Orman shows how very well educated and powerful people can be financially illiterate to the point of causing agony in their lives. When I was a child there were no credit cards. The parents had metal plates that belonged to specific stores, but I don’t think there was credit advanced. The bill at the store was paid each month in full. We did not consider borrowing money to buy everything. Time was more bountiful too, so people were not strapped to decide which meeting/sporting event/social episode to choose. We had time for everything, including hopping in the car to drive across the country. I do not think we need to return to the days of yesteryear to conquer or mathematical shortcomings. I think we need a simple way to teach those who have always lived in a world with credit cards how to understand compounded interest.
Chris Brogan, one of my favorite authors, has written a book, The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth, that offers a wonderful solution to our dilemma of rampant financial delusion. He calls it “Mortgage Math”. It is a brilliant way to compare and bring into focus money that one is contemplating spending. Instead of trudging onward randomly spending, paying, and wondering how to get out of debt he suggests that each expenditure be compared to something you buy all the time. A mortgage payment is a very common overhead expense to which people can relate. If you have to decide if what you will pay (both now and in interest) for something is worth it, just ask how it compares to your mortgage payment. This adds perspective to an otherwise never-ending spending problem that has buried many Americans in hopeless debt. I have no mortgage, but I use this system to compare anything to a trip. I want a first class ticket to Europe, plus time and money to spend months tracking down my dead ancestors in style. This adventure will be pretty pricey, and I want it more than most day to day things I might purchase. I am not really saving up for it, but rather am using it as a guideline for comparison. I am not an interest payer. I like to be an interest collector, but I still find this idea very useful for attuning with financial reality. He uses a similar formula to determine how valuable time is. By limiting meetings to 20 minutes, saying no often, and staying aware that tempus fugit, memento mori, he gives good advice to create frameworks for more abundant free time. By valuing what you already have, time and freedom of choice, you can make your own financial future more comfortable and successful. There are many good ideas in this book, but this way of looking at finances and time has great potential to help many get on track and fulfill dreams.
Distracted or Connected?
June 2, 2014
— 2 Comments
palo verde
The options we have for communication now boggle the mind. Some minds seem to be desperately boggled by what it takes to tell a story or get a message out to the world today. It is easier than ever because of all the free platforms we can use. It is harder than ever to reach individuals because the competition has grown to include just about everyone on earth. Our message must be not only short and sweet, but must also strike a universal chord. Leonardo da Vinci, especially toward the end of his life, often wrote about thinking in reverse: “Consider first the end.” and “Think well to the end.” were examples of his frequent statements on this subject. Leonardo left us with designs for flying machines and engineering that had not yet been proven when he died. His legacy is his art, certainly. He also left us a very strong and lasting gift of his philosophy. His practice of connessione refined his sense of mysticism and wholeness. He sought and found deep connection with all creation that inspired his work.
If you feel connected in a big way, or to a power larger than your own, confidence and ease are natural. On the other hand, if you feel disconnected from something greater it is possible to entirely loose touch with a realistic self image. We do not hold onto the same ideas or ideals for our entire life. The concept of connection may replace true connection, or maybe we always felt like we were separate and drifting. Now we can substitute chat/tweet/youtube views for personal relationships. The illusion that these clicks and likes make us part of a clubby group might just be the ruin of true connecting. Take a look at your physical worldly connections (so to speak) and how they relate or substitute for spiritual contact. I don’t think you need to join a religion or go to a certain building to make contemplation and meditation a part of your own practice. I feel connected to spirit whenever I:
- listen to almost any music
- dance
- sing
- use color in a creative way (cook, paint, sew, combine,etc)
- observe the heavens at night
- immerse myself in water
- watch the surf
- hear poetry
- write poetry
This list is only a partial, and ever changing accounting of my own ways to notice connessione, or systems. Once you start to think about it you find that everything does depend on everything else, and we are all connected. If you feel distracted and want to center your thoughts, remember all the ways the universe has collaborated to create you and keep you alive. The systems that create us also sustain us.
aloe
Gambler Archetype
May 23, 2014
— 6 Comments
Risk is part of life. The gambler is excited by risk and winning against odds. This bold, sometimes foolish attitude toward taking risks lands the gambler in trouble. Betting on companies or new technology can result in very good returns for the confident intuitive investor. It can also backfire as quickly as a casino game. Each of us has a unique profile for risky behavior/spending/investing/loyalties. We may be suspicious of the stock market and decide to collect coins, precious metals, or guns. We might like to see our assets in the bank earning a little interest. We may believe that real estate makes us secure, although recent events have shown how volatile real property investments can be. The truth is that nobody knows what the future will bring. A well-adjusted approach to gambling is needed to moderate stress. We can neither gamble away our life savings without consequence, nor can we find a way to be 100% immune to losses.
When circumstances are completely out of your control, as in our recent banking crisis, freaking out will only add to the strain. Cutting losses is a concept we need to use in life, but we normally learn it by enduring some difficult losses while clinging to some delusion. The shadow gambler has developed a risk taking addiction, not necessarily in a casino or game setting. A strong compulsion to take risks will eventually create a personality nobody can trust. The danger exists in the loss of control over various types of greed. Politicians risk their reputations on a regular basis. Money, status, and freedom are at stake. Do you have a relationship with a gambler? How is your own relationship with risk?
Liberator Archetype, Tara
May 8, 2014
The liberator serves others in political and sometimes military capacities. Freeing others from injustice and adverse conditions is the role played by the archetype. The words terrorist and liberty have been used and diluted to the point that we are weary as well as wary of news of political freedom. Shadow liberation is often substitution of one violent group for another equally intolerant one. The kidnapping of the school girls in Nigeria has galvanized world opinion on the need for urgent action to find and free them. Jesus, Muhammad, and Buddha were liberators in their places and times in history. The goddess Tara is known as the swift liberator because her nature is to answer very quickly when she is called.
Mantra is a way to meditate and call on Tara to teach us to be free of the 8 fears. Green Tara is pictured with her right foot in front of her because she is symbolically ready to hurry to those who call her. If sound meditation is new to you, the power of it may come as a surprise. We need the swift and sure guidance of Tara to reach the girls and bring them to safety. The mantra above is easy to learn, but even if you simply listen with the idea of freeing the kidnappers as well as the girls from the situation, it is positive. Please join us, gentle reader, to #BringBackOurGirls. Let us create a worldwide mantra of liberation that will reach into the African jungle to bring them home.
Isis and Intuition
May 6, 2014
— 3 Comments
Isis is the mother goddess from Egypt. She rules intuition, magic, and medicine. In our celebration of Mother’s Day let us give thanks for our second sense. Knowing without the reason to know is a gift that can be developed and fine tuned. Notice that certain places, people or objects grab your attention and keep it. Other people and things can come and go without striking up much meaning or memory. The unconscious mind absorbs energy and makes primal instinctive responses. Our emotions are part observation and part deep underground images that are brought to light in various ways. In dreams we only see faces we have seen during our lives. We may not recognize them as we dream, but they represent a symbol, an image, or a story that has meaning for us. The symbols and images we find in dreams and synchronous encounters are encrypted messages from the unconscious.
A centered person has a rich inner sense of spirit, grounded by soul. A balance between rational and intuitive mind is important for emotional wellbeing. As we grow older we may find that more psychic experiences become natural to us. The environment in which we live will determine how freely we can express ourselves on these matters. I think some cases of modern depression result from a tension and polarity between reason and intuition. Our psychic abilities, such as they are, may be a surprise gift. This year for Mother (human or Mother Earth) be grateful for all the gut feelings and saving graces you have had in your life. Be open to more instant insight and enlightenment.
Goddess Archetype
May 5, 2014
— 1 Comment
Our own characters often resemble mythological beings in classic stories. Do we portray one myth more than any other? Are we stuck in a certain drama until we finally understand the meaning of it? The study of archetypes is a study of mythology. Metaphor and symbolism create stories that resonate with meaning in our lives. The admirable goddess qualities include wisdom, physical grace and strength, sensuality, beauty, and guidance. In our world today there are many shadow goddesses. The overly indulged celebrities can reflect the shadow goddess. There is commercial pressure to imitate the unhealthy, perfectionist, unkind diva. It may be helpful to learn more about the positive myths.
Do you know the stories of any of these goddesses?
- Quan Yin- Chinese, embodiment of pure compassion
- Isis-Egyptian, motherhood diety
- Oshun-Yoruba, water goddess of beauty, love, and pleasure
- Athena-Greek, patroness of war, politics, and crafts
The associations with female power and myth have been twisted in some modern contexts. Some study and meditation on the energy of these female figures in mythology can bring us closer to understanding our lives. Our relationship with Mother Earth could use some work. Do you bring the goddess concept into your meditations, gentle reader? Do you have a favorite goddess?
Materialism and Inheritance
May 1, 2014
— 6 Comments
Do you have enough stuff? What kind of stuff do you lack? Do you have goals that do not involve material stuff? My parents were heavily into possessions, and at the end of their lives it seemed that those things they loved so much robbed them of any kind of peace. They struggled to keep objects and wealth long after they even knew what any of the objects were. They wanted to keep an image of themselves in society, and other transitory status rather than seeking truth. There was nothing I could do to help them with that.
I am doing a meditative practice about abundance now. I have special feelings about one of the biblical phrases used in this practice. “All things that the Father hath are mine.” John 16:15. This is talking about the Father with a big F, not my dad. If I have all that my dad had I would be filled with greed, alcoholism, and relative anger at all times. If I concentrate on the Father, as in spirit, I can feel the difference. We inherit objects as well as traits from our parents. The kingdom of heaven is ours if we tune into it. How about you, gentle reader? Do you stand to inherit the earth?
Heroin History
April 1, 2014
— 4 Comments
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- Bayer heroin
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- Bayer product line
Drugs have won the war we have waged against them. Heroin is growing in popularity because it is a cheap substitute for the prescription drugs that are now the gateway. The profits are massive, and the corruption that accompanies the trade makes a joke of law enforcement. The name heroin was chosen by Bayer, the original marketers of the product, because it made the user feel like a hero. The company stopped manufacturing and selling heroin in 1913, and it was outlawed in the US in 1920. The Viet Nam war increased American use when 10-15% of our troops started using it while in Asia on deployment.
In the US today heroin use is on the rise . Young people between 18-25 are the fastest growing addict group. Mexican black tar heroin is smuggled in great quantity across the Arizona border. This corrupts our law enforcement and endangers our youth as it passes through on the way to it’s eventual market. The smuggling business includes all kinds of illicit drugs. It is organized by cartels run by very nasty individuals. The only way to pull the profit plug on the cartels is to reduce and eliminate demand on our side of the border. This is much easier said than done. From miracle cure to the ruin of our society, heroin has come a long way, baby.
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