Kundalini Splendor

 Mountain Water

On the way down from Mt Ranier, on a tour bus we stop
for a birds eye view of Narada Falls. I walk
to the edge of a stream sloping
toward the falls.

I remember Narada as a prince in Indian mythology.  Exactly who?
Oh yeah, a musician and storyteller who saw Vishnu only once
in this lifetime— an inspiration for prayer and mantra
the lad would compose along the path.

It’s autumn and I want to feel the chill of water against my skin
so I place a foot on a rock and prepare to kneel and drop
my hands into the shimmering stream. Damn I see
a sign which stops me cold:

Rocks are slippery
Current is strong
If you fall you may
Be battered to death

Stepping away to save my ass I ponder Narada: would he have danced
across boulders if there were a poem in the movement
or if it were a way to bathe Vishnu
with soft tears of devotion?

What I’m getting at is you can look at the artist as hero facing death
in every act of creation, in each song and sand painting, but have
no sense of how he treats his dog, brews his coffee, or even
whether or not he prefers an electric tooth brush.

Still we want to be artists,
want to be heroes,
step on slippery rocks,
save the world.

- Barry Denny
_

Beethoven Enters Heaven––2

We knew he was coming.

We were all assembled
along the way.

As he passed,
we burst into applause
and tears of joy.
Some were kneeling before him.

Of course,
now he heard everything.
He nodded as he went by.

Dorothy Walters
October 30, 2016

You Were Made For This
By Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Our Great Hope

My friends, do not lose heart. We were made for these times. I have heard from so many recently who are deeply and properly bewildered. They are concerned about the state of affairs in our world now. Ours is a time of almost daily astonishment and often righteous rage over the latest degradations of what matters most to civilized, visionary people.

You are right in your assessments. The lustre and hubris some have aspired to while endorsing acts so heinous against children, elders, everyday people, the poor, the unguarded, the helpless, is breathtaking. Yet, I urge you, ask you, gentle you, to please not spend your spirit dry by bewailing these difficult times.

Especially do not lose hope. Most particularly because, the fact is that we were made for these times. Yes. For years, we have been learning, practicing, been in training for and just waiting to meet on this exact plain of engagement.

I grew up on the Great Lakes and recognize a seaworthy vessel when I see one. Regarding awakened souls, there have never been more able vessels in the waters than there are right now across the world. And they are fully provisioned and able to signal one another as never before in the history of humankind.

Look out over the prow; there are millions of boats of righteous souls on the waters with you. Even though your veneers may shiver from every wave in this stormy roil, I assure you that the long timbers composing your prow and rudder come from a greater forest. That long-grained lumber is known to withstand storms, to hold together, to hold its own, and to advance, regardless.

In any dark time, there is a tendency to veer toward fainting over how much is wrong or unmended in the world. Do not focus on that. There is a tendency, too, to fall into being weakened by dwelling on what is outside your reach, by what cannot yet be. Do not focus there. That is spending the wind without raising the sails.

We are needed, that is all we can know. And though we meet resistance, we more so will meet great souls who will hail us, love us and guide us, and we will know them when they appear. Didn't you say you were a believer? Didn't you say you pledged to listen to a voice greater? Didn't you ask for grace? Don't you remember that to be in grace means to submit to the voice greater?

Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely. It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom, will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good.

What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts, adding, adding to, adding more, continuing. We know that it does not take everyone on Earth to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up during the first, second, or hundredth gale.

One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires, causes proper matters to catch fire. To display the lantern of soul in shadowy times like these – to be fierce and to show mercy toward others; both are acts of immense bravery and greatest necessity.

Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it. If you would help to calm the tumult, this is one of the strongest things you can do.

There will always be times when you feel discouraged. I too have felt despair many times in my life, but I do not keep a chair for it. I will not entertain it. It is not allowed to eat from my plate.

The reason is this: In my uttermost bones I know something, as do you. It is that there can be no despair when you remember why you came to Earth, who you serve, and who sent you here. The good words we say and the good deeds we do are not ours. They are the words and deeds of the One who brought us here. In that spirit, I hope you will write this on your wall: When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for.


Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.

Author of the best seller Women Who Run with the Wolves

This inspiring message from Clarissa Pinkola Estes offers a source of hope for all of us, as we strive to utilize our own particular gifts to help the world in its present struggle.  I also feel that this  piece has special relevance for those of us who have undergone or are now undergoing Kundalini awakening, for I think that this incredible, sweet energy force is behind the massive transformation of humanity that is now happening world wide.  Those of us who have experienced this phenomenon did (in my view) volunteer to come to earth at this time to be pioneers, able to help our brothers and sisters come through this sometimes challenging transition in good spirits and good shape.  I think many of us did not realize the evolutionary journey would take so long and be––at times––so difficult.  But we hold fast in our belief that we are part of a vast process leading us into a new state of consciousness and being, humanity moving toward a new reality of who as a species we are meant to be, the divine human. 

There are those who are trying to set fire to the world,
we are in danger,
there is time only to work slowly,
there is no time not to love.

   - Deena Metzger





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PRAYERS THAT ARE MADE OUT OF GRASS

Nothing about great vistas
sweeping the horizon.

No incalculable waves
shouting as they assault
the shore.

Yet here it is.

Trees flaming,
stones reflecting
the many colored light
that strokes and awakens
even the grass,
the hidden blades,
the sweet texture
of the last buds still blooming,
the world that we will
dream of as
we die.

Dorothy Walters
(title from Mary Oliver)

Here is a conversation between two ecstatic mystics, prompted by the wonderful picture from Ookami Denissa.

Dorothy Walters
It (the picture of ecstatic union posted above) also depicts how we feel when the Beloved Within visits. In these states we can send healing energies to those in need with special effectiveness.

Sheila Foster
Sheila Foster Dorothy, YES! True ecstasy lights up every cell, blows our hearts open to Cosmic Union. Yes - LOVE pours thru us to every being as pure consciousness. What a Blessing to be on an ecstatic path.

Dorothy Walters
Hi, Sheila––So glad you understand this. I am not sure how many people enjoy this blessing. I also find some interesting reflections on Ookami's FB page. If this is not the way of our evolution into a state of higher consciousness, I don't know what is.

Sheila Foster
Ecstasy is what we are made of! We have it as small children where every stone or flower or puppy brings on child-size ecstasy. I trust that everyone has this capacity for ecstatic communion because it is the 'cosmic stuff' from which we are created. Unfortunately, I have heard over and over in my work with others that this ecstasy is often shut down, not allowed or recognized when we are small, and it either gets repressed or we have it in secret ways. I was able to somehow hide and keep my ecstatic self secret and to myself only until Kundalini Shakti arrived to remind me who i am and what my purpose is. In my work with women over nearly 40 years, i have had the honor of stewarding the Temple of the Sacred Feminine and walking with many women who, at some point on their path, came face to face with how they were not allowed or allowing their ecstasy to emerge. When Kundalini Ma decides we are ready, she makes Herself known to each of us in amazing and sometimes strange ways that upset the status quo. I see HER at work in the world this very moment... and in so many women and men! I bow to HER, i bow in deepest gratitude for this ecstatic life.

Note: The above is a conversation about being an ecstatic practitioner. Sheila and I have this experience in common. It is lovely to have someone to share such experience with, since not everyone understands this state of consciousness.
(picture by Ookami Denissa)

Look closely at this beautiful creation.  It depicts the truth of ecstasy––that it does not occur just in the major chakras, but rather it is a dance of all the atoms of our body in joy as they become part of Shiva's constant dancing to keep the world alive.  Everywhere thus is a portal to rapture.  This is how we feel when we are truly connected to the Beloved Within.  Then the subtle body opens in delight, and we may send loving energies to others in need.

Thank you, Ookami Denissa (artist) and Daniel Alcyone for sharing this!  I love it!
Dorothy Walters This beautiful piece of art reveals the truth––ecstasy is not confined to the major chakras. Instead, it involves every single pore and cell of the body, all of which dance in unison together––Shiva dancing to keep the world alive

(I am fairly certain I should not publish this entry, but I found the subject itself fascinating and so am going ahead with what I understood from a few hours of research.  I gleaned some information from the "Humans are Free" site, but frankly, I did not understand much of it.  It included much technical information on binary coding that was far beyond my limited comprehension.  However, I did glean two interesting insights.  One was that a crop circle containing binary code was received in 2001 in England. This seemed to contain a message, and this message appeared to relate to the information sent into outer space by the U. S. in l974 (Carl Sagan was the famous scientist who helped construct the message.)  Then, a year later, an ancient disc was discovered that  was also written in binary code.

Here is the way the message on the disc has been interpreted:

"Beware the bearers of false gifts and their broken promises.
Much pain, but still time. Believe there is good out there.
We oppose deception. Conduit closing. 0x07"

This resembles a familiar saying, based the famous "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."  This warning originally applied to the well known story in the Iliad of how the Greeks tricked the Trojans with their "gift" of a great wooden horse, which the Trojans pulled inside the walls of the city.  Of course, the horse was filled with Greek soldiers who came forth at night and won victory over the Trojans.  The saying is included in Vergil and later appears in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."

The message that was received in 2001 is clearly derived from the earlier sources, but there is much controversy as to whether it is in this example authentic or else a clever hoax.  We would like to believe that it comes from some benevolent intelligence in outer space, but others claim it is specious.  If it is a hoax, then it was created by someone with high technical knowledge of binary code as well as expertise in creating crop circles, beyond what is possible with a board and two ropes.

If you want to read more from Humans are Free site (and others) you can google "Crop Circles Beware of Greeks" and read further.  I have reprinted a few excerpts from the "Humans are free" post where I got my (mis?) information.  I like to explore such fringe topics, though often I do not understand them very well.  This is likely why I am a poet/mystic and not a scientist.)

(Below excerpted from the site "Humans are Free")

I. The Chilbolton 'Arecibo message' Formation

By Paul Vigay (R.I.P.) and Alexander Light

On Tuesday 21st August 2001 two new crop formations were reported near Chilbolton radio telescope in Hampshire, UK. Both were very impressive looking and consisted of a large number of small 'pixels', which when viewed from the air formed a recognisable shape - unlike many other crop formations.

One represented a 'human face' and the other resembled a radio transmission that SETI (the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) sent from the Arecibo radio telescope in 1974.

This latter formation will be examined in this article, in which I hope to not only describe and explain the original transmission, but also to examine and decode a number of significant changes occurring in the crop formation.

After speaking to witnesses, it would appear that the 'Arecibo' formation was created on August 20th. Although I could roughly make out the binary pattern of the formation from aerial photographs, some aspects were not quite clear enough to discern individual 'digits'. Therefore I visited both formations myself (they are about 200m apart in the same field) on Saturday 25th August 2001."

An interesting interpretation of the 'human face' crop formation comes from researcher and writer, Wayne Herschel. In his vision, the face resembles that of the Egyptian Sphinx and Viracocha, a prea-Inca god. But the most thought-provoking resemblance is to the famous Mars Face.
(Credit: Wayne Herschel)

The Arecibo message


"First, I will give some background to the original message sent from Arecibo, back in 1974. Arecibo is on the northern coast of Puerto Rico and contains a natural disc-shaped hole in the rock. Inside this bowl was constructed the world's largest radio-telescope, with a diameter of 1000 feet.

In 1974 a number of modifications had been carried out to the transmitter, enabling it to broadcast signals at a power of up to 20 terawatts (1 terawatt = 1 trillion watts) and as an inaugural test of these improvements it was decided by SETI to transmit an encoded message to the heavens. This signal was aimed towards the globular star cluster M13, some 25,000 light years away and consisting of some 300,000 stars in the constellation of Hercules.

The message was actually transmitted on November 16th 1974 and consisted of 1679 pulses of binary code (0's and 1's) - which took a little under three minutes to transmit. It was transmitted on a frequency of 2380MHz (which is significant later).

Decoding the original message

The original message was comprised of several 'sections', each depicting a particular aspect of 'our civilisation'. At the top are binary representations of the numbers one through to ten, interestingly showing the numbers eight, nine and ten as two columns. This shows anyone decoding the message that we can specify that numbers too large to be written on a single line can be 'carried over'.

The next section contains the binary values 1,6,7,8 and 15 which indicate the atomic numbers of the primary elements for life on Earth; Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen and Phosphorus respectively.

(And so forth)

Directly below the DNA double helix is a small representation of us - humans - with a body and two arms and two legs (like a little stick man). On the left is a binary value of the population of Earth. This can be calculated as roughly 4.29 billion, which is roughly the population of the world, back in 1974. On the right of the humanoid form is a binary code for the height of humans.

From the code for the height of a human, we can see that the value is 1110 in binary, or 14 in decimal. If we multiply 14 by our wavelength unit (12.6) we get 176.4cm, or roughly 5'9" - the average height of humans.

The next section is a simplified representation of our Solar System - where we live. It shows the sun and nine planets, roughly representative of size. By moving the third planet up slightly it highlights that something is significant about the third planet from the sun - Earth.

Differences between the message sent in 1974 and the one received in 2001



(Left: what we sent in 1974 / Right: what we received in 2001)

What's different in the Crop Formation?

Either side of what is now an ET, there are changes to both the 'population' figure and also the height value. The latter is now 1000 in binary, or 8. If we multiply this by the original 'wavelength unit' we get 8*12.6cm = 100.8cm which is roughly 3'4" - interesting, because this would correlate with ET witness accounts.

Below this we notice additional changes to the Solar System chart. The third planet from the sun is not the only one 'highlighted' now. The fourth and fifth are as well. The fifth even appears to be emphasised even more, with three additional 'pixels'.


What does it all mean?

II. Gray Extraterrestrial holding a disc

Sparsholt, Hampshire, England. August 21st, 2002.

(This crop circle appeared in England one year later.  And then it appeared in similar form in Italy in 2015––a least as I understand it._

The message within the disk was deciphered using the standard 8 bit binary code known as ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange).  The cipher starts at the center of the disk and spirals outward counter-clockwise, this is also the same read pattern that a compact disc or DVD uses.

III. The Message Translated:

"Beware the bearers of false gifts and their broken promises.
Much pain, but still time. Believe there is good out there.
We oppose deception. Conduit closing. 0x07"

The binary code of 0x07 at the end of the message would produced a bell sound similar to that of an old typewriter / bell sound (Example: DING!).

Exact Construction:

(A) Beware the bearers of FALSE gifts & their BROKEN PROMISES.
(B) Much PAIN but still time.BELIEVE.
(C) There is GOOD out there.We OPpose DECEPTION.
Conduit CLOSING (Ding!)


Is this a friendly message from benevolent beings?

 Image from Google Sky 2011, showing a picture from 2007).

 
Marek Peter Kaziniec
October 24 at 3:12am

Often the only way to know is to find out for yourself, for a mystical experience is beyond words and it is never like someone says it is.

I decided it was time for a late afternoon walk, and so I started out.  But within five minutes I found myself transfixed by the beauty of the creek that runs behind my building, with beautiful yellow leaves waving above the pooling water.  We had high winds the other night, and many of the trees were already stripped of their fall glory.

But some did remain, and I was reminded of the famous Shakespeare sonnet that begins "That time of year thou may'st in me behold/when yellow leaves or none or few do hang/against those boughs that shake against the cold/bare ruined choirs where late the sweet birds sang."  (Of course, it is now autumn, and the days are perfect, in the mid sixties or low seventies.  We learned in graduate school that the "bare ruined choirs" referred to the ruins of the many desolate ruins of the many churches throughout England that had been virtually destroyed by Henry VIII, when he separated from the Roman Catholic Church and established the protestant Church of England in its stead.)

As I continued my walk, I found that again and again I stopped to witness some other natural beauty, perhaps a late blooming bud, or a striking upthrust honey colored bush, or a medley of colors created by the mix of fallen leaves (yellow, purple, scarlet) arranged on the ground like some impressionist painting.

But the highlight of the walk was the meeting with the squirrel.  It first dashed across the street, then climbed a tree, and clung there staring right at me.  We eyed each other for many minutes until it finally grew tired and rushed away.  I have seen many squirrels in my life, but never have I stood eyeball to eyeball with one in this way.

Then, on the way home, I met a cat.  It was, I think, young, since it was small.  It was lovely in its sleek black coat, and it also wore white mittens. It was immaculate, as if fresh from a bath, and wore a little blue collar, so I am certain it had slipped our of someone's door nearby when they were looking the other way.  It brushed against my legs again and again in a most friendly way.

Such was my walk today.  I wanted to stay out longer and enjoy my mystical encounter with nature, but again I was reminded of a poem, this by Robert Frost (you likely know it):

It begins "Whose woods these are/I think I know./His house is in the village though/He will not mind my stopping here/ to watch his woods fill up with snow. . ."

Then it ends with the famous lines: "The woods are lovely/ dark and deep/but I have promises to keep/and miles to go before I sleep."

Again, this poem is "out of season," but I too had to tear myself away from my entranced state in order to get home and do all the necessary humdrum  things calling for my attention.  I wonder how many of us have had to sacrifice such
moments of sacred connection in order to take care of our "responsibilities," the demands of this world that keep our lives going in proper order and functioning.

Mirabai Starr writes about a free one-hour presentation on the Feminine Mystics:


So often we spend our lives chasing an experience of being loved in the outer world and forget that a sublime and sustainable relationship with the True Beloved is available within us.
Embracing the Divine as our ultimate Beloved is a time-honored spiritual path that history’s female mystics across the traditions have walked with wild grace.
What can you learn from these remarkable women about how you can have a tender, devotional and even erotic relationship with the Beloved at the core of your spiritual life?
Please join me and thousands of seekers of an ecstatic relationship with the Divine, on Saturday, March 12, when I present The Feminine Mystic Unveiled: Embracing the Divine as Your Beloved.
You can reserve your FREE spot here: https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/fmuMS/Mirabaistarr/
I will share stories and teachings of devotion from the heart of the lives of many of the great female mystics like St. Teresa of Avila and my namesake, the poet-saint Mirabai, and how you, too, can unite with the Beloved and live in an exalted state while still engaging in grounded action and service in the world….
During our hour together we will explore:
How to say “yes” to longing at the core of your pathway to the Divine
The power and beauty born of spiritual desire and devotion
Devotional practices that help unite you with the Beloved and see the Divine in the eyes of others
How to be more available to moments of awe in your daily life
So join me for this powerful reclamation of the feminine path that is enlivening, ecstatic and soul-nourishing.
It’s FREE to attend, but you’ll need to register here: https://shiftnetwork.isrefer.com/go/fmuMS/Mirabaistarr/
In love,
Mirabai
(from Dorothy: Mirabai Starr is one of our most beloved wisdom teachers and an authentic mystic in her own right. I happened to run across this announcement for a free presentation by Mirabai on Shift and, although it was originally offered some time back, I found that it is still available at the site mentioned above, both as audio and text. The "registration" is quite simple. Listen to this download––it will be well worth your time. In particular, she discusses St. Teresa of Avila, known for her "raptures". These I find of special interest since they are, I feel, closely related to the ecstasy that Kundalini can bring, when it is in right alignment.)

I think that in times like these, the poets, the artists, the dancers, singers, and musicians (and all who love them and express their own creativity)  have a special role to play.  It is these who keep the world alive and keep our souls alive as the world outside seems to be going in the wrong direction.   In ancient times, folk sat around the fire at night and told stories or danced and sang together.  This is what held the community together and healed its wounds.  That is our task now––to bind our spiritual wounds and hold fast to one another to weather whatever it is we are now going through.  Too many of our public figures seem to have lost their souls and fallen into the pit of "me alone" concerns.

This beautiful letter from Helen Keller is an amazing testimony to what the soul may gather from music as transcendent source.  The following describes who she was and how her experience took place.


by MARIA POPOVA

The Trans-Sensory Transcendence of Music: Helen Keller’s Electrifying Letter About “Hearing” Beethoven’s Ode to Joy

“Music can pierce the heart directly; it needs no mediation,” Oliver Sacks wrote in his contribution to great writers’ reflections on the power of music. And yet one inescapable biological mediation stands between music and the heart: the ear.

Paradoxically, one of the most beautiful testaments to the power of music comes from an unlikely listener: the exceptional Helen Keller (June 27, 1880–June 1, 1968). Without hearing or sight since early childhood, she not only learned to read and speak, thanks to her teacher Annie Sullivan, but grew up to be a spirited humanist, unflinching political and human rights activist, and immensely articulate writer.

helenkeller_beethoven

The evening of February 1st, 1924 — decades before she had a similarly profound first encounter with dance — 44-year-old Keller had a transcendent experience. With her hand pressed against the radio receiver in her living room, she “heard” a live Carnegie Hall broadcast of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor, also known as Ode to Joy — one of humanity’s most beloved pieces of music, which Beethoven, by then deaf himself, had composed exactly 100 years earlier.

The following day, Keller wrote an electrifying letter of gratitude to the New York Symphony Orchestra, articulating the trans-sensory transcendence of her experience and of music itself. Her missive appears in the altogether elevating Letters of Note Volume 2: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience (public library) — the second anthology based on Shaun Usher’s lovingly curated site of the same name.

Keller writes:

Dear Friends:

I have the joy of being able to tell you that, though deaf and blind, I spent a glorious hour last night listening over the radio to Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony.” I do not mean to say that I “heard” the music in the sense that other people heard it; and I do not know whether I can make you understand how it was possible for me to derive pleasure from the symphony. It was a great surprise to myself. I had been reading in my magazine for the blind of the happiness that the radio was bringing to the sightless everywhere. I was delighted to know that the blind had gained a new source of enjoyment; but I did not dream that I could have any part in their joy. Last night, when the family was listening to your wonderful rendering of the immortal symphony someone suggested that I put my hand on the receiver and see if I could get any of the vibrations. He unscrewed the cap, and I lightly touched the sensitive diaphragm. What was my amazement to discover that I could feel, not only the vibrations, but also the impassioned rhythm, the throb and the urge of the music! The intertwined and intermingling vibrations from different instruments enchanted me. I could actually distinguish the cornets, the roll of the drums, deep-toned violas and violins singing in exquisite unison. How the lovely speech of the violins flowed and plowed over the deepest tones of the other instruments! When the human voice leaped up trilling from the surge of harmony, I recognized them instantly as voices. I felt the chorus grow more exultant, more ecstatic, upcurving swift and flame-like, until my heart almost stood still. The women’s voices seemed an embodiment of all the angelic voices rushing in a harmonious flood of beautiful and inspiring sound. The great chorus throbbed against my fingers with poignant pause and flow. Then all the instruments and voices together burst forth — an ocean of heavenly vibration — and died away like winds when the atom is spent, ending in a delicate shower of sweet notes.

Of course, this was not “hearing” but I do know that the tones and harmonies conveyed to me moods of great beauty and majesty. I also sensed, or thought I did, the tender sounds of nature that sing into my hand — swaying reeds and winds and the murmur of streams. I have never been so enraptured before by a multitude of tone-vibrations.

As I listened, with darkness and melody, shadow and sound filling all the room, I could not help remembering that the great composer who poured forth such a flood of sweetness into the world was deaf like myself. I marvelled at the power of his quenchless spirit by which out of his pain he wrought such joy for others — and there I sat, feeling with my hand the magnificent symphony which broke like a sea upon the silent shores of his soul and mine.

Let me thank you warmly for all the delight which your beautiful music has brought to my household and to me. I want also to thank Station WEAF for the joy they are broadcasting in the world.

With kindest regards and best wishes, I am,

Sincerely yours,

(Signed)

HELEN KELLER

Couple with Schopenhauer on the singular power of music and Anthony Burgess on the magical childhood moment when he fell in love with music, then revisit Keller’s increasingly timely manifesto for living with lucid optimism.

(from "Brain Pickings")

(Keller's picture from internet source; picture of Dawn Hartman dancing from Kimberly Braun)

from Daily Health News, May 9, 2011

The following description may remind you of someone in the news today:

Narcissists are characterized by the following...

Grandiose, exaggerated sense of self-importance and belief that they’re better than others.
Preoccupation with fantasies of power, success or beauty.
Difficulty maintaining healthy relationships.
Need for constant praise and admiration.
A strong sense of entitlement.
Expectation that other people will go along with their ideas and plans.
Inability to recognize the needs and feelings of others.
Tendency to take advantage of people.
Jealousy of others and/or the belief that others are jealous of them.
Fragile self-esteem and extreme sensitivity to criticism.
Making these characteristics even more difficult to live with is the fact that narcissists tend to not have any idea of the impact that they have on those around them. They won’t understand your complaints, and they won’t change. So you can either choose to leave or must figure out how to make the most of a difficult situation. Should you choose to stay, it will require time and energy to make it work while -- and Dr. McBride emphasizes that this next point is critically important -- preserving your own sense of self-worth. To do this, she recommends the following coping mechanisms...

Learn more about the condition. Understanding what makes a narcissist tick and the root of how he/she got that way may help you accept the person’s limitations and modify your own expectations.

Demand respect. Be clear that you will not tolerate disrespectful language such as belittling remarks... constant criticism... controlling behavior... and unreasonable rages. Any behaviors that veer into physical or emotional abuse are not acceptable -- for instance, yelling and name calling, isolation from family and friends, or other possessive or manipulative behavior.

Don’t blame yourself. A narcissist will value or devalue you according to what you’ve done for him lately, putting your own self-esteem at risk, warns Dr. McBride. If the perception is that you haven’t done enough, the reaction may be to put you down -- but don’t accept the blame. Never lose sight of the fact that you are a good person and that the "noise" from the narcissist is simply his distorted point of view, not reality.

Put your well-being first. Don’t lose yourself while tending to the narcissist. Define your own wants and needs and figure out how to get them met. Guard your self-esteem at all times: Be firm and consistent about expressing your wishes and requirements.

Build a support system. Since narcissists lack empathy, they are not going to be able to give you understanding or support. You need to have others in your life who can provide friendship and emotional connection outside of your home.

Realize that you can’t change a narcissist. You can encourage an individual to gain more self-awareness -- e.g., see a therapist -- but for the most part you need to accept him as is... or move on.

WHEN IT’S TOO MUCH TO TAKE

Sadly, it’s not uncommon for narcissists to eventually behave in ways that are destructive to themselves and the people they purport to love. Changing one’s personality traits -- which is the challenge that faces a narcissist -- is a very difficult proposition. If a person has a few narcissistic traits on the continuum, psychotherapy can help by offering him a more realistic self-image. But be forewarned -- those with a full-blown narcissistic disorder will not go into therapy. And if you drag them there, they will spend their time discussing how bad you are.

Another Morning

Another morning
and I wake wondering
how I will cope with the
mysteries that
will come.

Will I be worthy of
the splendor of
the fallen leaves,
now golden tokens on
the fading grass,
the trees themselves turned scarlet,
bursting into color
like some god or goddess flaming
to earth?

Today the clouds
have arranged themselves
as billowing angels
against the blue,
ever shifting
to a new configuration,
reminders of constant change below.

Even this little butterfly
that sips and nourishes on
some lingering
plant.  Will it await
my arrival,
my small moment
of communion?

Dorothy Walters
October 15, 2016

This course is a rare opportunity to hear our leading spiritual teacher and Rumi scholar Andrew Harvey speak with love and deep understanding on our most beloved poet Rumi.  Like Rumi, Andrew is totally devoted to the way of devotion as a path into the Beloved's heart.  Like Rumi, he is tireless in his efforts to awaken all of us to our divine heritage as children of the ultimate love force we call god/goddess/ spirit/ Beloved Within.  His aim is nothing less that the transformation all of us into divinized humans.  It is possible.  It is happening.  And he shows us, through the measureless wisdom of Rumi and his own powerful insights, the way forward.

As always, Shift provides a "click here" to enroll, but "click here" does not carry over to a reprint such as this.  Best to contact Shift customer service and ask about the course "Rumi and the Way of Passion."  It will be worth your time.   (Series begins on Tuesday, November 1 and goes on for 6 weeks.)

With Contemporary Spiritual Teacher and
Internationally Renowned Activist-Scholar

Andrew Harvey

New Training Starts
Tuesday, November 1, 2016

An unprecedented opportunity to discover the radiant gems of wisdom hidden within the beloved poetry and life of today’s most popular poet in order to birth yourself as a divine human and begin creating heaven on earth.
Prepare to awaken your depths, expand your mind, savor the nectar of your soul and be inspired to walk a path of sacred service.

It’s remarkable that — in an era fascinated with the newest and the latest — a 13th-century Sufi poet would become the most read and beloved poet in America.

Yet it’s no accident, because Jalaluddin Rumi’s mystical insights penetrate to the heart of our modern dilemmas in a way that even today’s greatest contemporary poets cannot match.

In the wake of Rumi’s grief over the loss of Shams, his beloved soul friend, he awoke into a sublime and timeless vision of the glory of creation as a manifestation of the Absolute. He became a great lover of God whose words speak to our soul in tender, unforgettable verse, even as we face a world filled with severe challenges and ever-present dangers.

An Initiation into Love
Rumi’s astounding poetry awakens in us the sacred recognition that through practice and adoration of the Beloved, we can merge our essence with the divine love, beauty and intelligence inherent in every atom of the universe.

Experiencing this magnificence in every fiber of our being can impel us to actively put love and justice into action to protect our world on every level — and empower us with the sacred energy we need to transcend our cultural history of exploitation and domination.

Rumi’s poetry carries an initiatory force that allows us to feel the grandeur of God, giving us essential nutrients for our spiritual journey. He is far from a sweetness-and-bliss mystic, though, for he dove straight into the heart of darkness and horror in search of healing and transcendence. Indeed, his grief was a birthing ground for the divine human within him.

Opening to an Alchemical Journey into a Sacred Life
In this 7-week course with with Andrew Harvey, one of the world’s most renowned mystic scholars and a great lover of Rumi, you will be taken on a spiritual journey to the core of your being, using Rumi’s life and words as the gateway into a breathtaking new vision of your life, love itself and the Divine Beloved.


You’ll learn about the secret saga of Rumi’s transfiguration, his initiatory relationship with Shams, the horrific betrayal that followed, and the tender mystical relationship he experienced with Jesus.

You’ll learn the REAL story of what it took for one man to awaken and become a prophet for the ages — and how you can apply his experience to your own life through advanced mystical practices known to the adepts of the ages.

Over the journey, Andrew will take you in your depths through a kind of alchemical communion with Rumi and other key mystics who offer insights into the stages of initiation that you must pass through to birth the divine human in you.

You’ll understand our spiritual inheritance — and particularly the gifts of the Way of Passion — with a fresh new perspective. You’ll be initiated into an understanding of how the fusion of compassion and passion, equanimity and fire, tender love and sacred activism, can give rise to a sacred life that can transform the world.

During this fascinating journey, you’ll enter into the alchemy that shaped Rumi’s life and understand on a cellular level why his wisdom is so essential for navigating our times, as we pass through perilous challenges and a collective Dark Night while seeking to birth a new era of peace.

Rumi is Medicine for Today’s Challenges
The return of Rumi’s consciousness to the planet is not a coincidence. Andrew Harvey has become one of his leading interpreters, helping us understand Rumi’s deeper messages and how to apply them to our life and times.

Andrew believes that Rumi fused the soul force of Jesus, the philosophical intellect of Plato and the literary gifts of Shakespeare to create the ultimate expression of human-divine genius, thereby illuminating our own path forward.

In the course, you’ll also learn from profound Sufi, Christian, Jewish and Christian mystics whose insights parallel Rumi’s. You’ll weep. You’ll soar. You’ll be inspired to engage the challenges of our day. And you’ll celebrate the divine feast that we are given to savor in every moment.

A Profound Heart Teacher

If you have not heard Andrew Harvey before, he is a tsunami of love-wisdom, pouring forth his adoration for the Divine and his passion for the sacred marriage of mysticism and action. He beckons us into a state of rapture and deep appreciation for the splendor of the Universe while unflinchingly speaking truth about our delusions.

Andrew is well known as the author and editor of over 30 books and spiritual classics, including Rumi: The Way of Passion, The Essential Mystics and The Son of Man, but if you haven’t heard him speak, prepare to be amazed.

He’s become one of the most popular Shift Network faculty for a reason: his words are the medicine our souls need as we traverse a time of great trial on this planet.

Andrew believes the world is teetering on the brink of catastrophe, and that we need a spiritual path that goes beyond “love and light” to give us a roadmap for the transfiguration of our planet.

He recognizes that the deeper teachings of Rumi hold an essential key for our individual healing and collective awakening: they are the gateway into the sacred marriage of divine feminine and masculine, the portal for understanding the Dark Night, and the map to the alchemical journey in which we turn the lead of our fear and grief into the gold of spiritual awakening.

It’s time for the world to embrace a full-spectrum view of the spiritual path, one that encompasses embodiment and transcendence, the awakened heart and fierce love in action. It is the surest path for addressing the urgent crises we now face.

This full-spectrum path IS the Way of Passion.

This is why we’re so excited to offer this groundbreaking 7-week online course with Andrew Harvey: Rumi & The Way of Passion.

You’ll emerge from this soul-replenishing program with a:

More holistic vision of Sufism and the life of Rumi, as well as a deeper understanding of many kindred mystics
Reunion of the sacred masculine and feminine within you
Greater competence in navigating crises and the Dark Night of the spiritual path
More open and generous heart
Deeper understanding of embodiment, giving you the capacity to increasingly live as love
Profound commitment to creating heaven on earth

You were born with wings.
Why prefer to crawl through life?
— Rumi

PREPARING TO GREET THE GODDESS

Do not think of her
unless you are prepared

to be driven to your limits,
to rush forth from yourself
like a ritual bowl overflowing
with sacramental wine.

Do not summon her image
unless you are ready to be blinded,
to stand in the flash

of a center exploding,
yourself shattering into the landscape,
wavering bits of bark and water.

Do not speak her name
until you have said good-bye
to all your familiar trinkets—
your mirrors, your bracelets,
your childhood adorations.

From now on you are nothing,
a ghost sighing at the window,
a voice singing underwater.

Dorothy Walters

Note: I wrote this poem two months before I experienced dramatic Kundalini awakening.  Obviously, it was a foreshadowing of what was to come.  Kundalini is, for me, the goddess of goddesses, and the raw energy behind all depictions of the goddesses of various traditions.

I will be reading a goddess poem as part of this event.  This pairing should be quite interesting.
I will try to attach the poem in a separate post.  May not work.

Kimberly Braun (0rganizer  )

There is a party happening and YOU are invited!!!
Tomorrow night is the kickoff celebration of TheikoSoma from 7-10pm Wesley Chapel. The Body of Kali, The Body of Christ

What to expect?
Music: Christian, Hebrew and Indian songs and chant
Poetry, Dance and Cello of Kali and Christ
Ecstatic Dance (8:15-10)
Conscecration of bread and wine
Optional food share
and lots of great people....every one of them.
Come for your own experience
Come for part or come for all!!!

Main contributors are: David Coddington, Roger Wolsey Stephen Bross Savannah Kruger Tauna Houghton Barb Miller Ed 'Eamon' Duffy Trevor Minton Dawn Hartman David David DeVine Michael Johnson Dorothy Walters Thank you all!

The Inner World Retreat Centre:
   
Marek Peter Kaziniec

‘All things are Buddha things....’ All things are God things, or all things are one energy building all things, which can be perceived within ones eternal depth and we are its manifestation in time and space, thus we are all mortal and divine, branches of the one Tree of Eternal Life, living from that centre, and if we identify with that god within us this is what is known as Buddha nature for the Buddha concludes the above statement thus, '...all things are Buddha-you and me.' Then might come ultimate realization that this divine source is immanent in you, me, all human beings, all beings and all things, in fact, this energy is the mystery building block of the entire universe, for as Erwin Schrodinger wrote,’ Quantum physics thus reveals a basic oneness of the universe.’ 

Saraswati Mantra | OM Shreem Hreem Saraswatyai Namah Meditation Chant Mantra by Shailendra Bharati

See Mantra Sarasvati Meditation
http://youtu.be/8gn8SX-irZA

This is a mantra I listened to on YouTube this morning.  It is very powerful, filled with shakti power.  It awakened sweet energies throughout.

I urge you to listen to this lovely chant and enjoy a wonderful meditation, as I did.

P.S.  Later, when I wanted to listen to it again, I could not find the recording that seemed to be the one I had listened to earlier.  I'll keep on trying.

Then this afternoon I had another surprising experience, this time by standing on the sidewalk and looking down on the rushing water in the creek below.  This time it was my root chakra that was mainly involved.  Another unexpected manifestation of the Beloved, who always seems to offer something new.  

But we must stop and attend to provide space for such phenomena to occur.

Marek Peter Kaziniec

Life has a curious way of working,
the harder you try,
the harder the wall you try to penetrate,
but the moment you let go control
and allow things to unfold on their own,
that impenetrable wall turns into walk-through veil.

f the many accounts of life after death that I have read, this one from Nancy Rynes rings most true.  It is either the way it is or else the way I would like it to be.  Other writers also speak of the "life review" that occurs in the other realm, including Doris Lessing and W. B. Yeats.  I am particularly happy to learn that we will be informed of all of our past lives in this time of learning and integration.

"It is a realm of pure love, connectedness, intelligence, and consciousness."  This statement reminds me of the Hindu reference to "satchitananda" (being, consciousness, bliss.)  Essentially these assertions are saying the same thing.  I assume that one has "being" (individuality) even in the heavenly realms.

Nancy Rynes, as you may recall, went through a major Near Death Experience a few years ago after she was run over and then dragged by a truck while she was riding her bike in the countryside near Denver.  Her book " Awakenings from the Light" is available from Amazon in various formats, including a Kindle edition.  I recommend it highly.

I received this article because I am signed up for her "e-mail" list.  Part one of this narrative is available from the archives.

The "speaker" here is that of her guide.

Life in Review, Part 2

(This is the continuation of my article about life reviews. Haven't seen the Part One? Click here to read an archived copy.)

As was said before, your life review will be designed to help you learn and grow from the experience of your human body on earth. It is a debriefing session in a way, similar to what soldiers might do at the end of a mission. Except we are not soldiers of war...we are soldiers of Divine love :-)

As your life review progresses, you will gradually begin to see and experience the larger view of reality. You will be shown quite clearly how your human life fits into the larger scope of existence, into the fabric of the universe, and to Divine love. And you will learn as well if there are amends to make for acts that cause harm. But that is a conversation you will have with the Divine and with your guides.

You will progressively lose your attachment to your human form as you journey your way back to a being of Spirit and Light, consciousness and Divine energy. As through this process you have choices, you can at this time choose not to go on to the brighter realm of Heaven. It is a choice you make in your heart, and the majority of souls choose to continue on to the realm of Spirit, Love, and Divine Presence.

Once you again choose Spirit, after your review you move on to the true vaults of the realm you call Heaven. It is a realm of pure love, connectedness, intelligence, and consciousness. It is here you will work with your guides and the angelic beings to more fully reintegrate with what is.

And it is here that you will finally remember it all. By this time you will have full memory of every life you have ever lived or will live, and how they relate to each other and to the greater entirety of the universe. Your guides will help you as you need it—sometimes this process can overwhelm the newly-returned. But in time, you remember all in return to your true self—that self that is connected to the All, to She who Gifts life, to Wisdom, and to He who is the Divine Center/Spirit/God.

At any time along your re-entry to Spirit, family and friends may show up to help you along. Your guides only allow them to come to you if they have first processed their own lives. They must go through the full life review and re-entry process themselves before they are allowed to assist.

The vaults of Heaven, indeed the entire universe, now stand before you. You may learn, serve, or go back to a different life. You may choose to journey the cosmos as well. Or you may make your amends in whatever way was agreed on.

While you do have many choices, once you choose again to serve the Divine, you will want to be on a specific path or program. The path is there for your own learning, development, and experience. The learning process is so that you can expand your own presence, your own love, and your own link to Divinity. Remember, you are a part of the Divine Presence but you are also an individual. One of many. Part of the Many who are One. And your soul's purpose is ultimately to contribute to the Divine, to God, and to love.

Blessings,

Nancy


A couple of notes here: remember that "time" is truly relative. We in the physical experience the passage of time as linear. The true realm of "Heaven" does not...at least not from our perspective. As we move up through higher and higher energy levels after death, gradually returning to the full experience of Heaven, time loses its grip on us. Another thing to note is that throughout the process after transitioning, we can continuously choose whether or not to continue on to Spirit, to the Divine, to God. We always have the choice available to us at the time of transitioning, before our life review, and after it. Most of us embrace Divine Light continuously and so the transition is seamless and uninterrupted.

And you can probably tell, this series wasn't solely written "by" me. I had a lot of teachings from my Guide before I was able to put pen to paper, so to speak.

I have known Craig Johnson and his partner Phil for many years. Craig is a highly gifted composer/conductor based in Austin, Texas.  He has assembled his own choral group (Conspirare) whose members come from all over the country to rehearse and then perform across America and Europe.  Their CD's have received many honors, including a Grammy award last year.

Craig's new release is called "Considering Matthew Shepard," named for the young gay man who a few years ago was brutally tied to a split log fence in a remote area in Wyoming and left to die.  Matthew was not found for 36 hours: we cannot imagine the agony he suffered during his crucifixion experience.  Taking this heart breaking story as his narrative, Craig has created a beautiful yet totally unblinking narrative of Matt's life and death.  It is one that all of us need to listen to with deep attention and sympathy, for Matthew Shepard could be the child or brother of any of us (or perhaps ourselves), as we are called to witness and identify with his fate.

Craig himself is deeply spiritual.  He confided to me that he felt the spirit of Matt with him as he wrote this astonishing work.  It is a fitting tribute and honors not only Matt but all who suffer the fate of vicious attack by a callous society.

Here is the Amazon listing of the recording.  It also can be purchased from the Conspirare Site.

  It is followed by my own response posted on Amazon as well as the responses of others:

Considering Matthew Shepard Hybrid SACD - DSD

Conspirare (Artist, Orchestra), Craig Hella Johnson (Artist, Composer, Conductor)  Format: Audio CD

4.7 out of 5 stars    15 customer reviews
See all 2 formats and editions
MP3
$18.98

Audio CD
$28.49
4 Used from $16.10
22 New from $17.92

5.0 out of 5 starsA Masterwork for Our Time
ByDorothy Walterson October 1, 2016

Format: Audio CD

In this stunning masterwork, Craig Johnson has achieved not only an elegant tribute to Matthew Shepard, but he has succeeded––like Philomena in Greek mythology–– in transmuting vast pain into profound beauty. Dazzling in its craft and feeling, this piece is destined to speak to the deep heart of all who listen. It is not too much to say that Matthew is revealed as a Christ figure crucified once again, and thus he becomes the emblem of the widespread suffering of many in our time. I cannot recommend it highly enough for all who love music of transcendence and who are themselves grieved by Matthew’s tragic fate.

Dorothy Walters, PHD, author “Some Kiss We Want: Poems Selected and New" ; "Unmasking the Rose: A Record of a Kundalini Initiation"

5.0 out of 5 starsBay Area Reporter Review by Tim Pfaff
ByS. M.on September 28, 2016
Format: Audio CD
The Passion of Matthew Shepard
Music
Published 09/08/2016
by Tim Pfaff

Some deaths are more sacramental than others. Something about the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, the inescapable sense of fundamental innocence being crucified, lent the tragic event a power no amount of subsequent, CNN-style dirt-digging about the quality of Shepard's innocence could tarnish. The land on which he died in 1998 has been sold, the fence that was his cross dismantled (for practical reasons), its replacement built some 50 yards away, and people are still making pilgrimages to it today. It's not stretching the emotional truth for most LGBTs to say that Matthew Shepard died for all of us, and that some part of most of us, a part we wouldn't be without, died with him.
Of the numerous responses to Shepard's death that fall into the category of art, one of the most profound is Considering Matthew Shepard, a 90-minute, largely choral composition by Craig Hella Johnson, the out music director of the a cappella chorus Conspirare. The musical frames of the piece (what is it, a secular oratorio? a vernacular Passion?) are a solo-tenor old-style country-tune "Yoodle-ooh, yoodle-ooh-hoo," insouciant on its first outing and devastating at its reprise, both times encapsulating in music of the utmost simplicity the essence of the "ordinary boy" Matt Shepard. The remarkable work, just released on CD by Harmonia Mundi, goes the distance in showing just how un-ordinary he was.
The stroke of genius in the work's conception is that Johnson accents, without overemphasis, the Everyman element in the story. There's no Shepard "character" in the piece – no Jesus – and the texts are sung by solo voices. There's a sense that Johnson wrote each of these parts – solos, duets and larger ensembles – for particular singers in his chorus, whose individual talents he knows, and to a one they're ideal for their assignments and sing as though their lives depended on it. They don't sing like "opera singers," nor do they perform with that Broadway tendency to let vibrato-laden intensity carry the show. They just slay you, number after number.
Full attention is given to the criminal injustice of the bashing-unto-death and modern-day crucifixion, but neither is it bled egregiously. The total absence of "abuse porn" releases the work to become untrammeled ritual.

One of the most remarkable passages in the work, certainly its most sacramental, surfaces unanticipated, when a combination of individual and full-choral voices sings "I am like you/We are all sons" to the unseen Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson characters, real-life perpetrators of the crime. What could be feral accusation is not "tempered," in no way excused, but rather, balanced with the confession, "I am like you, I get confused and I'm afraid/And I've been reckless, I've been restless, bored,/unthinking, listless, intoxicated,/I've come unhinged,/and made mistakes/and hurt people very much."
"The Fence" becomes a virtual character in this Passion, and this particular old rugged cross is given its place in the cosmic order by recognition, by a speaker, of the fact that when Deputy Sherriff Reggie Flutty arrived on the scene, a lone doe was lying by the dying young man, clearly keeping him company. Johnson composes a "Deer Lullaby" and "Deer Song" you won't be forgetting anytime soon.

Thanks to tapes of concert broadcasts, I've been living with the piece for a few months now, and I can testify that it has the richness, depth and complexity to compel repeated hearing, and the power to get you the first time out. There's a whiff of Eric Whitacre in the choral writing, a stronger presence of Bach and Brahms, but the piece would be unimaginable if Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson hadn't informed it, and its natural progenitor is Leonard Bernstein's Mass, those last three composers the iconic American gay triumvirate. But for all the musical styles Johnson employs, from plainchant to an electric guitar whine seguing into smoky jazz, to tunes that could have come out of a summer stock production of The Fantasticks, it has a unity of conception and voice that is all Johnson's. None of the variety seeks attention, and as a result all of it works; no cringe alerts here.
To assemble the text he sets, Johnson drew on everything from interviews, news reports, poets from Rumi to Blake and beyond, and in a fundamental way, poet Leslea Newman's October Morning: A Song for Matthew Shepard. The way you hear the small eternity this work was in gestation and birth is in its integrity.
Considering Matthew Shepard is a deeply American piece, performed with utter dedication by performers for whom it was composed. But its universality lies in the fact that it could be performed by many others – and must be, for all our sakes.