Homing
We face the possibility that “ego” is a construct acquired from outside the self. We challenge the notion that “identity” is a construction we create from cultural consumables, then who are we? Aren’t these the decisions we have to make when creating a home? A home is our personal environment supportive of the self. Our bodies are “homes” for our souls. We have suffered from pretending we have no soul, that we are all body, or that we are vessels of accommodation for other people. No home is permanent. We spend our lives creating and re-creating homes from convenience, memory, resources and – identity. We are deciding who we are, who we want to be and who we do NOT want to be. When we accept the indestructability of the soul, we will begin to honor ourselves. “I am timeless”
0 Comments
The Labyrinth
Just at the moment in life when we fear we can’t escape from the labyrinth we are trapped in we realize we ARE the labyrinth. The labyrinth we explore and deplore is US. Don't panic. The “Interior Castle”, as St. Theresa described it, is a magnificent place worthy of lifelong study. Plus, we are adding new rooms all the time! The key is to feel competent: “I am the best interpreter and analyst of my own self” and entitled: “This is the most important work of one’s lifetime.” Mantra: “I am worthy.” Thief
What are we entitled to? It is our secret fear that we are entitled to nothing, that we must “steal” every delight. The only way to celebrate our power of choice is to celebrate our power. I have chosen to be here. I have chosen to shape myself according to my goals. Mantra: “I will”. 70.Chrysanthemum “Sadhana” means daily practices designed to reach a goal. These are the healing rituals we turn to instead of short-term gratification and long-term self-sabotage. Music therapy, yoga therapy, exercise therapy, aromatherapy, bathing rituals, massage, meditation, prayer. Light candles, smell incense and oils. Dance. Dream. Journal. Heal. “All will be well”. The Thistle
We are sore. Apparently an unexpected side effect of trying to alter our life plan is snapping at everyone. Turns out when you give up a crutch, you fall down. When you give up multiple crutches – all your crutches in fact – you fall down A LOT. Ow. How do we live without anesthesia? Whole new problem. The answer is: relief. We finally find release from all that dread we have been feeling, because we are beginning to know the truth. “I cherish Truth.” Daisy
Daisies are deceptive. Each face gladdens at the sight of them, but daisies aren’t “good enough” to take center stage in a bouquet. Daisies are, in other words, routinely taken for granted. We can use them as a crystal ball to focus on our fears and ego needs. What if we are completely ordinary and not special at all? What if we’re not even a flower but some kind of pestilent weed? Watch your fears run riot comparing your insides to other people’s outsides. This is a feedback loop leading back to that dark place where we surrender to helplessness and hopelessness. Let’s not go there. Does being special mean being alone? Is one-way admiration really what satisfies our ego? Aren’t we happier truly belonging, and what does belonging mean? Reciprocity is what we truly seek – reciprocity and recognition. Let’s not compare ourselves to others, but instead pat ourselves on the back for getting this far, and reward ourselves by breaking free of the feedback loop. How gifting ourselves a fresh bouquet of spring flowers? “I am special – just like everyone else.” The Columbine
Plants are medicinal, possessing secret properties as yet unseen and unknown. We all possess such secret properties and even gifts we have yet to explore. We can soothe ourselves as we nourish others. Our best dreams are components of our soul, lighting our way forward. “I heal myself” The Pond
At last, a small stretch of the universe to call our own. Not some big crashing ocean or an endless vista but a modest pool we can get our psychic arms around. Our small plans can become big plans; or not. As we let go of our fear of the future we realize how the inevitable knowledge of our own smallness and mortality has been holding us back. Like an animal puffing up fur at the sight of a predator we have been attempting to make ourselves bigger. Now that gambit has visibly failed as we have sapped ourselves of flexibility, suppleness and strength. We are too easily exhausted and overwhelmed. But in the pond, we can swim end to end. We can explore the entire bank. We can claim it as our own. That doesn’t mean we will never travel, acquire, experiment or dare. It means that in mindfully exploring our Now we will accept and celebrate its edges as we define and refine our own. “My world is joy” The Tulip
Tulips are powerful all by themselves, but it turns out the idea of tulips is even more powerful. In the seventeenth century wealthy Dutch families bankrupted themselves in pursuit of an illusion; the perfect commodity to embody riches; tulip bulbs. We laugh these days at the mass hysteria, desperation and foolishness of long ago traders. Yet the history of our pursuit of financial, mental, physical and spiritual wholeness is rife with scammers, snake oil and the broken bodies and spirits of disappointed masses who chose the wrong guru, scheme or panacea to ease their path. What can we learn from this? The first lesson is obvious; our health is in our own hands and is very much a matter of self-perception. That said, we pay attention to those we love and to the expressions of panic and fear in their eyes. Some health plans are foolish on their face: “only eat white things”, “take a special pill”, “the medical establishment can’t be trusted.” Let love guide us; “I seek wholeness” |
Alysse aallynpoet...playwright... Archives
September 2022
Categories |