Awakening Self Blog
Beacon of Light
The cycle of the seasons here in the northern hemisphere is winding down to the longest night of the year – the winter Solstice. We enter the time of increased darkness and decreased temperatures.
Yet, it is in the dark that the light shines most brightly; a candle during the daytime is hardly noticeable, but at night it is a beacon of light.
There are times when our lives seem overcome with more darkness than light. Yet these times can be powerful and transformative. Often, the darker moments are the ones that call forth our greatest gifts and the most inspiration and support from the Divine.
As the Boom Swings Over – What I Learned from the 2016 Election
Photo by Ben Grader
When I was in 6th grade, my girl scout troop did a boating class at the local harbor in Newport Beach, CA. It included canoeing (my favorite – I loved to steer!), rowing (I sucked at), and sailing (I equally sucked at, and also found terrifying). Although boating wasn’t my favorite activity, especially sailing, I did learn some important things from this.
One time, my friend Roseanne and I were paired for sailing. It was a small two-person boat, just big enough for us. The wind was pretty strong, and we were at about a 90 degree angle from it. This is a strong angle to be able to control. I don’t remember which one of us was pulling on the sheet (the rope that holds the sail), but the wind came on so strong that the boat tilted us up almost on its side, and we came close to capsizing. Yikes!
Cutting My Hair
I sat in the hairdresser’s chair, elevated enough so that I could see my reflection in the mirror before me. I asked her to take a photo from the back to show my long tresses, flowing in waves and soft curls almost down to my waist. This was going to be a big change, and I wanted to have a visual memory of it.
For almost my entire life I’ve worn my hair long, with the exception of two short periods in my childhood that I decided to experiment – which turned out poorly – and four years in college where I wore my curls about chin length. I’ve strongly identified myself with the image of long hair – but is it Who I Am?
Recently, I’ve been revisiting this image, and the attachment I have towards aspects of myself, superficial or internal. The need to be the expert and to know what I’m doing. To shy away from getting dirty. To avoid taking risks. And, on a surface level, a woman with long hair. I’ve limited myself by these ideas of who I am.
Out on a Limb
There was a book written by Shirley MacLaine by that title, back in the 80’s – you may remember it if you’re old enough. One of the first new age/spiritual books that I read, and it deeply touched me.
As the name implies, she was writing about going in a direction most people don’t go – in her case, into spiritual and psychic phenomena. I am relating to the title in a different way, though, right now. Perhaps a bit more literally.
The Hawk and the Gopher
Last month, I led a spiritual retreat at an idyllic farm, tucked into a secluded valley in Half Moon Bay, California. The focus of our day together was embodiment – being fully present, centered, grounded, and aware in our bodies and connected with the Earth.
In the afternoon, we immersed in a practice called Sit Spot; sitting outdoors, quiet and still, taking in whatever we experience from nature.
I sat on the edge of a field, facing some trees and the rising slope of a hill behind them. There was a gentle breeze, and my gaze lifted up to the clouds floating by. High in the sky, almost at the height of the clouds, I saw a hawk. It was slowly gliding in circles on the currents of air, as hawks often do. I couldn’t stop looking at it as it drifted higher and higher, further and further away over the distant hills until it was just a speck, and then disappeared from my view.
It struck me as an interesting contrast to the idea of embodiment – floating up higher and higher into the clouds, far above the earth, rather than deeply rooted in the soil, as we had much of the retreat.
You Are Not Limited to You
photo by trestleJeff from morguefile.com
Humans are a strange species. We are, to my knowledge, the only species that attempts to live in insolation from other species. We may collect in human groups – and we may have a few select “pets” – but by and large we don’t consider ourselves part of the ecosystem, and certainly not kin to other living beings. After all, we are human, and therefore we transcend animal instincts.
Well, maybe not so much. Or, maybe the traits that we think define us as human aren’t limited to our species. Isn’t it rather anthropocentric to believe that we’re the only beings that think, consider the future, reflect on the past, and have feelings? What if these are traits of consciousness, of any living being, and not exclusively human? What if our experience is universal between us and animals, and maybe even other forms of life, only we experience ours through particular filters of human language, perceptions, and behavior?