We've all seen it. Even if we've turned away, part of being a citizen of the world comes with its requirements. The question is, just what is required if we are to move forward as a people? Is remembering disaster the whole answer?
I am reminded of a sign over the gate of one of the death camps from WWII. "There is art that makes us remember, and art that helps us forget." Whether you believe you are an "artist" or not is not the issue. You and I are each charged with being an "artist of life" -- that is, one who brings forward something new through our unique voice, skill sets, talents and natural way of expressing our experience. The challenge is to ask yourself this: Is the way you are living focused on forgetting or remembering? And, if it is remembering, is this sufficient? Might there not be something more beneficial for you, those you know and strangers you might come to know as friends?
What do you prefer? If truth be told, the fact is that I would far prefer to sit by the forest, reflect on the pond and simply be before I act, so that I do not add to my list of personal regrets. When I do, it is easier to recall the lessons the natural world teaches for guidance and perspective. I sense I am not alone.
And yet, we have lives to live "out there" in the hustle-bustle of the outer reality. Let's be honest. It is challenging to live with a foot in each world, inner and outer. Remembering who we really are beneath layers of self-doubt, confusion, anger, fear, anxiety and mistrust is not so easy when pushed to the brink by demands we don't know how to resolve.
Perhaps the two realities are not as mutually exclusive as it might appear. Just yesterday, courtesy of Kathianne Lewis, I was reminded of a factoid I heard long ago, a few slipped neurons back down the trail. Apparently, there is a particular form of evergreen, with cones that do not open under routine conditions. No, it is not until a significant forest fire ravages the area that things change. When the heat of the flames soars high enough, something amazing happens. Now inflamed, this "natural oven" coaxes the cones to open, thus seeding the forest floor for new generation of "tree children" growth. Hard-wired into nature is the back-up plan for new life.
What about us? What do we do when, metaphorically, the "kitchen gets too hot"? Do we open, or do we close off our capacity to "seed" new life? Do we focus on remembering to seed new life, or to dwell in the past and cultivate more disconnection and fear, using a limited perception for an excuse to quit? It is all too easy to be a quitter when the hard stuff comes, to have a pity party and complain that nothing can be done, or to fan the flames of resentment and apathy.
Just last week, while traveling along the Pacific Ocean coastline, we came across a number of forests that had been raped by loggers, as well as fires. When you see such a brutal massacre, man-made or otherwise, it can get you to thinking. What endures loss and tragedy? What promotes life? Do we have "cones" that open at times like these?
Right on the heels of this experience came the shrine, from here to Bejing, of remembering that fateful day back in 2001. Throughout the aired footage of twin towers wreckage and untold losses, (a mere death count never reveals the entirety of what is gone to the families), we are shown the price of intolerance, hate, indifference, mistrust. To the degree that we bear witness, we are reminded that when we break connection with our hearts, with one another, we all lose. And if we think, for a nanosecond, the weapon is one or two planes crashing into a set of towers, or another into a field, or the Pentagon, then we are sadly mistaken.
The real weapon of mass destruction is not what we believe. The greatest weapon takes root in the human mind. Invisible, at first, a metaphorical forest fire ignites our thinking, each spark lit with an unkind word, a thoughtless remark, a jealous jab, a neglected child, a need for display of inflated testosterone, the grab for the ring of power, with such mean-spiritedness that it takes its toll on countless human spirits. We use our voice to unite or inflame.
Eight Basic Requirements to Help Us Heal (When it Seems Impossible):
Your turn. What has been helpful to you about "remembering" something that altered your life? What have you found to be helpful beyond remembering? Let me know your answers. I'm listening and learning from you, my teachers.
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Ed and Deb Shapiro: You Are Not the Body or the Mind
Kelley Harrell: The New Old Treatise on Soul Retrieval
Mark Goulston, M.D.: Trauma, Loss and Recovery from the Inside Out
Dr. Larry Dossey: Spirituality, Healing and Science
from the binding of wars, povertys' illusions in the chaos of wants
reflected from the mirrors of waters
which stills the soul
rushing over stones.
Rolf Krogsæther
You can't help but open up to what is and pass it on. That has significantly changed my life and I suspect in ways that I don't yet know.
Living out there has helped me recognise the profound fear that others harbor unbeknownst to them about supporting others in any small way they can.
That was an incredibly humbling and enlightening experience that I will never forget. So passing it on is all I can do.
Cheers
Catherine
Your theme of remembering is something I need to wrap myself around to help bring peace to an otherwise chaotic past few days. I have a few obligations today, and can't spend a lot of time here at my desk. But I feel like I'm going thru a very superficial (in the overall scheme of things) and virtual loss; and am frankly surprised at the depth of my feelings...
At the risk of you or anyone here laughing at this, (I'm actually chuckling to myself as I write this, so that's progress, I suppose), may I say that 2 of my very dear "virtual friends" here are suddenly gone. Vanished. *Poof* . No evidence that they were ever even here. They were "friends" who not only welcomed me into their virtual worlds, but they were instrumental in opening up my mind, my eyes, my heart, as they unselfishly, maybe even unknowingly taught me invaluable lessons.
I am saddened by the loss, but choose to remember them, hold them in my heart.
As you say, The Universe is doing it's Dance.
Thank you for letting me once again realise my insignificance and focus on what is important... the sunrise, the gentle breeze, the stars last night, the beautiful deer near your property.... this list goes on and on.
What a grand way to begin my week, finding you here. For the record, last night two dragonflies came to pay me a visit. You must have been 'in town' with a friend!
First off, I am heartened by your demonstration of the fact that we do have choice. The fact that you are intentional about bringing peace is crucial for us each if we are to have a better world to 'hand-off' when our walking papers come.
As for laughing at your loss, no way! The truth is that I have been very happily surprised by the depths to which people are willing to go here, when they come to use their Voice. The impact is so much larger than I would/could have anticipated. When I do not hear from someone for while, I feel the sadness as well, and wonder how they are/where they are/ what is occurring? If someone would have told me this would come out of writing here, I would have thought them mad over three years ago when I began. So, these days, whether they check-in or not, they are truly in the center of my prayerful meditations.
As for insignificance, my dear, you are no less significant then the stars, the sunrise, the breeze and the deer. We are One, after all.
I'm with you,
Cara
I've just returned from a special place in our wilderness: the Bonneville Salt Flats.
In the midst of the things I have to get done now, upon my return, I noticed your post and of course read it, and am grateful for your article; this is yet another great - and timely - piece.
While my life is altered every day by tiny things I integrate into my whole, "remembering" is a more rare act - a deliberate act, whether we admit it or not. This year I have been "remembering" Lioness a bit much, and the events of January last that altered my life, and the helpful part, I think, is that it has raised "love" in my consciousness from whereever it lay (not buried, but not anything I was worried about or spent a lot of time thinking about) "up" to a place where it regularly just jumps in and asserts itself, in _all_ its myriad forms - "overlaying" (NOT replacing) whatever else was at the height of my consciousness.
I am not sure I'm glad of this or not; it creates odd effects.
But I am acting upon it in a great many ways, small and large, perhaps mostly with quiet understanding I may not have had patience to consciously think about before. Finding appropriate ways to act on love is not always an easy thing, so I'm working on finding them; not changing inside at all, only "outside," improving expression of what's within.
With
...With love and appreciation,
Lion
P.S.
When I have my "chores" behind me, I'll come back; I find you and the community you have created here - the spirit you have attracted and brought together - is profound and sublime and I wish to read all the replies when I have time. And I hope to write something more.
Lion
My heart is happy. You are here. I am here. Life is Good in this moment. Your wilderness trip sounds restorative. As to the rest of what you have 'penned' here through the ink of your experience, your relationship with love, all I can say is 'Ah..........' We could spell my Ah like this: AWE.
To take on our connection with love, the myriad choices around it, to find ourself, and lose ourselves again and again, and still, stay focused on the fact that love is a choice, and we say 'yes' to whatever it brings as a learning, this is mighty courageous work. What a Path. What a ride.
I well remember the odd effects, and find them today, as well, in so many forms.
Love to you, Lion, and bravo for the remembering,
Cara
As I read your piece, I found myself ever hopeful that we will each come to understand deeply that our primary work on the planet is fullfillment of our essential Self as it is expressed in each one of us. I know that may be heard as a bit of a mouthful but it is the only way I know to articulate it.
What has been helpful to me about "remembering" something that altered my life is the firm belief that I am responsible for that very circumstance in some way. I have to remember that we source the events and conditions of life, individually and collectively. What has been helpful beyond remembering is a commitment to doing my self work everyday - that work that consistently and persistently reveals who I am and where I have blocked bliss.... my own and the experience of it for those around me. This is the Hero's Journey and it includes the darkness as well as the light. And there, as we allow the integration of the two sides of ourSelf and each other, we ultimately find that we are completely designed for every minute thing that we are seeking.
Thanks, as always, for your wise writing.
Oh, how appreciated you are!
Cara
I'll take an "ahah" with my tea, please.
Thank you.
See you soon.
DW
BTW, I leave a space between your naming with purpose. For me, both the Sender of the Dream, and the sacred text of the dream for the dreamer are holy ground, to which I bow. As for Weaver, ah, yes, Creatrix of it all.
We are a village, here, it seems, of those who t rule love the 'shah' with tea.
I raise my cup. My cup runneth over.
Sweet dreams,
Cara
But still I repeat it, this is not the natural state.
Be this as it may, in every free and deliberating society, there must, from the nature of man, be opposite parties, and violent dissensions and discords; and one of these, for the most part, must prevail over the other for a longer or shorter time. Perhaps this party division is necessary to induce each to watch and delate to the people the proceedings of the other.
But, will the evil stop there?
A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolved, and the people recovering their true sight, restoring their government to its true principles. It is true, that in the meantime, we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war, and long oppressions of enormous public debt. ...
If the game runs sometimes against us, we must have patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost.
For this is a game where principles are the stake."
1798 Thomas Jefferson
Peace be yours,
Cara
got that new, fuzzy avatar up I see! -wink-
Lion
DIFFERENT LOADS:
Do not feed both sides of yourself equally.
The Spirit and the body carry different loads
and require different attentions.
Too often we put saddlebags on Jesus,
and let the donkey run loose in the pasture.
Do not make the body do what the spirit does best,
and don't put a big load on the spirit
that the body could carry easily.
Rumi
Thomas
Love your way, and Rumi's too,
Cara
Your message is deeply meaningful for me. Although my steps are small, they are sincere, to do what I can to become more of what Rumi, and other Masters have told us. It is a long journey, filled with opportunities for self-forgiveness, first and foremost.
Many blessings and deep joy your way,
Cara
I am so glad to see you here. it's been a while. Never doubt that you are missed.
Ah, another of noticing the small. Bravo. Regarding the rocks, I here you. Cross-culturally they symbolize the I AM, that which runs deepest through our heart/soul/Spirit. On a personal level, as a child, I walked around three miles every Saturday to the museum simply to go to the 'rock room,' as I called it, to visit 'my friends.' My sister had no clue why I would bother, or why I would collect little pebbles, and put them in special places to my heart. But I knew, in a way deeper than words, and that was enough.
For your description of your garden, and your treasures, I am deeply touched. Let's go for a walk together, despite the miles!
Loving you and the eternal in the ordinary,
Cara
been going through a few rough days myself but coming out of as these fall days bring gratefulness as they are my favorite days of the year. The leaves will soon be turning and I pull extra covers over me in the wee hours of the morn.
Lately, I've been doing a lot of walking, with my hands behind my back, face up with perfect posture and watching my breath or as Thich Nhat Hanh calls it , walking meditation while watching the breathing. Really helps when we get all bound up with all the ugliness going on around us and our breathing becomes short and shallow. Breathe, you are alive are favorite words of TNH.
Remembering loves ones who are gone but still with us is important and we can move on while doing so though we can miss them more intensely at times while still moving ahead don't you think?
I hope it's been a pleasant summer for you dear Cara and that the move goes well though they seldom do it seems. Enjoy fall my dearest friend.
"and frosts and shortening days portend
the aged year is near its end.
I am so grateful to hear about your walking meditation! Thich introduced me to it decades ago, and it has been a substantial addition to what helps me move forward and heal. We are alive, aren't we? So easy to forget when holding the breath, racing through the day, dwelling in the past.
Thank you for your personal wishes. I can use each and every one. May we walk through this Autumn together across the miles.
May you be surrounded by Grace and ease, love and joy,
Cara
When grace is lost from life, come with a burst of song.
When tumultuous work raises its din on all sides shutting me out from beyond, come to me, my lord of silence, with thy peace and rest.
When my beggarly heart sits crouched, shut up in a corner, break open the door, my king, and come with the ceremony of a king.
When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one, thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder.â€
— Rabindranath Tagore
You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss,
A sigh is just a sigh;
The fundamental things apply,
As time goes by.
Moonlight and love songs never out of date ...
xoxoxoxo
"What endures loss and tragedy? What promotes life? I think each our individual decisions to value life contributes significantly to our ability to survive loss with a modicum of sanity. Some of us have heavens or reincarnation to get us through the day when tragedy strikes. Others of us have our belief that life is precious and our will to accept what is and still hold on to our dreams, love and hope. I rely upon friends and family when things get seemingly overwhelmingly unendurable. I think that remembering is a necessary beginning and that increasing my patience and tolerance is good for me and everyone who gets my positive attention rather than stagnating at my current level of tolerance and patting myself on the back. I've grown and I'm proud of myself for that, but I can grow more, do more and help more.
Lotsa luv,
little brother
The hope and intention is for growth in each of us, isn't it, Little Brother? All, a matter of choice. None of us is a finished project that is for sure. Thanks of mentioning friends as one factor. Honestly, in both the stormy and sunny times, I do not know what I would do without mine. Those who have gone on, are remarkably, still alive and well in my heart. How grateful I am.
As for stagnation: yuk. Only nasty crud is the by-product, and a toxic one at that! who needs more of this ilk?
So much love out to you,
Cara
She's back on her feet now and no one can tell us when we'll end up back at that place. I kind of don't want to squander the time we have left on the small stuff so I've been taking a raincheck on the pity party.
Your story, and that of your dear daughter touches me on a number of dimensions, which I won't' bore you with now. Now is the time to do exactly what you are doing: staying present. This is not easy to do in a hospital setting, in particular, (I've worked there and been there plenty). With all the monitors, the beeps, the rush, the clinical-ness of it all, And, then, there are the stories, the comparisons, the who 'leaves' and who cannot. Chapters and volumes of stories.
I do not know if you would like this or not, but if you are open, I would love to know the name of your little one, so that I can hold her, and you, in the heart of my meditation for all good things.
Either way, my heart is with you,
Cara
Blessings all around,
Cara
I always used to suggest to people in the trainings that they write the word "Remember" on little post-it notes and put them all over their life. Remember: as in remember who I am, remember why I'm here, re-member my Self, re-member who We are, as in to put together again the members of our human family.
Remembering is the beginning of taking action, even if the "action" is "only" at the Being stage. It is the Being that sets all the rest in motion. To remember is to re-ignite the spark of awareness that permeates our actions. Let us remember and go forward in love and healing.
Much of both to you, my friend,
Judith
Together we stand,
Cara
yippie your back! snoopy happy feet dance :) i hope the summer was all you wanted it to be.
your blog has so many worthy points to address. i think the part that grabbed my attention the most is where you say the greatest weapon is our own mind, and as so love to quote the tv show babylon 5 i do so again, from one of my favorite characters "G'Kar":
***Citizen G'Kar: G'Quan wrote, "There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way. The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain."
Oh, how happy I am to find you here. It has surely been a while. I'm afraid I am not familiar with the show you describe personally, only through references. This particular one is a dandy. The only thing I might add is that, for me, it is not the soul that is dark, but the experience when we lose our way, which is far, far too often compared to what we say we would prefer.
There are gems in this quote, and the awareness of its author. many thanks for bringing this to a morning cup of coffee. It is well worth deep reflection, and informed action.
That you are a gem is beyond clear!
So glad to hear from you, Pema, as always,
Cara
thank you. :)
happiness,
pema
the opening of G'Kar's Declaration of Principles'] The universe speaks in many languages but only one voice. The langage is not Narn or human or Centauri or Gaim or Minbari. It speaks in the language of hope. It speaks in the language of trust. It speaks in the language of strength and the language of compassion. It is the language of the heart and the language of the soul. But always it is the same voice. It is the voice of our ancestors speaking through us. And the voice of our inheritors waiting to be born. It is the small, still voice that says: "We are one." No matter the blood, no matter the skin, no matter the world, no matter the star: we are one. No matter the pain, no matter the darkness, no matter the loss, no matter the fear: we are one. Here gathered together in common cause we agree to recognize this singular truth and this singular rule: that we must be kind to one another. Because each voice enriches us and ennobles us, and each voice lost, diminishes us. We are the voice of the universe, the soul of creation, the fire that will light the way to a better future. We are one.
Many thanks for checking in. Know that you are more than welcome here, and enrich the conversation. f&f
May your day be filled with opportunity and ease,
Cara