deep ecology

holy – definition?

mysticism?

the grail – whom does it serve? the wasteland, the stuff from Jean Shiboda’s book, etc

sibyls, oracles, prophetesses, seers

cultural appropriation

pagan prompts blog http://paganprompts.blogspot.com/

30 Days of Druidry

1. Why Druidry? [Revisited]
2. Foundations: Cosmology
3. Foundations: Nature and Earth
4. Foundations: The Three Realms
5. Foundations: The Elements
6. Foundations: Altar, Grove and Nemeton
7. Foundations: Day-to-Day Practice
8. Relationships: Gods/Deities and Spirit [sneak peek]
9. Relationships: The Ancestors
10. Relationships: Spirits of the Land
11. Relationships: Ritual and Worship
12. Relationships: The Fire Festivals
13. Relationships: The Solar Festivals
14. Relationships: Rites of Passage
15. Inspirations: Awen and Creativity
16. Inspirations: Prayer and Meditation
17. Inspirations: Storytelling and Myth
18. Inspirations: Music, Poetry and Aesthetics
19. Inspirations: Ethics, Virtues and Values
20. Inspirations: Divination and Magic
21. Inspirations: Mysticism and Philosophy
22. Everyday Life: Druidry and Family Life
23. Everyday Life: Druidry and Romance
24. Everyday Life: Druidry and Work/Career
25. Everyday Life: Conservation and Environmentalism
26. Everyday Life: Druidry and Community
27. Everyday Life: Peace and Social Justice
28. Everyday Life: A Life in the Day of a Druid
29. The Future of Druidry
30. Advice to the Seeker

Now, whether or not you know the real facts, write about how you wish your life began. Spin an elaborate creation myth that tells how your body came to be alive in the world.

********************

You might like to read a few creation myths from different cultures to get your started.
I am also looking at this as an opportunity to talk about my creation in more than just my physical body. My spiritual self, my emotional self, who I want to be rather than who I am at the moment, those sorts of things.

Slicing a peach
for her cereal, the poet
hears a rhythm, feels
anticipation the eager body
thinks is sex. Let it.
But keep the mind cool,
receptive, unresisting
as emptied houses the sea
takes when the break-
wall gives. Leave
the radio off, the phone
unhooked. Let newspapers bleach
on the front steps. Whatever
comes, pulsing
astonished on your desk, gawky,
unbeautiful, nothing
you want to claim except
the glint in its eye, that familial
wink, names it kin–let it.

Sally Croft
*********************

When words come through us–gawky, unbeautiful words–how do we let them in without shaking our heads, clucking our tongues, saying “Oh, no, you’re not gorgeous enough to walk past this velvet rope. This club is exclusive. You don’t belong here”? Our inner critics can be merciless; they want the words on the page to be sterilized to perfection. But who wants to shake it on a dance floor that’s full of only impossibly manicured, airbrushed folk? The goofy drunken guests who make fools of themselves, the wild child dancers with twigs in their unbrushed hair make the party so much more interesting. How do we open up the velvet rope, make room for even the unwashed words, the unfashionable words, the words with warts and moles to sashay on through?

….Gayle Brandeis, Fruitflesh author, then describes how useful timed freewriting can be.

Take this and run with it!!

When I was visiting with *magicduck tonight, at the end of the evening she suggested that we should work through the above title together. I think it’s a fabulous idea, so here we go!

The book chapters are named after the parts of a tree. Which is perfect i think! It also fits in well with my idea to be working with plants in a spiritual manner, not just practical and botanical. It reminds me that I would like to browse through the library catalogue for some more information on that topic….

I am also keen to keep this idea of exploring myself going. There are some other spiritual books that will encourage me to write my own path, so I will have to do that too!

Part One: Seeds
The preface and introduction

Part Two: Roots
Where do your words come from?
Delve deep into your roots – the roots that connect your body to your family, to the earth itself, the roots that dangle beneath your desire to write. Your words will blossom most freely when they are grounded in your own fertile soil.

The Cellar
The apples in the cellar
are black, and dying inside their skins.
They pray all night in their bins,
but nobody listens;
they will be neither food nor trees.
~Anne Dillard

Step down into your body’s own root cellar….

Chocolate
It’s so yummy! But comes in a form that isn’t healthy.

WOW
I am really enjoying World of Warcraft as a distraction from my woes. As a fantasy world, it’s fun to play in and imagine myself as a character; they have events for the common holidays; i get to kill stuff and explore my dark side in a safe way. So why is it a vice? Time waster. Procrastinator tool. Avoidance tactic.

Driving fast
I used to pretend I was a race car driver a lot more. Now I at least try to drive well when I remember.

Dairy, Gluten, or Coffee
It’s so not good for me. But so tasty.

1. Am I acting in my best interests? Should I be more honest/truthful with the professionals? Is the crisis a way to feel the care and concern from the people in my life? Will I need to keep the crisis going in order to meet that need?

2. One thing after another has been happening, and it feels like I have no control over my life. Indeed, am I not giving up more control to all of the other professionals now involved? Is there resentment? is it expressed as my defiance and pushing away? How can I exert control in a helpful way?

3. The Wild Boar is a great image, with thick skin, growling and charging. But although it gets us through, it also keeps other people out, and prevents pauses for reflection. Why am I protective, why do I need such a thick skin/personal bubble?

4. There are too many cooks in the kitchen. Being involved with so many professionals means that my therapy might stay at this elementary level, and not move beyond. If i want to go beneath the surface, get help identifying what i know intellectually vs experientially, I may need some help. But I definitely need consistency, and a stable therapist, otherwise the frustration is going to continue.

***********

So – which therapist gets to stay, which has to go? and if I ask for a new one, how do i know I’ll like them?

what am I protecting myself from? People, the world. They hurt me all the time. But maybe I need to practice shrinking my bubble, and letting select people come closer. And allowing that good stuff to come through the bubble, to penetrate my thick skin.

I think the crisis has helped me to experientially know that i am not alone, that I have lots of love in my life. Something I knew intellectually. And I think I can say with confidence that I do not need the crisis to continue in order for me to keep feeling that love.

And yes, I think there is definitely some resentment in the cloudy mix of my baggage. Who wouldn’t be resentful? But I’ll have to come up with some potions to turn that resentment into something helpful.

Sort of. If that’s an answer. If you could prove without doubt that someone took the life of another person with malicious intent, then their life should be forfeit.

But you cannot prove such things without doubt right now. And I cannot be the judge who condemns others. That is a tough position to be in.

I went to school, and met some amazing people. The illusion of my tribe was created. We all had similar views and plans for life. We got along, we spent everyday together. I met people that I invested significant emotion in. It seemed like my life had finally turned that corner, and my future would be brighter. But then school ended.

And betrayal, loss, and upset ensued. Betrayal is a strong word, but that’s how I feel. I had created a life for myself and this other person, inside my head for nearly 2 years. I then find out that what I thought was a potential return of such feelings was nothing more than friendly politeness. Will take 2 years to let go of that? I can’t wait around to find out. I can’t even think straight around him and it’s been a year. I can’t shake it. Every time I see him, things get shook up. Every time I hear from her, I question whether it is a real friendship or just her keep track of me.

Where does this depth of emotion come from? Why can’t it just stop? Why can’t I just turn it off and be like a robot? That’s not  any better kind of life. I want it all to end. Everything to stop.

now that this purge has started…..

I enjoyed it while I was out walking. On the way back though, I began to feel less recharged, and more reminded of my life. I saw people walking together, people running, people with dogs. All things I want: companionship, healthy system, a dog. I thought I should start my yoga practice again like I have intended. The road to hell….It seems I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t – I feel isolated and hermit like if I stay at home. I feel sad and lonely if I go out where there are people. I’ve got to find a way around this block.

I finished reading the Hallowed Hunt by Lois McMaster Bujold today. It was quite good, gripping in fact. At the end I felt it was a good Grail story. A wounded king, needing to be healed. And good people, god=touched, to help the healing.

More grail thought is necessary…..