"All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination?"
-C. G. Jung
Over the last several years, I have delved much more deeply into the world of intuition and magic. In this time I have also become a Reiki practitioner and learned to work with subtle energy. Additionally, I practice yoga more often and meditate with regularity. I have read books on shamanic techniques, reaching out to the higher self, animal totems and connecting with earth energy. The thing that seems to tie all of these seemingly disparate elements together is the core belief that: intuition (awareness) becomes more powerful by engaging (or quieting) imagination (mind) through intention.
Tuning into intuition can be difficult. When first learning about any of these subjects, there is always some level of skepticism, but with practice, the results become evident. The imagination is powerful and always nudging us to move forward in subtle, nonlinear ways, using images and gut feelings we cannot really explain to prompt us to take great leaps forward. Responding to this deep level of knowing requires that we trust a sense for which there is still not much hard evidence. We have been trained by modern Western society to rely primarily on our five senses for information about the world we live in. When we receive signals that don’t come from hearing, seeing, touching, tasting or smelling, we tend to think that our imagination may be the source. In turn, we tend to mistrust what we perceive. All of my research suggests is that, INDEED, the imagination is the origin of these signals. What people don’t always consider when mistrusting information coming from the imagination, is that it is the source of so many of civilization’s most amazing discoveries and inventions: in science, obviously the greatest works of art, dance, music and literature, tremendous mathematical discoveries, as well and political and social developments. The imagination is where invention and progress originate! We must first imagine it before we have the desire to enact it in the greater world.
Our upbringing has convinced many of us that if it cannot be “proven” is must not be authentic. Honestly, the idea is ridiculous. I will just share a couple of examples. Most people would never try to employ scientific means to get hard evidence for their emotions, yet the psychological landscape within which they live is made up primarily of these emotions. Faith is another matter of intuition and imagination. God cannot be proven, yet religion is one of the most dominant forces in the lives of many people. If you really think about it, we are much less rational than we believe. Even those who claim to be atheist tend to have a deep emotional basis for what they consider rational beliefs. Accepting that life on this planet is full of contradiction and mystery seems to be the healthiest way to live.
With so much coming in all the time it can be hard to know what is authentic intuition and what is “just imagination”. The truth may be that there is not any difference. If you sense something, you ought to give it your attention, at least long enough to see if it has anything important to offer you. See what there is. Tune in to the intuition available to you, because it is waiting for you to welcome it into your perception and accept the gifts it has to offer.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
{practice your practice}
There are so many things that happen each day that are interconnected and synchronistic, it has been hard to decide where to begin. I watched this documentary the other night called 2012: Time for Change and Sting was interviewed in the film, so I think I will start by stating that I truly believe ‘we are spirits in a material world”. Most of what I am going to discuss stems from the challenges inherent in being in the world but not entirely of it. Van Morrison also put it beautifully when he said: “I’m nothing but a stranger in this world, I’ve got a home on high”.
Still, while a core part of us is spirit (limitless and eternal), we are bound to this planet by our physical bodies. As much as we might feel they are not who we are, in a way, they are: they express something about us, and we are changed on a spiritual level by the form and function of the human body we are residing in. The way we care for and adorn our bodies says something about who we are and what we believe at a deep level. Our bodies present challenges and limitations that our spirits need to grow. And we have chosen these bodies to work through specific lessons.
Our bodies provide us opportunities to practice. Practice has been on my mind a lot. Anything we do over and over is a practice, and how we practice really does define our character. Whether we practice diligently or lazily, compassionately or judgmentally, gently or aggressively, with bravery or cowardice: the action of our practice in the world demonstrates the quality of our thoughts, belief and all the hidden things within our hearts. Yoga has perhaps, popularized the term, but it was always present. It has long been said that doctors practice medicine, a dentist has a practice, lawyers practice the law. These are traditional uses of the word, but truly we all practice the things we do in this life.
The effort I make to be compassionate toward difficult people is a daily practice, as is walking: some days practice comes easily and other days it takes great effort. I was talking to my brother who is working on cultivating a perfect morel mushroom and he said: “it is all about practice, you have to put in the work and the time, Sis”. If someone is cooking or baking they are always practicing: adding a little of this or that. A writer practices, constantly tweaking things, changing a word, or a phrase. Raising children is possibly the most challenging practice there is, some days you get to go to bed with joy in your heart while others you know you could have been more patient or explained something better. We humans don’t really ever get it right in this life, definitively and consistently, so we practice. We are ever working at achieving and maintaining a sense of balance in these silly bodies. It is what makes us compelling. There is endless possibility as long as we are alive. Every moment we are taking breath is an opportunity to create balance and peace. We keep practicing, knowing that no state of being, pleasant or unpleasant, will ever last for very long. Change will come and throw us off balance as soon as we feel secure. There are times when we make mistakes over and over, the same ones in different guises for weeks or years, until we learn their lessons. Other times we graduate from our challenges to new, more difficult ones, at astounding speed and enjoy periods of relative peace and stability in between. All we can do is keep on practicing at expressing what is best within us in the outside world. The more we calm ourselves and behave in ways that demonstrate what we truly intend to demonstrate in the world, the easier the practice becomes and the more balance we can have.
Still, while a core part of us is spirit (limitless and eternal), we are bound to this planet by our physical bodies. As much as we might feel they are not who we are, in a way, they are: they express something about us, and we are changed on a spiritual level by the form and function of the human body we are residing in. The way we care for and adorn our bodies says something about who we are and what we believe at a deep level. Our bodies present challenges and limitations that our spirits need to grow. And we have chosen these bodies to work through specific lessons.
Our bodies provide us opportunities to practice. Practice has been on my mind a lot. Anything we do over and over is a practice, and how we practice really does define our character. Whether we practice diligently or lazily, compassionately or judgmentally, gently or aggressively, with bravery or cowardice: the action of our practice in the world demonstrates the quality of our thoughts, belief and all the hidden things within our hearts. Yoga has perhaps, popularized the term, but it was always present. It has long been said that doctors practice medicine, a dentist has a practice, lawyers practice the law. These are traditional uses of the word, but truly we all practice the things we do in this life.
The effort I make to be compassionate toward difficult people is a daily practice, as is walking: some days practice comes easily and other days it takes great effort. I was talking to my brother who is working on cultivating a perfect morel mushroom and he said: “it is all about practice, you have to put in the work and the time, Sis”. If someone is cooking or baking they are always practicing: adding a little of this or that. A writer practices, constantly tweaking things, changing a word, or a phrase. Raising children is possibly the most challenging practice there is, some days you get to go to bed with joy in your heart while others you know you could have been more patient or explained something better. We humans don’t really ever get it right in this life, definitively and consistently, so we practice. We are ever working at achieving and maintaining a sense of balance in these silly bodies. It is what makes us compelling. There is endless possibility as long as we are alive. Every moment we are taking breath is an opportunity to create balance and peace. We keep practicing, knowing that no state of being, pleasant or unpleasant, will ever last for very long. Change will come and throw us off balance as soon as we feel secure. There are times when we make mistakes over and over, the same ones in different guises for weeks or years, until we learn their lessons. Other times we graduate from our challenges to new, more difficult ones, at astounding speed and enjoy periods of relative peace and stability in between. All we can do is keep on practicing at expressing what is best within us in the outside world. The more we calm ourselves and behave in ways that demonstrate what we truly intend to demonstrate in the world, the easier the practice becomes and the more balance we can have.
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