Seasons of the Soul

Is It Only the Blues?

More and more people are complaining of anxiety related ailments. As we advance technologically, there is a feeling of something missing. Is it more than just wishing for the good-old-days? What is behind this outbreak of depression that is now being called the cancer of the 21st Century?

We need to look at it from several perspectives. There is the body chemistry connection. There is the psycho-spiritual connection, and there is a changing physical reality - all contributing factors. 

First of all, let me preface this article by saying that I am not a scientist. I would call myself an intuitive detective for purposes of this article, and I'm presenting something to you that requires your willingness to follow the leads. There are websites, articles, and books you can read that will further your understanding of what is happening. But for now, let's take a look at what we're facing.

More and more people are experiencing levels of depression that they cannot seem to shake. And as a result, there is more dependence on drugs to provide a solution to the problem. However, it is important for us to determine if the depression we are feeling is psycho-chemical, or is a result of other factors.

Let's take a look at the food connection. What are we eating? In the interest of saving time, we are often tempted to buy products that masquerade as food so that we don't have to do much cooking. We have become fanatical about non-fat foods. And as a result, products have been developed that are politically correct, but nutritionally lacking. When we read the ingredients, there are more names we cannot pronounce than ingredients with which we are familiar. And often, the ingredients that are familiar to us include sugar derivatives and salt. We then place those questionable food items into our microwaves, which emit a powerful wave that changes the structure of the "food," and changes the way what we are eating is processed by the body. Like cell phones, we have been sold a marketing spin on microwaves that makes us feel absolutely safe while using them when the reverse may actually be the case. So we must ask the question: What effect does the eating of non-nutritional food and microwave cooking have on our chemistry?

We next look at our lifestyles in addition to our changing food intake patterns. Jobs that used to be where we went for 40 hours a week have now become home away from home. The work rules that precluded working longer hours in the past seem to have dissolved as a new technology captures our imagination and feeds our pocketbooks. We are willing to adapt to longer hours, greater perks, and stock options. Yet, at what price? One of the great maladies of modern day goes beyond depression. It is loss of soul.

Soulful living requires time to be still. It calls us to commune with the natural world where we partake of beauty that no mortal hands can create. When we are constantly stressed about product release or on the opposite end...how we will be able to pay the rent given the high cost of living... Soul, Nature, and Stillness are forgotten.

Living in a technologically demanding world has stressed the system. We are engaging with life less and are glued to our screens more. Meaningful interactions are minimal as we scramble for enough time to take care of basic necessities. Many new upscale technology firms have restaurants, dry cleaners, auto wash and oil change services, and even post offices aside from the requisite gym. In other words, home away from home. Efficient, to be sure, but what is lost in the quotient?

As we look at the food and non-food we eat, the drugs we ingest to maintain equilibrium, and the demands on our lives from companies who lure us with the promise of "gold in them thar dot com’s we also face another culprit. This one is something over which we have no control. It is our solar system. In my book, Vision of the Grail, and in works done by Gregg Braden (Awakening To Zero Point, and the Science of Compassion), the point is made that we are now in a time frame where we are facing dropping magnetics and heightened electrical frequency on the earth. Because of where we are in our transit through the solar system, we are being bombarded by changing frequencies. And in this, we are being dislodged from what was a safe and secure feeling to a heightened sense of uprootedness.

For those who have a strong spiritual base, this time period can be elevating. For those whose spiritual connection is limited, or who have unresolved challenges, it can be a frightening time as everything familiar dissolves. We are in the midst of change, and we are not quite there yet. So, as depression rises, it is a signal to go within. There is need to find the nugget of truth that is waiting for us and requires our retrieval.
KJ

Is It Luck, Karma, Or Something Else

I was asked to write an article on luck, the theme for a monthly online magazine where I am a columnist. The whole concept brings up an interesting point of discussion. What constitutes luck, and what are the elements within an individual that correspond to being the recipient of good or bad fortune?

Webster's Dictionary defines luck as the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping events or opportunities; to have good or bad fortune as the result of one's luck.

Webster's defines karma as an action seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, either in this life or another, rewards or punishment for acts performed in a previous time. So whereas luck is the vehicle of good or bad fortune, karma is viewed as the accounting process that determines who is lucky and who is not.

It is interesting to note our own response to luck and karma when we hear the words. Is there excitement at the prospect of reaping our good, or are we disheartened by the concepts, anticipating something bad?

One of the things I've noted in working with clients through the years is the horrifying judgment that we heap on ourselves as humans. There are those who deflect their own actions by pointing at others as responsible, but for the most part, nobody could be more violent and unforgiving of us than ourselves.

When someone is experiencing lack in life, we can usually find an internal message linked to perceived unworthiness or guilt for past actions. The problem with this response is that the perceived debt is never paid. The individual is unwilling to pardon themselves at the deepest core level in order that they can be open to receive the good part of their life inheritance for the many things they have done right.

By dwelling on our faults rather than our good, we are inadvertently making a statement against God. We are in essence saying that God's creation is unworthy of good. And often that statement is linked to a family or religious system of conditioned response that is part of the multi-faceted input we inherit, including our genetic makeup.

We often look to genetics as the defining attribute of our character or health. And yet, science is discovering that genetics have flexibility. Our free choice allows us to alter certain tendencies, and once new patterns of behavior or belief are ingrained, they are reflected in the genetic code of the body. This gives an exciting boost to the notion that we have free will choice and that it makes a significant difference in our lives.

Without the ability to unfold new capabilities through our creative capacities, we would never have works of genius. If we were iratrevably linked to our genetic programming, how could there be anything other than that which had already been known? Our actions would be rote and predictable. And it is the same with luck and karma. As we continue to look only at our past misdeeds to determine our present, we are locked in a view that is seemingly unalterable.

When we remember that life is a process of growing and unfolding our understanding and knowledge through experience, we can claim God's goodness in the trial and error adventure called life. We can draw upon a life view that is unifying, forgiving, and loving of us for being willing to make mistakes in the process of developing who we are. Then when we think of luck or karma, we will not do so fearfully, but joyously. We will have no need to live with the specter of endless punishment for past misdeeds, but open our arms to receive the benefits of the many good things we have also accomplished. 

So let's ask the question again...Is it luck, karma, or genetic makeup that determines the quality of our lives?

It is all three...and our individual perception of what that means. Through our expectations we are either lifted  up to receive life's bounty, or damned to endure unrelenting penance. The choice, as we are discovering, is ours!
KJ

Alleviating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Many computer folks are experiencing tired wrists
and carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Here is a little exercise
to alleviate the pain and build muscles.

1-  hold your hands in the prayer position
palms together)

2-  lift hands upwards so the bottom of the palms are
at forehead level.

3-  Open and close your elbows, with hands still
held in the praying position, like windshield wipers

Am I On the Right Path?

In previous articles, I’ve  talked about commitment to our intention in order for success. Here is a different view, prompted by a question from someone concerned that they might not be on the “right” path.

My daughter was visiting one day (my Buddhist monastery daughter), and she said they had a Korean monk who spoke to them at the Zen Center. He said that we westerners are so intent on getting some place. We are results oriented and so mental in our pursuit of whatever it is we think we are seeking. This goes for finding our right path as well. He said we needed to relax our grasp on reality a little, to relinquish the mind control. We are on our right path. We are doing what we are meant to do. Otherwise we wouldn't be doing it.

That's almost too simple. It ought to be a struggle, or bigger, or more meaningful, or more acknowledged, or monetarily remunerative, or, or, or. Yet, where we are, what we are doing, and what's in front of us is our path. It leads to wherever it leads. The road turns. The stream overflows. The sun sets. It doesn't matter. It all goes to the same place. And the only place or space is now.

This is hard for us. We are so oriented to knowing better, doing more, being successful. But what does any of that really mean? What is knowing better? What is doing more? And what is the criteria for success? Beyond that, what IS success, and according to whom???

I saw a homeless person one day and engaged him in conversation. He was so full that I realized he was right on purpose. He was a living example of the homelessness within ourselves. As we strive for more and more and bigger and better...more and more people are left behind. We have no safety nets. Nothing adequate. Only this pursuit of $$$ and other "stuff". I met another homeless person who was empty and .undone. Following his path in the moment, albeit a difficult one.

Who am I to say what the greater path is – the CEO or the person on the street? It’s all subjective, and we don’t really know. We just think we do, and there is one of our major problems. We all think too much in the west. We need to “feel” more. The level of heart disease and mental illness that we experience tells us something, doesn’t it?

We cannot get “there” through the mind. It can only take us to a point, and from that juncture on, only the heart will carry us.

So you are on your perfect path. I am on mine. Now to let the mind quiet so the heart can delight. So simple. So hard.

Ah…Life!   
KJ

21 Rules to Make Life Brighter

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
   
TWO.  Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE.  Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR.  When you say, "I love you," mean it.
   
FIVE.  When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
   
SIX.  Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
   
SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.
   
EIGHT.  Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
   
NINE.  Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
   
TEN.  In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
   
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.
   
TWELVE.  Talk slowly but think quickly.
   
THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
   
FOURTEEN.  Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
   
FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
   
SIXTEEN.  When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
   
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
   
NINETEEN.  When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
   
TWENTY.  Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
   
TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

~author unknown

Piercing the Veil

While browsing through an edition of a Sounds True Catalog , I found a great little interview in it with Sophie Burnham, who wrote A Book of Angels. She speaks of investigating love and surrender as linked with mystical experience, and there is one part I wanted to share with you because I think it speaks so well to what this whole journey is about.

The question is posed to her: "In your work with mystical states and experience, you use the phrase ‘piercing the veil.’ What do you mean by this phrase?" She answers that it is a metaphor for the separation between our physical world and the invisible spiritual world surrounding us. She then goes on to add...

"Now we can also look at this invisible world in psychological terms. It isn't independent from us, but is actually encased in the cells of our bodies. Jung said, "When you know the Self, you know God." The interior journey leads to the essence of our selves. And the essence of our selves is pure love - vulnerable, unconditional, without any defenses or barriers. Then you build up barriers to protect that vulnerable, trembling, quivering soul - quivering with love. And then you forget how to reach it again. So piercing the veil is also an interior piercing, piercing the veil that we place over our hearts"

Well said!
KJ

Magnificent Drassage Event

For your Sunday viewing delight - if you love beautiful performances, and appreciate horses - this is a stunning video of a magnificent drassage event with a very special horse. Enjoy!

Amazing Freestyle Dressage Final

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQgTiqhPbw

The Church of One

A dear friend of mine died last year. She was a wonderful beam of light who ministered to many hurting people – always offering the gift of compassion and encouragement. We lovingly called her Guru Minnie, as she was a minister as well as a sage. Through the years, we had grand adventures, and in my novel, Vision of the Grail, she is one of the characters with whom I walked the labyrinth. In the last few years of her life, my friend was afflicted with Alzheimer’s, and her daughters felt it was time for her to move to where they lived so they could look after her. Her move from the Bay Area to Olympia, WA was a sad event for us all, because she loved the community and friendships she had formed here. However, she also knew that she was losing her ability to remember, and it gave her children an opportunity to have time with their mother who had lived far away for a long time.

A couple weeks ago, her family flew to the Bay Area to give a memorial service for the friends in the Bay Area who loved their mother, and to hear stories from the many friends she’d had here who shared a part of our friend’s life that the family did not know of. It was a beautiful time of love and closure, with many beautiful expressions of gratitude and appreciation for our dear Guru Minnie. One of the loving gifts was a poem written by her close friend, Reverend Tom Garry. I asked if I could share it with the Seasons of the Soul blog, and he graciously gave permission. 

The Church of One
By Reverend Tom Garry

A great institution, “The Church of One”
Although its buildings number none.
Great spiritual centers it works to start
Each located in a loving heart.

It is real and has as its seat
The place where inspired concepts meet;
Where human and divine may trod,
“Be still and know that I Am God.”

Let’s go within and start today
Be balanced, learn, meditate, and pray
Opening wide to spiritual grace,
We move ahead at a better pace.

The temple of The Church of One
Is the body of each daughter and son.
Deep inside of us you see
Our god Self offers infinity.

“Peace be with you” as we renew
Our blessed journey on the path that’s true.
Then chant our “OM” and say AMEN
Returning home to be one again.

Tradition, Innovation, and Soul

Years ago, my dear friend Alix Taylor, who is Michele in my novel, Vision of the Grail, and I were talking about the incredible innovative energy that is evident up and down the west coast. This area is a hotbed of creative thought and vitality, very much linked to the unsettled nature of the earth here...still in a dynamic stage of formation.

We were talking about how different things are on this coast, especially centered in the S.F. Bay Area and north to Washington. In looking at the reasons for this, other than those tied to energetic landmass, the roots of new thought come from a people who were always on the cutting edge of pushing the envelope to the outer limits. The pioneers who came to America continued west as they felt the restless urge to go further, and explore more. As the eastern part of the country was "civilized", traditions developed and thought became more entrenched in a worldview colored by expectations of the community. For those who were uncomfortable with this view, movement westward continued.

Coming to the edge of the Pacific Ocean, there is no place left to go from a standpoint of movement within the continent. It is here where the pioneering spirit has to be directed into a different movement...and so we have exploration and pioneering in the world of ideas and in spiritual or expanded focus. Traditions are sparse in this area. Things are always in a state of change. It is not a particularly comfortable area for those who want to retain the status quo. However, for those who are interested in being part of the push towards the unknown...the West Coast provides that potential.

Much of this conversation came about as a result of a comment Alix made about how often people in America seem to be lonely. In Europe, that is not the case. As a native of Paris, she commented that when she went back for visits she realized as she looked at the buildings that people walked amidst the comfort of history. They were strongly rooted in the past that had endured through hundreds and thousands of years of living. Therefore, they had every reason to believe that they belonged to something substantial, and that as a result there was every reason to believe that there was a future to be part of as well.

In our country, and on the West Coast in particular, that is not always apparent. Because things change so rapidly, we do not have the comfort of knowing where we came from. Once we identify a site as being familiar, it is often torn down to make way for something more modern or economically attractive. There is no luxury in going back to a house your family occupied for several generations. Perhaps in the east, but not in the west.

Alix commented that once when she was young, she was with her father (an American Quaker living in Paris) at the Louvre. There in front of them was a workman in overalls with his young son, standing in front of a magnificent painting. Alix's father turned to her and stated..."That is the essence of the French. The man is a laborer, but he is passing on the richness of his heritage and culture to his son."  How many of us can say that about what we give our children?

On another outing, they were coming to a main road that made a very abrupt circular turn to go around a piece of property. Alix's father stopped the car and pointed to the wall separating the property from the road. "You see", he said. "In America they would cut right through that person's property to make a straight road. In France, the property of a family who owned it for generations is respected. The road goes around it."

Talks such as these add texture to our lives. In focusing only on the mundane, we lose something soul edifying. When I reconnect with a soul filled friend, I awaken to the heritage that is meaningful to me. There may be no grand traditions, or magnificent buildings representing human evolution where I live, but there is essence in sharing deeper concepts. This is my heritage. This is what makes me know that there is a rich history, and therefore a vibrant future. This is soul!
KJ

Garden Books for Spring Planting

I have collected books for Spring planting. Of the group, there are several titles I would like to pass on to you in case you are planning to do a little gardening of your own. 

Perelandra Garden Workbook by Machaelle Small Wright, Perelandra Ltd.

This book teaches us how to work with nature spirits to plan and plant a garden that will be alive and vital.  The focus is on the importance of each stage of gardening from planning to harvesting for optimum results and greatest integrity with the eco-system.

The Findhorn Garden, by the Findhorn Community, Perennial Library. This timeless classic gives insight into the working of the nature kingdom and provides information about the planting of the Findhorn Community gardens in Scotland. It is an inspiring book for anyone seeking to work with nature, showing that indeed we can make a connection with earth and work in harmony together to create a spiritual garden.

The Feng Shui Garden, by Gill Hale,  Storey Books

This beautifully illustrated book presents garden designs, methods for planning and planting, and other information necessary for healthy gardens. It addresses the importance of  planetary and other influences that must be considered for optimum well-being and growth. Aside from the practical information, it has many valuable diagrams and pictures to help the reader visualize the results. I highly recommend this book for anyone who lives with a garden or patio.

The Healing Garden, by David Squire, Contemporary Books

This is another lushly illustrated book that allows the reader to visualize and design a consciously created garden. The book shows combinations of colors and explains how the use of scents can enhance moods and attract beneficial insects and birds to the garden. 

Herbs, Rodale’s Successful Organic Gardening Series, Rodale Press

A very thorough and richly illustrated book that will give you everything you need to know about herb gardening

"When the World ceases to satisfy our soul’s need for beauty, there is always the Garden."