Attached to the wall of my office area is the quote from Rilke:
"Wishes are the memories coming from our future!"
Don't you love that? It gives me hope when I'm feeling like all my positive affirmations, my attitude of gratitude, my visualizations, and all the rest are having zero effect on my present reality. You know those days -- when you feel like you're in Stuck-ville, up to your neck in the muck of sameness, with nary a helping hand around. Ever been there?
Perhaps I just need to get out of my own way and allow the Universe to get me into alignment with my dreams. Perhaps I need to focus less on the goal and more on my role as an instrument of the Universe. Perhaps I need to --- just --- let ---- go.
And -- if you're reading this -- would you send a little prayer my way? Thanks.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Twin Souls in History, Part 5
A few years ago, I read an interesting article about Mark Twain and his lifelong, though unfulfilled, love interest in a young woman he met when he was in his early 20s (you can read the article here).
He was docking a river boat in New Orleans when he glimpsed a young teenage girl named Laura Wright, probably around 14 years old, and his heart was instantly captivated. They spoke a few times during the three days she was in New Orleans, but she remained a fixed point in his heart. He tried to gain her hand in marriage during a visit he paid to her home two years later, but her mother disapproved, and nothing came of it.
Later, he received word that she had married another, and his world shattered. He fled to the West, where he alternated periods of creativity with bouts of self-destructiveness. He later married as well, to Olivia (Livy), and had two daughters. Still, Laura continued to haunt his dreams. In an essay which was published posthumously, entitled "My Platonic Sweetheart," he mused about their relationship. He believed that they met nearly every night during their dreams. In his essay, he wrote of his feelings for her:
“The affection which I felt for her and which she manifestly felt for me was a quite simple fact; but....It was not the affection of brother and sister—it was closer than that...and it was not the love of sweethearts, for there was no fire in it. It was somewhere between the two, and was finer than either, and more exquisite, more profoundly contenting.”
In her later years, Laura, then a school teacher working for a pittance, contacted Twain, asking for money for one of her students to attend medical school. After Twain died, she showed an acquaintance her trove of letters from the famous writer, and made the man promise that he would destroy them upon her death. Sadly, he did.
What is the Twin Soul lesson here? I believe it is that our Twin Souls may not be of a romantic nature, but may act as a catalyst to do our very best work, to fulfill our destiny, and to assist others.
He was docking a river boat in New Orleans when he glimpsed a young teenage girl named Laura Wright, probably around 14 years old, and his heart was instantly captivated. They spoke a few times during the three days she was in New Orleans, but she remained a fixed point in his heart. He tried to gain her hand in marriage during a visit he paid to her home two years later, but her mother disapproved, and nothing came of it.
Later, he received word that she had married another, and his world shattered. He fled to the West, where he alternated periods of creativity with bouts of self-destructiveness. He later married as well, to Olivia (Livy), and had two daughters. Still, Laura continued to haunt his dreams. In an essay which was published posthumously, entitled "My Platonic Sweetheart," he mused about their relationship. He believed that they met nearly every night during their dreams. In his essay, he wrote of his feelings for her:
“The affection which I felt for her and which she manifestly felt for me was a quite simple fact; but....It was not the affection of brother and sister—it was closer than that...and it was not the love of sweethearts, for there was no fire in it. It was somewhere between the two, and was finer than either, and more exquisite, more profoundly contenting.”
In her later years, Laura, then a school teacher working for a pittance, contacted Twain, asking for money for one of her students to attend medical school. After Twain died, she showed an acquaintance her trove of letters from the famous writer, and made the man promise that he would destroy them upon her death. Sadly, he did.
What is the Twin Soul lesson here? I believe it is that our Twin Souls may not be of a romantic nature, but may act as a catalyst to do our very best work, to fulfill our destiny, and to assist others.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Living for Today
We so ofter live for the future -- making plans, making our to-do lists, thinking through various scenarios of what might happen (disastrous or joyful), worrying, anticipating, dreading . . . We spend so much of our time out of the present time.
Remember that person who was worrying, anticipating, dreading, or hoping yesterday, yestermonth, yesteryear? Well, that person is still you, and this is the future that you were thinking about. Yep, the future is now.
So, how about if we honor that little worrywart from the past and live our best lives right now? It would be the best thing we could do for our past self, and would do wonders for our current self.
For you see, when we live in the present, we gift our future selves with a little less fear and a lot more joy. Let's try it!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
A Twin Soul Poem
This poem is from Rumi, and applies to Twin Souls (and mystics):
The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you,
not knowing how blind that was.
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They are in each other all along.
The minute I heard my first love story
I started looking for you,
not knowing how blind that was.
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They are in each other all along.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Aha! Aca!
We're back to one of my favorite TV shows -- "Survived -- Beyond and Back" (see the link here). Last time I watched it, there was a segment about a woman who died while on the operating table, and reported feeling like she was floating over her body while watching the people in the surgical room. She noticed that she could hear their thoughts and feel their feelings (hmm -- sound familiar, fellow empaths?), but the cool thing was that she also saw these silver cords which linked the doctors and nurses to each other. These cords ran from their stomach area to every other person in the room.
At that, my mind yelled, "Aca cords! She's seeing aca cords!"
I do have interesting thoughts at times.
Aca cords are silver cords of light which link us to other people. The Hawaiian religion, Huna, teaches that these cords are built every time we interact with another person, either by speaking to them or touching them. Imagine being able to see those aca cords!
Also imagine the aca cord that connects us with our Twin Soul -- it must be the largest and most deeply embedded cord of all. And that, I believe, is why it's possible to "feel" our Twin even when we've never met in this lifetime. Like Rissa in The Gemini Bond. Or me.
At that, my mind yelled, "Aca cords! She's seeing aca cords!"
I do have interesting thoughts at times.
Aca cords are silver cords of light which link us to other people. The Hawaiian religion, Huna, teaches that these cords are built every time we interact with another person, either by speaking to them or touching them. Imagine being able to see those aca cords!
Also imagine the aca cord that connects us with our Twin Soul -- it must be the largest and most deeply embedded cord of all. And that, I believe, is why it's possible to "feel" our Twin even when we've never met in this lifetime. Like Rissa in The Gemini Bond. Or me.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Off Topic: The Mayan Calendar and Words for Our Times
No doubt you've heard about the most recent discovery of an ancient Mayan calendar in Guatemala (if you'd like to read about it, click here). It shows that the world will NOT end on December 21, 2012, but rather it predicts dates far past our time, even up to the year 3500. Remember, the Mayan perception of time is that it is cyclical, and thus the idea of an end date is rather foreign.
What the Mayans did predict for our current age is that things are changing at a fundamental level. The New Agers have been saying for the last three decades that we are to expect a deep shift in our planetary vibrations, affecting all of life on Earth. Whether or not you agree with this view, I'm sure you'd agree that the winds of change are in the air.
In some ways our times remind me of the 60s, when people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and others were fighting for human rights while those against that idea were fighting just as hard to prevent it. King was wise to have adopted the thinking of Gandhi and non-violence, because the lesson he learned is that what we resist persists. What we fight against will fight just as hard against us. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
So what is my point? My point, fellow empaths, lightworkers, and forward-thinking persons, is that it is time for us to lead. We know that occupying parks and railing against the current corporate and financial organizations and their injustices is all well and good, but it only causes that which we resist to dig their heels in deeper. Yes, injustices pervade our current economic, education, legal and social systems, but we need a better way. It is not necessarily a quick way, or an easy way, but focusing on the negative only magnifies it.
Here is what is needed. Start with imagining what a just society would look like, and be imaginative enough to look at every detail. What are the schools like? What is the justice system like? What principles would guide our financial and corporate systems? What is the role of the political system in the everyday lives of its citizens? Write about these things. Talk about them. Be as detailed as possible.
Second, be willing to make changes in our lives in order to create a more just society. If you don't like the school system, run for a position on the school board, or volunteer at a charter school. If you don't like your current political system, either on the most local level or the national level, take action. You can vote, write letters to your political representatives, donate time and money to people and causes you support, or run for office yourself. Dare to rise above the political fractiousness of today and the poison of lobbyists. Keep in mind the greater good. (Yes, there was a reason I made David a small-town mayor in The Gemini Bond). If you don't like the way corporations are ruining the middle class, then compile a list of the goods and services those companies provide, find alternate providers and buy from those companies whose ideals you support. Distribute that list. I'm sure you can think of a thousand other ways you can act.
Third, educate others. Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his time educating others about the need for equal rights. He had a vision, acted on it, and spread his vision with his profound oratory. He knew that his words not only had to change minds, but they also had to touch hearts. That is where true change comes from.
Dear friends, it is time for us to move forward. Develop a vision, act on it, and work to spread that vision in the hearts and minds of others. Carry on.
What the Mayans did predict for our current age is that things are changing at a fundamental level. The New Agers have been saying for the last three decades that we are to expect a deep shift in our planetary vibrations, affecting all of life on Earth. Whether or not you agree with this view, I'm sure you'd agree that the winds of change are in the air.
In some ways our times remind me of the 60s, when people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and others were fighting for human rights while those against that idea were fighting just as hard to prevent it. King was wise to have adopted the thinking of Gandhi and non-violence, because the lesson he learned is that what we resist persists. What we fight against will fight just as hard against us. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
So what is my point? My point, fellow empaths, lightworkers, and forward-thinking persons, is that it is time for us to lead. We know that occupying parks and railing against the current corporate and financial organizations and their injustices is all well and good, but it only causes that which we resist to dig their heels in deeper. Yes, injustices pervade our current economic, education, legal and social systems, but we need a better way. It is not necessarily a quick way, or an easy way, but focusing on the negative only magnifies it.
Here is what is needed. Start with imagining what a just society would look like, and be imaginative enough to look at every detail. What are the schools like? What is the justice system like? What principles would guide our financial and corporate systems? What is the role of the political system in the everyday lives of its citizens? Write about these things. Talk about them. Be as detailed as possible.
Second, be willing to make changes in our lives in order to create a more just society. If you don't like the school system, run for a position on the school board, or volunteer at a charter school. If you don't like your current political system, either on the most local level or the national level, take action. You can vote, write letters to your political representatives, donate time and money to people and causes you support, or run for office yourself. Dare to rise above the political fractiousness of today and the poison of lobbyists. Keep in mind the greater good. (Yes, there was a reason I made David a small-town mayor in The Gemini Bond). If you don't like the way corporations are ruining the middle class, then compile a list of the goods and services those companies provide, find alternate providers and buy from those companies whose ideals you support. Distribute that list. I'm sure you can think of a thousand other ways you can act.
Third, educate others. Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his time educating others about the need for equal rights. He had a vision, acted on it, and spread his vision with his profound oratory. He knew that his words not only had to change minds, but they also had to touch hearts. That is where true change comes from.
Dear friends, it is time for us to move forward. Develop a vision, act on it, and work to spread that vision in the hearts and minds of others. Carry on.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
School Days
Do you remember that oddball week during the school year when everybody was supposed to show their school spirit by dressing in certain ways? Let's see -- there was "crazy hair" day, then "wild socks" day, then "dress like twins" day and so on.
What is it that so attracts us to be a twin with someone, even if we're only dressing like one another for one day? Is it that deep longing for connection? Is it symbolic of our desire to be understood as we understand ourselves? Is it an archetype for Twin Souls? Perhaps so.
In any case, it beats "crazy hair" day by a long shot.
What is it that so attracts us to be a twin with someone, even if we're only dressing like one another for one day? Is it that deep longing for connection? Is it symbolic of our desire to be understood as we understand ourselves? Is it an archetype for Twin Souls? Perhaps so.
In any case, it beats "crazy hair" day by a long shot.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Twin Souls in (More Recent) History, Part 4
I was watching "I Survived . . . Beyond and Back" on the Biography channel a couple of weeks ago and became engrossed with the story of "Jim" (I forget his name), who died of anaphylactic shock on a beach in Oregon. [Here's the link to their website if you'd like to see some past episodes]. Like most of the stories, he was clinically dead and then underwent some remarkable experiences. The thing that really struck me was how he said that after he left his body and was "standing" on the beach, he saw in the distance a male figure coming toward him. When he finally could make out the face, he at first said that it was his own face that he saw, but then changed the story to say that, no, it was the face of Jesus or an angel.
But I wonder . . . could it have been his other self, his Twin Soul, who was greeting him? At the risk of sounding like one of the wild ufologists on "Ancient Aliens" (whose jumps in logic are enough sometimes to give me whiplash), I'm wondering if he was so bothered by the idea that a person with his face was coming to meet him, that he changed it to something more socially acceptable. I doubt I'll ever know.
Still, the lesson here might be that sometimes our Twin Soul is not in body at the same time as we are, but may act as a guide or spirit companion. I do know that the first person I'd like to see when I pass would be my Twin. Imagine -- together at last!
But I wonder . . . could it have been his other self, his Twin Soul, who was greeting him? At the risk of sounding like one of the wild ufologists on "Ancient Aliens" (whose jumps in logic are enough sometimes to give me whiplash), I'm wondering if he was so bothered by the idea that a person with his face was coming to meet him, that he changed it to something more socially acceptable. I doubt I'll ever know.
Still, the lesson here might be that sometimes our Twin Soul is not in body at the same time as we are, but may act as a guide or spirit companion. I do know that the first person I'd like to see when I pass would be my Twin. Imagine -- together at last!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The Arts and the Everyday
I was thinking today about how hard it is to make a living in the arts, and how the arts are so necessary to making life bearable. Why is it that the arts are so poorly rewarded (in a monetary sense) in today's society? Why is it that schools cut the arts first? Why is it that governments so often give defense companies astronomical amounts, or give away tax breaks worth billions to corporations, but leave the arts begging? What is it about our society that rewards the basest parts of our nature, while skimping on that which can elevate us all to higher levels in terms of our perspective, our emotional evolution, our spiritual nature, and our humanity?
I say, buck the system. Go and do a little something to support the arts today. Go visit a great museum, go to a poetry jam, go listen to a local concert, go read a good book. (Yes, you may take that last part as a hint). Let the arts work their magic on you. Evolve. Help others evolve. Let's move this world forward!
I say, buck the system. Go and do a little something to support the arts today. Go visit a great museum, go to a poetry jam, go listen to a local concert, go read a good book. (Yes, you may take that last part as a hint). Let the arts work their magic on you. Evolve. Help others evolve. Let's move this world forward!
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