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One-minute sample above. Full episode below. One-minute sample above. Full episode below. I woke up craving gentleness. Wanting to feel it. Wanting to experience it in such abundance, that I have plenty to froth and spill over anyone in my vicinity.
But gentleness feels very distant right now. So, geek that I am, I looked it up... hoping to find an etymological clue that could help. And I think I did... "of the same clan" The word gentle was originally associated with nobility, and courteous, non-violent behavior. The historical use of the word suggests to me that humans found it difficult to be unkind to those *inside* their clan. And, problematically, "off with the heads!" of anyone *outside* their clan. A lot of the world is torn into opposing clans that assume the very worst about each other. I remember a few days after George Floyd's murder... the world seemed softened into puree for a brief moment, because human hearts were appalled and broken and righteously outraged. And positive alliances were forming, and eyes were opening... ...but it didn't take long for massive confusion to come and convince us that we are each other's enemy. These days, we can trigger and threaten each other with our mere presence. Where did innocence and grace go? Relationships crack and fade because a belief about something (which might actually be incorrect), now holds more importance than a living person we have known and loved and trusted for years. This year has shaken and stolen so much from decent people, and fragile ecosystems. It is tempting to hold one or two particular faces (e.g. Trump, Biden, Fauci, Gates, 'Karen,' a neighbor, etc.) responsible for all the hell that has been unleashed... ...but as much as any one of us may think we know it is, of course, still only a fraction of The Ultimate Truth. <--- This humbles me. It reminds me to generate gentleness for myself, my own blindness and ignorance, and each precious being I encounter. I have done this imperfectly, and hope to repair those relations that are meant for me to keep. And I give extreme thanks for each and every relation I have, that has withstood the fury of 2020. A gentler dawn comes. 🌅 One-minute sample above. Full episode below. Do you have a bike stored inside, that you haven't been riding? If you live in Belize, you might feel discouraged to ride because of:
Alejandro, of Santa Elena, can repurpose your bike with a custom-welded stand to hold it stationery, as you ride inside. Cost is BZ$95.00. Contact him directly at 636-6706. I dreamt that a large, fly-like insect had partially entered my right ear.
It was the most disgusting thing to semi-experience. I say 'semi-experience' because it felt like much more than a dream. It was as though I was hovering above my body, and watching it happen in real-time... this repulsive thing half slithered inside my ear. I focused, seized, and pulled it right out. It was so graphic and disturbing... and I seldom have such 'dreams,' that I felt compelled to share it, as a heads-up. As a caution toward the things that we allow into our ears. The fly was a metaphor for filthy (as in foul and rotten) thoughts and ideas. The fly was neither Democrat, nor Republican. The fly was a terrible amalgamation of things that oppose life: despair, rage, isolation, hatred, division, disease, fear. All these things are flying around, looking for ears to drop their nasty eggs inside. I don't propose ear-muffs, or walking around with our hands over our ears in avoidance of reality... but we CAN decide what kind of ecosystem will breed and grow inside our head, despite the appearance of things outside. That was the message of the dream. Sleep well. Wake well. Above = 1-minute sample Below = 17-minute full episode Pam (voice) and Dr. Charles Clency (piano) share two popular songs that seem to have new meaning. But doesn't everything, these days? There are also wise-bits from Pam, and narrative-bits from me. Enjoy! 💜
_________________________________________ Contact them: Facebook.com/cleveland.clency * charlesclency at yahoo dot com Dr. Charles Clency's Books: * The Handbook of Gospel Music (Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Lulu) * The Last Accompanist of Mahalia Jackson * 100 Years of Music in the Chicago Black Church _________________________________________ "One Moment in Time" Lyrics (Written by: Albert Hammond + John Bettis) Each day I live I want to be A day to give The best of me I'm only one But not alone My finest day Is yet unknown I broke my heart Fought every gain To taste the sweet I face the pain I rise and fall Yet through it all This much remains I want one moment in time When I'm more than I thought I could be When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away And the answers are all up to me Give me one moment in time When I'm racing with destiny Then in that one moment of time I will feel I will feel eternity I've lived to be The very best I want it all No time for less I've laid the plans Now lay the chance Here in my hands You're a winner for a lifetime If you seize that one moment in time Make it shine Give me one moment in time When I'm more than I thought I could be When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away And the answers are all up to me Give me one moment in time When I'm racing with destiny Then in that one moment of time I will feel I will feel eternity I will be I will be free ___________________________________ "The Greatest Love of All" Lyrics (Written by: Linda Creed) I believe the children are our are future Teach them well and let them lead the way Show them all the beauty they possess inside Give them a sense of pride to make it easier Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be Everybody searching for a hero People need someone to look up to I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs A lonely place to be And so I learned to depend on me I decided long ago Never to walk in anyone's shadows If I fail, if I succeed At least I'll live as I believe No matter what they take from me They can't take away my dignity Because the greatest Love of all is happening to me I found the greatest Love of all inside of me The greatest love of all Is easy to achieve Learning to love yourself It is the greatest love of all And if, by chance, that special place That you've been dreaming of Leads you to a lonely place Find your strength in love _____________________ * SUBMIT YOUR SOUND-SELFIE * “I am training myself to be a sommelier of suffering, not to increase the intensity of suffering, but so that I can not view myself as this independent island of flaws, but rather this interconnected human who has the capacity to sympathize and empathize because no one has a monopoly on suffering.
And as someone said to me at some point, everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about. And by going into suffering with a somewhat neutral awareness or a curiosity, it cannot but make you closer to your fellow humans, I think if you learn to navigate it. And we’re all going to face the death of loved ones, we’re all going to face different types of trauma, we’re all going to face betrayal, we’re all going to face these common ingredients of the human experience. And for me, I suppose the podcast and the writing has been a lifeline as well, because I can take my experience and hopefully transmute it into something that is of service to other people. And I can find some redemption in that, right? I can find some meaning in it, as opposed to these memories and the traumas that are stored somatically being this meaningless infliction of anguish and horror and disgust, I can somehow translate that into something that is positive for someone.” ============================================== Those words were not said by me… but by Tim Ferriss. They’re especially meaningful to me, because in the first episode of the podcast *I* recently launched -- The Work Of The Empath -- I say outright that (my experience of) the work of the empath is to transmute suffering. Tim's episode is nearly 2.5 hours long, and talks about his (weekly) experience of sexual trauma from the ages of 2 to 4. In an odd way, it almost seems like the height of his considerable accomplishments, might match the depth of his considerable pain. I’m encouraged by his bravery, and also by the capacity of his listeners to ingest deep, long-form, transformative media. Statistically, many of you will know childhood sexual trauma first-hand… with predators both outside, and inside, one’s own family. My heart aches for each of you, and all who have ever been unlovingly touched. This post is filled with helpful, healing resources: https://tim.blog/2020/09/14/how-to-heal-trauma/ (Above is a 1-minute sample. The full episode can be heard in the player below.) This episode reveals our first Featured Voice, EMAH SHAE. (Emah means 'mother' in a lot of indigenous cultures.) She has practiced contemporary architecture for over 30 years, and now during her semi-retirement, is an avid researcher in indigenous healing methods, and in particular as inspired by Dr. Sebi. Emah is a native of Jamaica, and you will hear patois as she speaks about:
Contact Emah at:
Have you ever had a friend who got caught up with a lousy, dishonorable person?
That person would consistently lie to your friend... betray, abuse, and manipulate them. But they would always promise to keep your friend safe, so your friend accepted the crap treatment... holding out for the no-good person to deliver on their promised safety. That's exactly how I feel about the world, and the sick governments and policies that are killing it. We are fed one rapid lie after another, from untrustworthy people who give destructive orders. I am pro-breath. BREATHING is now a weaponized issue. An uncovered human face is now a signal of selfishness and rebellion. I wonder if those who speak so harshly against "anti-maskers" and "mask-resistors," have even spent any time learning about germ theory, terrain theory, and true immunity? Or do they just trust a lying mouth, because it was trained at medical school? A medical degree is not needed to know with certainty that oxygen is a non-negotiable REQUIREMENT for the human brain to function properly. Self-suffocation has gone from normalized, to virtuous. And I happen to live in one of the most expensive places in the world to not comply: https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2020/09/10/man-stabs-himself-to-death-after-being-confronted-by-police-for-not-wearing-a-mask/
The cheer in that prompt might seem tone-deaf, at first.
But consider that it is asked in the face of:
So yeah, even in the sober face of all those cruel growth-stimulators, the question stands: What's been your BEST EXPERIENCE of 2020 so far?? I'll leave my answer in the comments, and hope you will too. There is strength beneath our feet... to stand. 👣 🖤 This 26 year-old woman has blown my mind, and I deeply hope you will trust my recommendation to set aside 90-minutes, and do nothing but watch and listen to this incredible interview. The defector, Yeonmi Park, had all of her remaining family in North Korea "vanished," because she was so brave to voice her story. That is an obscenely high price to pay, to speak truth to power.
Do you know anyone who has ever made such a literal sacrifice solely in the interest of exposing oppression? Me either. So please, make time.
One of the most remarkable minutes in this interview happens at 43:30-44:30. There, Yeonmi admits that she first found freedom frightening. "It's not easy!" she says, and confesses that if she could have ensured having enough food, she would have preferred returning to a pre-determined future, with all decisions already made for her. She would have traded her freedom, for frozen potatoes. That is how dangerous attachment to "security" can be. In the name of "public health," human behavior and movement has been restricted in ways that now more resemble North Korea, than former North America. I say "former North America" because CV-19 has drawn a clear line in the sand of history and human consciousness. Before Corona, North America enjoyed (and maybe even took for granted) basic human rights like breathing, earning a living, and being with each other. After Corona, all those things and more are under severe restrictions. Looming threats of medical mandates are all over the place, while there are zero measures of medical accountability?! Is it acceptable for a government to suspend human liberty, force poison into human bodies, all while they are exempt from legal consequence of humans' reaction to that poison? How do we lack so much self-respect as to not INSIST on demonstrated rigor and ethics PRIOR TO the dispatching of any DNA-disturbing substance? Large-scale flu vaccines started in 1945. Seventy-five years later, and the flu still persists. How can that cycle be considered successful, and worthy of repeating? And as we have NOT yet succeeded in containing/mitigating the flu in all these decades, how is it reasonable or sane to believe we will now SAFELY contain/mitigate CV-19 in a fraction of the time? Why have natural solutions been repressed and discouraged? Why has the function of our innate defense/immune system been so under-discussed? Whyyyyyy is any trust being placed in a rushed, economically-motivated, tracking-enabled neuro-toxin? The world has been turned upside down. Our lives have been put on artificial pause, while 'support' from the government has quieted too many mouths. Are we becoming more passive and voyeuristic... hoping for the safety of frozen potatoes? The darkest place on the planet is called the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Clearly, its ideology is not in support of common people. It preys upon common people, exploits them as slaves, and literally keeps them too malnourished to even have the strength to protest or resist. Hopefully, by seeing North Korea from the outside, we will do all that is necessary to not become any version of them on our inside.  Being an inner-directed person (versus outer-directed), is actually pretty similar to having a regular 'ol 2-person relationship, where one person regularly seeks the opinion, guidance, or support of the other. With flips.
I've lived alone, abroad, as a single woman for the past 4.5 years. By necessity, I've had to learn many new levels of self-reliance. Not having a special person to regularly bounce things off of, has conditioned me to go within, first. Not Google. Not a girlfriend. Not a guru. But within. As a result, my intuition is now as recognizable and reliable to me as previous partners. (Moreso, actually.) Over time, my intuition has fruitfully shown me: * who to seek or deepen connections with; * where to invest my energy, focus, gifts, and passion; * when and where to move, 'til I found my just-right dwelling place; and * how to hold space for my overall well-being, which is no easy task these crazy days! So, practical things. I'm not saying coupled people can't live intuitively-led lives. But UNcoupled people have more listening space, and less hindrance to act on inspirations. Also, we may lean in more earnestly, with fewer helping hands in our proximity. We can enjoy continued intimacy with life, even as a solitaire. 💎 3 Solid Reasons To Try A Deep Writing Prompt: 1. To discover your position about something (lotsa times you don't know what it is, and the act of writing helps reveal it to you.) 2. To claim or liberate your feelings about something (sharing is declaring!) 3. To practice feeling and voicing deeper insights with greater ease (be more human, with less hesitation.) So, what is your relationship with intuition like??  Things I've done at Buckingham Fountain, in alpha order:
I LOVE DOING ALL THOSE THINGS. (Well, not waiting. lol) All but two, can be done alone. Those two, tho. 🖤 And that skyline.  I took this yesterday on the roof (no filter), and was reminded
that clouds can -- momentarily -- block light. But then that moment always passes. They will break apart, move on, and the light is unblocked. The rules of this game are simple: (1) know what you are; (2) hold your position; and (3) keep shining. But let's try some, anyway. #optimist Well, in truth, I started the wee early morning with a healthy fruit smoothie. But then added more than a justifiable amount of vodka. Because I am at the kitchen counter, in a semi-colon (horrid posture!), at the laptop, HEAVING FOR AIR. Because all the dirty cops, and hired liars, and master manipulators, and wealthy wizards who have mesmerized the world with their light-forsaken rule... which has been so, tragically, effective... ...all of that hot-n-steamy, systemic pile of soulless 💩 bums me out, sometimes. So, I poured more. To feel less. (And of course, we know it doesn't work that way.) But this *is* how addiction and suicide-ideation starts. And my sensitive, heaving, semi-drunk ass TAPPED IN... to the heart-heaving hurt that is happening -- and heightening -- at the weeeeee hours. The WE hours. The You and Me hours. hOURs. ⏳ Know that I FEEL YOU. I wanna reach you, to assure that it does get greater later, 'gator 🐊. But it will first, get worse. Hence, the heaving. Because empaths are grieving, first. Our eyes and hearts just burst. For peace and beauty, we thirst. Until we remember who and what we are... AND WE DANCE, AND MAKE RAIN, AND THIRST NO MORE. 🖤  Gentle greetings, precious human.
For context, everyone on this planet has been traumatized for the past 5 months. Every human on this planet has had their trust repeatedly betrayed, by systems and sources they once believed in. We've sat... sometimes bettering and connecting -- and lots of time stewing and brewing -- over and under the non-stop threats to our life! The life we knew back in February... that's gone. Forever. It was a long way from perfect, but compared to NOW?! And we haven't even properly grieved that fact, because we are still pushing and facing today... and tomorrow, and its new batch of threats to our very existence. So, it's been rough. Work life. School life. Home life. Public life. All life, has been made rough. We seem unable to agree on which version of hell we're careening toward, so we burn our energy ARGUING about the various versions, rather than concentrating our energy to CHANGE THE COURSE TRAJECTORY. We're at odds because we can't agree on the FOUNDATION of things. Well, the foundation is CHAOS + CONFUSION... and everything that spins out from it, HINDERS. Blocks, delays, agitates, instigates. Good Lord, and SEPARATES. Rather than blast each other over differences in skin, masks, and ideologies, why not direct that passion toward something useful... like figuring out how to MANDATE MEDICAL ACCOUNTABILITY for damage caused by: * the omission of, and interference with, healing protocols; and * the promotion and advancement of harmful protocols. Why constantly play defense, when we can INITIATE + ASSERT a future that does not include genocide?! The Hippocratic Oath has been mocked and pissed on, just as badly as the US Constitution. Both our health and liberty have been abused, by those who hold power, yet cannot restrain themselves from various degrees of evil. These times call us to become solid and stable within our own self, because outer anchors MOVE... and just may head someplace you don't want to go! This Deep Writing Prompt invites you to dive in, access compassion, and write your own Open Love Letter to Humanity. I encourage you to say the things you want to hear. We change the tone of things, by changing the tone of things. Love will not be cancelled. 🖤 these truncated lines
are built with the spines of words meant to stand in the liberated land between your ears beyond your fears through your tears can you hear? a call to More than the media's roar? if we only read what was rather than write what can be who really controls our destiny? not a blue, or a red a cop, thug, or fed your future is YOURS, made with the thoughts in your head. the thoughts in your head; what are they making? are they carrying their weight? or are they just taking up precious space behind your face, causing you worry, and hiding real grace? they are ABLE to change material circumstance without the old school song and dance. so would you try, and take a chance on envisioning more beauty, don't just count dead bodies. makers ain't morticians. we don't embalm. we psalm. we bomb with words written in a certain way to change the direction of co-opted ways.  1. Have a question that you really want/need an answer to.
2. See a room with a chair, a desk, and a book on that desk. 3. It's your book. Walk to it. On the cover you see "Your-name-apostrophe-'s Book Of Answers." 4. Take a seat. Get comfortable. Then, open your book to wherever you like. The page will be blank. 5. As you look at the blank page, something will emerge on it. A splash of color, a shape, a number, a word, a sentence, an image, a moving image... a symbol of some sort. The visual expression that appears, is your answer. 6. Waiting for your symbol to emerge (it will), develops incredible focus and concentration. 7. Deciphering what your symbol means (you can), develops inner-confidence and self-trust. Life is not merely mundane. There are lots of assists. This is one. If you like, share your results, or questions, in the comments.  Chicago recently had a shoot-out -- AT A FUNERAL -- hospitalizing 14.
Portland is on its 56th day of protest, now with Federal agents deployed. Tension continues to grow among humans regarding CV, race, masks, vaccines, ID chips, public health, mandated medicine, liberty, justice, propaganda, conspiracy theories, election games, ideologies, massive misinformation and confusion. Hot Mess Central. Near-identical insults are hurled at both presidential candidates. Trump and Biden are both regularly declared incapable and indecent by Americans. It reminds me of two kids amped up on Mountain Dew, both claiming their drunk, dead-beat dad is the best, and the other kid's drunk, dead-beat dad is the worst. When, really, it's two losers. But who's prepared to admit that? Such an admission requires instant maturity. On-the-spot growing the f*ck up, and seeking solutions from self, rather than outside self. No, the kids prefer to remain kids. And resist adulthood. And channel the power of their belief into a non-paternal shell, willing to play the role. The human psyche has been hyper-conditioned to believe in a need for "a leader," a daddy-like-president... no matter how unfit. Each time, the choice is between Candidate Bad, and Candidate Worse. THAT IS NOT A REAL CHOICE. But you are. YOU are a real choice. What would happen if your energy to OBSERVE drama-vision, was re-directed to CREATE a more sane and humane world? English writer, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, claimed "The pen is mightier than the sword." A modern translation of that is "The written language is more effective than direct violence." Today's deep writing prompt asks: How can you use the written language to arouse more peace and harm-free progress?? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments.  Notes from an art class last year, that taught me to see:
1. Perception of EDGES (borders/boundaries) 2. Perception of SPACES (between/within) 3. Perception of RELATIONSHIPS (among) 4. Perception of LIGHT (casting of shadow) 5. Perception of THE WHOLE (pulling it all together) Today is my Mom's birthday. I miss her.
She's a very talented, self-taught artist. Would you like to see some of her work?? She's a great realist, and I featured her on my very first blog: https://lifeblazing.wordpress.com/featured-artist/ At that time, we were always within an hour of each other. Now, we have 2,900 miles and a world re-set between us. Art was the bridge that connected us. Drawings and sculpture. Theater. Dance. In those ways, Chicago was perfect for us. I wish we were there now. Together. With cake. Happy Birthday, Mom. We must make new memories, when we are able. All my love, Erika 💗  Of course it can.
Most mundane things can double as spiritual practice. Consider: parenthood; a self-owned business; a recovery; a righteous cause; mindful movement; and, yes, expressions on social media. If you're not a small business-owner, then you've possibly never associated strategy or method to what you post. That's cool. Or you might be like me... a small business-owner terribly resistant to social media. Well, I'm thinking about social media in new ways:
One of my purposes in life, is to place greater demand on human communication. We're malnourished in sincerity. Withholding of praise and appreciation. Over-developed with criticism and rage. Reluctant with transparency. And I'll be explorin' all up in these tendencies, in coming days. ✨ |
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