Human society has created this thing we call time. We know of course, that time does not actually exist. Nonetheless, we base our lives around the minutes, hours, days, months, and years. We create stress for ourselves whenever we are “late” and we pride ourselves on our “punctuality.” What we actually experience is nothing more than a stream of events between birth and death; and in between these two major events are numerous other events. There is a pause between each event, if we take the time to notice.
This week feels like one of those in-between pauses, between holiday festivities and the beginning of a “new year.” Winter storm Elliott wreaked havoc on many lives last week, leaving some immersed in chaos. My laundry room flooded and now I sit amidst messy surroundings until the pipe can be repaired. Afterwards, I will attempt to re-create order in my life. I am not alone in this. Neither am I new to the natural rhythms of life. One learns over “time” to take the bad with the good. We learn to navigate the varied twists and turns of the events in our lives. The never ending cycle of events, and the pauses in between them, is Nature’s way. There is chaos and then order is reestablished. Then there is chaos again.
Some of the events in our lives are more catastrophic than the everyday events. There are times in our lives when we experience the death of a loved one, or a divorce that leaves us shattered. We may feel as though we have fallen into a deep fissure, or we are held underwater where we are aware of other people living their lives as usual, but the sounds they make are far away. We may feel as though we are trapped in a silent movie or caught in a spider’s silk, unable to move. We can feel invisible, yet naked. These are times of transition where we become like a spring bulb buried deep in the frozen soil. Our broken hearts remain unseen until they have healed sufficiently, until we can poke our head, once again, above the surface.
Over the course of the events in our lives we learn to take advantage of the in-between places. They can become like a power-nap, giving us the strength to brace for the next event. They are a respite, a gift Nature has given us to help us face each new day, regardless how dismal it may appear.
27 DECEMBER 2022 THE IN-BETWEEN PLACES
21 DECEMBER 2022 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Happy Winter’s Solstice, everyone! I have been looking forward to this day! I do not like getting up in the dark. I do not like the bitter cold. I do not, in fact, like anything about winter. Today; however, I can allow myself to feel joyous because our planet will begin to tilt back towards the sun and back towards summer. Each day will now grow a little longer.
During these dark (and cold!) times, while we await the return of warmer days, it is a good time to acknowledge our feelings. I acknowledge that the bitter winds make me irritable and I acknowledge that I sometimes feel sad. I know the best way to combat my dreary thoughts is to strive to lift up others. We humans are a social species. We need acknowledgement. It lifts us up when others say hello, remembering to call us by our name, or when they flash us a genuine (and totally free) smile. When someone who is speaking to us looks directly into our eyes, and we truly listen to what they are saying, we are acknowledged and validated.
I am generally confined behind the front desk where I work part time at a motel. Most of my coworkers barely look up when I come to work. They are caught up in their own dramas and our brief conversations are generally only to impart necessary information, about guests and rooms. One of the housekeepers; however, has always made a point of saying hello to me every day. Even when I am out of sight in the office, she calls out a greeting to me as she walks through the lobby. She was taken to the hospital a week ago. It is obvious that she has led a rough life, by her raspy voice, her leathery skin, and decaying teeth. She has spent years smoking, drinking, doing drugs, and (by her admission) playing slot machines. She has often confided in me about her troubles and I have always granted her an ear for listening. Her five children are estranged from her and I know that makes her sad; though she recently shared her excitement at finding a dentist who could provide her with false teeth. Her little dog, Scottie, is one of the few precious things in her life now.
I will not judge her by her past – or even her present. I have not walked in her shoes. A couple of weeks ago, I made it a point to tell her how much I appreciate that she acknowledges me and says hello. She has been transferred to the ICU and we do not know if she is going to make it. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to tell her that she matters to me. When we acknowledge others, it lets them know that we matter. If we all knew that we matter and made others aware that they matter, how much closer would we be to healing – not only human society – but our planet as well?
19 DECEMBER 2022 WE ARE PRIMATES, TOO
Most of us are at least vaguely aware of the taxonomic classification system that scientists have devised to identify Earth’s species. We have even classified ourselves in the Order of Primates. Primates are all in the Animalia Kingdom and in the Chordata Phylum, which is a classification for those species that have a backbone, or spine. We also fall into the Class Mammalia because we have mammary glands. We have numerous similarities to other primates, especially monkeys and apes. Given that we have so much in common with our primate cousins, including intelligence, should we not be highly concerned that more than 60% of them are endangered or facing extinction?
Not everyone cares about the thousands of other species on our planet. If they did, we would not have poaching and an illegal pet trade; but wouldn’t you think that they might at least have a modicum of compassion for these beings that are so similar to ourselves?
There are more than seventy Genera of primates. Some live in the treetops, deep in the rainforest. Snow monkeys live in the bitter cold of the Arctic. Primates can be found in all kinds of climates and even in cities, where they have adapted to human instigated dangers of crossing busy highways. There are still new species of primates being discovered in the few untouched areas of our planet.
Some species like chimpanzees and bonobos use tools. Like us, they are social creatures and they are devoted to their families. The females and even some of the males are highly nurturing; and some have developed complex vocalizations for communicating.
Many human beings refuse to acknowledge that other species have intelligence and feel emotion. Some of these same people remain in denial of climate change and global warming. They may not care about the rampant loss of habitat for millions of other species, or for the extinction of fish species in our oceans, or for the disappearing large cats of which most can only be found in sanctuaries and zoos. Perhaps these people could take a closer look at the primates who are so much like us. Maybe the primates can create a small opening in their hearts, where other species couldn’t, from which compassion can emerge. It is time to acknowledge that we are not the only intelligent animal on the planet. It is time to acknowledge that Earth does not belong to us alone. We are primates, too. We must save the primates if we are to save ourselves.
14 DECEMBER 2022 WASTE
We humans are the only species that create waste. We have literally created mountains of waste from our garbage. We have junk yards filled with inoperable automobiles and car parts. We have buildings filled with obsolete electronics and electronic appliances. Our waste has infiltrated our rivers and oceans – and even our drinking water. Our rivers and oceans are laden with a potpourri of chemicals including medications, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, and cleaning products. Factories all over the world spew out waste into the air, soil, and water.
Nature; however, does not do waste. On the many great plains throughout our planet, herd animals graze. As they graze, they move along, migrating, so that the grasses they have chomped down can regrow. Their hooves help to loosen the soil and their dung and urine fertilize it, so that the plants are replenished. This is what the buffalo of North America did for the land for hundreds of years, before they were hunted to near extinction. They were replaced with domesticated cows, pigs, and sheep – and the land – with non-native grasses. The large number of migrating herd animals are what is known as a keystone species within an ecosystem. They provide food for the predators that prey on them and everything is kept in balance this way. Without the herd animals, the predators die of starvation. In the case of deer, they overpopulate due to the absence of predators and succumb to disease.
We now keep huge populations of domesticated animals in captivity. They are not allowed to move around or graze, as they were designed to do. They are fed corn, which requires hundreds of acres of land to grow – land that could be used to grow food for us. These animals are crowded together in a confined space. Their dung and urine becomes waste as it is mixed into the ground where they trod, compacting the soil into a foul smelling goop. This gives rise to disease organisms and the animals are treated with antibiotics to combat them. This animal agriculture is something that cannot continue. The cost to our economy and the cost to our planet is too dear. We must begin to mimic Mother Nature, allowing the cycle of life to continue and balance to be restored.
12 DECEMBER 2022 FALLING IN LOVE
I have been listening to various podcasts and documentaries about sustainable gardening, permaculture, the environment, and most alarming, the decreasing numbers of thousands of animal and plant species. I was recently asked by someone if I was “big on environmental conservation.”
My reply was, “Yes!” “It is my passion.”
A speaker in one of the talks I listened to said, “We need to fall in love with the world.”
This was such a beautiful way of saying that we need to care.
We have all been in love at one time or another. I doubt that there is a human being alive who has not felt this emotion. We fall in love with someone we are attracted to. We may fall in love with our newborn baby, or a puppy. There are an infinite number of people and things with which we can fall in love. When we truly love someone or something, it becomes sacred to us. We care for it, protect it, and treat it with reverence. We would not dream of harming it. The problem is that most people keep love to themselves, as though it is something to be coveted, rather than shared. They do not understand that love is actually the power that animates life in us and in everything.
I am astounded at the disregard so many people show for the precious things in our lives. They withhold love from themselves and from others. Their contempt can be seen in the disrespect they show for the very world that gives them life.
When we realize that we are one with all life, that we are part of Nature and not separate from her, we cannot help but love life itself. Our planet has given our life to us – for free. She asks nothing in return, yet we have exploited and taken from her. We cannot heal our planet when we continue to harbor hatred in our hearts. We must first fall in love. We must fall in love with Earth, with her water, air, soil, and sun, and all of her beings with whom we share her – our common mother.
7 DECEMBER 2022 THE MORE WE KNOW
Throughout history, there has been reference to more than a hundred mythological creatures. Our modern world has mostly blown them off as fantasy, from a time when humans were more easily controlled by fear. They (presumably) understood less about our world than we now know. Images of the gryphon (or griffin) that had a lion’s body with the head of an eagle, have been found as far back as 200 years BCE. The sphinx, with a lion’s body and the head of a pharaoh, is believed to have been around for about 4,500 years. Many of the mythological beings of old were hybrids, having been a combination of two known species. We are familiar with many of these legendary creatures – unicorns, dragons, mermaids, and faeries. There exists some controversy as to whether or not any of them actually existed, since no “evidence” has been found.
Interestingly enough, unicorns, dragons, satyrs, and other such creatures appear in the bible. Many religions tell people that the bible is to be taken at its word – literally. It basically comes down to interpretation and whether or not a person is willing to let someone else decipher and define for them what they should believe.
Neville Goddard, a popular philosopher of the early 20th century, shed new light on the stories in the bible, showing us that these were just that – stories and metaphors – and not to be taken literally. We cannot of course, rule out the possibility that at least some of the mythological creatures did in fact, exist. We human beings have always lived in an intelligent universe, in spite of our own ignorance. We know much more today about the other species that we share this planet with.
I am often fascinated by the intelligence displayed in the behavior of other animals. Some of the architectural design that a bird implements in the building of a nest, or the intricate pattern in a spider’s web is amazing to behold. The more that we learn about our world, the more we come to know what we do not know. It is only with humble observance and reverence for all LIFE that we can truly begin to understand, to appreciate, and to be grateful for that which is nothing short of miraculous. We might, if we are patient, be privy to the sight of a “mythological” creature. At the very least, we can gain appreciation for those species that exist today.
5 DECEMBER 2022 SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Ever since the recent pandemic, many people have grown concerned over the delays in supply chains, the price of gas, and the availability of food. Some have already taken steps towards becoming self-sufficient and moving off grid. It hasn’t hit too hard yet, but I believe that the day is not far off, when many people will no longer be able to afford to heat their houses. Water, too, is becoming scarce due to prolonged drought in the south and west regions of the country. Lake Powell, which is the source of water for several states, has receded to only one quarter of its former level.
The resulting fear and panic, in a dire situation, will test our spiritual strength. Will we repeat mistakes of the past, turning our hearts against one another? Will riots and war break out, spelling doom for the human race? Or, will enough of us rise up with the courage to make a better world? Will we reform our world based on harmony and balance, rather than on greed and hatred?
Most of us have grown up with much that we have taken for granted. We turn on lights with the flip of a switch. We take hot showers every day. If we are cold, we push the thermostat a little higher and if we are too hot, we employ air conditioning and drink ice cold drinks that are always at our fingertips. What would we do if these modern conveniences suddenly disappeared? Imagine, if Alexa ignored our commands, or Hey, Google! could no longer help us. How would we react if our electronic devices became unresponsive?
If we maintain proper perspective, we know that the human race has survived for millenia, without all of our modern conveniences. We understand that we are part of Nature and the means for our survival has already been provided. We can run away, find our own little piece of property, and create a self-sustaining way of life. But, the truth is, we are not islands. We need each other. We may be able to live on our own for a short time, but it will take great courage to lead all of us to a more sustainable way of living on our planet.
The tortoise, too, has survived. It has its shell to provide safety, but eventually it must poke out its small head to find food and find a mate. The times that lie ahead cannot be escaped from. We must confront the problems that we are facing. We must confront them together.
30 NOVEMBER 2022 OUR LONGING
In recent centuries, art and material possessions have become pervasive in human life. Our walls are covered in paintings and photographs that are most frequently depictions of animals, trees, and outdoor scenes. We have figurines of real animals. Our children have rooms full of teddy “bears” and even our pets have toys resembling other animal species. Many of us fill our homes with potted plants. A few make failing attempts at domesticating a wild species in hopes of making it into a “pet.” All around us, we see man-made replicas of Nature.
Early man made cave drawings to tell stories – perhaps even as a way to communicate. They, too, decorated earthenware and some of their few possessions, much as an artist today may sign her painting or pottery. If we look around our homes today, we can see that most of what we have is not at all necessary for our lives, or for our comfort. The more of these expensive (and even cheap) unnecessary items that we own, the more impressed our friends will be. But, how often have we purchased some coveted thing only to forget about it and move on to fulfilling another desire – something new to add to our collection of “stuff?” Those who cannot let go of the old and continue adding to their stockpile of things, become hoarders. Whether we are rich or poor, or whether we fall into that nebulous space known as middle class, we are never satisfied. The happiness we seek seems to remain just out of reach.
Could it be that our constant striving, searching, and reaching for replicas of Nature, is our soul’s longing to be reunited with her? We have placed so many barriers between us – tall, glass-fronted buildings, concrete, asphalt, fences, and walls. The animal statue that sits proudly, but cold and dead on our coffee table, can never equal the vibrant life of the real animal it resembles. The forest painting of trees and a babbling brook cannot begin to compare to sitting on the bank of a stream, enjoying Nature in all her glory. We have stolen habitat and most of the wild animals have been driven away. The longing in our hearts remains, regardless of how many new things we acquire. Our hearts will not be satisfied until we welcome Nature back and acknowledge our oneness with her.
28 NOVEMBER 2022 THE BLARING SILENCE
Of the many jewels of wisdom in the Tao Te Ching, and reiterated by wisemen throughout history, we are told that we should keep our mouths closed. If we have nothing important to say, we should refrain from talking. Eckhart Tolle tells us that our greatest hindrance to peace is our thinking mind, that has run amok in our species. Not only do we think too much – we talk too much. Some people who talk incessantly, have been described as having diarrhea of the mouth. These people love the sound of their own voice. They are poor listeners. They are uncomfortable with silence. In order to hear the important messages that our souls wish us to hear, we must be willing to listen to the quiet.
In my own quiet times of meditation, I have found the blaring silence to be deafening. I have never quite figured out why. What is it that I am hearing? When there is no nearby source of noise such as the refrigerator running, and the furnace and the fans have stopped blowing, I can still hear an indistinguishable noise pressing against my eardrums. I have always had excellent hearing. Am I hearing the inner workings of my own body, as blood flows through my veins and my organs carry on with their activities? Or, am I hearing a cacophony of the many sounds for miles around that are too far away to be recognizable? Since sound is a vibration of energy, am I merely hearing a giant mixture of sound vibrations from a distance – all of the TVs, radios, conversations, and machinery that are producing sounds everywhere?
While I may never know the answer to these questions, I will always crave the deep silence. Even if silence is not actually silent (and if it were, would there be no such thing as life at all?) it is the closest that I can come to quietude. It is the only place where I can receive the messages that guide me on my journey through this life. I often wonder what it must be like to hear as a dog hears. They can hear 2 times as well as I can hear and 4 times further away. My cat can hear 3 times as well. Those with even greater hearing – moths, bats, owls, and elephants – must suffer greatly from human noise pollution. I am certain that like me, they crave the blaring silence.
23 NOVEMBER 2022 ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY
I was raised during the late 1960s and early 1970s by my compliant mother and militant stepfather. There were consequences, whenever I chose to disobey the rules. I was taught to respect my elders and talking back rendered severe punishment. My naturally defiant nature resulted in frequent whippings from my stepfather’s belt. There was not only a complete lack of love between him and me – there was well-hidden animosity. Obedience was the only thing expected from me. My mother, being a flirtatious social butterfly, relinquished all concern over mine and my siblings’ behavior, to her husband.
When my own children challenged me, I sought alternative punishments. On the rare occasions when they required discipline, they were sent to their rooms, given time-outs, or denied treats. I refused to engage in spanking them. I was able to teach them, without employing physical abuse, to accept responsibility for their actions. Love alone, helped to infuse in them a kind of self-governance. They still made mistakes from time to time, but they fully understood and accepted that there would always be a real and karmic debt that must be paid. They learned to navigate their lives and to learn from their blunders.
The world is different today. Many children, and adults too, have never taken responsibility for their decisions. They live a self-centered existence. They have never come to understand the importance of respect – for self and for others. In many cases, it is because the parents have been too lenient. They have failed to teach their children things like gratitude and kindness. The real problem; however, lies in our modern society. Our world is run by a handful of giant corporate entities. Small businesses are a thing of the past. Within a corporation, individuals never have to take responsibility for mistakes or problems. We talk to computers and we communicate by email and text messages to faceless strangers, in hopes that they will resolve a problem that we have encountered. We are transferred from one person to another, to another, to another. We become frustrated and angry as we wait or are put on hold, on the phone. When we are finally connected to a “real” person, it is often a heavily accented person, living in another country, and whom we can barely understand. All around us, people are fed up. No one, it seems, is taking responsibility.
My step father’s way of ensuring my proper behavior would not be acceptable in today’s world; but he did ensure that I knew what the consequences would be, if I did not follow his rules. My heart breaks for children today, who have not been given the tools to navigate their lives with respect and responsibility. Once they have reached adulthood, it is often too late.