my friend april is turning 30 soon and she invited me on a labyrinth walk at sunrise. i wasn't sure what that was but she's never steered me wrong and it is her birthday so i said i'd go. i found this online and am really excited to do this!
"Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path... exactly where you are meant to be right now... And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love."
Caroline Adams
We are all on the path... exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path.
A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.
A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within."
Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused. When most people hear of a labyrinth they think of a maze. A labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind alleys. It is a left brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity to find the correct path into the maze and out.
A labyrinth has only one path. It is unicursal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again.
A labyrinth is a right brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery. With a maze many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center. With a labyrinth there is only one choice to be made. The choice is to enter or not. A more passive, receptive mindset is needed. The choice is whether or not to walk a spiritual path.
At its most basic level the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are.
(late)30-something. reader. movie lover. new ager? bicycle rider. tattoo lover. couch potato. counselor. mother. daughter. sister. wife.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
just a thought...
Something occurred to me today. Teachers have to take continuing education courses because times change, new ideas are introduced and old ways are improved, right? I don’t know about anyone else, but I am constantly trying to learn and understand more…about everything – child rearing, cooking, current events, psychology, and on and on…What’s different about religion or spirituality? Change and adaptations are necessary to live a contemporary life. Didn’t Jesus prove that by his teachings? He wasn’t born to start a new religion. He wanted to improve upon old ideas and beliefs (at least, that’s my interpretation of Jesus, etc.). I’m wondering why a new book would be considered a fad. Every idea was new once. Although, Tolle’s ideas are far from new (well, somewhat new to the West). I have no doubt that the popularity of this book will die down but that won’t mean that it didn’t offer something worthwhile.
I don’t know why I am taking this subject so personally. Tolle, himself, wouldn’t sweat it. I am not so enlightened. :) I think I will understand Andie’s arguments because she recognizes that it’s good for some. I just don’t like all the judgment when it’s such a peaceful book. It’s like the shy, tiny kid who loves everyone and wouldn’t hurt a bug, but he gets bullied simply because he is so small.
I don’t know why I am taking this subject so personally. Tolle, himself, wouldn’t sweat it. I am not so enlightened. :) I think I will understand Andie’s arguments because she recognizes that it’s good for some. I just don’t like all the judgment when it’s such a peaceful book. It’s like the shy, tiny kid who loves everyone and wouldn’t hurt a bug, but he gets bullied simply because he is so small.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
crash course in eckhartisms
Spiritual Quotes
Fear arises through identification with form, whether it be a material possession, a physical body, a social role, a self-image, a thought, or an emotion. It arises through unawareness of the formless inner dimension of consciousness or spirit, which is the essence of who you are. You are trapped in object consciousness, unaware of the dimension of inner space which alone is true freedom.
Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of control. It believes it is real and tries hard to maintain its supremacy. Negative states of mind, such as anger, resentment, fear, envy, and jealousy, are products of the ego.
The insanity of the collective egoic mind, amplified by science and technology, is rapidly taking our species to the brink of disaster. Evolve or die: that is our only choice now.
Internal and external are ultimately one. When you no longer perceive the world as hostile, there is no more fear, and when there is no more fear, you think, speak and act differently. Love and compassion arise, and they affect the world.
Direct your attention inward. Have a look inside yourself. What kind of thoughts is your mind producing? What do you feel? Direct your attention into the body. Is there any tension? Once you detect that there is a low level of unease, the background static, see in what way you are avoiding, resisting, or denying life —by denying the Now.
What a liberation to realize that the "voice in my head" is not who I am. Who am I then? The one who sees that.
If you identify with a mental position, then if you are wrong, your mind-based sense of self is seriously threatened with annihilation. So you as the ego cannot afford to be wrong. To be wrong is to die. Wars have been fought over this, and countless relationships have broken down.
The secret of life is to "die before you die" -- and find that there is no death.
"How" is always more important that "what." See if you can give much more attention to the doing than to the result that you want to achieve through it.
Fear arises through identification with form, whether it be a material possession, a physical body, a social role, a self-image, a thought, or an emotion. It arises through unawareness of the formless inner dimension of consciousness or spirit, which is the essence of who you are. You are trapped in object consciousness, unaware of the dimension of inner space which alone is true freedom.
Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of control. It believes it is real and tries hard to maintain its supremacy. Negative states of mind, such as anger, resentment, fear, envy, and jealousy, are products of the ego.
The insanity of the collective egoic mind, amplified by science and technology, is rapidly taking our species to the brink of disaster. Evolve or die: that is our only choice now.
Internal and external are ultimately one. When you no longer perceive the world as hostile, there is no more fear, and when there is no more fear, you think, speak and act differently. Love and compassion arise, and they affect the world.
Direct your attention inward. Have a look inside yourself. What kind of thoughts is your mind producing? What do you feel? Direct your attention into the body. Is there any tension? Once you detect that there is a low level of unease, the background static, see in what way you are avoiding, resisting, or denying life —by denying the Now.
What a liberation to realize that the "voice in my head" is not who I am. Who am I then? The one who sees that.
If you identify with a mental position, then if you are wrong, your mind-based sense of self is seriously threatened with annihilation. So you as the ego cannot afford to be wrong. To be wrong is to die. Wars have been fought over this, and countless relationships have broken down.
The secret of life is to "die before you die" -- and find that there is no death.
"How" is always more important that "what." See if you can give much more attention to the doing than to the result that you want to achieve through it.
eckhart tolle
i've been scanning the internet for an article that could articulate what i am feeling. i read an article bashing A New Earth pretty good. people seem to think that because oprah is rich, she must not mean well? i've never understood that. this article insinuates that tolle has no real education and is a quack. i started to feel anger because people tend to believe insinuations. but then, i became present, as tolle teaches. i'm not really mad. it's just unfortunate that so many judge without knowing...i began to think, who really cares where tolle comes from, or how much money he and oprah make, right? who cares if he is insane. if you get something out of his writings, let that be enough.
i was reminded of a story my mom told me about a friend. her friend donated a large amount of money to a church over a period of time. it turned out that the preacher was a crook and all that money was stolen by him...my mom was horrified for her friend. but her friend said her part was done. she did what she thought was right. that's all that she could do and being angry wouldn't change a damn thing...i heard that story about 15 years ago and it still sticks with me.
i don't know anything about scientology other than there's a large population where my father used to live in clearwater, fl. i didn't care much for tom cruise's comments about depression, etc. but i'm not fooled into believing that's all there is to his faith. and, why does oprah's connection to mr. cruise and others give any indication of the validity of A New Earth, anyway? it simply does not.
i was in a book club which read the davinci code. one of the members refused to read it because of her religious beliefs. i understood that it might offend her (if she forgot that it was meant as fiction), but how would she know for sure if she didn't read it? and wouldn't she make the most educated debate with knowledge of the book? i don't know. maybe that's apples and oranges.
in any case, i hope people read A New Earth and take from it what helps them. i simply don't believe that a person could read it with an open mind and not benefit. but maybe that's my judgment talking :)
peace and love,
courtney
i was reminded of a story my mom told me about a friend. her friend donated a large amount of money to a church over a period of time. it turned out that the preacher was a crook and all that money was stolen by him...my mom was horrified for her friend. but her friend said her part was done. she did what she thought was right. that's all that she could do and being angry wouldn't change a damn thing...i heard that story about 15 years ago and it still sticks with me.
i don't know anything about scientology other than there's a large population where my father used to live in clearwater, fl. i didn't care much for tom cruise's comments about depression, etc. but i'm not fooled into believing that's all there is to his faith. and, why does oprah's connection to mr. cruise and others give any indication of the validity of A New Earth, anyway? it simply does not.
i was in a book club which read the davinci code. one of the members refused to read it because of her religious beliefs. i understood that it might offend her (if she forgot that it was meant as fiction), but how would she know for sure if she didn't read it? and wouldn't she make the most educated debate with knowledge of the book? i don't know. maybe that's apples and oranges.
in any case, i hope people read A New Earth and take from it what helps them. i simply don't believe that a person could read it with an open mind and not benefit. but maybe that's my judgment talking :)
peace and love,
courtney
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
711
lyra calls 711 the slurpy store cause that's the only reason we usually go there. so, yesterday eric was taking the kids out and passed by 711.
lyra says - dad, i want to go to the slurpy store.
eric says - you know lyra, it's really called 711
lyra says - why do they call it that?
eric says - i guess because it rhymes
lyra thinks about it for a minute and says: dad, 711 doesn't rhyme with slurpy store
lyra says - dad, i want to go to the slurpy store.
eric says - you know lyra, it's really called 711
lyra says - why do they call it that?
eric says - i guess because it rhymes
lyra thinks about it for a minute and says: dad, 711 doesn't rhyme with slurpy store
blue pills again
so, how is it that i am 18 years into school and i still get caught inside the anti-depressant loop? i know what depression looks like on others and on myself. i know that some people need meds and others probably do not. i need them. so...how is it that every year - give or take - i decide that i can do it without meds. i can go to a guru who knows pressure points or i can do behavioral modifications or i can take lots of baths...this makes me understand how much advocacy depressed people need. i AM educated and i still get lost in the disease, no wonder so many suffer the way they do.
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