In an earlier post I stated that it seemed as if some Big Name Gurus' teachings could only be accessed after paying a fee. I was wrong.
Athough my initial web searches led me only to the "pay me and I'll talk" sites, further investigation showed that both Eckhardt Tolle and Deepak Chopra have some free programs.
Eckhart Tolle's website offers the "uncourse" - a non-linear collection of videos and other resources. I finished one segment, on grieving, and found it interesting. I can now understand why he is such a popular teacher.
Deepak Chopra's website is offering a 21-day Meditation Challenge. Although it started February 20th you can still sign up, and it looks as if it will be repeated periodically. I am on Day Three and although it is rather light I would consider it a good starting point if you wanted to learn more about meditation.
My favorite "free" resources are still the offerings at Sounds True. I am currently working through their free course on energy healing, and have found it excellent. Unfortunately, they have changed the programs that they give you if you sign up for their newsletters, so I can't speak to the current free programs. They also send out a newsletter with free information.
Namaste, Dudes.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
By Any Other Name...
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| Sunday Flowers |
Right now I am stalled in the slow lane and I've suddenly found myself unable to do things I used to take for granted, like climbing a stepladder or going up the back steps. Even things on my "don't want to do" list, like mowing the lawn, now seem appealing.
But I have been defining myself by what I do, and now that I can't do them I feel as if I am losing part of my identity. For years I have been annoyed when people ask me if i am "the Stephanie Meyer" and I have to say "No, I'm afraid not.". I guess part of my annoyance is because after I say "no, I'm afraid not" most people don't ask anything else - as if who "not the famous" Stephanie Meyer was was not important.
--------------------
I'm Nobody! Who are you?
by Emily Dickinson
I'm Nobody! Who are you?
Are you - Nobody - too?
Then there's a pair of us!
Don't tell! they'd advertise - you know!
How dreary - to be - Somebody!
How public - like a Frog -
To tell one's name - the livelong June -
To an admiring Bog!
--------------------------------
My healthcare provider didn't help. When I went to be fitted for the Herman Munster boot I handed the receptionist my healthcare card, my photo I.D., and my debit card. When it was fifteen minutes past my scheduled appointment time I went up to the desk and was told "Well, you never checked in..." It eventually turned out that they had checked me in as someone else entirely, who wasn't scheduled to be there for another three hours and who had an entirely different kind of problem*. If I had read all of the paperwork they handed me I would have caught it, but I didn't. I found it particularly ironic because when I had gone to have my foot x-rayed earlier they had put a patient wristband on me while I limped six feet down the corridor for an x-ray, and then put on a second band when I went to get an x-ray at a different location, as if I would forget who I was.
Then today I got a text message "Dad and Cody just left but there going back way with top down just cruising in sun probably 3 hours." Don't know who these people are, but it sounds like they are having fun....
But enough whining. I'm getting used to the Herman Munster boot. I enjoyed Jellyjumbles post about wearing one. She brings up a good point about "getting the story" right because everyone asks you "how did it happen" and I get tired of saying "falling off a bar stool" (not far from the truth). My comic book dealer pointed out that that answer doesn't get much sympathy because "you were having fun" so maybe the next time I get asked I'll answer "I was saving kittens from a burning building..." Nah.
----------------------------------
Prayer to Persephone
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Be to her, Persephone,
All the things I might not be;
Take her head upon your knee.
She that was so proud and wild,
Flippant, arrogant and free,
She that had no need of me,
Is a little lonely child
Lost in Hell, -- Persephone,
Take her head upon your knee;
Say to her, "My dear, my dear
It is not so dreadful here."
-----------------------------------
*The person they signed me as at Orthopedics had a higher co-pay, so I got a rebate....
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Stumbling Towards Enlightenment
Belief systems are like languages. If you grow up learning only one language it is not until you start to learn another language that you realize that your original language is not "the one true way of communicating." If you were raised in some religions you may never see people who practice other religions as anything but "heathens". Religions which do not accept a variety of beliefs may splinter into sub-groups (for example, the many varieties of Christianity and Buddhism).
My parents did not attend church. When I was sent to stay with my paternal Grandmother for a few weeks one summer she tried to remedy my lack of religious upbringing by enrolling me in two Vacation Bible Schools - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I really wanted to participate in one activity, but I was told that I was not qualified because "you haven't been baptized." This was one of the first times I came to realize that, innocent as I was, I could be considered a heathen because I had not participated in a particular religious ceremony.
Since then I have continued to seek a faith I could believe in. I read religious documents, attended a variety of religious services, and even sang in a church choir for a while. I always got turned off when I heard the inevitable sermon "You who are here will be saved - those others are godless heathens and will go to Hell." I disagreed and continue to disagree. Surely God wouldn't punish someone because they had been raised in a different religion and didn't know any better?
"He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
by Emily Dickinson
Looking beyond traditional, established religion to see what "New Age" spirituality offered led me to further discoveries. Thence to the discovery of the growing commodification of religion and spirituality. Here, Michael York explains it much better than I can. I was especially struck by his phrase "The New Age is modified upon, and is an outgrowth of, liberal Western capitalism." That is, the fact that Hollywood is marketing New Age spirituality is not an accident. The New Age movement is "a blend of pagan religions, Eastern philosophies, and occult-psychic phenomena" {York, 1995:34}. The accusation of liberal Western capitalism comes because New Age "borrows" or "steals" ideas and practices from many religions and then capitalizes on this borrowed product. Eckhardt Tolle, for example, mixes taoism with some Buddhist beliefs and practices (see this article in Psychology Today), "New Age Shamans" appropriate Amerindian and other indigenous' practices such as sweat lodges and dream catchers. (Lynn Andrews is a particularly bad example of someone who has stolen Amerindian ideas for her own gain. I am not linking to her website. I shredded her first book after reading it, it was so dishonest. This fraud offers a four-year course in how to be a shaman for only $4,120 per year.). "New Age" energy healers use the concepts of "chakras" and "meridians" from other cultures.
So are we getting the best of all religions by this cutting and pasting, or will we just end up with a mishmash?
Meanwhile, the search continues. My favorite t-shirt says "Seeking Enlightenment".
My parents did not attend church. When I was sent to stay with my paternal Grandmother for a few weeks one summer she tried to remedy my lack of religious upbringing by enrolling me in two Vacation Bible Schools - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I really wanted to participate in one activity, but I was told that I was not qualified because "you haven't been baptized." This was one of the first times I came to realize that, innocent as I was, I could be considered a heathen because I had not participated in a particular religious ceremony.
Since then I have continued to seek a faith I could believe in. I read religious documents, attended a variety of religious services, and even sang in a church choir for a while. I always got turned off when I heard the inevitable sermon "You who are here will be saved - those others are godless heathens and will go to Hell." I disagreed and continue to disagree. Surely God wouldn't punish someone because they had been raised in a different religion and didn't know any better?
"He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
by Emily Dickinson
Looking beyond traditional, established religion to see what "New Age" spirituality offered led me to further discoveries. Thence to the discovery of the growing commodification of religion and spirituality. Here, Michael York explains it much better than I can. I was especially struck by his phrase "The New Age is modified upon, and is an outgrowth of, liberal Western capitalism." That is, the fact that Hollywood is marketing New Age spirituality is not an accident. The New Age movement is "a blend of pagan religions, Eastern philosophies, and occult-psychic phenomena" {York, 1995:34}. The accusation of liberal Western capitalism comes because New Age "borrows" or "steals" ideas and practices from many religions and then capitalizes on this borrowed product. Eckhardt Tolle, for example, mixes taoism with some Buddhist beliefs and practices (see this article in Psychology Today), "New Age Shamans" appropriate Amerindian and other indigenous' practices such as sweat lodges and dream catchers. (Lynn Andrews is a particularly bad example of someone who has stolen Amerindian ideas for her own gain. I am not linking to her website. I shredded her first book after reading it, it was so dishonest. This fraud offers a four-year course in how to be a shaman for only $4,120 per year.). "New Age" energy healers use the concepts of "chakras" and "meridians" from other cultures.
So are we getting the best of all religions by this cutting and pasting, or will we just end up with a mishmash?
Meanwhile, the search continues. My favorite t-shirt says "Seeking Enlightenment".
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Transformational Entertainment? - Thinking Out Loud - Nothing to Read Here
I am temporarily grounded* so I've been spending more time on line.Since I have enjoyed reading and listening to Geneen Roth, Gangaji, and Jack Kornfield, when I found Sounds True was hosting a Conference that included all three as teachers I really wanted to go, but realized it would not be practical.
But distance and expense shouldn't be obstacles to enlightenment, so I looked for similar events in my own neighborhood. In the process I found that GATE: Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment will be hosting an event in February which will include Eckhart Tolle, Jim Carrey and John Raatz. According to the GATE Mission Statement, this group "is an evolving community of creative, business and technical professionals in entertainment, media, and the arts, who realize the vital and expanding role media and entertainment play in creating our lives, and who aspire to consciously transform those domains for the benefit of all."
Further, GATE is a "...trade association providing valuable and relevant knowledge, resources and services to a wide range of professionals in the media, entertainment, and arts industries, to aid in their personal transformation and to help them create and distribute content that expresses their transformational worldview."
If I'm reading this correctly, this Global Alliance hopes to transform professionals in the media, entertainment and arts industries and, in turn, help them create and distribute content that expresses their transformation and which, in turn, will transform others. I am a bit puzzled by what this means in practical terms. Media, entertainment, and art industry professionals have been "going to see the Maharishi" for some time now, and (if they are not dissuaded by business types) often seem to produce entertainment which includes some kind of message.
I am both cynical and hopeful. Is this just a money-making project or a sincere effort to change the world? If you look at the web pages of the three founders of GATE you will find that **Eckhart Tolle's is selling online access to his wisdom and you might think he was in it for the money (on the other hand, perhaps he needs business types as a shield to his privacy). Jim Carrey's pages are so over-the-top they seem to imply an over-large ego; however, perhaps that is just an expression of his art. Only after reading an interview in Vision Magazine with John Raatz did I come to the conclusion that he at least does not seem to be looking for money or fame.
While I wonder if "the truth" really needs help being marketed, I realize I never would have found out about Roth, Kornfield, or Gangaji if I hadn't heard about them somewhere. There are many gurus out there, but few attain any kind of fame and maybe it would be a good idea if the right ones went to the GATE seminar and learned how to get more name recognition. I know that Oprah has helped rescue a few self-help gurus and authors from obscurity. Publishing Companies like Sounds True and Hay House help spread the word by offering "in person" appearances from some of their authors. Geneen Roth and Deepak Chopra both seem to have very lucrative marketing systems set up. But, on the other hand, I am wondering if Hollywood has just realized that "the Cultural Creative" and other members of "The Herbal Tea Party"*** are a growing portion of the viewing audience to which the genre of "transformational entertainment" can be targeted. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the GATE sessions.
Now - back to the original objective - to find sources of enlightenment close to hand. Even if I am not able to go to a far away conference it turns out that Sounds True offers a number of free downloads on different subjects. When I'm able to drive myself places again there are a number of local groups that offer all kinds of courses. In short, I don't need to take a long pilgrimage to find transformational resources.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*In short, I fell leaving a table at The Hopping Pig after having a beer with my meal. Hurry, the fact the tables were on an elevated island, and the glass of Lost Abbey beer I drank before the food finally arrived were probably all factors. The beer wasn't that great, but I drank it because I had paid for it, and now I am hopping around wearing an appliance called an "equalizer". The Hopping Pig slogan should be "At happy hour you can get enough beer for $4.50 to make you fall flat on your face..."
**If you visit this website don't be surprised if you start getting pop-ups that say "What if Eckhart Tolle was available right now to support your spiritual awakening? Sign up for a free trial...."
***"The Cultural Creative" and "The Herbal Tea Party" were both terms used in the Vision Interview with John Raatz.
But distance and expense shouldn't be obstacles to enlightenment, so I looked for similar events in my own neighborhood. In the process I found that GATE: Global Alliance for Transformational Entertainment will be hosting an event in February which will include Eckhart Tolle, Jim Carrey and John Raatz. According to the GATE Mission Statement, this group "is an evolving community of creative, business and technical professionals in entertainment, media, and the arts, who realize the vital and expanding role media and entertainment play in creating our lives, and who aspire to consciously transform those domains for the benefit of all."
Further, GATE is a "...trade association providing valuable and relevant knowledge, resources and services to a wide range of professionals in the media, entertainment, and arts industries, to aid in their personal transformation and to help them create and distribute content that expresses their transformational worldview."
If I'm reading this correctly, this Global Alliance hopes to transform professionals in the media, entertainment and arts industries and, in turn, help them create and distribute content that expresses their transformation and which, in turn, will transform others. I am a bit puzzled by what this means in practical terms. Media, entertainment, and art industry professionals have been "going to see the Maharishi" for some time now, and (if they are not dissuaded by business types) often seem to produce entertainment which includes some kind of message.
I am both cynical and hopeful. Is this just a money-making project or a sincere effort to change the world? If you look at the web pages of the three founders of GATE you will find that **Eckhart Tolle's is selling online access to his wisdom and you might think he was in it for the money (on the other hand, perhaps he needs business types as a shield to his privacy). Jim Carrey's pages are so over-the-top they seem to imply an over-large ego; however, perhaps that is just an expression of his art. Only after reading an interview in Vision Magazine with John Raatz did I come to the conclusion that he at least does not seem to be looking for money or fame.
While I wonder if "the truth" really needs help being marketed, I realize I never would have found out about Roth, Kornfield, or Gangaji if I hadn't heard about them somewhere. There are many gurus out there, but few attain any kind of fame and maybe it would be a good idea if the right ones went to the GATE seminar and learned how to get more name recognition. I know that Oprah has helped rescue a few self-help gurus and authors from obscurity. Publishing Companies like Sounds True and Hay House help spread the word by offering "in person" appearances from some of their authors. Geneen Roth and Deepak Chopra both seem to have very lucrative marketing systems set up. But, on the other hand, I am wondering if Hollywood has just realized that "the Cultural Creative" and other members of "The Herbal Tea Party"*** are a growing portion of the viewing audience to which the genre of "transformational entertainment" can be targeted. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the GATE sessions.
Now - back to the original objective - to find sources of enlightenment close to hand. Even if I am not able to go to a far away conference it turns out that Sounds True offers a number of free downloads on different subjects. When I'm able to drive myself places again there are a number of local groups that offer all kinds of courses. In short, I don't need to take a long pilgrimage to find transformational resources.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*In short, I fell leaving a table at The Hopping Pig after having a beer with my meal. Hurry, the fact the tables were on an elevated island, and the glass of Lost Abbey beer I drank before the food finally arrived were probably all factors. The beer wasn't that great, but I drank it because I had paid for it, and now I am hopping around wearing an appliance called an "equalizer". The Hopping Pig slogan should be "At happy hour you can get enough beer for $4.50 to make you fall flat on your face..."
**If you visit this website don't be surprised if you start getting pop-ups that say "What if Eckhart Tolle was available right now to support your spiritual awakening? Sign up for a free trial...."
***"The Cultural Creative" and "The Herbal Tea Party" were both terms used in the Vision Interview with John Raatz.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The Myth of the Hand-Made Christmas?
In Terry Pratchett's novel Hogfather there is a conversation between Death and Albert:
ALBERT: "I remember...one Hogswatch I had my heart set on this huge model horse they had in the shop..."
[then he explains how poor his family was]
"...I still hung my stocking on Hogswatch Eve, and in the morning....Our dad had put in this little horse he'd carved his very own self..."
DEATH: "AND THAT WAS WORTH MORE THAN ALL THE EXPENSIVE TOY HORSES IN THE WORLD, EH?"
ALBERT: "No!" "It weren't. All I could think of was it wasn't the big horse in the window."
DEATH: "BUT HOW MUCH BETTER TO HAVE A TOY CARVED WITH--"
ALBERT: "No. Only grown-ups think like that....You're a selfish little bugger when you're seven."
-----------------------------------------
Nevertheless, I still persist in making at least a few handmade gifts every Christmas in spite of the fact that some of my relatives persist in sending me detailed lists of what they would really like - (the lists seem to come earlier each year) - but it is all stuff anyone could buy at a store, and what's the magic in that?
One niece emailed what she wanted and I replied "I'm sorry, I already bought you a stuffed armadillo with wings." I hope she wasn't disappointed when what she got was actually a pillow with a picture of Wonder Woman on it.
Some of the things I made:
My son got an "Anti-Harry & David" gift which included turkey spam, Jelly Bellies*, Haggis, Vegemite, and spotted dick pudding.
I still haven't finished crocheting some gopher golf club covers for one nephew.
After that maybe it would be a good time to start on crafts for next Christmas. Maybe I should try to make one of the things on their lists. Does anyone know how to crochet a Wii?
*including some Jelly Flops.
ALBERT: "I remember...one Hogswatch I had my heart set on this huge model horse they had in the shop..."
[then he explains how poor his family was]
"...I still hung my stocking on Hogswatch Eve, and in the morning....Our dad had put in this little horse he'd carved his very own self..."
DEATH: "AND THAT WAS WORTH MORE THAN ALL THE EXPENSIVE TOY HORSES IN THE WORLD, EH?"
ALBERT: "No!" "It weren't. All I could think of was it wasn't the big horse in the window."
DEATH: "BUT HOW MUCH BETTER TO HAVE A TOY CARVED WITH--"
ALBERT: "No. Only grown-ups think like that....You're a selfish little bugger when you're seven."
-----------------------------------------
Nevertheless, I still persist in making at least a few handmade gifts every Christmas in spite of the fact that some of my relatives persist in sending me detailed lists of what they would really like - (the lists seem to come earlier each year) - but it is all stuff anyone could buy at a store, and what's the magic in that?
One niece emailed what she wanted and I replied "I'm sorry, I already bought you a stuffed armadillo with wings." I hope she wasn't disappointed when what she got was actually a pillow with a picture of Wonder Woman on it.
 |
| Reversible artist smock |
 |
| Pokemon fabric on one side |
 |
| Hello Kitty necklace from Perler beads modified from a pattern on the web |
 |
| Frog Prince pincushion modified from a free pattern |
My son got an "Anti-Harry & David" gift which included turkey spam, Jelly Bellies*, Haggis, Vegemite, and spotted dick pudding.
I still haven't finished crocheting some gopher golf club covers for one nephew.
After that maybe it would be a good time to start on crafts for next Christmas. Maybe I should try to make one of the things on their lists. Does anyone know how to crochet a Wii?
*including some Jelly Flops.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Melvan Is Now In Europe
For a brief and glorious time I was the owner of a 60's VW named "Melvan". In my younger years I had read Travels With Charley and dreamed of traveling around the country in some kind of camper. When I saw Melvan on Ebay I fell in love with him.
I returned to the Ebay page over and over. The seller had taken pictures from every angle, interior and exterior. The inside was set up with a bed, cabinets, and a small sink. There was even a painting of the Madonna on the roof. I talked to my husband about it, and while we were sitting in the living room at our respective computers he said "If you want it, go ahead and buy it."(He now claims to have no memory of this.). So I clicked on "Buy".
There were complications. My bank was slow in approving a loan to cover the whole amount, and Melvan was in New Mexico and so my husband needed to take time off from work so he could go with me when I picked up Melvan and follow me in another vehicle when I drove Melvan home. While we waited I re-read HOW TO KEEP YOUR VW ALIVE and inquired about classes in auto mechanics for dummies.
Finally, we took the scenic route to New Mexico, through Taos, and picked up Melvan. I drove him all the way home. I enjoyed starting up in the morning, giving the engine time, putting him in gear. I was happy.
Unfortunately, after we got home I found I had made the erroneous assumption that "all men like cars" and that my husband would be interested in working on the van and going camping in it . Unfortunately my husband did not share my enthusiasm. Later he confessed that he had been worried that I had lost my mind. After a while I realized we were not going anywhere and I re-sold Melvan to a young man named Ed. After he had driven Melvan to a few meets he got a great offer from a buyer in Europe and re-sold him. Melvan looks like he is in good hands. I still dream about traveling around the country, though.
I returned to the Ebay page over and over. The seller had taken pictures from every angle, interior and exterior. The inside was set up with a bed, cabinets, and a small sink. There was even a painting of the Madonna on the roof. I talked to my husband about it, and while we were sitting in the living room at our respective computers he said "If you want it, go ahead and buy it."(He now claims to have no memory of this.). So I clicked on "Buy".
There were complications. My bank was slow in approving a loan to cover the whole amount, and Melvan was in New Mexico and so my husband needed to take time off from work so he could go with me when I picked up Melvan and follow me in another vehicle when I drove Melvan home. While we waited I re-read HOW TO KEEP YOUR VW ALIVE and inquired about classes in auto mechanics for dummies.
Finally, we took the scenic route to New Mexico, through Taos, and picked up Melvan. I drove him all the way home. I enjoyed starting up in the morning, giving the engine time, putting him in gear. I was happy.
 |
| Melvan at home (usually he lived in our garage) |
 |
| Melvan, side view |
In retrospect, this may be seen as the classic "mid life crisis" (or "Mid-Life Chrysler"?). I read once that if you want to get a good deal on a motorcycle look for middle-aged men who bought one and took it home and had their wives say "You bought WHAT".
We all have "bucket lists" but I guess we need to check to make sure there aren't any piranhas in there. I asked my husband if he wanted to go to Burning Man next year and he said "I don't think I could handle the dust of the playa." At least he was listening.
You can read more about Melvan on the Samba forums. Looks like he has had some body work and gotten a few new stickers.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Real Simple?
Near the check-out stand in a supermarket the other day I noticed and was intrigued by the cover of the January 2012 issue of "Real Simple" magazine. It promised the answer to all my problems was inside:
"How to Break Bad Habits"
"Reduce Your Debt"
"Lose Weight Faster"
"Clear the Clutter"
"Learn to Say 'No'"
"Cook Smarter"
"Re-energize Your Style"
and
"Be Happier Now."
I have seen promises like those on magazine covers all my life, and bought the magazines, and I'm still not perfect. Also, doesn't a glossy magazine called "Real Simple" seem like an oxymoron?
Worst of all, I already know how to fix some of the the problems. I'm just not doing it.
"How to Break Bad Habits" -Identify bad habits and work out a realistic plan to change them.
"Reduce Your Debt" -Stop spending so much. Save more.
"Lose Weight Faster" -Eat less. Exercise more.
"Clear the Clutter" -Spend more time cleaning up than making the mess in the first place.
"Learn to Say 'No'"-Just say 'no'
"Cook Smarter" -Quit trying recipes whose ingredients are hard to find.
"Re-energize Your Style" - What style?
"Be Happier Now" -Quit wanting what you can't have and appreciate what you can have.
Free advice. Gratis. See if you can find a used copy of this magazine at your local library's bookstore for 25 cents. That's what I'm going to do. And afterwards, I can make a Christmas Tree out of it.
"How to Break Bad Habits"
"Reduce Your Debt"
"Lose Weight Faster"
"Clear the Clutter"
"Learn to Say 'No'"
"Cook Smarter"
"Re-energize Your Style"
and
"Be Happier Now."
I have seen promises like those on magazine covers all my life, and bought the magazines, and I'm still not perfect. Also, doesn't a glossy magazine called "Real Simple" seem like an oxymoron?
Worst of all, I already know how to fix some of the the problems. I'm just not doing it.
"How to Break Bad Habits" -Identify bad habits and work out a realistic plan to change them.
"Reduce Your Debt" -Stop spending so much. Save more.
"Lose Weight Faster" -Eat less. Exercise more.
"Clear the Clutter" -Spend more time cleaning up than making the mess in the first place.
"Learn to Say 'No'"-Just say 'no'
"Cook Smarter" -Quit trying recipes whose ingredients are hard to find.
"Re-energize Your Style" - What style?
"Be Happier Now" -Quit wanting what you can't have and appreciate what you can have.
Free advice. Gratis. See if you can find a used copy of this magazine at your local library's bookstore for 25 cents. That's what I'm going to do. And afterwards, I can make a Christmas Tree out of it.
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