What resides in our unconscious is as much a part of who we are, and how we behave, as what makes up our consciousness. The language of the unconscious is imagery. The rules by which it functions are mythical. Science seems to lag behind the arts in its grasp of the paradoxes inherent to humanity. The psyche expresses itself through symbol and metaphor that can best be understood through stories, as stories allow for the unknown. Stories tolerate mystery.
A Conversation With The Deva Of Cannabis
In the mid-1960's, my mother thought someone had planted marijuana in our old back pasture. She told me to yank out all the illegal weeds -- a whole acre of them! Fortunately, I found someone who confirmed that the plants were innocent wildflowers called Cinquefoil. I know how to tell the difference now, but that long-ago experience remains in my memory whenever I see cannabis or marijuana mentioned in today's headlines. That's why I thought this would be a good time to chat with the Deva of this intriguing plant.
A Glimpse into the Psyche
A Chinese proverb goes something like this: What is right and what is wrong, need we ask anyone else these things? We have all been bestowed with an internal sense of justice. The more aware we are, the clearer this sense of justice becomes. It is equally true, however, that we face overwhelmingly complex decisions living in energy dependent, growth and productivity driven, increasingly digitally connected while simultaneously disconnected from nature, lifestyles.
The Fae Folk and the Virus
Fae: The Fae are not susceptible to human viruses. However, we have not stood by without attempting to help human friends. Understand that most humans have resident gnome families living with them; other fae folk choose to live with, or near, humans. So, we become attached to "our" humans and naturally wish to support them in times of trouble. Many of us are engaged in lifting the spirits of humans, causing smiles by tickling babies, singing to one who is discouraged (not in a way that can be heard), and so forth.
Corona Retreat
Solitary retreats are a familiar experience for me. I’ve been taking off into the woods to retreat all of my adult life. After I had cancer ten years ago, I scheduled these retreats as many as six times per year to support my healing process. Retreating alone has been an important piece of my self-care and a way to deepen into my meditation practice.
Creature Comforts on the Camino, Part 2: Are Smartphones, Email, and Apps Existential Threats?
After my first journey to Santiago in June of 2002, I believed that a “real” pilgrimage could only be made in the traditional way, that is, the hard way. And for me, this meant eschewing the products and services that made it possible to avoid most of the Camino’s hardships. “Creature Comforts on the Camino, Part 1: Do Real Pilgrims Take Cold Showers?” addresses changes in the infrastructure that eased the way. Part 2 looks at the effect of technological advances on the Camino, specifically smartphones, email, and apps.
updated--Delaying Issue #75
We are delaying the spring/summer 2020 issue.
Self-love
It’s only mid-March and I’ve already noticed a shift in my outlook that has influenced how 2020 is going for me. I’m not sure what started it: An invitation by my art teacher Flora Aube to ditch typical new year resolutions in favor of self –love? An artwork with a message to replace acceptance with the ongoing efforts to become a better version of myself? Or simply, turning 50? The recognition of having lived half a century leads one to contemplate certain things.
Women with Trees on Their Mind
I didn’t always love trees, not like I love people and animals. It takes a certain amount of deepening, maturity, and patience to appreciate the subtle, to grasp interconnectedness in its totality.
SINGING THE BALANCE: A CONVERSATION WITH THE DEVA OF THE IRS
As tax season looms. Peggy River Singer talks with the Deva of the IRS.
Peggy: May I speak with the organizing intelligence of our Internal Revenue Service?
How To Clean Out Your Closet: What To Ditch And What To Keep
Minimalism has increasingly gained in popularity. When you choose minimalism, there is no space to contain disorder, especially in the closet. The modern-minimal-chic advocate curating every small detail of your life, down to the laundry drawer. Marie Kondo, author of The Magical Art of Tidying Up, promotes the idea that we should only hold on to things that "make us happy".
Heart Power
How is your heart today? Are you taking good care of your hard-working, delicate organ? It is definitely doing its best to take good care of you. Let’s give a little love back to the heart with some techniques that balance the anahata (sanskrit for “heart”) chakra.
A CONVERSATION WITH AUSTRALIA'S FIRE SPIRITS
A conversation with the fire spirit.
Human-Centered Intentional Culture
Creating a healthy business culture with engaged employees is possible. Clarity of purpose, real care for the people involved, clear expectations and persistence can get you there. The bad news: it is hard. But the good news is that work is much more fun when approached this way.
Helping the Homeless
The day after Christmas, 2019, a day when many celebrate the birth of a homeless child, a social mediate site for Ann Arbor townies posted this question: “Would you ever open your home to a homeless person?” Forty-eight comments later, administrators closed the post’s comments. My take on these comments is that most people answered “yes,” “no” or “if I knew the homeless person.”
Habituation vs. Gratitude
I’ve always resonated with the idea of the psyche as landscape that varies in topography, weather patterns, vegetation, and inhabitants. Polarities of all kinds can be found within, even though the mind itself prefers to land on one side of things rather then continuing to remain open to alternatives. It is best to make a practice of contemplating opposing ideas to stay connected to reality, and to not be fooled by our own minds.
What is Truth?
What is truth? In our world of ‘fake news’ and contested facts, truth can be difficult to grasp and even harder to hold. How can we look at an interaction or event and come to such dramatically different conclusions? To perceive it accurately requires a level of objectivity and nonattachment few of us possess. It is almost impossible to separate who we are and what we hold sacred from what we perceive. Truth is challenging to witness—it can be simultaneously terrifying and awe inspiring. Just when we think we understand, it suddenly gives way to a profounder meaning—a soul shaking reality that moves us to the very core of our being.
A CONVERSATION WITH THE SPIRIT OF PEACE
River: May I speak to the spirit of peace, please?
Peace: Granted. I hear you.
River: Thank you! Some of our people call you a goddess, others a spirit or an angel. How do you describe yourself?
Peace: I rather like the title Spirit. It is more complex in meaning, and better suited to my role than the other words you mention.
Above and Beyond Self Care
2018 and 2019 seemed to be the years of “Self-Care.” It was advocated in every store and every social media platform. “Take care of you first.” “Do what you need and if others don’t understand, that’s their problem.”
Certainly, becoming exhausted from busy-ness serves no one well nor anyone long term. Yet, in all the well-meant advocating for self-love, the greater need for this message wasn’t being delivered. Mental and physical self care is important because it is the means to clear thinking and understanding. This then yields the SO needed empathetic actions within our larger communities and in our higher spiritual walks.
A Conversation With Gumk-Ki The Skink
Years ago, I met a Blue-Tongued Skink in a private zoo. Placing my hand on his back felt like touching the shoulders of the Earth; pure solid groundedness and complete self-awareness. The other day, I was thinking about that skink when I was unexpectedly contacted. Here is our conversation...
