exploring the patterns of the universe - cosmic creativity, astrology, sacred geometry, alchemy, symbolism, archetypes, love, synchronicity, transformation, and other wisdoms within the self...
A brew of many previous posts, I am really feeling this within today ~
Your subconscious is not something that is hidden from you, and not something you only encounter in your sleeping dreams. Your subconscious is what you see reflected in the mirror and everything around you. The world you see is a manifestation of the ideas, thoughts, behaviors you have learned to know by heart, that which you enact and practice time and again until it is instinct, your belief of what is true. You have the power to create what you see by changing what is true to you, what YOU choose to tell your heart/mind...and that truth can be whatever you choose! It may just take some serious convincing. ;)
"Why then the world's mine Oyster, which I, with sword will open." ~Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor
From the Online Etymology Dictionary, Oyster: mid-14c., from O.Fr. oistre, from L. ostrea, pl. or fem. of ostreum "oyster," from Gk. ostreon, from PIE *ost- "bone" (see osseous). Related to Gk. ostrakon "hard shell" and to osteon "bone."
Oyster/Bone is the material, those ideas which have crystallized into form.
The world is my oyster, my bone, the structures I have built with my beliefs - and with my own word, my own vibration, my own truth - I will open/unfold/expand/change/evolve/create. Within the oyster, is a womb of creation/a vulva turning, spiraling, rolling around the pearl of wisdom, knowledge, truth and beauty which I/you hold dear.
"Opening oysters requires skill. The preferred method is to use a special knife..." ~ Wikipedia, Opening Oysters
We are already standing at the pearly gates of heaven.
I've brought some show-and-tell: I used to write all of the time - just jotting down random thoughts automatically, creatively. Somehow I completely forgot about this old pastime until recently when my mom was trying to clear out her space and sent me home with a pile of old notebooks. Here are some thoughts that were flowing through me 10-15 years ago. (Well, these are the ones that weren't rooted in angsty love-lust). I look at them with such new eyes, like a mother amazed at the perceived big word that her toddler speaks. A time capsule: A young, limited experience, innocent - unaware, unconscious of what she did and didn't know. It makes me want to start writing again, in hopes that I may have some fun, inspirational reads to reflect on in another decade. I hope you enjoy, there is definitely a common theme!
(2000-2001)
The only thing I understand in this world is the desire to escape it. And the only thing I desire to excel at is breaking all of these limitations.
The worn path will wear you.
I miss being young and free I miss the feeling of not knowing intoxicated pleasure but just the moment itself I will forever need my mothers nourishment, I now realize Nourish yourself; her wisdom
What is wholesome? What is good? I watch us take each step carefully along the hard, narrow cement after one another Conformity? Is that good? All of these gigantic boxes really get into my head sometimes And I long for the water, the air that tunnels through trees and passes through my body awakening my senses and thoughts with each inhale I long for moments in life where my eyes easily close without the heaviness of the material world pressing in on my brain and exhausting my intentions to try to free myself from the assembly line.
You've always resisted opening your eyes underwater because you're afraid of the sting. But you get used to it, and then you realize how much you were missing, and how many wrong turns you made, just because you feared the discomfort that seeing entailed.
(1997-1998)
This Blank Piece of Paper This is my bible Whatever I write I follow If I disagree with myself... I cross it out and rewrite These words that I have written This is what I follow This is what I believe These are my thoughts, my faith in myself This Blank Piece of Paper This is my bible.
What would you say if you bumped into yourself? Would you say 'excuse me' or would you blow you off? Swear to your mother or plot to kill your soul Save you from the cowardly planet Save you from the dog next door Save you from the fire in the sky Save you from the vision of the MAN wearing that weird bow tie. If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of a man working on the chain...right next to you. If you watch carefully, you can see that the small print reads "I wouldn't sign this if I were you, but instead I'm me, and I'm getting paid to sucker you in."
The slope of the shadow along the torso leads to the nature, the long, since prehistoric obsession The touch, the smell of living, breathing It is within only your comprehension that the mystique is uncovered Your own eyes, your own hands Your own heart, YOUR OWN Where we come from What we search for Its more than flesh, its more than blood And although senses mightbe heightened, its not what you'll feel for eternity In that place between
Go through the maze and reach for the light.
On your mark, get set...go
I feel as though you understand And that even though you don't know my place of birth, you know who I am, I am you You know my passion that remains hidden - and you didn't even have to look. You're special. You are on fire. You feel and your soul is lifted by the steam of your heart. I love you as a person - you're a true human - you feel. Hold my hand like the grass is rooted in the earth. Complimentary.
We often look to visual artwork, movies, commercials, poems, songs, etc., as expressions of ideas with the use of symbolism. But lately I'm thinking about this 3 dimensional realm that we live in, and that literally everything that we see and touch around us is a symbol for an idea, a collective belief that we all have. We create/manifest our thoughts into material existence. Some people reject this idea, thinking that this statement implies that when you think something it instantly appears. Following this line of thinking - seeing as that this obviously doesn't seem to happen for most of us (based on our definition of "instant" in our concept of time), the statement doesn't seem plausible. But who decided that manifestation had to be instantaneous? Every object around us has originated with a thought, something non-material. First came the idea/thought/belief, then came the act of using our tools to build something based on that vision. So we literally do manifest our reality, whether it takes billions of years, or some amount of months, or a 30 minute meal. So I am interested in the part of the physical reality that most of us can't see - the slippery, elusive thought matter behind every thing we have created.
con*cep*tion [kuh n-sep-shuh n] -noun 1. the act of conceiving; the state of being conceived. 2. fertilization; inception of pregnancy. 3. a notion; idea; concept: She has some odd conceptions about life. 4. something that is conceived: The machine is the conception of a genius. 5. origination; beginning 6. a design; plan. 7. the act or power of forming notions, ideas, or concepts.
"...We work with being, but nonbeing is what we use." Lao Tzu
While having the stream of thoughts flow through my mind, my eyes focused in on the railing around our porch, which I normally don't even acknowledge or think about. "What does a railing symbolize?" I thought to myself. It signifies our belief that we need a boundary wherever we find a railing, that for whatever reason we believe that we need a reminder that without that boundary we may find or inflict harm or discomfort if we go there (wherever there is). That there is a need to keep something in, or keep something out. The belief that we can separate inner from outer. If we did not have these beliefs, we would not have created railings and fences, for there would be no reason for them, as it would not yet have become our conviction that we needed to attempt to isolate one part from another. In exploring the symbolism of the railing, we can ask:
What would the world be like without boundaries? What was it like before we brought about this symbol of separation? And if we removed such a symbol, would it alter our belief that we need such boundaries?
This of course, is just one example of the symbolism that is all around us. Paying attention to the meaning inherent in every structure gives new perspective and profound meaning to the world. It makes you think about what your beliefs really are, and what you want them to be. If we want to change our collective beliefs, then manifesting a physical structure - or maybe more importantly removing structures and things that aren't relevant anymore, is our task. Of course, this brings us to the realization that there are some groups of individuals that are well versed in shaping the collective belief systems simply by introducing the idea into our physical environment. (One obvious means of doing this is through the use of media). This you probably recognize, also happens to be explored in the movie "Inception".
*update 9/16/10* Today I read this quote which is all too fitting with the subject of this post! "...everything on the material plane takes on new meaning because it is seen as a symbol for an inner quality or state of being." Liz Greene, from her book Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil
What do we believe? We can see by looking at what objects and symbols we surround ourselves with. And what do we want to believe? What ideas and frameworks still have value, and which ones are outmoded and should be deconstructed to build something new? Hmmmm...
And who knew a porch railing could be so mentally stimulating?
Recommendations:
*The previous post "crystallization" also relates.
*For further exploration of the power of your beliefs, I always highly recommend the work of Dr. Bruce Lipton.
*The work of Michael Tsarion and his study of symbols, words and history has also enriched my life and added perspective.
*The work of the individuals over at the The Sync Whole (and the myriad of other blogs that interweave there), make amazing connections and decipher symbolism through the observation of film, pop culture and more. Their stream of connections is enlightening, but is also just plain fun and inspiring!
"...Water shows us through science that our thoughts have an effect on our external reality. Imagine the possibilities when people realize their own potential for creativity..." Deepak Chopra
We are all, at the very least, partially aware of the pollution and destruction of our most precious resource. And most of us have heard that our body's water content mimics the Earth's own composition. I think most of us learned in elementary school that there is a certain amount of water on our planet and it follows a certain cycle. And we know that all living things on the Earth need some amount of water for survival. These are the basics of water, of which we take for granted most of the time, but there are many other qualities of water that most of us are not conscious of. The documentary Water: The Great Mystery probes the common element further, with insights from researchers and scientists from all over the world who are finding and showing many facets of water that we did not see before. Most intriguing to me is that water has memory, contains information, and it is something that we all share.
Dr. Gabriel Cousens touches on the work of a number of scientific researchers that support the statements of the above mentioned documentary in his book Spiritual Nutrition. In summary he states that "water: (1) can carry both positive and negative information; (2) has a memory; (3) has a memory that can be erased; and (4) can transfer that vibrational information." Dr. Cousens goes on to write about the "Cosmic Meaning of Water":
"In essence, water is like the Divine Presence in living creatures. It vibrates within all life as the blood of Nature that takes on many forms: a glass of water, the vast oceans, turbulent mountain streams, or even the blood in our bodies. Water and life are synonymous. Yet playing different roles, it remains one essence - moving as the play of consciousness. Symbolically, water may be considered the movement of consciousness on the planet. It is the foundation of life on the Earth and resonates in constant harmony with the universe, holding the solar energy of the sun and stars, the lunar energies, and the energies of the Earth. In that process, water changes its properties. Depending on what energies it absorbs and carries, water can be either a benifit or a harm to people, making them well or ill. It can give off positive or negative energy, healing or disease-producing energy."
So what are we doing to the water? It seems to me that the corruption of our water is the most direct attack on ourselves, for if the water is polluted than so are we. What we drink and what we bathe in no doubt has an effect on the health and well being of our body, mind and soul. But now we are seeing that what we think, feel and do has an effect on the water that permeates almost everything in our lives. Which can make one think, what came first, the pollution of our water or the pollution of our mind/heart/soul/desire/intentions?
My previous posts listen to your heart and the heart of the matter also relate here, for as we know, water is related to the Moon, and those posts describe the connections of the Moon to the heart as well. Through the gravitational interaction between the Moon and the Earth we see the tides of the oceans fluctuate, rise and fall. We can see further connections in looking at symbolism as well. In the Tarot, the suit of Cups is associated with the element of water. The cards of this suit describe emotional and intuitive experience, and our unconscious, private self. In astrology, the 12 signs of the zodiac fall under the ruling of one of the four elements, with Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces being the water signs. Each sign also has a ruling planet; Cancer is ruled by the Moon, Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, and Pisces is ruled by Neptune. All of these planets associated with the water signs share some astrological associations such as intuition, emotions, and sort of the hidden undercurrent of everything (pun intended). There are also 12 houses in the astrological natal chart that represent the different realms of experience in life. The houses also have elemental qualities, with the 4th, 8th, and 12th houses being the water houses and thus ruled by Cancer/Moon (4th house), Scorpio/ Pluto (8th house), and Pisces/Neptune (12th house). For more in-depth explanation, Stephen Arroyo's books Chart Interpretation Handbook and Astrology, Psychology and the Four Elements, both serve as great sources for understanding the connections to the elements in astrology. It could take a very long time to explore each of the signs, planets and houses, so let's just take a surface look at the Moon, Cancer, and 4th house in connection to water for now. The Moon represents our past, memories, predisposition, the experiences that have shaped us and imprinted us (a quality we share with water as mentioned above). The sign that we find the Moon in at the time of our birth shows how we express our instincts, and what makes us feel secure - based on our previous experience. The Moon represents the subconscious part of ourselves, the way that we instinctively operate and act without consciously thinking. In connection to the Moon and the sign of Cancer, the 4th house represents the realm of experience in our lives that has to do with our home base, where we are coming from. In our personal birth chart, any planet in this house would show subconscious energies, possibly things that we have formed an attachment to and need to assimilate and let go of. Looking at symbolism helps us to see a direct connection between water, our emotions and our subconscious. Our own tears show us this connection very well. Even if we cannot wrap our minds around the meaning of the connections, we can see that they are definitely there.
If you watched any of the videos or listened to the interviews with Dr. Bruce Lipton in my last post, he talks about how our beliefs create health or disease, not only within us, but everything around us as well. He also speaks of learning to be more conscious, rather than living out of our subconscious. Living out of the subconscious continuously, without thinking, creates more of the same. However we can live with the conscious intention to change ourselves and our environment and eventually, through living out those actions, it will become second nature, creating a whole new reality. It has been scientifically proven that the observer affects the experiment, it seems it is just taking a little while for everyone to accept this as truth, just as it took hundreds of years for people to acknowledge that the Earth wasn't flat. We like to feel secure, so we think and act based on what we "know", but one of the fundamental "laws" of nature is that it is always changing, so what we "know" is not permanent. We need to become more flexible and mutable, to flow harmoniously with nature. However we can only do this through intention and effort, to continuously make conscious choices, balancing and creating. Water is reflecting more than our mere physical image when we gaze into it. The quality of the Earth's water is our subconscious staring back at us, showing us what we are doing to ourselves. The deterioration is a direct result of our patterns of destruction. But the beauty of water is that it has a built in balancing process, and if we can make the conscious effort to change our patterns of behavior, to treat water with respect and love - with the return to the natural state of water, we return to our natural, healthy state as well. And that is empowering. Of course this is something that requires so much more exploration, but it is truly exciting and inspiring.
Dr. Bruce Lipton discusses his work with cell biology and the subject of his book The Biology of Belief in the short and sweet videos below. Take your pick! They all pack a punch of empowering information about how genes don't control life as previously believed, but that in fact environment/thoughts/beliefs instruct the genes. The power to heal is within all of us. Listening to his findings and thoughts is inspiring and shows how amazing we really are!
Listen here: This link is audio from an excellent interview that Bruce Lipton did with one of my favorite mind expanding sources Red Ice Creations Radio:
"Opening oysters requires skill. The preferred method is to use a special knife..." ~ Wikipedia, Opening Oysters
