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A New Storm; A New Book
Yes, I do live in Colorado. And at this time of year anything can happen, even well into Spring. So, we are expecting snow tonight and all day tomorrow, with winds, with falling temperatures, a regular “winter storm watch.” Oh, and there’s a “100%” chance of this happening! Fortunately I just received a new book to get me through the snow-bound stage (which will probably only last a few hours tomorrow!).
One of the good things about this blog is it gained the attention of Joseph Gelfer who is doing some really interesting work down in the Melbourne, Australia in the field of masculine spirituality. I just received his book, Numen, Old Men Contemporary Masculine Spiritualities and the Problem of Patriarchy. He warned in one of his comments to me that he takes apart the whole, so called “mythopoetic men’s movement” of which I’ve felt some kinship and even participated in from time to time. So, I am not surprised and full of anticipation to read his second chapter titled: “The Mythopoetic Movement: Getting it Wrong from the Start.”
Robert Bly, Michael Meade, Robert Moore and several others were at the forefront of this movement beginning in the mid-80s. I’ve been in workshops and read much material from these three men in particular and have enjoyed what they offer. In his preface Joseph writes: “I had a deep, intuitive feeling that I could identify a masculine spirituality that did not perpetuate patriarchy and homophobia…” Yes, exactly what I am looking for and what I am working to reveal in these random posts on “men and the Goddess.” During his research for his book Joseph discovers an underlying patriarchy within the men’s movement; he states: “All but a few…who articulated a ‘masculine spirituality’ were actually articulating a patriarchal spirituality.”
Yes, I can see that to an extent. And I did read critical reviews and commentary on the mythopoetic movement at the time of its zenith that stated much the same thing, that patriarchy was alive and well within the movement. But, for me at least, it was a beginning. And there was much good work done by some within the movement. I have moved on. Many have. And I hope that this new book by Joseph Gelfer helps advance this whole notion of masculine spirituality. I will keep you informed of my progress as I move through his research and findings.
Meanwhile I have been working for “the goddess.” Yes, I have revamped Rosemary’s website with a modest update to include a new video of her describing what she does. The site flows a bit better now, but stay tuned for a major overhaul in late spring as I shift her to a WordPress hosted website. Check out the video at www.rosemarybredeson.com. And, for goddess sake, if you haven’t subscribed to her FREE weekly ‘ezine’ Wisdom Connections, each issue of which contains a new message from The Divine Feminine on how to live more consciously, do so when you visit the site.
Do you have a connection to the Goddess?
Men Learning to Nurture
It was a fine weekend. We got Rosemary off to LA safely where she is busy with a business coaching intensive. Meanwhile I stayed home to take care of business! I got to play with numbers from 2009, getting ready for tax time! What a joy…I finally gave up on QuickBooks after getting myself into trouble and turned it all over to our book-keeper this afternoon! Phew, that’s a load off!
We had a very nice Sundays at The Center Celebration yesterday with a great turn-out. It must have been the spring-like weather here in Colorado Springs; people seemed to be out everywhere! While Rosemary is away our friend and colleague, Finbarr Ross, offered the message and meditation at our Celebration. And his words were thoughtful and meaningful! One of his concepts especially stayed with me and I’m still giving it thought.
He began with “we are in the time of the woman.” I definitely subscribe to that; this is exactly what is motivating this blog! We are moving through a time of feminine energy ascendancy to begin to right the balance we are so desperate for now. He concluded that women need to show men the nurturing way. And this is the thought I continue to work with today.
I agree that men need to move toward a more nurturing approach to life. What I’m struggling with is placing the burden of showing men how to nurture on women. Is it their job to teach us this kinder, gentler way of life? As children we were all nurtured in some form by our parents, guardians, some of whom were likely women; many of the fortunate among us were nurtured by loving mothers. And as boys we had friendships with girls in school, teachers, aunts and girl cousins. Did we not learn anything from these associations, many of them loving?
Yet, we were not taught to be nurturing; there was no curriculum, no catechism of stories and myths of men nurturing and caring for others. Quite the opposite. So, while we may have seen many wonderful examples of nurturing, we were not encouraged to emulate those models.
But what can women do now to change this? If men are not taught and men have no motivation to become nurturing creatures, is there something to be done? At the close of yesterday’s Celebration we listened to a lovely piece of music by Catherine Wilson on her album, Seeds of Light; the song: The Answer Lies Within. I believe the answer to how men may become more nurturing lies within the hearts of men themselves. Yes, women can show the way, they can encourage us toward a gentler path, they can demonstrate compassion, they can lead by modeling. Men need to look inside, we need to search for better answers, and as the song goes: “The answer lies within, my friend.”
I have been fortunate through much of my adult life to look within. It was years ago I learned that in my astrology chart my North Node of the Moon is in the sign of Cancer. I don’t want to get technical here, but the North Node points to growth and potential; it points to your lessons. Now it happens that Rosemary is a double Cancer; both her ascendant and moon are in Cancer. Do you think it is coincidental that we have been together for nearly 30 years? And I sure hope I’m learning some of those lessons! Cancer is the sign of caring, of homemaking, of, yes, nurturing! Is it Rosemary’s job to teach me how to be a Cancer? No, it’s my job to learn how.
I have another pointer to my case. Rosemary and I are students of the Enneagram, a model of personality types (I’ve seen it labeled as a psychospiritual typology). Again, I don’t want to get technical here, but I am a type 1, “the perfectionist” – I like everything to work or I will try to fix it so it does work. Rosemary is a type 2, “the helper” – she sees people in need and wants to “nurture” them! Once again my lessons are in my face!
But it’s up to me to see them, to learn them. My nurturing self is inside of me. And with all the modeling, teaching, way-showing in the world at my disposal it is still up to me to find that nurturer with myself.
That nurture is the Divine Feminine energy working within me. Can you find it within yourself?
Mother Love; Goddess Love
We are all glad it’s Friday; even those of us who are fortunate enough to be “retired” from the corporate world still appreciate Friday evenings. I don’t know if this is such a well traveled rut for me that Fridays just feel better or if I am still enough in that weekly cycle, “the grind”, to continue to appreciate the more relaxed feeling that comes from closing down, at least a little bit, for this time of the week. I’ll be doing that as soon as I publish this!
A few days ago I mentioned the name of an Indian Holy Woman Rosemary and I have known and been following for a long time – probably close to 15 years now, since she started touring the US in 1995. She goes on a yearly tour of the West through the late spring and summer months to bring the teachings of her Hindu faith to her many thousands of followers here. She teaches from the Vedas, she initiates into powerful practices and she renews hope in the beauty and purpose of humanity. Mostly she brings the incredible power of a Mother’s Love for all of her “children.” And unless you’ve experienced her or someone like her, there is no describing the feeling of love she vibrates when she calls us her children and “her babies.”
Her name is Sri Karunamayi; but we all call her Amma, Mother in her native language, Telugu. And you can read about this remarkable woman at: www.karunamayi.org.
I have participated in many activities with Amma over the years: I have sat in silence with her at several of her retreats; I have done pranayama breathing exercises with her before and after meditation; I have been initiated into several chants, including the ancient and powerful Gayatri Mantra; I have chanted the Sri Saraswati Mantra to greet her and to wish her farewell; I have experienced personal darshan with her and received her blessing; and I have bowed to the floor to touch her precious feet; mostly I have just been in her presence and that’s enough to feel again that Motherly Love we all long for and deserve, no matter our age! We all need to feel that kind of unconditional love.
Sri Karunamayi is a devotee and, I believe, Avatar of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of Learning. You will notice that Amma uses many of Saraswati’s symbols including swan and peacock. Saraswati is always portrayed with a Veena, an ancient Indian stringed instrument. According to saisathyasai.com: “The Veena points to the collective sound of all our thoughts and actions as it is manifest as music in the cosmic universe.” Amma’s voice is an echo of that “collective sound” and stays with one always.
That word: Avatar, is much in our language these days with the extraordinary movie by that name, video games in which players take on avatars, and even blogs where we can post our own “gravatars.” What is this about? Are we looking to take on a new persona to escape our own? Are we anxious to embody a powerful archetype to empower ourselves in a dis-empowering world? Amma is one woman who has done this, not to escape, but, indeed, to move fully into that Goddess energy and embrace the duties and responsibilities expected of a Goddess. Not many people can do this. Amma braved many hardships in order to accomplish what she has. And she continues to embrace her role in the very deepest sense. These world tours she takes on are not easy. I’ve seen first hand the logistics involved in her cross-country treks. Take a look at her tour schedule and you will know this is a rugged life!
And she does this all for love, for her children. Her Western tours are for both teaching and for fund raising. You can read about her many missions on her site. Just as one example she is building houses for displaced refugees. For our 25th wedding anniversary in 2008, Rosemary and I asked that all gifts be given in the name of SMVA Trust specifically to build one of these houses. I am pleased that we raised the $1100 to do just that, thanks to friends and family and a little extra from us.
If you want to experience Amma’s Mother Love, this pure Saraswati Goddess Love check her tour schedule and find a way to be in her presence this year!
As an aside but still related, I received the most magnificent and long awaited gift in the mail today. I had ordered a Tibetan style felted wool vest from a charming little website mid-February. (www.eternalknots.com) These vests and jackets are made by Tibetan refugees in Nepal and all the money goes to them, for feeding mothers and children among others. I can tell from the handiwork and care in the vest’s construction that this is a product of Love, a Mother’s Love to feed her children, and even love for some stranger on the other side of Mother Earth. I felt this high vibration of love as soon as I tried it on; and, of course, it fits beautifully. Order one for yourself or as a gift. But don’t expect instant gratification; it’s a long way to Nepal, even by “express mail”!
What a lovely way to begin the weekend. Namaste!
Balance Point; Tipping Point
It’s another beautiful day in Colorado. I’m sorry if some of you get tired of hearing this, but I mention it again today because we are heading toward Vernal Equinox, that balancing point in our solar calendar when Father Sun rides over the equator and our days and nights are balanced in length; equal periods of light and dark. It’s a good time of the year for many things, one of which is to examine our lives to determine if we are in balance.
Jeremy’s comment on yesterday’s post deserves a new post rather than just a reflexive comment. He makes some excellent points about balance as a goal for humans as individuals and human society. This balance includes taking a close look at the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine energies in ourselves. And this inner balance is essential to any possible outer balance that we can achieve, whether by 2012 or some other specific date in the calendar.
So, why have I chosen to focus this blog on the Goddess, and specifically on men’s relationships to the Goddess? Jeremy is correct: we need God and Goddess, ” both the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine. The Two work together in symbiosis, yin and yang, in harmony, balancing One Another.” But as I look around and as I review my approaching 65 years on the planet I fail to see much balance. It is not news that we live in a masculine dominated world. And while there have been feeble attempts to change that in a few places this dominance continues. There have been many books written about this, how it came to be, why it continues to be and how it might be changed. A wonderful book, “Chalice and the Blade” by Riane Eisler, is one example. She examines the shift from Matriarchy to Patriarchy which took place somewhere in the neighborhood of 5000 years ago, around Inanna’s time and her decline. There are lessons for us in that shift if we are to look for ways to come back into balance.
I am not examining Men and the Goddess to bring back a matriarchal society. I may think it would be better than what we have now, but it would still lack balance. Ms. Eisler promotes the idea of a “partnership society.” Men and women have different strengths, they come with different attitudes, perspectives, sensitivities (and different plumbing!). There is value in each world view. There is more value in a balanced approach, a partnership.
How do we achieve this balance? This is where we get to my purpose: we need to know as much as we possibly can about the other sex as we can learn. And for some of us men this can begin by examining the inner feminine; working with her; meditating on her and with her and through her; viewing the world through her eyes; feeling with her heart; thinking with her feminine brain. Many of us have trouble with this; many of us can’t even understand these words!
Rosemary and I have taught a weekend seminar called “Empowerment Principles for Peace.” During the weekend we examine and get in touch with the inner feminine and the inner masculine; we conclude the weekend with a “mystical marriage” of the Divine Feminine and the Divine Masculine within each individual. It is a powerful weekend. The last time we taught it in Seattle, only women showed up! And I have attended many spiritual classes, workshops, advanced trainings in various forms of self-examination and spiritual practices in which the preponderance of attendees are women. How do we get men to look into themselves and get in touch with their feminine selves?
I am stressing the Goddess and my relationship to Her, and to my inner Divine Feminine to begin to over-balance toward Feminine energy, even toward matriarchy if that’s what it will take. We need to reach a tipping point toward the feminine before we can discover where that balance point may be. We exist in a lop-sided society, and as we watch our US government grind to a stand-still, I believe we exist in a rapidly crumbling society. We need the partnership of men and women to get us through this tipping point and to the other side of human relationship, human society, human survival!
If you are in Colorado Springs on Sunday there is a good opportunity to take a look at this issue of balance; my good friend and colleague, Finbarr Ross, will be speaking on: “Sacred Union in a World in Transition” during our Sundays at The Center celebration at The Center for Powerful Living at 11:00 am. For details: www.SundaysatTheCenter.org.
Where is that tipping point? I don’t know; but I’m pushing toward the feminine pole in an attempt to find it. When I find the tipping point I’ll have a better feel for where the balance point can be found!
Goddess Encounters: The first is memorable!
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday here in Colorado we had clouds and the threat of snow; we saw a few flakes. Today it is beautifully bright with brilliant skies and a warm Sun pulling us toward the 50-degree mark and spring! The Moon is waning too; have you felt her diminished influence?
Goddesses are like the Moon. Actually they are the Moon! When we are near them and they are in their full power there is no questioning their influence; there is no questioning period. It is best just to remain in that glow of energy and accept the emotions as they flow. It can be a wonderfully good feeling to be in that flow.
I grew up in a Lutheran household; there were no Goddess Encounters then! Far from it! Luther threw all that “stuff” out during his rebellious years, stripping any lingering hints of the Feminine side of God from his religion. I rejected all of it during my rebellious years. Oh, I read the myths, histories and even some of her-stories. My head was in science. But then I bumped up against the limits of science. There was too much left unexplained. And the older I grew the the greater that unexplained heap became. And even as a Presbyterian, the thinkers, the scientists, the “frozen chosen”, there was still no room for Goddess. The women of the Bible were lovely people but far beneath the masculine god preached about on Sunday.
I had bumped up against the limits of religion. They leave no room for growth! All of them have their boundaries. What happens when those boundaries are shredded? You are bounced out; even the most liberal churches expect some “confession of faith” and expect conformance with that confession. I realized then I was searching for something that had no name; the closest I could come to a descriptive word was “spirituality.” I know, it’s a pretty lame word and becoming even more so with over- and mis-use.
Rosemary was searching then too. She found a seminary in Oklahoma (of all places) called Sancta Sophia, Lady Wisdom. It sounded good. And it was there during visits and keeping up with Rosemary”s studies that I first began to encounter Goddess. This was a gradual encounter that is still unfolding.
At Sancta Sophia Seminary, a mystery school founded on the Christ-mythos and based on spiritual teachings, such as those of Alice Bailey, I was introduced to the “Aquarian Rosary.” This is a “translation” of the Roman Catholic rosary updated for non-Catholics and more in keeping with the principles of Santa Sophia and the “New Age.” Clearly, as a non-Catholic, this whole idea of chanting to Mary as a form of “mantra yoga” was pretty strange for me. And the fumbling with beads and a cross; wow! But I was searching and as a searcher I was willing to look in every corner, even a Rosary corner. When I visited the seminary we gathered to chant the Rosary. I not only enjoyed it I felt something, some presence, some power, not unlike how I sense the full Moon. And then one day at the end of the Rosary chant, my Rosemary says: “Mary is here and has a message for us.” What?! This is my wife stating she is going to channel a message from Mother Mary.
And I felt it! This was The Divine Feminine I was hearing. This was the Feminine Voice of God speaking to us through Rosemary.
The Face of the Goddess is infinite. The Voice of the Goddess is filled with compassion for us, for the Earth. And She has many Names. She is The Mother of All Things. Rosemary continues to channel Mary, Inanna, The Divine Feminine. And it’s sometimes difficult to remember who the speaker is when Rosemary channels. It’s difficult to separate this worldly woman, my wife, from the Voice from far beyond and yet so close, so intimate.
I have been blessed by many encounters with Divine Feminine energy, the Goddess. Sri Karunamayi (Amma) embodies the Divine Mother. I will write more of my encounters with Amma later this week; meanwhile visit her site: http://www.karunamayi.org/
Do you remember your first encounter with Goddess?
What is this? Music of the Heart.
Remember that Korean Zen koan I mentioned last week? I think I need to ask that question and sit for a while with the answers that come! What is this?
First, it is this potent, full Pisces Moon. It is so full of water; I feel the water rising in my very body; it’s like a flood tide rolling in to inundate me with the salty flow of emotion. And I don’t think I’m alone. Did you watch the Olympic hockey game yesterday between Canada and the US? When the US scored that last second goal to tie the game at the end of the third period, even the announcers were having trouble getting the words out; I thought the one guy was going to burst into tears! — Pisces full moon! And what a flood of emotions on both sides of that excellent match-up when Canada scored the winning goal in overtime.
What is this?
We are still in the influence of Grandmother Moon. She will be impacting our emotions for another couple of days. Since she peaked yesterday at 9:38 am MST we will likely sense her presence, even if we can’t see her, until Wednesday. Just be still with it. Be easy with yourself. Meditate on the energies you are feeling. Breathe into your middle and sense what’s there. Is it unsettled? What is this? Flow with the chop and churning. Is it still like a frozen pond? What is this? Melt into it.
What is this?
It’s Holi Festival — Happy Holi! In India and many places with Hindu populations people are throwing colorful powder and water at one-another. This is a Vishnu celebration marking the beginning of spring and the return of color to our lives. Yesterday at our Sundays at the Center celebration (see www.SundaysatTheCenter.org) we learned about the Holi Festival. One of the more interesting reasons given for using colors to celebrate this holiday relates to Krishna , an avatar of Vishnu, and his wife, Radha. It seems Krishna’s mother thought Radha’s complexion was too light for Krishna who was dark. So, she suggested applying color to Radha’s face! In many of the images of Krishna and Radha, he is given a bluish face while Radha is much lighter. So, even the Gods and Goddesses of ancient India were conscious of the color of their skin and wanted to be darker! Are we ready for the Moon to be darker, to begin to shrink into herself, to fall back into the Sun? Are we ready to let go of what is no longer serving us and consider what we may want to bring in with the waning of the Moon to Newness?
What is this?
Rosemary, the Goddess in my life, hosted an incredible “Conversations with The Other Side” last week. We had a full house and so many of the messages from other dimensions were teaching us about Consciousness and Conscious Living. Then again, on Sunday the message for the day was about Consciousness in the Cosmos, and Earth Consciousness within the Cosmos. If you are not linked in with these thoughts, these lessons in Conscious Living, then here’s how to do it: Rosemary’s blog is: www.wisdomconnections.net; her website is: www.rosemarybredeson.com. And, as a sample of what is available through this remarkable woman, I offer here a poem she received and translated for me at the Conversations with The Other Side event; this poem was “dictated from The Other Side” – maybe from medieval times:
The lute was created
To allow strings to sing.
The music of the heart
Can be played through an instrument
Or through the voice.
But the one who knows their own heart
Needs no instrument to sing.
The one who shares a heart with others
Can do it silently.
What is this?
The Heart of Darkness
It is an unusually dark and gloomy day in Colorado. We are so use to the bright sunshine here and high skies. There is occasional light snow falling which lightens the day; the white is a beautiful contrast to the dreariness, the black clouds threatening more snow!
Light and dark – The Taoists used this contrast as a metaphor for the dichotomy of masculine and feminine energies. The Tai Chi symbol, a central representation of Taoism, highlights this contrast but also presents the balance between them and the dynamics of the energies: note the black feminine “fish” as it spirals around the white masculine “fish” as if chasing his tail. Also note the bit of feminine black in the white “fish”, its “eye”, and the white masculine “eye” of the feminine “fish.” It is a powerful image and tells us much about the ancient wisdom of Lao Tzu and his fellow sages. They fully appreciated and respected the feminine principle. Perhaps this is best explained in the first chapter of Lao Tzu’s “Taotejing.” This translation is by Red Pine:
The way that becomes a way is not the immortal way
The name that becomes a name is not the immortal name
The maiden of heaven and earth has no name
The mother of all things has a name
Thus in innocence we see the beginning
In passion we see the end
Two different names
For one and the same
The one we call dark
The dark beyond dark
The door to all beginnings.
I love this image of the dark door, full of mystery and the unknown. Yet, it seem soft and warm, welcoming. It is that feminine energy which moves us to sink into ourselves and become one with all. It is that doorway which humanity is called to move through. We are on an exquisite threshold. Are we brave enough to enter through to a new dawn?
Light and dark. I have found so much of value in China Galland’s book, Longing for Darkness. I quote a passage here which speaks so passionately and so eloquently about this darkness:
“…longing for darkness is a deeply felt human need that cuts across, goes beyond, and at the same time includes issues of ethnicity. This is a multivalent darkness. This is the darkness of ancient wisdom, of people of color, of space, of the womb, of the earth, of the unknown, of sorrow, of unconsciousness, of the darkness beyond the light, of matter, of the descent, of the body, of the shadow of the Most High.
“Like light, darkness has a wide range of symbolic meanings. The color black can signify the stage just before enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism–imminence; space; burning; the final stage of the soul’s journey to beatitude in a Sufi tradition; wisdom; fertility in Old Europe; purity in a Turkish tradition; mourning in the West; and the first step in the medieval alchemical process, the nigredo.”
Beautiful! Nothing to be afraid of there but something to embrace. The Taoists embraced the Feminine energy; so much of LaoTzu’s magnificent work is about the Dark Feminine. It is time for all of us to remember the importance of the dark. It is time for us to step through the “door to all beginnings.”
Men and The Goddess 