This week’s blog will focus on some of my favorite exercises from the second section of my book “The Songbird In My Heart.” These exercises are called “Acts of Contemplation, Freedom for a Glad Heart” and are designed to put you in touch with your deeper self. Each day a corresponding prayer from the book will also be posted to Facebook.
The inspiration for these exercises came from two unlikely sources. The first are the beautiful books from Thomas Merton and his editors A Book of Hours, Seeds of Contemplation, and New Seeds of Contemplation. The second is the red Fieldbook by Peter Senge to his best selling business book The Fifth Discipline. While this part of the book bears little resemblance to these great books, they did serve as inspiration.
Please take some time and try them out! If you like, let me know how it goes. Best of luck. Mark
Acts of Contemplation, Freedom for a Glad Heart
Today – Wake-up Time
Tuesday – Airtime
Wednesday – Mealtime
Thursday – Moontime
Friday - A Moment in Time
Wake-up time
Opening Thoughts
Waking up from a good nights sleep is a special time of each day. My two dogs and I wake up every morning when the sun comes up to a routine of yawning, tousled hair and gentle head rubs. I usually get a few cheek licks as a final wakeup before we go out to do our business.
The experts say that there are few things more important than a good nights sleep. Finishing that off with a good wake up is delicious chocolate dessert after a great meal.
Acts of Contemplation
Act 1 – Option 1 – Keep a pad of paper and pen close to the bedside. Pick a morning that you can waken on your own without an alarm clock. As you wake try to remember any dreams you might have had. Write them down. This may take a while but eventually one will come and you will remember. Keep this for further review.
Act 1 – Option 2 – Keep a pad of paper and pen close to the bedside. Pick a morning that you can waken on your own without an alarm clock. As you wake, stay in quiet stillness. Be aware of your surroundings but don’t sit up yet. Let your mind wander. Just let it go, and run with it. After your mind settles, write down what happened. Keep this for further review.
Act 2 – Repeat Act 1, but pick a subject for your dream before you go to sleep. Write it down ahead of sleeping. When you wake, after your mind settles, write down what happened. Compare this to the subject you selected. Keep this for further review.
Act 3 – Review your notes from Act 1 and 2. Consider future topics for your dreams or daydreams. Consider making this a regular part of your routine, to consciously dream.
Showing posts with label dream. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dream. Show all posts
Monday, December 14, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Red Book – Review of Liber Secundus and
Each day this week I will discuss topics from C. G. Jung’s The Red Book, along with my perspective and then continue the nature series with individual birds of prey that I have observed here on Turk’s Mountain.
The Red Book – Review of Liber Secundus including my perspective
In this second section of the English translation of The Red Book, there are 21 short chapters with a brief prologue. Jung continues his dream/vision interpretations starting with “The Red One” which revolves around his personal devil. This is a vivid and highly detailed description and conversation containing an abundance of adjectives, adverbs and other descriptors. It seems that he uses the opportunity to make a point, although I am not sure I understand what that might be.
As he continues, each dream/vision seems very personal and specific to something of great meaning to Jung. Although they carry broader themes, it is hard to detect a broader message to mankind. Due to their highly detailed nature, one must consider these:
1. Did he embellish the dreams upon waking in order to make some additional point?
2. Were these more daydreams than night dreams, involving his thinking mind?
3. Were these efforts a purposeful vision-quest involving something like fasting?
4. Did Jung suffer from some chemical imbalance?
5. Was Jung experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs?
It occurs to this reader that these are not entirely dreams, but are augmented in some way, perhaps involve his thinking mind. I am guessing that he is trying to intellectualize his own personal pain and suffering of generational angst through dream interpretation. In my opinion, he is searching for spiritual answers in the world of illusion and false reality. Instead of looking into his mind of emptiness, he is looking into his mind of learned religion and societal tradition.
If that is not the case, then I have to conclude that he was either fasting, suffering from a chemical imbalance or was experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs. His musings remind me of discussions that I have had with people who have experimented with LSD or peyote. I am not saying that is the case here.
For this reader, interest quickly wanes, as this is difficult reading. Jung seems to believe that rooting his musings on religious and societal traditions makes it all the more real. There is a section of “Incantations” using religious language as well as a set of “Prophecies”. You can only surmise this work somehow solved some underlying tension in Jung. How any of this may have helped him is a mystery. To this reader it is more like the party guest who repeatedly tells stories with no ending.
As someone who has found grace and serenity within the emptiness of original spirit, I do not see how Jung’s approach will lead anywhere. He is attempting to rationalize illusion to find truth. I am not sure that this will result in his goal of resurrecting his soul. Perhaps it could make him more capable of practicing psychiatry, or operate within his religious or societal circles. But it is hard for this reader to imagine how he could have achieved any level of spirituality from this work. I will read on and report tomorrow on his next section “Scrutinies”.
Some notable quotes:“My gaze wanders widely over solitary countryside, a combination of fields and forests. I am wearing a green garment. A brown horn hangs from my shoulder.”
“But I spoke to my serpent. “In truth, my serpent, I didn’t know that you are also a teller of fairy tales. So tell me, how should I interpret your fairy tales.”
An argument then ensues between Jung and the serpent:
“Let everything grow, let everything sprout, the sun grows out of himself.”
Tomorrow – Review of “Scrutinies”
Today’s Nature topic
And, now on to today’s nature topic - the birds of prey, a reminder to us that life lives off of life. Each of these creatures have informed me and made my life fuller. I salute each of them and show my deep respect with this small recognition.
Monday – American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)
Tuesday - Red-Tailed Hawk
Wednesday - Osprey (Fish Hawk)
Today - Eastern Screech Owl
Friday - Great Blue Heron Crane and Belted Kingfisher
Eastern Screech Owl
The notes of this little fellow (10”) are heard at great distance particularly because they occur at night in the late winter when things are otherwise quiet. This is their time of courting. It is a crisp whoooo. I absolutely love to call back and set off a whole chorus of answering sounds.
A few years ago, late on a warming March day, I was taking a rest from some work I was doing on the first ridge. I was looking into the distance and noticed some movement on a dead maple tree that had broken about half way up. I picked up my binoculars and saw this magnificent bird looking back at me. I will never forget this sight.
Here in Virginia we have an extraordinary number of field mice measured in numbers per 100 square feet by the state’s Natural Resource Department. The Screech Owl is an important part of the nocturnal balance of field mouse ecology.
According to Dancing Otters and Clever Coyotes by Gary Buffalo Horn Man and Sherry Firedancer, the Owl, also known as the Night Eagle serves as “messenger and guide from the shadowy realms of darkness.” With the Owl’s extraordinary sight and hearing it serves as a “harbinger of change”. This is from their intriguing and colorful book that has been reviewed with my own.
The Red Book – Review of Liber Secundus including my perspective
In this second section of the English translation of The Red Book, there are 21 short chapters with a brief prologue. Jung continues his dream/vision interpretations starting with “The Red One” which revolves around his personal devil. This is a vivid and highly detailed description and conversation containing an abundance of adjectives, adverbs and other descriptors. It seems that he uses the opportunity to make a point, although I am not sure I understand what that might be.
As he continues, each dream/vision seems very personal and specific to something of great meaning to Jung. Although they carry broader themes, it is hard to detect a broader message to mankind. Due to their highly detailed nature, one must consider these:
1. Did he embellish the dreams upon waking in order to make some additional point?
2. Were these more daydreams than night dreams, involving his thinking mind?
3. Were these efforts a purposeful vision-quest involving something like fasting?
4. Did Jung suffer from some chemical imbalance?
5. Was Jung experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs?
It occurs to this reader that these are not entirely dreams, but are augmented in some way, perhaps involve his thinking mind. I am guessing that he is trying to intellectualize his own personal pain and suffering of generational angst through dream interpretation. In my opinion, he is searching for spiritual answers in the world of illusion and false reality. Instead of looking into his mind of emptiness, he is looking into his mind of learned religion and societal tradition.
If that is not the case, then I have to conclude that he was either fasting, suffering from a chemical imbalance or was experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs. His musings remind me of discussions that I have had with people who have experimented with LSD or peyote. I am not saying that is the case here.
For this reader, interest quickly wanes, as this is difficult reading. Jung seems to believe that rooting his musings on religious and societal traditions makes it all the more real. There is a section of “Incantations” using religious language as well as a set of “Prophecies”. You can only surmise this work somehow solved some underlying tension in Jung. How any of this may have helped him is a mystery. To this reader it is more like the party guest who repeatedly tells stories with no ending.
As someone who has found grace and serenity within the emptiness of original spirit, I do not see how Jung’s approach will lead anywhere. He is attempting to rationalize illusion to find truth. I am not sure that this will result in his goal of resurrecting his soul. Perhaps it could make him more capable of practicing psychiatry, or operate within his religious or societal circles. But it is hard for this reader to imagine how he could have achieved any level of spirituality from this work. I will read on and report tomorrow on his next section “Scrutinies”.
Some notable quotes:“My gaze wanders widely over solitary countryside, a combination of fields and forests. I am wearing a green garment. A brown horn hangs from my shoulder.”
“But I spoke to my serpent. “In truth, my serpent, I didn’t know that you are also a teller of fairy tales. So tell me, how should I interpret your fairy tales.”
An argument then ensues between Jung and the serpent:
“Let everything grow, let everything sprout, the sun grows out of himself.”
Tomorrow – Review of “Scrutinies”
Today’s Nature topic
And, now on to today’s nature topic - the birds of prey, a reminder to us that life lives off of life. Each of these creatures have informed me and made my life fuller. I salute each of them and show my deep respect with this small recognition.
Monday – American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk)
Tuesday - Red-Tailed Hawk
Wednesday - Osprey (Fish Hawk)
Today - Eastern Screech Owl
Friday - Great Blue Heron Crane and Belted Kingfisher
Eastern Screech Owl
The notes of this little fellow (10”) are heard at great distance particularly because they occur at night in the late winter when things are otherwise quiet. This is their time of courting. It is a crisp whoooo. I absolutely love to call back and set off a whole chorus of answering sounds.
A few years ago, late on a warming March day, I was taking a rest from some work I was doing on the first ridge. I was looking into the distance and noticed some movement on a dead maple tree that had broken about half way up. I picked up my binoculars and saw this magnificent bird looking back at me. I will never forget this sight.
Here in Virginia we have an extraordinary number of field mice measured in numbers per 100 square feet by the state’s Natural Resource Department. The Screech Owl is an important part of the nocturnal balance of field mouse ecology.
According to Dancing Otters and Clever Coyotes by Gary Buffalo Horn Man and Sherry Firedancer, the Owl, also known as the Night Eagle serves as “messenger and guide from the shadowy realms of darkness.” With the Owl’s extraordinary sight and hearing it serves as a “harbinger of change”. This is from their intriguing and colorful book that has been reviewed with my own.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Simple Truth
Does it make any sense to you that your true nature would be hard to find? Does it make any sense that you would need to ask some other person, see a miraculous display, or think a fabulous thought?
Isn’t your true nature your inner knowing? Isn’t it the precious gift that you received with your auspicious human birth? Do you really need to see a sign, dream a dream, or travel to some exotic place?
Is your inner spirit far away? Is this the search for a complexity beyond a complexity or a riddle within a riddle? Does any of that make any sense?
The simple truth is that your true nature is just beneath the surface of who you think you are, waiting patiently for you to find your way home.
Simple Is
Isn’t your true nature your inner knowing? Isn’t it the precious gift that you received with your auspicious human birth? Do you really need to see a sign, dream a dream, or travel to some exotic place?
Is your inner spirit far away? Is this the search for a complexity beyond a complexity or a riddle within a riddle? Does any of that make any sense?
The simple truth is that your true nature is just beneath the surface of who you think you are, waiting patiently for you to find your way home.
Simple Is
As simple as it is
No simpler please
That is what we seek
For the ego loves the puzzle
The master of complexity
A storyteller, who
Lives from the crowd’s reply
To stoke the ego’s fire
But this is just the magician
Hard at work again
Pulling the rabbit out
Good for a laugh
Part of the distraction
The illusion of it all
If we only knew that
The true reward is
The simplicity found inside.
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