Crows

I've often thought of crows as spiritual messengers.

But I've never thought of them as playful.  I will pay more attention from now on.

NEWS FLASH: Book of Kells available now online!

This just in.... The Book of Kells will now be available to view online!!!  Great news!  Trinity College, Dublin, has made digital images of the book available, in honor of St Patrick's Day, and just out of pure awesomeness!  You can access the images directly here.

I am truly amazed by the Book of Kells. I urge you to watch the animated movie, "Secret of Kells," as well, just gorgeous!

Overwhelmed

So, I've recently figured out that I am (or have become?) lactose and gluten intolerant.  This means I need to change  some stuff about how I eat.  Mostly I think it's a good thing, and I it will further reduce the amount of processed foods I eat.  I always tell my kids that if you can't see the food that you're eating, it's not that good for you.  Like, if you're eating an apple, you know the ingredients.  But I'm contemplating a trip to the grocery store.  And I want some sweet goodies to eat, and things feel complicated.  A friend posted this NPR piece on the Face Book, and it resonates, profoundly, for me today.  I'll figure out how to make a vegan, gluten free cupcake.  Someday.  Today, maybe I'll just eat a banana.

What's Happening Inside the Catholic Church?

I'm not Catholic, but I am paying a lot of attention to the recent events in the church, and I feel like the Pope's resignation is a bad sign of the health of the institution.  This segment from the Guardian really covers the issues well.  I agree with MacCulloch's premise that centralization was a bad thing for the Church.

Lent 2013

Again, it's been a while.  I've been busy, going through lots of changes.  I can elaborate more later, when I'm ready.

In the meantime, I'll be engaged in my Lenten Practice.  As you know, I love the season of Lent.  It allows us to slow down, reflect, and work on our spiritual connection with the Divine. 

This Lent I plan to:

• work on the Incredible Life Workbook & Calendar, 2013
• participate in the Incredible Life Facebook group, as advertised on Ask Moxie's blog
• read The Dance of Anger, by Harriet Lerner
• try each item on 40 Ideas for Keeping a Holy Lent
• fast: I plan to only visit Facebook in from my home computer, and try to focus on the group above, not general posting.
• read Proverbs from the Bible
• Lenten reflection: "to see better what is invisible to the eye, to have strength to more actively comfort and aid." - as said by a Facebook Friend
   

Those are ambitious goals!  I won't beat myself up if I can't do them all.  Doing these things will be helpful to me, so I'm going to do my best.  If I'm really on the ball, I'll post updates about how it's going!  I really do love this blog, and I miss it, but life has been so BUSY this past year......  It will be nice to have a chance to slow down and catch up.

I wish you all a good Lent.

News Round Up November, 2012

Wow, I haven't done a news round up - or blogged - in a wicked long time either!  Hi! 

Now that the election is out of the way, it's the time of year I start to get reflective.  First there's Remembrance Day (St Martin's Day). Then Thanksgiving, and then Advent.  I like thinking of it as Remembrance Day, and poppies, and working for no more war.  Here in the United States it's called Veterans' Day, and we remember them.  The focus is different, but important too.  A friend posted this list of 20 ways to reach out to veterans, which I like, especially after being reminded of the ongoing war in Afghanistan. 

I have been a big supporter of Pussy Riot since they were arrested for their "Punk Prayer."  I did not know what that prayer actually said, but now I do, thanks again to The Atlantic.   Very interesting and compelling.  I'm not sure how many Westerners really understand Russia's history.  I'm not going to say that I get it, but having the words translated and clarified for me, gives me a little bit more insight. I pray for those women in the labor camps, and for their country.   

And finally, Occupy.  I knew that the movement would re-invigorate itself and morph into something else that will help people.  I love this new idea of a Debt Jubilee.  I love that the idea is coming in time for Advent and Christmas.  I love that it is people helping people, and offering RELIEF from something as soul-crushing as debt.  Pure Genius.  I hope the idea takes off and magnifies and fundamentally changes the way that this country "works." 

Enjoy the autumn, and the calm, peaceful, dark season. 

Change

I was impressed by the London Olympics of 2012, but I've been Amazed by the reports from the London Paralympics 2012.  I haven't actually seen any of the events - unlike the total bandwidth domination of the Olympics by NBC here in the US, they have broadcast hardly any of the Paralympics, which is a shame.  From the foreign coverage I've read, comments from British FB friends, and photos I've seen from the events, these Paralympics have hit "primetime" and I don't think there's any going back now!  So Awesome!

Today is also the anniversary of September 11th, and brings me a moment of reflection.  I thought about it as I walked to work this morning. The weather is the same beautiful September weather we had 11 years ago at 8:46.  I thought about the rescue workers scrambling, and the smoke, and the survivors, and the dead, and the clear blue sky.   I remember racing home that day, to be with La Prima.  I couldn't watch the endless loop of tragedy on the TV, so we played in the paddling pool while no planes flew overhead in the afternoon.  She is in middle school now, and La Segunda is here with us too.  There have been so many changes since that day, some good, some bad. 

I guess the change in the seasons is always momentous, and a time for reflection or a time for action.  Spring for planting and fall for reaping.  A friend posted this prayer that was recited at the Paralympics closing ceremonies on behalf of Help for Heroes, just beautiful.  Amazing change:

I call upon the spirit of Autumn. The spirit of water, of the ebb and flow of emotion; of open seas and running streams, of cleansing rain; spirit of the evening sun, of twilight and of Autumn.
I call upon the spirit of Winter. The spirit of earth, of the womb of creation; of the night and the snows of winter, deep roots and ancient stones.
I call upon the spirit of Spring. The spirit of air, the breath of life; of sunrise, and of new life and of new growth.
I call upon the Spirit of Summer. The spirit of fire, of energy of passion; spirit of the noonday sun, the heat of summer, vitality and abundance.
My friends, let the festival commence!


The circle is unbroken,
The ancestors awoken.
May the songs of the Earth
and of her people ring true.
Hail to the Festival of the flame
of root and branch, tooth and claw,
fur and feather, of earth and sea and sky.

~ From the  British Druid Order

We Are All Pussy Riot

I have been following the whole sham trial of Pussy Riot and am not surprised that the Russian state has sent these brave women to prison for two years. 

The World is watching.  Stay strong Maria Alyokhina,  Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina Samutsevich!  We support you!

For St Mary Magdalene's Feast Day

UPDATE: Check this sermon a different friend posted on Facebook about Mary Magdalene's Feast Day.

A friend posted this on Facebook, and I think it's appropriate for this day and age:

An Icon For Our Century - Mary Magdalene
By Joan Chittister, OSB

It is Mary Magdalene, the evangelist John details, to whom Jesus first appears after the resurrection. It is Mary Magdalene who is instructed to proclaim the Easter message to the others. It is Mary Magdalene whom Jesus commissions to “tell Peter and the others that I have gone before them into Galilee.”

And, then, the scripture says pathetically, “But Peter and John and the others did not believe her and they went to the tomb to see for themselves.” It is two thousand years later and little or nothing has changed. The voice of women proclaiming the presence of Christ goes largely unconfirmed. The call of women to minister goes largely unnoted. The commission of women to the church goes largely disdained.

Mary Magdalene is, no doubt about it, an important icon for the twenty-first century.

She calls women to listen to the call of the Christ over the call of the church.

She calls men to listen for the call of the Christ in the messages of women.

She calls women to courage and men to humility.

She calls all of us to faith and fortitude, to unity and universalism, to a Christianity that rises above sexism, a religion that transcends the idolatry of maleness, and a commitment to the things of God that surmounts every obstacle and surpasses every system.

Mary Magdalene is a shining light of hope, a disciple of Christ, a model of the wholeness of life, in a world whose name is despair and in a church whose vision is yet, still, even now, partial.

News Flash: I'm a "Navigator"

We interrupt this hiatus to announce:

Today I was labeled as a "Navigator," as opposed to a "Problem Solver." 

from wikipedia:

A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to destinations while en route, and ensuring hazards are avoided.

I have always considered myself a problem solver, but when I heard the "Navigator" described, it fit perfectly.  I can adapt my decision-making process to the events going on around me - speed up for the rapids, drift along the calm, deep water, and avoid crashing on the rocks or running aground on  sand bars.  When someone tries to hurry or bully me, I sometimes fear I will capsize, and sometimes go into panic mode.  But usually, I stay the course, and everything goes OK. 

This new label has been validating for me.  It reminds me of my affinity for Mountain Goats (to use another metaphor for navigating hazards), and a recent link that Lakshmi sent me about the North Star.

Now back to our regularly scheduled hiatus.

hiatus

It's that time of year again, folks.  Lots going on here, and I need to take a break in some corners of my life.  So, I will leave you with this gem as I rest up and enjoy the summer:

See you in a while.

Snape and Vulnerability

I had two reminders about Brene Brown this week.  One was when a friend posted on FB about "Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Here's a snippet from that post, to give you a sense of what a "shame researcher" is:

We shared a laugh about his Snape projection, then things got more serious. “What you said really made sense to me. Especially the part about us being so afraid of the dark stuff. What’s the quote that you shared from your book - the one with the picture of the twinkle lights?”

“Oh, the twinkle light quote: ‘Only when we’re brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.’”

She talks a lot about vulnerability.  And when another friend asked me if I'd read any of her books, I said, "I haven't read any of her books, just her blog.  And I like what I've read so far..... I was going to say I "like" what she has to say about vulnerability.  But, that's really not the truth: I find what she has to say about vulnerability very unsettling, which I guess is the point.  It feels hard to put into practice.  But I can see the rewards of doing it."

As Brene Brown says: 

“Yes. Shame resilience is key to embracing our vulnerability. We can’t let ourselves be seen if we’re terrified by what people might think. Often ‘not being good at vulnerability’ means that we’re damn good at shame.”

 Big stuff. But as you all know, Snape is my hero! 

Official Start of Summer, chez Grande Foret

It's going to be a busy summer chez Grande Forêt.  Yesterday, La Prima's (public school) teacher sang the class this song, as a going away gift:

I get choked up just typing that.  Anyways, it pretty much sums up what has been an amazing year full of growth for us. I hope you dance.

I got this poem from a friend today, via email, and it sums up my life perfectly right now.  Thank you, Silver Queen, you know who you are.

Passage

by John Brehm

In all the woods that day I was
the only living thing
fretful, exhausted, or unsure.
Giant fir and spruce and cedar trees
that had stood their ground
three hundred years
stretched in sunlight calmly
unimpressed by whatever
it was that held me
hunched and tense above the stream,
biting my nails, calculating all
my impossibilities.
Nor did the water pause
to reflect or enter into
my considerations.
It found its way
over and around a crowd
of rocks in easy flourishes,
in laughing evasions and
shifts in direction.
Nothing could slow it down for long.
It even made a little song
out of all the things
that got in its way,
a music against the hard edges
of whatever might interrupt its going.

 

"Passage" by John Brehm, from

Help is on the Way. © The University

of Wisconsin Press, 2012.

Spring Break trip

This song was the soundtrack for our spring break trip to Germany.  I will (hopefully) post some photos and thoughts about the trip here.  But in the meantime, sit back, and enjoy the song. 

Happy Easter, Peeple!

I just saw this on Buzzfeed:

I love me some Peeps!  Happy Easter, All!

Hope Springs Eternal

I just found this amazing art installation photo on BoingBoing.

Amazing, and inspiring.  Here is a quotation from the article:

“I walked through Bloom with a close friend of mine who has spent a great deal of time inside similar hospitals. He was close to tears and repeated said he felt the desire to jump into the flowers, sum bold for the freedom and the celebration of his own growth and healing. We recognized that Bloom brought beauty and wonder to what has always been an inherently taboo subject matter.”

“‘Never worry alone’ was a Dr. Tom Gutheil classic line, but because of the lack of social support, too many patients who came here had to worry alone. Anna saw these corridors as places to be filled with growth. For all the patients who never received flowers, these flowers are for you.”

You can see the original article here, with more beautiful photos.

Shrines of Hope

This blog post is based on a recent talk I attended called which is part of a series at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Department of Pastoral Care, Spirituality, Religion & Health Interest Group:

FAMILY SHRINES OF HOPE ON THE MEDICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (MICU)
with John Hansen-Flaschen, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania



ICU Family Shrines of Hope from John Hansen-Flaschen on Vimeo.


After playing the above video for us, Dr Hansen-Flaschen talked about his concept of working at the MICU as being on a tour of duty in a submarine.  He completely immerses himself in the world of the MICU during his two-week rotation.  The patients, family and staff of the MICU are all he thinks about.  Then he talked about the welcome appearance of the shrines that he shows in the video.  First, his definition.

Shrine: an assembly of specifically chosen items assembled for devotional or reverential purposes. There are both secular and religious shrines - that determination is best left to the viewer.

Shrines of Hope

These are not a commemoration of something that WAS, but hope for recovery or a peaceful passage to a better place.  Shrines in the ICU spring up on their own.  Not memorials but visual prayers of hope and redemption.

We experience life in MICU completely and profoundly specter of death brings focus and solemnity.  Families come and talk, think about the future, they're not "crying all the time."  They are up against the clock.  It's a time for reconciliation, healing old wounds, wrapping things up.

ICU = temple and submarine, rooms are chapels, nurses' station is the altar, MD's are high priests (? the speaker wonders) How do we reconcile the images of submarine and temple?

What makes a place sacred?  There are secular shrines.  MICU is a separate place, it's about the human condition: intensity and profundity.  It's not easy to be distracted in the MICU.

"I ask, 'Tell me about him/her'  - up to that point all the medical interactions have been about 'rescue.'  After this question, Tell me about her, then what comes out is a first draft of an obituary." - Dr.
H-F

From here, the talk became a discussion about what experiences of the MICU and/or shrines the audience members had, and how they reconcile the concepts of submarine and temple in the MICU.  The audience was diverse, made up of a lot of Chaplains. 




"MICU not always a sacred space, but sacred space is created by the people in it. "  - Chaplain
"The blessing of tasks to cope with the intensity." - Chaplain
"Nurses making shrines for patients without families that visit. That reduces "ICU Psychosis." - Chaplain
"Help with passing celebration of person.  Power of our attention to the person in the bed at the time of death." - Dr H-F
"MICU affirmation of life, love of family, stories of life, grieving has meaning because of richness of life." Chaplain
"Pieces of home make hospital room feel like home.  Hope for life, place  of home." - Chaplain

This talk gave me a LOT to think about.

Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on

BBC Bleak House, 2005 theme:

"We have a system of justice in [the US] that treats you much better if you're rich and guilty than if you're poor and innocent. Wealth, not culpability, shapes outcomes.” - Bryan Stevenson

I read that quote above, on BoingBoing and then listened to the whole "TED" talk. It's amazing how the past 24 hours have had so many connections and amazing little pieces that I think I'm going to have to break it all into two blog posts over two days! But, I read the link above today, after I read the Democracy Now piece on Christian Gomez, 27, who died at Corcoran State Prison after apparently participating in a hunger strike intended to highlight the terrible treatment of prisoners in Solitary.

"The use and abuse of solitary confinement in U.S. prisons is one of the most pressing domestic human rights issues in America today—and also one of the most invisible. The routine isolation of prisoners has grown dramatically in the past three decades, outpacing even the growth in the general prison population. Today, at least 25,000 prisoners are being held in long-term solitary in the nation’s “supermax” facilities. According to available data, the total number of prisoners living in solitary confinement in all prisons and jails exceeds 80,000." - Solitary Watch

[I think it's also crazy that a comedian is bringing this to our attention.]

Our prison population has exploded. And if you are an African American or Latino male, you are more likely to be incarcerated than anyone else. Once incarcerated, you may well lose your right to vote (in some states, permanently). And increasingly, you will be given the "choice" of working for a corporation to make things or staff phone banks for pennies an hour, OR go to solitary confinement. I don't think anyone really considers Solitary an option. The inequality of the system, that is so weighted against the poor and those with dark skin is truly terrifying.

Excluding low-scoring students from public schools gets scores up, but it expands the school-to-prison pipeline, which has quadrupled over the past thirty years, along with corrections costs, which now threaten to devour funds that should be spent on education. Most inmates are functionally illiterate and high school dropouts. In a devil’s bargain, the public spends as much as $50,000 a year to incarcerate young men on whom it would not spend $10,000 a year for a decent education. - The Nation

My long-time readers will know that I'll want to bring this discussion back to education, and so here I go. I'm willing to oblige. I recently began re-watching the 2005 BBC version of Bleak House, and if you haven't seen it yet, I recommend it! I see so many parallels between Dickens' time and ours. The rich have rigged the system, and the poor are doing the best they can do make some kind of living out of their lots. All Dickens' characters are flawed but they feel "true to life." The "moral of the story" comes shining through too. We are all just as sick as our secrets - just because we have the power and wealth to make something happen, doesn't mean we should.

Bleak House is one of Charles Dickens' most brilliant novels, arguably the greatest ever depiction of Victorian London -- from its splendid heights to its most wretched depths. Bleak House features some of the most famous plot twists in literary history, including a case of human spontaneous combustion and an infamous inheritance dispute that is tied up for generations in the dysfunctional English courts.

An epic feast of characters and storylines, Bleak House is Dickens' passionate indictment of the convoluted legal system that is as searingly relevant today as it was in the mid-19th century. The court of Chancery becomes the center of a tangle of relationships at all levels of society and a metaphor for the decay and corruption at the heart of Victorian England. - PBS.org

I'm taking heart from the fact that we moved away from the "Dickensian" treatment of people, but then, when I realize we have fallen back in the same traps, I lose hope! I suppose what helps me to keep moving forward is to know that I have read and heard the stories of these people in Solitary, that I can try to help get the word out about these people, and "be a witness" to their plight.

Shine a bright light in the dark places. The truth is stranger than fiction, and maybe Knowledge really is Power. I'm full of the cliches today. But I don't know how else to move forward with any kind of hope. "Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on."

Cockadoodle-doo!!!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

You should be like a rooster, Pisces: dispensing wake-up calls on a regular basis. You should be nudging people to shed their torpor and shake themselves out of their stupor. What's your personal version of "Cockadoodle-doo!"? It shouldn't be something generic like "Open your eyes!" or "Stop making excuses!" Come up with attention-grabbing exclamations or signature phrases that no intelligent person can possibly ignore or feel defensive about. For example: "Let's leap into the vortex and scramble our trances!"?

I still Love Rob Brezsny after all these years. I'll leave you with the video for 'Feel It All Around' by Washed Out. Portlandia fans will recognize it. Happy Day, all.

Seize the Moment!