Forgiveness and Compassion

"To believe in their capacity to be transformed?"

My hope is we can hold the people in our country

accountable for their wrongdoing 

with compassion and forgiveness

rather than vengeance and humiliation.

I'm going to believe it's possible,

despite all evidence to the contrary.  

May it be so.

kastilwell

Nothing?

This quote is part of an article I came across this morning. 

I encourage you to read it if you have time.

The comment section had this interesting "thought".

"When he finished his erasure, some folks accused him of vandalizing a de Kooning, saying he destroyed art. It wasn't vandalism, he tells the interviewer. Then what was it? "Poetry," he says. "

This braids nicely with the thoughts being presented 

by Sharon Blackie in The Enchanted Life.

(I've shared some and suspect there will be more.)

This topic is serendipitous to me right now

as "nothing" is what I feel when I 

 contemplate writing something.

It's been unnerving yet, I know

from experience, the words 

come when they are ready.

May we remember our nothing is something!

kastilwell

Wonder Says "What's Possible?"

This is a new aspect of wonder for me.

I've always thought of it as curiosity 

which, for me, often leads to overwhelm

as I consider learning a whole large field of study.

This gives me a different perspective I welcome.

kastilwell

Words Help You See

 I'm conflicted about this one.

In general, I would heartily agree but,

since currently enduring a 

"mute" spell, where no words are capable

of capturing what I'm experiencing,

I'm dubious about the validity 

in some circumstances.

Sometimes, it takes time to learn to see

especially when you're walking in the unknown.

It seems patience is needed and trust.  

Trust that what is emerging

will reveal itself and with that revelation

will come the words to describe it.

Or, one needs to write gibberish

until whatever is going on inside

forms some kind of coherence?

An experiment seems to be presenting itself.

kastilwell

Enchantment Grounded in Whole-Hearted Living

 There is much to take in here.  

Much to contemplate and activate.

It's a challenging and exciting invitation.

One that calls for a deep dive 

into my motivations and intentions.

One that has me revisiting 

purpose and vision for my life.

kastilwell

Wish I Could Photosynthesize

"Doing the work of the world while standing in the sun."  

Ok, I would prefer to sit or recline in dappled sun,

but, I certainly like the idea of floating lazily on a pond.

 What a thought! 

Imagine simply being who you're born to be

trusting the evolution of your species in the continuum.

Fulfilling your purpose without question or analysis.

You're also rooted in place

eliminating the privilege 

and responsibility

of making choices 

or trying out a different locale.

So there are tradeoffs.

kastilwell

 

The Law of Nature

 This feels like a giant punch in the gut.

How can we, as a society, not see this?

"Systems fall apart if they try to grow infinitely."

May we be given whatever resources needed

to alter our course in time.

kastilwell

The Land Knows You

This thought softens my hardened edges.

The land (ki) knows me even when 

I'm paying no attention to its beauty,

even when I'm caught up 

in the programming of thinking 

it is an object apart from me.

There for my use only.

Offering no respect or consideration.

It presents itself without fanfare

or "marketing".

What a giant shift 

for my mind and my spirit.

kastilwell

 

A Wounded World is Holding Us

 This one is tattoo worthy. 

The idea of a wounded world 

feeding and holding us 

inspires me to gratitude

and the need to reciprocate

the care I'm receiving.

I'm guessing a bear made

a pass through here last night

leaving a path of broken,

empty bird feeders.  

Having the birds return

seeking sustenance this morning

encourages me to try again.

Perhaps bring them in each night

(the feeders not the birds)

if I can develop that habit.

Once the broken pieces 

are restored.

I hope to carry the vision

of the wounded earth

continuing to tend us

along with me.

An antidote to despair.

kastilwell

Reciprocal Relationship

 The Western White European mindset of objectifying the natural world 

is something I'm finding imprinted deeply into my own psyche.  

Not at all something to be proud of.  Something I want to change.

I have found that identifying plants

helps to offset this programming.

Its like getting to know your neighbors

or the people you meet along your regular routes.

It takes time, which is a whole other topic.

But it enhances the world around me

the more I learn about my cohabitants.

kastilwell

Ki and Kin?

In The Enchanted Life  by Sharon Blackie
she discusses how the English language promotes
the idea of hierarchy, objectification and separation with its pronouns.

Serendipitously, thanks to a good friend reminding me
of Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass, 
I came across her article published in Orion magazine
where she discusses the same thing.

I pulled out the pertinent sentences 
to pinpoint a possible solution.
A democratizing of species
through language, you might say.  

kastilwell

PS: Ki in Japanese means spirit.  It's pronounced kee.

Rachel's Ki has Potawatomi roots as explained 
in the Orion article linked above. 
I still want to verify how she pronounces it.  

Salt and Sand

 This comes along at an interesting time for me.

I've been wondering what part of me is "real"

as it feels like my personality has been

heavily influenced by outside forces;

such as family, church, schools and society.

In my desire to be true, it's easy to abandon

parts of myself I'm not that crazy about.

I love the image of the sea throwing herself

against the hardened cliffs.

This reminds me its all part of the picture.

Whether I like it or not.  

kastilwell

Unsaid

 I'm unable to articulate

why this reverberates

and echoes like a clear gong

among the chambers of my bones. 

kastilwell 

Make Yourself Feel Better

 This is a premier suggestion.

Seriously, 

take the time to think of 

"words you've always wanted to hear".

Write the down in large font.

Post them everywhere...

mostly on your heart. 

Carry them with you.

kastilwell

To Live By My Own Values

I'm a tiny bit chagrined to realize

I still have sorting to do

regarding which of my values are mine

and which belong to the culture I live in.

Not easy teatime musing.

So I'll proceed gently.

kastilwell

 

To Live An Enchanted Life

 When I think that the distance between

this fragile, life giving planet

and the void of outer space

is only around 50 miles,

(less than the distance from here to Asheville),

I am overwhelmed with awe

and clutched with horror

at the thought of 

the devastation we are inflicting

on this marvel we call Earth.

My river of gold 

becomes a river of sorrow.

kastilwell

My Matter Matters

 

An Enchanted Life

"The extraordinary lying at the heart of the ordinary",

this is an enticing thought; 

one I'm eager to explore as I begin reading

The Enchanted Life by Sharon Blackie,

with a group of kindred spirits.

At the same time,

I'd like to share a version of Hallelujah

I discovered this morning.

I found it quite moving.

 Hallelujah For Ukraine. Shirley Șerban

(There will be a short ad you'll have to endure)

 

Change

 Finding myself a tiny bit ambivalent about this.

Part of me wants to say, 

nothing's wrong with me just as I am.

I believe it's important to be

mindful of the changes you embrace.

If you're changing into someone more authentic,

go for it with gusto.

If you're changing to please someone else,

or some "goal" of perfection, don't bother. 

You're already perfect.

kastilwell

Reveal Yourself

 "Let the power of what you love guide you..."

These words echo Mary Oliver's Wild Geese.

It's a reminder to notice, and absorb what you love

as you go through your day.

It's easy to lose sight of it when you're on auto pilot.

Commit it to memory so you can access it

in moments of confusion and stress.

Let it be your touchstone and your guide."

kastilwell

We Are The Words: We Are The Music.

 "We are the words;

we are the music."

I'm smitten with this thought.

Tipping my hat to Virginia Woolf.

kastilwell