#as someone with a vague familial connection to what thrived in the earth of their home ie. akin to elementals

[impossible-rat-babies]

what gets me sometimes w the idea of the calamity is that there are probably places in the deserts of thanalan where the fire of bahamut turned the sand to glass and it’s just. a few handfuls of sand there are layers of glass

[cedarrrun]

The author, doula, and founder of Mama Glow offers a three-part restorative practice to reset your nervous system and reclaim your yoga glow.

Every September, National Yoga Month inspires us to get on our mats and reminds us of the magic inherent in the mind-body connection. But for many practitioners, COVID-era livestream classes have run their course.

We can all admit there are times when we feel like the last thing we want to do is look at a computer screen. If Zoom and pandemic fatigue have all but dulled your senses, Brooklyn-based Latham Thomas, founder of the maternity lifestyle brand Mama Glow, and author of Own Your Glow, suggests an alternate pathway to reinvigorate your practice. “This moment presents an opportunity to lean into the limbs of yoga and focus on philosophy more than physicality,” she says. Collectively, we’re restless, anxious, even sluggish; full of uncertainty about the future. Plus, she adds, “a lot of people are bored with their practice and say that it’s just not as fulfilling.” But there’s a silver lining to coronavirus lockdown, according to Thomas: By slowing down and leaning into unpleasant and uncomfortable feelings, we tune in to what it is we really need in order to thrive. This “reprogramming” can help us reignite our inner spark and reclaim our lost yoga glow. “Your emotional body wants to rest—so how can you practice active rest?” she asks. “How much space can you make for yourself? What would it feel like to center your needs—not your physical needs, but your psychic needs? Use that as a compass for wisdom. Reclaiming your yoga glow is about expanding your capacity to receive.”

see also I Tried Dopamine Fasting, and It Helped Me Appreciate the Present

Everything we would normally do to anchor ourselves in times of stress, anxiety, or tension—like gathering in our yoga classes, embracing our friends and families, and being in proximity to other living, breathing, bodies—has been missing from our lives for months. “There’s collective mourning—a weight, a heaviness connected to everyone, we are all feeling the effects of the same set of circumstances, but in different ways all at the same time,” she says. “We’ve been cooped up inside—but we’ve also had to deal with what’s happening in the world around us—and we’re not getting the community lift that we’re used to.”

Thomas says the invitation now, for all of us, is to listen to what’s happening inside of us. “What does our internal landscape look like at this moment?” she asks. “There is another pathway that is also yoga—it’s going beyond what is challenging us in a different way that’s not necessarily physical.”

For a yoga mat that helps you find your alignment, try Ewedoos Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat with Alignment Lines

What Is Active Rest?

For Thomas, the practice of active rest begins by giving ourselves permission to feel rather than think. “In this time of quarantine and unrest, it's important to anchor ourselves in possibility, revel in grace, and embrace the energy of ease,” she says. By channeling emotional intelligence, we defer to the parasympathetic nervous system to ascertain the style of embodied practice that will work best for us at the moment. “We can reclaim an intentional practice around rest that is more reflective and less robotic,” Thomas says, adding that active rest can include movement.

see also How Yoga Nidra Can Help You Get More Sleep

It’s possible that our yoga practices have mentally prepared us for this very moment in human history. Thomas says that in 2020, the practice serves as a reminder that it’s OK to lay in bed and sleep a little longer and that it’s OK if you’re exhausted—because there are plenty of reasons to be exhausted. “There is wisdom in listening to what your body needs,” she says. “Don’t just show up to your mat—but show up to your life and tune into the landscape that yoga philosophy teaches us all about.”

Thomas says her COVID-era practice is very different than it used to be—it’s quiet and solitary and continues to ebb and flow. “I would not be surprised if we start to see more active rest classes in 2021 when we can go back into the world,” she says.

For a journal to keep track of gratitude, try Good Days Start With Gratitude: A 52 Week Guide To Cultivate An Attitude Of Gratitude

The somatic work that Thomas has been exploring in recent months—especially during moments of anxiety and uncertainty—connects the body with higher consciousness. For National Yoga Month, and just in time for essential Fall grounding, Thomas shares her three-part practice for active rest and relaxation. The practice should take about 15–20 minutes from start to finish—or longer if you need it. “The body is so powerful because it’s the arbiter of safety, security, and belonging—and this practice invites us to attune to our bodies, feel your way through, and figure out the pathway that makes the most sense for you,” Thomas says.

It's not too late to join us for our National Yoga Month program for recommitting to your practice—whether that's five minutes of active rest a day, a quick pranayama or meditation, or a full asana class. 

Latham Thomas’ 3-Part Practice for Reclaiming Your Yoga Glow

1. Self-Inquiry

Set up a sacred space in your home—if you haven’t already—and lay down on your mat using as many props as you need so you’re cozy and comfortable. You might also try this practice outdoors, laying on the earth to recharge. As you deepen your breath and open yourself to the wisdom of your body, imagine sending breath to each part of your body starting from your feet, legs, knees, et cetera, all the way up to your head. As you breathe and listen, reflect on what you can learn about your body when you take the time to listen to it. Ask yourself the following questions for self-reflection:

Where do I feel joy in my body?

Where am I soothing myself?

Where do I feel constriction?

Where am I feeling open?

see also Try This Restorative, Hip-Opening Yoga Sequence for Ultimate Rejuvenation

2. Vocal Toning Once you’re calm and centered, continue elongating your breath, but with each exhale, release a gentle humming sound with your lips closed. Vocal toning is not harmonic, Thomas says, but a single solitary note that’s closest to your speaking voice. Each humming sound generates an internal massage for the body and stimulates the vagus nerve. Vocal toning slows down the body and brain waves and grounds the nervous system. The throat (vishuddha) chakra is also activated, increasing the capacity for truth-telling. By empowering your voice, you can actually listen to your inner voice, Thomas says—what’s been buried beneath the surface that you haven’t spoken aloud will start to reveal itself. For beginners, Thomas advises starting with 5 minutes of toning, and over time, as plasticity increases, increasing to up to 10–15 minutes. When you allow yourself to feel versus think and enter a state of total relaxation, you allow for moments of clarity as you move from an active brain wave state to an altered state of relaxation (theta and delta waves).

By developing this “spiritual stamina,” you’re bringing to the surface what’s uncomfortable like taking a sponge, soaking it up, and wringing it out, Thomas says. You can also hum alongside simple, repetitive drone sounds or ambient music—the Insight Timer app or YouTube are great resources. You might record the wisdom that arises as a voice memo on your iPhone or jot down in a notebook. “Just letting that stuff come up is the medicine,” Thomas says.

The next phase of this process incorporates a simple mantra such as “Ah.” The throat and pelvic floor are neurologically coordinated, Thomas says, and as the throat chakra signals the root chakra to open, a pathway to creative solutions around what’s really been bothering you and what you need to remedy will emerge. This “creative vortex” is a portal that opens upon entering your personal “medicine melody,” according to Thomas. Savor the resonance of sound and sensations in your body as you go. If there’s someone in your household you can partner up with, Thomas says the experience of doing this practice head-to-head on the floor or seated back-to-back is profound. “You can feel the heat and energy of their spine and they feel yours—and you hear their voice and you entrain your voices together,” she says. “Stuff comes up just by using your unhindered voice(s)—it starts by just allowing the sound to come through and be the medicine and clearing agent.”

For a thick blanket to use during your practice, try this Mexican Blanket, Falsa Blanket

3. Intention Setting To close the practice, ask yourself what steps you’ll take—not in a forceful, goal-centric way, but in a loving, gentle, and nurturing way, to remain spiritually anchored. Instead of a to-do list, which is helpful for goal setting, this moment calls for liberation from those expectations.

Ask yourself what conditions are necessary so that you may thrive. “We tend to set beautiful, powerful goals, but then life is layered—there are kids and homeschool, your job, etc., that get in the way,” Thomas says. “Don’t beat yourself up over what you didn’t get around to or achieve.” Thomas reminds us that the yoga of 2020 is not about pushing to your edge but reorienting your approach. Ask what it means to “practice” in every aspect of your life, not just on the mat, she advises. “It’s not about being in a set of postures, but creating a prostration for listening so you can receive what is meant for you with the tools you cultivated.”

Emerge from this practice with new promises you’ve made to yourself, speaking your truth about what you actually have the capacity to do. Thomas recommends starting your day with active rest in the morning, and if your body is craving movement, trying a gentle flow midday—though ultimately it’s up to you to decide what it is you need. Whatever your practices may be, use them as tools to be in direct relationship to yourself and to what’s happening around you—but do it in a way that’s sustainable.

see also Deepen Your Self-Awareness With This Gentle, Holistic Yoga Therapy and Meditation Practice

About Latham Thomas (@GlowMaven)

Named one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, Latham is leading a revolution in radical self-care, guiding women everywhere to “mother themselves first”. A celebrity wellness maven, and birth doula, Latham is the founder of Mama Glow, a global maternal health and doula education company serving birthing people along the childbearing continuum. Mama Glow supports birthing people during the fertility period, pregnancy, birth as well as during postpartum offering hand-holding through their bespoke doula services. Mama Glow also offers a globally recognized doula immersion program, attended by people from all corners of the USA and 6 continents. They educate doula-trainees from around the world to become the next generation of birth workers that will transform the modern health care system for birthing people and babies. She is a fierce advocate for birth equity and works to bridge policy gaps in maternal health. 

Pick up a copy of Own Your Glow: A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living & Crowning The Queen Within, (Paperback release: June 2020; Hay House), to learn more.

We independently source all of the products that we feature on yogajournal.com. If you buy from the links on our site, we may receive an affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.

[polarishq]

Meet MATILDA CHENERY. They are SIX HUNDRED and EIGHTY-TWO years old and hail from BOBOURDEAUX, FRANCE. Matilda embodies the constellation, ROSA, and the planet URANUS. They use she/her pronouns. Matilda teaches DIVINATIONS and DEFENSIVE MAGIC at Polaris. Their faceclaim is LINDA CARDELLINI.

URANUS reminds me of a knowing smile, a well-loved vegetable garden, cups of tea, an always open office door, good wine, blueberry pie, all-out holiday decorations, infectious laughter, vague yet sound advice, flowers, open windows, a crackling fireplace, a wall full of dream journals, a spotlight shining on a stage, old Hollywood, books, a cluttered desk .

BIOGRAPHY

Matilda was the first in her family to be born a witch, which caused some confusion in her life, to say the least. She lost her mother early on to the Bubonic Plague and, after that, it was just her and her father and their family farm. Her psychic magic inclination manifested itself when she was a kid, though she didn’t know that being able to read her father’s thoughts was anything out of the ordinary. Money was tight, though, and although Matilda would have been content living on that farm forever, her father arranged for her to be married to the son of a Blacksmith as soon as she was of age. Whether she loved him or not was never important; she became a wife and a mother, just like she had always felt she was supposed to be; together, they raised three beautiful children. Matilda stopped aging at a normal rate when she was in her 20s, though, and she watched her family grow up and die while she seemed to be frozen in time, no explanation available to her. By the time she outlived her great-grandchildren, Matilda was convinced she was cursed. Her family was, too, and eventually she was cast out on her own. Matilda was never meant to be alone.

The crazier she thought she was, the more Matilda retreated to her mind; eventually, she unknowingly taught herself how to travel to the Astral Plane, as it became a better place to be than reality. Then again, she assumed it was a hallucination and not a real place. It was there that she met the witch that had then been sponsored by Virgo, and over time, the two of them figured out how to make a connection on Earth. Matilda left to join the then-Virgo to study at a small makeshift school in Paris, where she began to heal just by knowing there was an explanation to everything. Matilda looked at her time in Paris as an opportunity to truly reinvent herself and figure out all she was capable of. Her psychic abilities combined with her maternal nature led her to be the ideal (and final) candidate to be sponsored by Rosa before the constellation’s official retirement. Paris had truly saved her, and when she left that school almost fifty years later, she was an entirely new person.

When she finally landed at Polaris, it felt like home. It had started off as an opportunity for her to give back to a community that essentially breathed life back into her, but it eventually became a lot more than that. Matilda thrives in a family-like environment, and that’s what Polaris is to her. She’s eccentric, to say the least; centuries of living primarily in her own mind, the minds of others, learning the magical art of divination and dreams–well, she’s not the most rooted in reality. As odd as she is, though, her inherently kind, maternal nature and her passion for teaching has her well-loved by the students. Plus, she’s got some pretty fun fire tricks up her sleeve, which always come in handy when she needs to grab the attention of a room. Her classes can be unconventional, but they’re effective.

An out of place aside: Outside of practicing magic, Matilda has always romanticized acting and has done so to varying degrees over the centuries, starting soon after she reached Paris. She’s performed in various stage productions across Europe and America, and even did a small stint in Hollywood movies in the 50s & 60s for the hell of it. She has a lot of good stories once you drag that fact out of her. Also, she’s 100% tried to put on various drama productions at Polaris over the years… to varying degrees of success. But whatever, it makes her happy.

Over the years, she’s truly perfected most aspects of psychic magic, but she’s careful to respect the boundaries of others at Polaris unless she fears for someone’s safety. The last time she broke her own rule was seven years back when a student, nearing the end of their tenure at Polaris, was starting to edge toward being overwhelmed by dark magic, something completely out of character for them. Matilda had tried to raise concerns, but no one would listen to her, so she read that student’s mind. Through mental communication and manipulation, to her horror, Matilda came to find that that student was being manipulated and controlled by another powerful psychic, and that student had been taken over too much to come back on their own. Matilda tried to take over that student’s mind, fighting an invisible force she couldn’t find the source for, but she could only gain enough control to get that student away from Polaris when it became evident that the whole thing was going to come to a head. What ensued in an empty field was a great battle; Matilda, knowing the student was an innocent vessel for whoever was controlling them, throttled back her true power tremendously for fear of hurting them, while her opponent held nothing back. It very nearly cost her her life.

After a few months’ recovery, Matilda returned to her position at the school with a newfound passion for Defensive Magic, knowing full well that whoever had possessed that student is still out there and was unsuccessful in their original goal. She’s very focused on helping students strengthen their minds and learning how to defend themselves in the event of an attack, terrified that she’s not going to be able to prevent a major tragedy from happening next time. The safety of her students is her top priority.

INCLINATION & PLANETARY MAGIC

Uranus is a quirkier teacher, but the students absolutely love them and it’s rightly reciprocated. With high parental instincts, Uranus is always willing to lend a friendly ear to their students. While they might use some unconventional methods of intruction, Uranus is a master psychic and while they could read their students’s thoughts, that’s a line they don’t want to go down. Uranus was in a major, life-threatening accident a few years back, which is how they petitioned for and created the Defensive Magic course. It’s their baby of a class, and they manage the spells and charms around the castle for protection.

CONNECTIONS

Inevitably Unhappy Ending: Matilda and this person (another teacher or someone from town) have been in love for quite some time, but due to a tragic precognition Matilda had, she knows that they can’t be together without a great cost. Whether or not it’s worth it is a constant, daily test, but thus far she’s maintained her distance for the greater good.

Wine Club: Matilda is from Bordeaux – obviously, she loves herself some wine. This is a group of people (students & teachers, of age only, she’s v responsible, thank) who get together every week or so, drink a too expensive bottle (or several) of wine, and just relax.

Lost One: This is someone who has an inclination for Psychic and/or Divination abilities who’s struggling in some way. Matilda feels a connection to them, be it a maternal feeling or something else, and she understands she’s in a unique position to help them. She exhausts a lot of mental energy on helping them, either through dream communication, other planes of existence, or something else.

Drama Club: A club for… drama. They don’t really have a structure. This kind of just happens when Matilda wants it to, and these are her go-to students that she wrangles up to throw themselves into some major production. They’re likely used to having scripts just shoved under their dorm doors in the middle of the night. It’s v chaotic, but a blast.

Penned by Ashley ★

[dfroza]

A message of spiritual and honest truth

shared in a post by John Parsons

Friends, let us ask the LORD to give us hearts that are full of godly contentment, which is “of great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6). May we be walking in true spirituality (רוּחָנִיּוּת) - in the power of the Holy Spirit (רוּחַ הַקּדֶש) - by practicing emotional honesty with ourselves and with God (James 5:16). Trials and tribulations - the "squeezing of grapes" - are part of the walk of faith, but we are invited to come "boldly" before the Throne of Grace (παρρησίας τῷ θρόνῳ τῆς χάριτος) to find help for our lives (Heb. 4:16). Note that the word translated "boldly" in this verse (παρρησίας) means that we can speak honestly and freely to God from the center of the chaos of our hearts -- without fear or shame. We don't need to conceal ourselves from the Divine Light, since this is the very Light that overcomes the hidden darkness within us. Those who trust that God is in complete control of their lives are set free from the terrible burdens of fear and anger. Abiding in the truth of ahavah shlemah (אַהֲבָה שְׁלֵמָה, God's "perfect love") means that you can let go... [Hebrew for Christians]

6.28.19 • Facebook

and another message of hope read in an email on Saturday:

Your heart is made for the kingdom of God. This might be the most important thing anyone will ever tell you about yourself: your heart only thrives in one habitat, and that safe place is called the kingdom of God. — John Eldredge, from All Things New

Grabbing the Lifeline of Hope

by John Eldredge, an exclusive excerpt from All Things New

We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God… — Hebrews 6:18-19 The Message

I am haunted by this passage. The promised hope. A spiritual lifeline. Take hold.

I know I need hope; I understand that Scripture calls it one of the three great forces of human existence (1 Corinthians 13:13). But I don’t really give it much intentional thought; I don’t spend time each day taking hold of it with both hands.

Do you?

I think we have fallen into the idea that hope just sort of “happens” to us. We hear good news — that we are getting a promotion, that our child has done well in school, or that the MRI came back clear — and then we find ourselves hopeful. As if hope were merely a response to our circumstances. But when we treat hope so casually, when we wait for it to “happen” to us, we find ourselves on an emotional roller coaster of hope and despair, hope and despair — for our circumstances change as often as a politician’s platform.

Hebrews says that the hope we are meant to take hold of is “an anchor of the soul“ (Hebrews 6:19 NIV). An anchor — not a roller coaster. So hope must be something more solid than what news happens to come our way each day.

But what is this hope we are supposed to grasp? That’s where I think most people find themselves between a rock and a hard place. We understand at some level that God’s great “promise” to us is of course Heaven, eternal life. But we don’t really have imaginations filled with stunning images of Heaven. Far from it. We hardly ever think of it, and when we do, we conceive of very religious things like eternal worship or standing in the presence of God forever. And I will let you in on a little secret – hope only rises when we anticipate things we actually long for. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “We can only hope for what we desire.”

If someone promises you a year cleaning apartments, it would not fill you with hope. If they promised you a year in Hawaii, or Tuscany, or some beautiful place, you would leap for joy. You’d be so filled with hope. Because you would be anticipating something that was real, and concrete, and spoke to your deepest desires.

You cannot hope for what is vague, and far off; you cannot hope for something you can’t even conceive of.

Enter Jesus, who came to rescue us from all sorts of religious mistakes and show us — in utterly tangible and concrete ways — exactly what God has promised us.

First, take the incarnation: God Himself comes to us in the flesh. He speaks to us, walks with us, eats with us — so that there can be no mistaking what He is like. No more vague images of God-in-the-clouds.

If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus of Nazareth.

Here you can see how concrete He wanted to make things. How utterly real.

Including our hopes. Especially our hopes.

Hebrews says what we are urged to grasp is “the promised hope” (Hebrews 6:19). According to Jesus, what exactly is this promised hope?

In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel. And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields — whatever — because of Me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. — Matthew 19:28-29 The Message

This passage has so much power we must take it piece by piece so that we grasp what our Lord is offering.

First, Jesus calls our future “the re-creation of the world,” “the renewal of all things” (NIV). Did you know that God promised to renew all things? That He promises to restore even the world itself? Most Christians I have spoken to thought that God was going to destroy the world and we all go to some new place in the sky (“Heaven”). Not so. Listen to this passage from the book of Acts:

For [Jesus] must remain in Heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. — Acts 3:19 NLT

The restoration of all things. An echo of the words of Jesus in Matthew 19, “the renewal of all things.” Which is of course repeated yet again in Revelation chapter 21:

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” — Revelation 21:15 NLT

You need to stop and ask yourself, “Do I imagine my future as the restoration of my own life, and everything I love?” This is the promise of God. Think of it, allow it to be true. “My future is the restoration of my life and everything I love.”

Let’s keep trying to make this tangible and real. Let’s come back to Matthew 19 and second, notice that when Jesus speaks of the renewal of all things, He then connects it to very concrete, personal and precious things like “home, family, fields.” He does not speak of Heaven; He speaks to His followers about their real and tangible losses — relationships, loved ones, even places that matter (homes) and careers (fields). No vague promises of the sweet by-and-by here; Jesus is using very solid and familiar examples.

Your life, and everything you love will be restored.

If we simply hold up a great coming Restoration of very real and tangible things, we can go back into the Gospels and see just how often Jesus tries to illustrate this: the blind receive their eyesight back, the deaf are able to hear once again, the crippled are now walking, running, leaping. Do you see it? The miracles of Jesus are demonstrations of God’s ability and intention for restoration.

And then we have Easter. Jesus Himself is raised from death, but notice — He is still Jesus. The same Jesus they knew and loved. He even has the scars still in His hands. Jesus’ resurrection life is the greatest example of the coming restoration we could ask for, and what we see is that He is restored. So shall we be. So shall the world itself. As N.T. Wright has said, the early Christians “believed that God was going to do for the whole cosmos what he had done for Jesus at Easter.” (Surprised by Hope)

So what is the promised hope? The restoration of your life and everything you love, everything you have lost, everything you will eventually have to say goodbye to.

Who has made this promise? God Himself.

What are we supposed to do? We are urged to take hold of it, to grab the hope of the Great Restoration with both hands and never let go.

Then it will become for us the anchor of our soul; then it will become to us an unbreakable spiritual lifeline reaching right into the presence of God.

***

Your Turn

Throughout your life, what have you thought Heaven would be like? How does what Scripture says about eternity change that view? Come share with us on our blog. We want to hear from you!

All Things New is a revolutionary book about our future is based on the simple idea that, according to the Bible, heaven is not our eternal home--the New Earth is. As Jesus says in the gospel of Matthew, the next chapter of our story begins with "the renewal of all things," by which he means the earth we love in all its beauty, our own selves, and the things that make for a rich life: music, art, food, laughter and all that we hold dear. Everything shall be renewed "when the world is made new."

Hope begins when we understand that for the believer nothing is lost. Heaven is not a life in the clouds; it is not endless harp-strumming or worship-singing. Rather, the life we long for, the paradise Adam and Eve knew, is precisely the life that is coming to us. And that life is coming soon.

[phidiaspickle]

For @foldingstars295

Gemini - QUICK-WITTEDNESS PERSPICACITY FLEXIBILITY

VERSATILITY PERFORMANCE DEXTERITY

Monkey - IMPROVISATION CUNNING STABILITY SELF-INVOLVEMENT WIT

OPPORTUNISM

“I think”    Air, Mercury, Mutable

“I plan”     Positive Metal, Yin

IMPA TIENCE GLIBNESS INCONSTANCY SELF-DECEPTION SUPERFICIALITY INDECISIVENESS

DECEIT RUSE LOQUACITY LEADERSHIP SILLINESS ZEAL

Monkeys and Geminis resemble each other, I always used to say. When I consider the energy level of this New Astrology sign, it’s as though someone took twelve Monkeys, piled them on top of a dozen sets of twins, tailed a couple of Rolls-Royce jet engines and then let‘er rip. These people never cease moving. In fact, I wonder if Gemini/Monkeys ever sleep. Gemini/Monkeys love to talk. They need to perform, and even, I afraid, to show off. For this reason, Gemini/Monkeys enjoy entertaining and watching others have a good time. They plan giant festivals and feasts complete with hand-opened oysters and lobsters flown in from the farthest reaches of the earth.

A Gemini/Monkey bash is a guaranteed jolly time for all, your all-time unforgettable pig-out of a lifetime, your best party memory ever— until of course next week, when Gemini/Monkey will be throwing a far more sedate party. This time he’s only inviting seventy very select friends. “We will begin at six with a wine-tasting. I’ve brought in a sommelier from the Tour d’Argent. After that there’ll the balloon rides. We have to do that before it gets dark. ...” The attractions are endless. Gemini/Monkey excess knows no frontiers. If you have a Gemini/Monkey for a friend you’ll never be bored again.

With all of this apparent folderol comes the best aptitude of all—genius. Yes. Gemini/Monkeys are always brilliant. Not only do they have active, vivid minds, that can make quantum leaps in a single bound. Gemini/Monkeys have wildly creative spirits. They are always on to some new breakthrough idea that will revolutionize the horse-racing industry—and they may not even be vaguely connected to horses. But one day were watching a horse race and it popped into their heads that if such and such were so and so, then maybe the races wouldn’t have to be thus and such. Gemini/Monkeys are addicted to improvisational living. They hate to do the same thing twice in the same way, and therefore spend time imagining new solutions.

There’s a bit of the snob in our friend the Gemini/Monkey too. As he enjoys everything bigger and better and grander and smarter, a touch of class, he feels, never hurt anybody. You can count on the Gemini/Monkey to have at least one fast car in his garage, an elegant brand of dog and an equally chic and very proper mate. The accoutrements are part of the show—and with Gemini/Monkeys the show is life itself.

Don’t think Gemini/Monkeys are as light-headed as they are lighthearted. These are self-reliant, responsible independents who are not averse to buckling to a hard day at the office or a heavy single-handed spring cleaning. They know how to do such a variety of different tasks at once that watching them work is akin to viewing a master juggler in the center ring. Gemini/Monkey can delegate authority well. And he doesn’t belie being bossy in order to get people to work for him.

This person is a born iconoclast. Rules, he thinks, are made to be broken, flouted, torn up and written anew. Smashing idols is to the Gemini/Monkey only the first step in true progress. If he can’t prove that a fusty old rule is dull and simple-minded by mere logic and a bit of persuasion, then he will make short work of testing that brittle old law. Don’t ever tell a Gemini/Monkey not to ride his bike in a hospital corridor or you will soon see him cruising down the hall in Ward III.

The rule-breaking this subject gets up to can cause him some trouble. He is not a crook or a criminal. But he could very well be called a troublemaker by higher-ups. Generally his genius saves him from destruction by those too serious to see beyond their own belly-button. They know he’s impossible. But he’s so necessary to their cause that won’t let him go. Exile is one tactic used in trying to discipline the Gemini/Monkey. But no matter which remote boondock they banish him to, the Gemini/Monkey will come up giggling and raring to try his skill at some new implausible scheme.

Love

This is no ordinary lover. The Gemini/Monkey is a demanding and insistent gourmet of affection. He needs constant attention and will stop at nothing to have the spotlight permanently turned his way. It is this person’s ingenious charm that eventually seduces those he courts with such craft. How would you respond if your beau placed a diamond ring in the bottom of your bubbling champagne glass? How would you like to be presented with a shiny red sports car just because you caught the Gemini/Monkey’s eye at a dinner party? The bigger, the better. All’s fair in love—and in war? Well, Gemini/Monkeys don’t take well to amorous conflict. They like their romance clear-cut and without ghosts.

Loving a Gemini/Monkey is not particularly complicated, though. You simply have to be willing to spend your whole life standing blind-folded on the very tip of a very springy diving board with a strong wind blowing from behind. That’s all. Just stand there and quake. Of course you also have to do all the dirty work because Genius is too busy blowing up balloons for the party to remember to wash the dishes. But never mind, what you get in return is full-time nonstop fun and games. If you like show biz, the Gemini/Monkey is definitely your kind of mate.

If you have a Gemini/Monkey in your life and feel a lot like shooting him or her from time to time, I can certainly understand. The Gemini born in a Monkey year is an exhausting challenge to the sedate people he often chooses to love. Yet, there is so much joy in the best moments spent with this dynamo of imagination that all I can advise is—great, unflagging patience. If a Gemini/Monkey loves you, hold on tight. You’re in for the ride of the century.

Compatibilities

Why don’t you take up with a Libra/Rat or Dragon? Your senses of humor match well. Aries/Dragons and Monkeys are good for you too, as are Leo/Rats and Aquarius/Dragons. You’ll fail miserably if you try to woo a Virgo/Tiger or Snake, a Sagittarian Ox, Snake or Dog. Worse still would be the spotlight-grabbing Capricorn/Snake. You want all the attention, remember?

Home and Family

Gemini/Monkeys like to have all sorts of different homes. They dream of living in the mountains part of the year, in the tropics another, and then again in Rome or Milan or why not Morocco? Wherever they go, Gemini/Monkeys are quick to settle in, claim the loveliest hut for their own and set about inviting a zillion people in for a smorgasbord.

Although they are fond of luxury and class, Gemini/Monkeys cannot be accused of trying to impress with their wealth. To them, an environment should bespeak the understated elegance of a fine leather easy chair and expensive lived-in carpets six inches thick.

As a parent, the Gemini/Monkey is extremely serious. He may have many children and will love them and tend to them with equal kindness and understanding. He doesn’t, however, like being misused, and reacts badly to any relative, child or otherwise, who tries to dupe or trick him. The Gemini/Monkey possesses enormous guile himself. But he tends not to apply it to cheating those he loves. He’s a fabulous friend, faithful and out-on-a-limb involved with his old pals and cronies. He never forgets people with whom he’s had fun.

The Gemini/Monkey child is a handful. Hyperactivity is not unusual in these kids. They must be directed and disciplined into applying talents and using up each day’s energy that day. Otherwise, they may keep you up all night. Sports, music lessons, clubs and-- most of all—theatrical experiences will both please and excite the Gemini/Monkey child. Keep the never-a-dull-moment Gemini/Monkey busy and I guarantee you your child will be happy. Pay attention to him when he has achieved. But don’t give him too much free applause.

Profession

This person is gifted in very serious, intricate and difficult roles in life. He can be anything from a cancer research specialist to a high-minded theatrical director. But this person thrives on change, variation and diversification. Truly, the Gemini/Monkey is the most mutable of all the mutable signs. No matter what he does it must involve the opportunity to invent, to innovate, to create new methods and points of view. He is vibrant and full of mercurial mental motion. He must never be stuck in a dull office or forced to work in a bank or any confining place. The Gemini/Monkey cannot tolerate isolation. He likes space and requires company and attention from coworkers. As a boss or director of operations, this person will manage very well. People are attracted to the antics of the Gemini/Monkey and if he is careful to surround himself with a loving audience, he will never have to use force or coercion to see that work is done. Even at his silliest, even when he’s rolling around laughing at fate and the damned rules, the Gemini/Monkey still inspires admiration and respect in his “subjects.”

Some celebrated Gemini/Monkeys: Paul Gauguin, the Marquis de Sade, Ian Fleming, the Duchess of Windsor, Alain Souchon, Bjorn Borg, Helen O’Connell, Peggy Lee, Pierre Daninos, Venus Williams, Yves Robert.

[opalmothnightingale]

Starting at Rock Bottom

10- 10- 17 - 

Rock bottom can be the starting point, from where I then build up, act on, create, and adventure, travel and bind myself to others if I feel safe and good to do that, at some point,..  Seek guidance and open and try to feel it, intuit it, and follow it as I feel able and feel the energy of the faith... Not before then.  

All things in their right timing...  They can all build up from the soil of the humble seed, deep in the earth.  They can all begin from the fragile and trembling place where things can rot before they start.  

They can all start from the empty heart where I feel I have nothing to lose and little to gain in some part of my heart, soul, being, whole self, and whole life...

Knowing even so, that my daughter also could be seen to have nothing to lose and nothing to gain in some part of her soul and life,... 

Things stacked as they are in the odds of her life, my family, my self and husband, her illnesses, and the world as it all stands...  Not turning away from the dark realities.  The genetics she has inherited and the illnesses rampant among our family lines, mental, behavioral, psychological, and also the patterns of trauma and conditioning and so on and such and so...  

We do best as we can see...  

Life just turns the wheel of Samsara and we do the best as we can see how to do with what we’re handed...  

Knowing that even as my daughter is a fiery light of joy, she also seems to be prone to great emotional disturbance and that childhood happiness can turn over into an adolescence and adulthood of torment.  

I will not turn away from the truth of life and all its risks, all of its fragility.

From the ground up, the fragile seed, that can rot or not sprout, or die before it gets started in life, really.  I will not turn but will face it all, with courage and honesty and doing the best that I can. 

Seeing that in some bizarre and fragile sense, my daughter is like my friend, my companion, my level...  

We are both turned out into this world, not knowing how to cope and not having someone who is fit to guide us through all the ups and downs and I’m still struggling to hope to hang on, while I’m supposed to show and teach her how to thrive and do well and be alright in this life...  

Even though I have to struggle, without guarantees that I’ll make it, she is like my friend in life, who will also have to struggle, maybe as much or more than me, maybe far sooner than it seems,...  Maybe far sooner than it seems, her years of struggle, maybe as bad or worse than my own, may be here, ...  

Children do grow up, so very quickly, and I won’t turn away from that fact either...

All the wishes and love, the healing impulses, the guidance...  All the frailty, the seeds, the rock bottom, the being ill and desperate and lost in some sense, odds stacked against me, in some big seeming sense...  All the uncertainty...  

Maybe there is an opportunity, awaiting, that can turn the odds greatly in my favor, our favor..  My daughter’s favor as well.  Maybe even all the people who I felt I could heal.  Maybe not them, however...  

Maybe others who I will heal and maybe these people I felt guided to heal were only stand-ins,...  Maybe they were meant simply to indicate and illustrate other people...  To point my way to these other people later on in my path...  Other people who I will later on heal or help, love or bind with my own path and raise together because as I rise, they’re connected and I pull them up?  

Maybe I needed people who looked very distinct and separate from me, to make me see them clearly and believe in them...  But maybe the real people who I’ll heal will be much more blurry or distant, but no less that I’ll heal them...  

Maybe they’ll seem to be vague and slight on my peripheral vision about my life, or even long distance, unknown...  

Maybe though, they could be people who are already in my life, who I thought were less than me, that I wanted to grow away from them...  

But maybe at a soul level, they are meant to stay with me, and me with them, and for me to help them, and maybe that is it...  

People who seemed distant, lower, in the past I want to put behind me,...  But maybe...  Maybe it will never be my past,...  But instead I’ll heal the past, make amends and come to terms, and make these broken past threads the tapestry of my present and future. 

Or maybe they’ll be people who are instead, too close to see, too similar to see,...  So like me that I would have overlooked them, not known how to help them, just like I don’t know how to help me...  Maybe...  

And when I do help these people so close to me, the help and healing may be so automatic, because they’re so connected to me, that I might not even see it’s happening or might not see how powerful, how extensive the help and healing are. 

Because, again, they’re like me and a part of my blind spot, as I’m blind to my own gifts and my own weaknesses, and don’t notice the changes that I look at every day, but over time are huge changes, so it can be with the influence we have on those we are very close to...  

Whether close in our physical lives or close at a soul level...  

They are almost us,...  They are us, maybe in some soul family kind of sense...

And so...  We can’t see them, very clearly because we can’t see ourselves,...  except with a mirror that stands poised at the right angle, from enough distance...

Perhaps I might heal distantly some...  healing with energy, even metta, long distance,...  not even knowing where the energy will go but sending it out with great force and vitality and...  serenity and... 

Aligning to the sacred divine orchestration.  

Maybe it will be that.  Or,...  maybe writing or art that will heal people I never know, never see...  Or some other kind of behind the scenes things.  Maybe....

Maybe healing myself and bowing out...  Maybe passing the torch of what I’ve learned and gained humbly to my daughter, leaving so many things unfinished, frayed, loose ends to tie up...  Maybe.  

Whatever the case I want to be prepared for the rock bottom, trembling, weak subtleness of the Samsara and the Wheel of Change and also of grace, of transformation and hidden meanings, reasons and divine orchestrations...  

‘Where even death and failure can be divine intervention and we may be none the wiser to it all, even as we pray, do the best we can, seek understanding and right alignment and goodness, seek spirit’s help,...  Yet even still maybe none the wiser why things seem to fall down like a catastrophe...  But in this catastrophe if it happens, grace and divine plan may be at work,...  

The very failures and shames and supreme humility and destruction may actually be divine grace, blessing and helping others,... 

Or even ourselves, shuttled out of this world, this one life, to the next life or realm where things will gradually, eventually, more and more fall into place.  Maybe.  

This is all I can hold on to and all I can hope for when I am honest about the darkness and don’t try to control, sanitize, deny,...  

No, nor run away...  And,... nor hide...

Nor shame nor panic, only let be as it really is....

Not hide, never hide...

... From life’s sacred chaos...  from it all as I know and experience it, the best I have been able to understand or find, so far.  

[songanalysis123-blog]

Ain’t Talkin’ - Bob Dylan

Synopsis :

In a Godless world where even the idea of the nameless one is laughed at and denied, Bob walks through the ruins and decadent cities and clings onto the light of the most precious warmth. Whatever foe must be slayed will be slayed without mercy, whatever opponent is found in his path will be slaughtered. There are no laws in this forsaken wasteland, no honour, no faith, no rules, all’s up for grabs but he resists and holds onto the light like a beacon in darkness. The garden, the most precious place, that too is abandoned and God’s away. Yet relentlessly, he awaits heavenly aid. Bob practices an old abandoned faith, one from so long ago that it lingers only in the very depths and catacombs of our history and time, at the very last floor of our souls.

As I walked out tonight in the mystic garden The wounded flowers were dangling from the vine I was passing by yon cool crystal fountain Someone hit me from behind Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ Through this weary world of woe Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ No one on earth would ever know

I like to think of the mystic garden as the place of introspection where the self truly resides. You can reach that world through either contemplation of the state of things, meditation or even stimulating your feelings to such heights that you’ll walk around as though you were chased by a pack of hungry dogs. It is not part of the physical world yet all have access to it emotionally, it is the place from which imagination, inspiration and creativity reside, introspection is key. The 5 senses of man are conduits that influence that world, this is why the flowers are wounded, both worlds are intrinsically connected. The senses influence reality, memories, actions and events, they corrupt the purity of the garden and inject into it sickness where the vegetation that once was pure slowly rots and is left to die should we be careless enough not to act righteously and bravely against the sin which we were born with. Sin is inside that garden, it is a small seed and how much one wants to water the seed of sin is up to himself, whether it be conscious or unconscious, that is until he recognizes the seed. It’s ironic that the only link between the garden and the outside world is sin itself, we cannot live without it but peace is a losing battle worth fighting for. Adam and Eve bit into the apple and became like God, knowing good and evil and therefore finding the choice between good and evil but to also perceive good an evil. If they had not had the apple, the arts that we know would not exist, this song would not exist. Truly, we should be grateful to the serpent for this, it gave us almost complete control of ourselves. The crystal fountain I can only picture as the divine spark which gives life to the garden, water is life, without it, there is none. Christ says that the kingdom of God is found within, knowing that Bob’s a believer, that would make sense, God is the very atom of the water that spring from the fountain. Bob gets hit by somebody bringing him back out from his introspection and into the physical realm where pain and woe thrive.

There is no point in Bob talking, rather it seems that he’s better off just walking and leaving the physical world crumble around him. The world is made up of pain and his heart burns and still yearns for more closeness yet no one will ever know about the struggle since the description of that yearning is simply indescribable. To fill the void and the emptiness in a world where all things idolize decadence of the soul rather than growth, who’d understand ? Or may be, no one would ever know because the journey he undertakes in this song is completely inward, there’s a hint to that at the end of the song

They say prayer has the power to heal So pray from the mother In the human heart an evil spirit can dwell I am a-tryin’ to love my neighbor and do good unto others But oh, mother, things ain’t going well Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ I’ll burn that bridge before you can cross Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ There’ll be no mercy for you once you’ve lost

Prayer does have power. Through the law of attraction, good and positive thoughts influence our experience of the world and what we can receive from it, baring in mind that it is much harder to do than it is to say. Since pain is an addictive feeling that releases endorphins in the brain, it’s almost as though we need pain whether that be physical or mental, it’s well documented that some of us are addicted to torturing ourselves with negative thinking. Evolution taught us to be careful of all dangers and to expect bad to happen, man could not defend himself against the animals that surrounded him and so was made to always be on his guard therefore thriving upon negativiy, was man the underdog of the world and stood against the dangers by broadening his consciousness to the point that he began to become his own worst enemy through the realisation that he has the potential to destroy anything by the use of his own psyche ? Man grew and found within himself the devil, the devil was the only way he was going to survive in this world. How wide does Pandora’s box open ? Lucifer brought us the light, Adam and Eve were inside God’s mind, what God could not do was remove the Tree of Knowledge because it served him and was necessary to him. He was supposed to carry the knowledge and burden of perception. We can only be grateful to Lucifer for sending us on the amazing journey that life is. I thank both. I forgive both. The mother I can only think of as the Madonna, symbol of purity and life unspoiled by fleshly needs.  

Not all things inside man are good. Observe the world of psychopaths at the top of the political world or even the business world and you begin to see that these people are untouched by judgement because they simply have no conscience of others. Karma does not affect you when you have no conscience, it’s only when you develop conscience that judgement falls upon you. The idea that everything is made out of love is not the only way to touch the feeling of elevation and ascension, you can go all the way down and find power over the world, you will not be yourself when psychotic laughter overtakes you, you’ll be consumed by power and burst out of your chains, eat the world as though it was a piece of raw meat and lay all things to waste. That evil of having no regard for the world around us resides in everyone. Can you handle it is the question and how long for before you break, are you born a psychopath to the extent that you will hurt others and never even honestly think about what happened ? You can lose your good conscience very easily but it might not be lost long enough for you to carry on without looking back. Good and evil intertwine, you might think that you’re doing good when in the contrary, you are doing evil. Picture a funambulist walking on the Yin and Yang. We are stuck between good and evil, it’s as though we’ve been put inside a snow globe where good and evil is the glass that keeps us inside.

Trying to do good onto others is probably the hardest task that’s been brought upon the self, how to do good when all things relate and so many options are open to you that you are blinded by temptation and voices call you from all sides to give into satisfying yourself even if it means to destroy all things around you ? And even if you try to do good, it’s most likely going to be misinterpreted by whoever it is you’re trying to do good onto until it’s understood that you are protecting both yourself and them. Give food to the ever hungry and he asks for more, take it away from him and he’ll take years to understand why. Blinded by an education where all was given to him freely rather than him learning to fetch for himself.

Things don’t go well so Bob keeps walking and not talking, it’s better to keep quiet and to keep walking than to pay attention to the outside influences that may throw you off course in your quest for true goodness, or even worse, that it is you who is the evil that destroys the good around, to keep others safe it’s best if you stay far off and quiet. True goodness is upside down in our social realm, things are inverted. May be that’s why he’s got to burn the bridge or as the last line suggests, may be it’s because you are the enemy. Or is this all happening in Bob’s head and he’s talking to himself ? Restlessly running from himself.

Now I’m all worn down by weeping My eyes are filled with tears, my lips are dry If I catch my opponents ever sleeping I’ll just slaughter ‘em where they lie Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ Through the world mysterious and vague Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ Walkin’ through the cities of the plague

It’s a painful, painful world. I don’t have much to say about that one, you can only cry for so long, it wears you out and your lips are dry from the thirst for whatever you’re thirsting for has not been satisfied. You know you’ve got enemies. They’re all around, they spit at your values, they laugh at your beliefs, they do anything to keep you in line, they sell you stuff, they show you shit on TV, they bomb Syrians while ISIS run over your families, they lure you into thinking that there is such a thing as winning or losing against them when there is only the awareness of how you treat yourself that counts. Treat yourself well and you will treat others rightfully as they deserve, things are not so black and white and it would be very long to explain how serving one’s self is to live in the laws of nature and God, it’s the contrary of selfishness. It doesn’t matter where you go, which side you might choose, there’s enemies all around anyway. You could pick a side and see where that leads you but loyalty’s only to the self and to God, rely on no one. The world’s vague and that picture of mythical walking as though Bob was an old pilgrim wandering through the cities of the plague is intact and as powerful as ever. Sodom and Gomorrah where all pleasures are up for grabs in order to fill a void that will never be filled through any physical acts anyway, you might as well pluck your eyes out. The people in those cities experience no growth, they’re at a stand still, everything repeats and it’s hell to get out of a habit. Despair leads into habits. ‘’Find me one righteous soul in either cities and I shall not destroy them’’ I paraphrase. God, since found within, was let down by the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and so by not serving the God within and living in accordance to it, the cities fell. They brought destruction on themselves by living in constant sin. Forget yourself and you will be absolutely lost, imitate or try to fit in where you don’t belong and you’re going to hurt yourself really badly.

Well, the whole world is filled with speculation The whole wide world which people say is round They will tear your mind away from contemplation They will jump on your misfortune when you’re down Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ Eatin’ hog-eyed grease in a hog-eyed town Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ Some day you’ll be glad to have me around

Reality, perception, physics, names, words, everything is out of speculation. Bob then sarcastically puts a touch on how the world might not even be round. ‘I know that I know nothing’ said Socrates.

Contemplation leads to philosophy and that is no fun, one is not supposed to contemplate himself, rather it’d be better to blame other people for your own misfortune, you are not supposed to grow, you are not supposed to face yourself. You’re supposed to bitch about your experiences, that is how your shadow is kept over you like a veil over the light, you should not begin to examine yourself otherwise, you do not give into greed. Are you experiencing symptoms of reflection and contemplation ? Phone your doctor, you suffer from depression. A couple of pills will cure you from the ghosts that haunt you day and night only to come back when the effects wear out, there’s no cure but the education of the self and of the soul, struggle and you will be rewarded, bring out everything that you’ve got, resist and give into nothing but yourself, tough as that may be, no matter how many times you might fail. Now you may think you can rely on a friend but the question isn’t if they can carry you but how long can they carry you for before they too begin to break under your weight ? That is evil and selfish. Carry yourself upright, stare into the face of mankind and don’t forget your mirror.  

Still walking and Bob’s very negative in this song and rarely is negativity tolerated in social circles, too much negativity and criticism is a toxic habit, it blurs the lines so fuck you Bob, go away. Yet negativity offers some fantastic insights into the state of things. If a society lives under an illusion and utopia that everything in the world is good, then you can be sure that there’s something rotten under it. I’d rather say that all things are in bliss rather than everything being made out of love. Actions though, are most of the time done out of love whether they be wrong or good.

They will crush you with wealth and power Every waking moment you could crack I’ll make the most of one last extra hour I’ll avenge my father’s death then I’ll step back Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ Hand me down my walkin’ cane Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ Got to get you out of my miserable brain

Society spoils you with goods and buying something expensive is often a way to show off how well you’re doing. Consumerism encourages us to believe that our material gain is success and will bring us the needed love which we all seek. It’s the age old story, from the fall of Rome to the breaking point of capitalism. When Rome fell, emperors drank to power since they assumed that they were all powerful they’d thought they’d won everything and by letting down their guards and indulging into pleasure, they lost their way and without struggle there are no lessons and no lessons equals no growth. With capitalism (fuck communism too btw), it’s the citizens that let down their guards against the government, banks and companies. By spoiling the individual with material things, the individual receives a small moment of approval from others which he begins to depend on, it’s just as addictive as pain. It lures him into thinking that his soul does not need taking care of but that rather, his phone needs an upgrade. For the common individual, it also makes him believe that he is escalating the social ladder in the sense that he is closer to the masters of the world while the masters are actually enjoying the most expensive wine and tasting the healthiest and best food around while leaving the individual going into the supermarket to buy a smart price can of potatoes. While the money has gone into upgrading the phone, the minimum wage earner’s body is hungry for health. Later on and whether that game be unconscious or not, this is what happens : While companies fatten the citizens with greed and entitlement, politicians play on the self-pity the individual experiences (because to consume has not fulfilled the needed love) in order to get votes. Behind the curtains, politics and companies are having a hand shake.

Back into the lyrics, you could crack at any moment to give into that game, it is very tempting to throw it all away to join that kind of world because you could get these moments of appreciation too, you see them all around joyful but the moments might be ephemeral, after all, you can’t be in someone else’s mind. So Bob’s gonna make the most of one last hour, he’s gonna do something, keep active because these moments of appreciation are ephemeral and will lead to withdrawal after they’ve gone. To believe that the senses can satisfy the void is misleading, they’re always hungry for more. Only one thing can satisfy and it is immaterial and hard to reach. Then again, we are animals and all animals need physical release. The beast inside must be served, if not served it will come back to insult you and put you down every day.

It’s getting harder to walk, pass him his walking cane while he gets that person out of his already worn out brain, miserable and numb, Bob’s running from a ghost. You can be haunted by memories, they’ll eat you like flies from the inside out. There’s a certain kind of people that can take over you and it’s not them to be blamed personally but they turn into the master puppeteers of your mind, they can literally break you. Worship another human being and you will find that there is no way that this person will ever be satisfied (Mea Culpa), idols are not to be worshipped.

All my loyal and my much-loved companions They approve of me and share my code I practice a faith that’s been long abandoned Ain’t no altars on this long and lonesome road Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ My mule is sick, my horse is blind Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ Thinkin’ 'bout that gal I left behind

Bobby’s got people that comprehend and understand the feeling, the code of life that must be respected and shared like pirates on a ship or outlaws and renegades in a Texan desert. Faith has no altars, as a matter of fact, there is no need for any altars. ‘’I never turned aside, he said, I never walked away. It was you who built the temple, it was you who covered up my face’’ L. Cohen.

Faith is an act of trust and acceptance to a power unknown, that power does not reside in the altar but again, in the feeling that led to the construction of that altar. God is all around and beyond, we are part of it. Like the vessels that run in our veins, we are the vessels of God. The only place where one might truly worship is again, inside and through the actions undertaken to show proof of that faith, that it is practiced. It lies dormant to plain eyes but is wide awake under the microscope. Go to a place of worship and you might find like-minded people, but it won’t follow you around and go wherever you go, you can only carry faith with you, you can only carry yourself with you. God is synonymous with life. God is synonymous with all things since, from my view, we are inside of it and each one of us carries the spark to live well and according to the code, the laws of nature.

Anyway, Bob’s companions turned out to be a mule and a horse. Jokes.  But the heart still burns,  still yearns and the person in his miserable brain is probably an ex lover.

Well, it’s bright in the heavens and the wheels are flyin’ Fame and honor never seem to fade The fire gone out but the light is never dyin’ Who says I can’t get heavenly aid? Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ Carryin’ a dead man’s shield Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ Walkin’ with a toothache in my heel

The apocalyptic picture of bright heavens and wheels flying remind me of the coming of judgement day, I can only picture the wheels as the wheel of fortune that hangs above every individual, all things have lost their sense and everything is going in every direction offering no sense of orientation. I know I’m going too far there, it’s probably a plain picture.

The fire’s gone out, life has been sucked out of him, there is nothing left but a flickering light, the flames that drives life into activity, into the hope to change things for the better are gone. There is nothing left but a sense of holding onto the light, however small it might be, Bob does not lose hope or beat himself up, he’s gonna hold onto it until the time comes but whatever happens, the preservation of that light is most important. You can be left empty in this world, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t carry on when all lust for living has been swept away, there is light, there is hope. Heavenly aid we can get.

Still walkin’, still not talkin’, he picked up a dead man’s shield and is the dead man his dad ? He mentions avenging his father’s death in some verses before. Make peace with the ogre and your DNA will serve to continue a purpose that flows in your vains.

The sufferin’ is unending Every nook and cranny has its tears I’m not playing, I’m not pretending I’m not nursin’ any superfluous fears Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ Walkin’ ever since the other night Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ Walkin’ 'til I’m clean out of sight

Bob’s sight is distorted, there’s no ending to the suffering, everywhere there is suffering and that’s the truth. I keep thinking that when it comes to the superfluous fears bit, he makes allusions to the evil spirit and the heavenly aid, those things are no joke and I mean no joke. Our perception is limited but we can switch consciousness with hallucinogenics, seeing things that are not therein our natural sight. DMT seems to lead very much into that. Ayahuasca does show you a world of entities that you cannot see in this realm, different worlds in one. Look into Shamanism. ‘’Shall any gazer see with mortal eyes or any searcher know by mortal mind; veil after veil will lift but there must be veil upon veil behind’’ Edwin Arnold.

‘‘Walkin’ til I’m clean out of sight’‘ - Bob’s my soul companion, love you Bob.

As I walked out in the mystic garden On a hot summer day, a hot summer lawn Excuse me, ma'am, I beg your pardon There’s no one here, the gardener is gone Ain’t talkin’, just walkin’ Up the road, around the bend Heart burnin’, still yearnin’ In the last outback at the world’s end

There’s someone else in the garden now, she’s looking for the gardener but he’s gone, there’s no one left. All’s left to itself. All the way Bob goes into infinity, in the last outback, drifting into whatever the horizon has to propose, he’ll forever walk aimlessly only preserving the flickering light which serves as the only redemption in a world filled with anguish and self indulgence. Or, this is where it relatesback to the beginning, Bob’s on a hot summer lawn, on a hot summer day, a woman comes up to him and ask him where the gardener is. Bob responds that the gardener is gone. This is in the physical world but Bob responds to her with a double meaning. All of this happened to him in a small moment in time while he was taking a journey within himself which involved the social realm. I love it. Meanwhile, because no one on earth will ever know what just went on inside or even comprehend what he saw or even what he sees or feels, he carries this realm within himself to the end. No one believes dreamers even when they’re not dreaming.

[shopgoldensoul-blog]

Survival Tips for An Old Soul in 2k17

Much like Forrest, I don't remember being born. But I have a pretty clear vision of what it was like: I arrived on earth one bright April morning, an itsy bitsy, wailing, newborn bundle of baby fingers, toes, rolls, and all the distinct makings of a soul older than Encino Man. While I may have been blissfully unaware back then, I positively knew years before I learned the words to describe it. Akin to Encino Man, I sensed that I was somehow out of sync. I was unique. I was weird. I have simply always been a bit different.

 Incidentally, my interests have never exactly aligned with my peers as a group. (Not without some forced, awkward conformity anyway.) Admittedly, that's a bit of a broad generalization. Truly, it has been more about the differences in how & what I value more-so than what pursuits I have been interested in physically engaging in.

When I reflected on that concept during the writing/re-writing/editing of this post, I realized I've undoubtedly been perceived as cold/bitchy/unapproachable because I tend to show minimal (or zero) interest in things that literally do not matter to me. Those words, however, vague and basic accurately describe the feeling. These type of things just aren't in my starting line-up, if you will. Being an old soul is a challenge AND a gift, depending on how you dress her up. Everyone was born with unique gifts. One of the benefits of being an old soul is the inherent ability to keep the really big picture in mind; Ergo, feigning interest in passing fads, trivial drama, or routine obstacles has never been my forte.

That being said, my intuition is almost magical (when it's well-cared for), and my ability to sense another person's needs is extremely sensitive. I absorb others' vibes and emotions like a sponge. At an earlier, less gracious time, I would've told you the balance is a burden, but more recently, I've learned to dress her up as blessing. And that is what inspired me to write this: Our society was not erected to accommodate old souls, but that doesn't mean you can't survive and thrive wherever you find yourself. Thus, here are some mental modifications I've adopted to exist peacefully with The Other Side...

Disconnect

Separate the self from the environment periodically & consistently. Take the time YOU need to think. Old souls are always thinkers. Not to be confused with over-thinkers, old souls think as a hobby. They ponder life and beyond – but rarely obsess over passing obstacles or materialistic things. Embrace and revel in your time solo. It often seems like there's an internal voice that speaks wisdom directly into your brain when the rest of the world gets quiet... Which means it is essential to an old soul's well-being to silence life and spend some time in their own mind. Therefore, old souls must make this time in their lives. Guilt-free. Yep. You aren't weighed down by the precious time you carved out of your demanding schedule to eat meals, take showers, feed your dog, or meet any of your other needs. Feed your soul the spiritual recess it craves.

Own it

Old souls frequently report that they have felt distinctly unique from their peers from a young age. They perceive themselves as somehow separate even in group gatherings and, as a result, attempt to mold their behaviors to represent a more socially acceptable version of themselves to friends, co-workers, acquaintances, & even family members. Being someone you inherently aren't is both exhausting & demoralizing. So, please, old souls, stop fighting who you are now. Life is not an extension of junior high. All of your beauty, love, grace, & intrinsic good comes directly from your individuality, so raise your flag and find your peace. :)

 Simplify

Old souls struggle with complications. Personally, I've been telling anyone who would listen how much I hate details for literally all of my adult life. I'm easily overwhelmed by frivolousness. Simplicity is like warm sunshine on my ancient soul. Through experience, I have found that minimizing the excess particulars in my environment does wonders for both my peace of mind and productivity. It's okay to construct your life to meet your needs.

 Don't catch the Loneliness Bug while you're alone

Being alone does not have to equate loneliness. Old souls are not as easily understood as their counterparts. The energy of otherd is usually spent differently and directed towards things old souls care little about. The things in life that make an old soul experience strong emotions – anger, sorrow, joy – are innately more meaningful, which sometimes makes old souls feel as if finding happiness is more difficult for them than everyone else. But again, as with so many other things, it's all in how you dress it. Perspective can change everything.

Spending time alone is part of your lifeblood and it's time to start delighting in it, rather than allowing it to bring you down. 

Spread your gift

Perhaps the most rewarding survival tip I can impart is to share yourself. Old souls tend to give phenomenally grounded, sage advice, a highly sought after skill. You are the calm in the storm, a steady hand to hold. However, it requires a cultivated sense of balance for you to care for both yourself and your loved ones. Be cautious about over-extending your caring wings and remember to set aside time for self-care; but also, be careful not to be swallowed wholly by your solitary tendencies. Old souls feed off deep connections and deep emotions, and interaction with other people is a mandatory step to achieving that. I have learned more lessons from being someone's shelter during a violent storm than from all my sunny days put together. Work your magic. ;)

   Mama always said, “You have to do the best with what God gave you.” (Forrest Gump, Paramount Pictures, 1994)

 And I think Mrs. Gump was correct. We are who we are, and we are all good.

 I love connecting with kindred spirits of all kinds. Do you believe in old souls? Do you consider yourself an old soul? If so, what do you do to “adapt” to a New-Soul World?

 -Golden Soul