Tranquility

The Tao te Ching (prounounced dow day sching), or simply the Way, was written over 2500 years ago and has been translated and published as many times as the bible. And, like the bible, it's hard to read. A book published twenty years ago remains the most accessible and wonderful way to benefit from the essence of the Tao. It's the "Tao of Inner Peace" by Diane Dreher. It's one of five books I would want with me if left on an island for a year (honestly.) Hmmmmm... what would the other four be?

"The Journey from the Center to the Page" by Jeff Davis, another book I've had but never really appreciated until recently, is definitely on my short list now. It combines yoga principles with authentic writing skills and I just love it. It's inspirational and healthful, too.

I'd have to take one of the Eckhart Tolle books and that would leave only two other books. One should be a great work of literature, but which one? I'll have to give that more thought. Feel like suggesting what books are essential to your peace and well being? Something you couldn't be without? Polvie, what you got with you down in Guatemala? Me and my two readers would love to know ;0
Meanwhile, as my editor and slave-driving friends remind me, keep writing. yes, I am! I hope to use this or one of my other blogs to promote the novel when it comes out, so stay tuned. If I don't post much for the next six weeks, you know why!! I'm on the home stretch!
But, can't do it in the midst of mental chaos so I'm really doing the nightly calming down and revitalization with these wonderful books. I feel fab when I go to sleep, it's just those waking hours that I struggle with ;) Judith Orloff's "Positive Energy" is also helpful, and as she points out you don't have to escape to a private island to avoid stress. She says we can shift from victim to victorious with "modest, simple positive energy techniques." She offers three minute meditations and was the one who suggested taking a techno-break-- a day without computers, email or tweets. I did on Sunday and it was a great way to reset. Try one or any of these to relax and feel inspired.

Sleeping with Ram Dass

Now that I have your attention, there is a reason for the title. But first, I'm certain some of my many readers (both of you ;) are a bit judgmental when you think of Ram Dass. You may know of him vaguely, or recall his crazed 1960s psychedelic experiences with Timothy Leary. I suggest taking another look now that he's becoming the Guru of Aging.
I've always known of Ram Dass, but must admit I didn't really know his story. That he was a Harvard professor before he "tuned in and turned on" -- a classically trained Jungian psychologist who gave that up to spend years in India studying with Yogis, or that the title Ram Dass Servant of God was given to him-- he did not select it for himself. How did I get swept up into a Ram Dass frenzy?

On the last day of 2009, as part of my New Year rituals, I was listening to Wayne Dyer's "Excuses Be Gone" seminar on how to change habits and life patterns. He introduced his teacher, Dr. Richard Alpert who had made a remarkable recovery from a crippling stroke. Told us that for nearly ten years this man had been confined to a wheel chair and had to relearn everything from speech to simply moving his hand. Doctors had not given him any hope of feeding or clothing himself, much less walking. Yet, Dyer was holding back the tears as he introduced this man, who he said was slowly walking onto the stage. A man who taught him everything about life and now about true Grace. Dyer said, "A man you know as Ram Dass." What??
I was so shocked. I did not know that Ram Dass was Richard Alpert, that he had a major stroke in 1997, or that after ten years of patient self therapy, had brought himself back from the loss of most physical ability. Wow! It was very strange listening to Ram Dass speak so slowly, to realize he was nearly eighty years old. It was all mind blowing, but incredibly inspirational.
I learned of his newest projects, his 2000 book "Still Here" on aging written remarkably just before and published AFTER his stroke, and the movie "Fierce Grace" produced midway during his "come back" around 2003. I had to see that one right away. And, I highly recommend it. What an achievement, yet again proving we truly control our thoughts and physical abilities.
So why the title I used on the blog? Well, watching the movie I kept thinking I have a couple of Ram Dass books. I found the famous "Be Here Now" easily, it was on a shelf with other Buddhist, Tao and Yoga books. But, I could visualize a small paperback about meditation. Where was that one? After searching for about thirty minutes, I remembered it being on the bookcase part of my bed. But, it wasn't on those shelves either. Amazingly, it had slipped down behind my pillows. I had been literally sleeping with Ram Dass for who knows how many days. Friends, there are no coincidences!

I was going to stop there, but I must add how I attribute his healing ways to my own remarkable recovery from a nasty fall that same day. I spent about 36 hours reading his books, watching his videos and website and meditating while my leg was elevated. I let go of my belief that I was going to be devastated by this knee injury. (For the first 24 hours I couldn't stand any weight on it at all.) But, after visualizing my knee working properly, two days later I just got up. At first it was scary and I was favoring it, but I've come to believe it will be fine and I'm well on my way to mobility. If a person can recover from a stroke, then there's no reason my knee can't, too! It's healing itself as I write. Thank you, Ram Dass, for hiding under my pillow!

Winter Solstice!

Happy Solstice Everyone!! Why do we care if it's the Solstice? Archeologists have found an assembly of 127 granite blocks in Brazil arranged equidistant from each other. That site, Stonehenge and even the Great Pyramid in Egypt apparently formed ancient astronomical observatories. At the site in Brazil one of the stones clearly marked the position of the sun at the time of the winter solstice. WHY? Holly, ivy, mistletoe, yule log, the giving of gifts, decorated evergreen trees, magical reindeer and the very idea of Christmas (as a Saint who provides for the needy, or worthy) are all pagan rituals associated with the Solstice. For Druids and Celtic Shamans: three days before Yule is a magical time. This is the time of the Serpent Days or transformation...The Elder and Birch stand at the entrance to Annwn or Celtic underworld where all life was formed. Like several other myths they guard the entrance to the underworld. This is the time the Sun God journey's thru the underworld to learn the secrets of death and life.

Incas, Hopis and Mayans all celebrate the Solstice, along with many other Shamanic and native peoples. Even Vampyres celebrate "the Long Night," a festival at the Winter Solstice. But WHY? Equinoxes and Solstices mark changes in cycles, tangible events that could be witnessed in the sky and on the ground. And, how about this: "In several languages, not just in English, people have traditionally compared the rebirth of the sun with the birth of the son of God." (that's from the Nat Geo link used in the title of this entry.) I've always thought Sun/Son were one in the same. That's pretty controversial, but something I'll delve into more in my forthcoming novel: A Kindred Spirit. For now, it's less than an hour until Solstice, so CELEBRATE!!!

A Lovely, Critical Holiday

A few years ago I included what I called the Peace Page in with my holiday cards, rather than a rundown of my own year in review. I’ll link to it at the end of this rant. Yes, sadly I'm still ranting -- this time over some "famous critic" David Edlestein. Critic = world's lowest life form, IMHO. I’ll blow off a bit, but then find my Center and wrap all this up in a goofy holiday package.
I got angry this morning listening to a critical review of Peter Jackson’s movie version of the Lovely Bones. The Critic called it “icky new age sentimentality” aka sappy. This got me thinking. I’ve seen my share of “important art films,” but you know I’m hard pressed to rattle off a list of them. What I can easily list are the “sappy” holiday movies that have impacted me: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, the Bishop’s Wife, the screwball Christmas in Connecticut or even better Scrooged, White Christmas, and for me the ultimate A Christmas Carol in all ten (or more) variations, from cartoon to Alastair Sim, that I watch every year. Of course, Scrooge Edlestein would find all of those overly sentimental with simplistic plot lines, I’m sure.

I was going to write a nasty-gram to CBS encouraging them to drop this cynical, jaded reviewer. I would include the same thoughts as above, but also ask what if we didn’t have the Wizard of Oz or Peter Pan movies because of some self-important blow-hard like Edlestein who has never created a thing (Yes, Virginia, I did verify that.) All he has ever done, since graduating from Harvard, is rant about other people’s poor movie-making skills and art. And, while I do see the irony of ranting about him, at least I have written my own sappy novel which I’ll be releasing next year.

Critics, bah humbug! With their pen strokes (or big mouths) they have the power to influence millions of minds. Perhaps we don’t need another important art film right now, or another critically acclaimed “powerful” novel. Perhaps what we need is to get rid of the gratuitous sex and violence from the tube and movies, and bring back a little more sap. The world was safer and far more sane when we had more Magoo and Jimmy Stewart and less “killer films.”

If you want to know more about Peter Jackson and/or ‘the bones’ then click on this MTV review. I certainly won't link to anything from Edlestein, nor threaten his job. I'll just calm down and read my own Peace Page advice, and enjoy these final Twelve Days of Christmas leading up to that annual sappy, sentimental holiday!

(Sorry! I know that Muppet/Denver video is old and scratchy. Here's a good digital audio version of the song. Or just go with Magoo ;) Very sappy, and fun! More Magoo, please!

Bodhi Day

You can't really call yourself ZenWoman and not blog on Bodhi Day ;) Even tho I have long celebrated May 8 and/or Wesak (Full Moon in May) as the Day of Enlightenment, many traditions claim it was December 8. Whenever, the Infinity symbol is probably the most significant part of that! And, all traditions agree that as the Morning Star rose in the sky (whatever day it was) Siddhartha finally found the answers he sought, became Enlightened, and experienced Nirvana. Having done so, Shakyamuni or Siddhartha Gautauma, now became a Buddha an “Awakened One”. … So, click on the Wiki link in the title or here for a longer Dharma Talk. Namaste!

Mid Nano Update

I'm moving my November NanoWrimo Update section here. No other blogging this month... just updates on novel writing. See Word Count Widget: (look right and down)

Week One goal 12K DONE
Week Two goal 25K (Sunday, Nov 15)DONE!
Week Three - 35K (Sunday, Nov 22) 35076 DONE!!!
Week Four - 48K (Sunday, Nov 29) barely at 44K (i'm melting...) Major 24 HR push!
Nano Final - 50K (Monday, Nov 30) I WON! 50,054

To Finish the novel, editing will continue into December! (and FOR SURE into 2010!)
The goal is a Spring 2010 release! Watch for A Kindred Spirit!