Tag: currently

Experiences of the body, now

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During my initial awakening, I experienced my body as consciousness and luminosity. Every cell was consciousness, every cell made of golden light.

Now, during this recent “neutral” phase, I experience my body as space… with some sensations briefly occurring here and there and even those sensations as space.

Current experiences of the body, in more detail…

  • Clear light in/around the body. A tremendous clarity and presence of light.
  • Space, with sensations arising at various locations in space, and even the sensations themselves are space.
  • Also, an experience of dryness, lack of passion and engagement, movement towards neutrality, and content moving through quickly.

Currently…

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Reading

Luminous Night’s Journey – A. H. Almaas

Spacecruiser Inquiry – A. H. Almaas

Anatomy of Miracles – Subagh Singh Khalsa (Sat Nam Rasayan)

The Healing Art of Sat Nam Rasayan – Guru Dev Singh

Classical Five Element Acupuncture Vol. III – J.R. Worsley

Listening to

Aerial – Kate Bush

Ancestral Voices – Carlos Nakai, William Eaton

Voices from the Distant Steppe – Shu De

Orphan’s Lament – Huun Huur Tu

Egypt – Yossou N’Dour

Glassworks – Philip Glass

Unfolding – Axiom of Choice

Niyaz

Portals of Grace – Azam Ali

Himalaya – Eric Valli

Blue Idol – Altan

Morimur – Bach (Hilliard Ensamble)

Die Kunst der Fuge – Bach (Keller Quartet)

Byron Katie – dialogues

Joel Morwood – talks (Center for Sacred Sciences)

Practices

Byron Katie inquiries, daily in periods

Atma Vichara – inquiry into what appears most as “I” and seeing that too as empty of any I, just appearing within space as everything else

Breema – Self-Breema and bodywork, daily

Facilitating Big Mind – couple of times a week

Kundalini yoga – weekly classes, simple exercises a few times a day (breath of fire and more)

Sitting practice – shikantaze, now and then

Deeksha – monthly hands-on deekshas, and inviting in at any time

Sat Nam Rasayan – weekly classes, sometimes during the day

Being with whatever is – going into experiences, especially uncomfortable ones

Water (80+ ounces a day), diet, some strength, walks, biking

Offering to the divine – any perceived problems, my human self, my whole being, my relationships, the house and material goods, community, earth, universe

Intention – to have resolved/cleared whatever prevents… (awakening, living a fuller live)

Veils and Crystal Clear

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Transparency

Right now, the center of gravity is mostly in transparency.

There is the familiar vague sense of an I placed on parts of my human self – usually a “tube” from the crown down to the throat area of sensations, feelings, emotions, thoughts and attention, and also vaguely on the seeing of it all, the pure awareness. But when I look, when I examine it, there is no I inherent in any of that – or anything else. It is all just happening.

Fog

So when the center of gravity is in transparency, I also notice a veil of fuzziness in my experience. There is a layer of fuzziness on top of everything.

There is the noticing of what is happening – of everything arising in the present, in the field of what is outside and inside of my human self. And it is all arising within a fog, a substantial atmosphere of some kind. Contractions still happen here of course, and there may or may not be an identification with them – depending on how much clarity is present.

Fog and sense of I

My sense is that this cloudiness, this fog, this denser atmosphere, goes with the transparency. It comes from – and is in a sense, the vague sense of I, the habitual belief in I placed on a segment of what arises.

I also see that this fog can be taken as the ground, in this state. It is all pervasive, and everything seems to arise within it. But this fog too is within the world of phenomena. It is all-present, but no ground.

Fog and identifications

And this fog also allows for temporary and exclusive identifications with contractions. Habitual contractions come up. Sometimes, when there is more clarity, they just come and go within the field of what is. They are just part of the landscape. No need to identify with them more than anything else. Other times, there may be less clarity and the vague sense of I sharpen and is placed on the contraction. “I” go on the inside of the contraction, and the sense of I and Other appear in a sharper way.

Popped ground/selflessness

The popping of the ground last fall – for a couple of months – allowed some further explorations of this.

The center of gravity was shifted from a vague sense of I to a clear realization of selflessness and the groundless ground. Everything was just happening, with not even a trace of I anywhere. Every forms was revealed as the groundless ground forming itself into all these things. Emptiness dancing.

All of this was familiar to me from my initial awakening, but two aspects were new to me.

Ordinary

One was the sense of it being completely ordinary. There were no bells and whistles. No nothing. Just a shift in context from a vague sense of I to the complete absence of it.

There was no need to talk about it. No need to do anything about it. Everything just happened. My human self continued to operate just as before, and others probably did not notice much or any difference. The only difference was that there was a complete absence of any doer (apart from the whole of what is).

Crystal clear

The other difference was the crystal clarity of it all. The ground was revealed as being a diamond clarity. As diamond space.

And the usual fog, typical for transparency as described above, was revealed as clearly belonging to the world of phenomena. Temporary. Just one form among many.

There was just the crystal clear ground beneath all forms. That from, in, and as the world of phenomena arises.

Contacting it

After these two or three months, the vague sense of I returned. It seems that these waves are quite typical, and just part of the exploration process and the unfolding. There may be things in the transparency to learn more about and explore. Then other shifts into the popping of the ground, and then back, until the center of gravity shifts more stably into the popped ground/selflessness.

When attention is brought to the crystal quality of space, as I can easily do in transparency, I see that it is always there, always available. It has just not popped into the foreground and remains more as a background to everything happening in the present.

Waking at 4am

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At our last deeksha, we set the intention of having anything we need to see related to our throat chakra come to the surface. It seems to work for me, and they tend to surface in especially vivid and intense early morning dreams. In the two weeks since the deeksha, I have woken up nearly every morning at 4am, within half an hour each direction. I stay awake for an hour or two processing what came up, and either get up or sleep a little longer. It is at least not boring…!

Now

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When I look, who or what do I find myself to be?

I find space, and in it a procession of experiences – slight tension where the forehead and neck is, taste of peppery stew, music, room, words arising, formless awareness and so on. That is all I can find.

I also see that there is a slight tendency to see parts of this human self as an “I” – especially around the head/neck area. There is a sense of condensation in this area, which sometimes is taken as an “I”. There is 85-95 percent sense of all just happening as it is, with no “I”, and some percent of an “I” here. Although this changes with the situation as well.

This summer and fall, I had phases where the sense of no “I” was 100% and also where the groundless ground “popped”. During this time, there was absolutely no difference between sitting practice and daily life. It was all a continuous samadhi, although a completely functional one.

During a retreat (!) in November, this faded somewhat although is definitely there in the mid/background, and sometimes foreground as well.

Right now, there is just a sense of relaxing completely into what is, even if it means a slight sense of “I” – which vaporizes as soon as I look at it more closely. I know it is just another phase, another melting into what is, allowing it to simmer whatever it is.

I am also not doing much of any practice right now, apart from good eating, some physical outdoor activity (walking, hiking), daily self-breemas, and some reading and watching movies. I rarely do any Byron Katie inquiries, and rarely any of the Douglas Harding experiments. Sitting is sporadic at best. And it all feels completely OK. It is more a period of rest and integration.

Dream: The Master

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I am a young British upper class (aristocratic?) man, and there is a party. My fiance and her family is coming to dine with my family. I cannot remember anything. Something has happened and I cannot seem to remember anything from my former life. I am lost, helpless, inept. My fiance does not recognize me at first, due to the change, and I only half way recognize her. Her family is now disapproving of me, as I am dressing and acting below my stand. Apparently, I used to be confident, clear and acting my stand, but that is only a very vague memory now. Everything seems to be falling apart and lost for me.

Day residue

I watched Master & Commander the night before, and in the dream I was a character who seemed a mix of the young boy, the doctor and the captain of that movie. Although something had happened, and I had become more similar to the bewildered and inept officer who jumped overboard.

Active imagination

I have amnesia, everything from earlier days is forgotten. I see that if I don’t do something drastic, I can remain helpless and bedraggled for the rest of my days. But I decide to relearn every skill I used to engage in, and I go about it methodologically and with determination.

There are especially three areas: music (string instruments), naturalist science and social interactions (as appropriate for my stand).

I notice how it all comes back, but now in a very different way. My music has a new depth, flow, freedom, range and intimacy – and above all, it is more deeply human. My naturalist studies now is for the benefit of all, independent of stand. I am at service to the world. And in my social interactions, I don’t make a difference between people of high and low stand. I am equally at home with all segments of society, and I find a new skill in listening, being genuinely interested in each person, and allowing them to feel important and good about themselves.

I see how there used to be so much bravado and emphasis on skill in all I did. In my music, there was an emphasis on a virtuoso technique and on impressing the listeners, now it is to convey the deeply and fluidly human in the music. My naturalist studies were a diversion, and now to benefit all. My social interactions to impress, now to help others explore and feel good about themselves. All my skills are still there, but now in a more deeply human context.

Throughout this process, I see that it is all about becoming the master in/of my life again, and I find great support socializing with others who express this with skill and humanity.

I find that I am now respected by all, and my relationship with my fiancee and her family is restored.

My day life

It is pretty clear how this relates to my life, and also the five phases described by Tozan and Underhill. The previous phase was number three, the brilliant sun. The dream depicts number four, the fall from grace. And the active imagination is about phase five, the new integration.

Goodenough & Synchronicity

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There are synchronocities everywhere.

From our human perspective, they are always notable, amazing and surprising. From the view of the largest whole, they are just what movements within this larger whole looks like from the view of the parts. They are merely movements within this larger whole, expressed through our human lives and the larger whole we are parts of.

A couple of days ago, I spent some hours at a university library reading here and there in transpersonal psychology journals, books on Zen and Christianity, and some of Ken Wilber’s essays in his collected works. I walked quickly through a section of the library to find a chair. And I simultaneously appreciated the tremendously important work Ken Wilber is doing, and also realized that – although I have a similar general orientation and insights – I will never be able to contribute at the level of clarity, detail, research and synthesis that he is. And of course the thought came up that maybe I am not good enough, or what I am doing is not good enough (whatever that may mean). A moment later, my eyes caught the spine of one of the thousands of books, with the name of the author: Goodenough.

And that is of course true. We are all good enough from a certain view. We are all complete, we all perfectly manifest Buddha Mind and God. And the other side is also true, that there is still much work to do and a continuous process of evolution and development.

Music I listen to

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Note: current list here.  

A selection of music I listen to…

Contemporary I
Arvo Part: (anything) Te Deum, Passio, Arbos, Miserere, Alina, Orient & Occident (ECM recordings) ***
Meredith Monk: (anything) Facing North, Book of Days, Mercy, Do You Be, Turtle Dreams, Dolmen Music ***
Philip Glass: (most) Akhnaten, Satyagraha, Symphony no. 2, Glassworks, Dracula ***
Steve Reich: Different Trains, Music for 18 Musicians ***
John Adams: Shaker Loops ***

Contemporary II
Sting: (anything) Nothing Like the Sun, Ten Summoner’s Tales, Mercury Falling, Brand New Day ***
Kate Bush: (most) Aerial, Hounds of Love, This Sensual World ***
Laurie Anderson: (most) Big Science, Home of the Brave ***
Peter Gabriel: Passion – Music for the Last Temptation of Christ (+ sources) ***

Contemporary III
Stereolab: (anything) Dots & Loops, Cobra & Phases, Sound Dust, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Margerine Eclipse ***
Jaga Jazzist: Magazine, Stix ***
Kings of Convenience: Riot on an Empty Street, Quiet is the New Loud

Contemporary IV (light & fly-by-night)
St. Germain: Tourist
Gabin: Gabin
Ben Charest: The Triplets of Belleville
Ultra Lounge: Coctail Capers
Brazilian Lounge, Putumayo.
Benabar: Risques du Metier
Django Reinhardt
Sweet & Lowdown (soundtrack)

New Ageish
Carlon Nakai: (most) Carry the Gift, Island of Bows, Earth Spirit, Journeys, Feathers Stone & Light, Canyon Trilogy, Sanctuary ***
William Eaton: Where Rivers Meet **
Music from the World of Osho: This!, Shadow of the Pines **
Andreas Vollenweider: Behind the Gardens, Caverna Magica, White Winds **
The Harmonic Choir: Hearing Solar Winds ***
Naaz Hosseini: Soundpath
Voice of Earth (NASA recordings)

International: Middle-East
Axiom of Choice: (anything) Niya Yesh, Unfolding ***
Azam Ali: Portals of Grace ***
Niyaz ***
Seiur Marie Keyrouz: Chant Byzantin, Canticles de L’Orient ***
Fairuz: Good Friday Eastern Sacred Song ***
Najima: Pukar
Masters of Persian Music: Without You, Faryad ***

International: Africa
Youssou N’dour: (most) Eyes Open, The Guide, Set, Egypt, Nothing’s in Vain ***
Egypte: Les Musiciens Du Nil ***
Hamza El Din: Eclipse, Escalay **
Oumou Sangare: Moussolou **
Salif Keita
Samite
Natacha Atlas: Ayeshten

International: Europe
Mari Boine: Eight Seasons ***
Agnes Buen Garn�s: Han red den m�rke natt, Rosensfole (exceptional album with Jan Garbarek) ***
Anne Vada & Aki Fukakusa: Solrenning ***
Sinikka: Strengen var av r�de guld
Kalenda Maya
Bulgarian Women’s Choir: (anything) Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares, Ritual, Bulgarian Custom Songs ***
Maria Salgado: Siete Modos De Guisar Las Berenjenas **
Gaelic Voices (compilation) **
Altan: (anything) Harvest Storm, Horse With a Heart, The Red Crow **
Kila: (anything) Tog e go bog e, Lemonade & Buns
Milladorio: Agua de Maio ***
Patric Ball: Celtic Harp ***

International: Americas
Bela Fleck: The Bluegrass Sessions, Tales from the Acoustic Planet ***
Bill Monroe
Flatt & Scruggs
Newgrass Revival
Sam Bush
El Cruzao
Soledad Bravo: Volando Voy

International: Asia
Huun Huur-Tu: (anything) If I’d Been Born an Eagle, Where Young Grass Grows ***
Angelite & Huun HuurTu: Fly Away My Sadness ***
Tuva, Among the Spirits ***
Shakuhachi – The Japanese Flute ***
Tadashi Tajima: Shingetsu ***
Flute & Koto du Japon ***
Ravi Shankar ***
Hariprasad Chaurasia: Chaurasia’s Choice, Rag Lalit, Rag Bhimpalasi

European Classical
Bach: Morimur (ECM label), Die Kunst Der Fuge (Keller Quartett), Orgelwerke (Ton Coopman), Sonatas for Viola da Gamba (Jordi Savall) ***
Rachmaninov: Vespers ***
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, Missa Aeterna Christi Munea, Stabat Mater (Naxos label) ***
Victoria: Missa O Magnum Mysterium, Missa O Quam Gloriosum (Naxos label), Cantis Canticorum (Hilliard Ensamble) ***
Allegri: Miserere ***
Masterpieces of Mexican Polyphony ***
Marin Marais: (anything) Pieces de Viole du Second Livre (Jordi Savall) ***
Sainte Colombe: Concerts a Deux Violes Esgales (Jordi Savall) ***
Marais/Colombe etc: Tous Les Matins du Monde (Jordi Savall) **
Couperin: Lecons de Tenebres (Les Arts Florissants)
Lully: Arys (Les Arts Florissants)
Carlo Gesualdo: Tenebrae (Hilliard Ensamble), Madrigaux a 5 Voix (Les Arts Florissants)
John Dowland: Lachrimae or Seven Tears (Jordi Savall)
Canteloube: Songs of the Auvergne (Dawn Upshaw) **
Franz Schubert: Winterreise (Njål Sparbo)
Erik Satie: Piano Works (Naxos label) **

to be continued…

Currently Reading

moe 1 Comment

Cosmic Consciousness. RM Bucke.
A more than a hundred-year-old classic written by a person with personal experiences with the topic. It is still interesting reading and has some still relevant points: (1) Cosmic consciousness happens, either as glimpses or as lasting experiences. (2) There seems to be an evolutionary unfolding that could make cosmic consciousness ordinary among humans in the future.

Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teachings of Shunryu Suzuki. David Chadwick.

Translucent Revolution. Arjuna Ardagh.

Sufism. James Fadiman.

The Way of the Pilgrim. Unknown author.
Beautifully describes the heart prayer.

I Need Your Love – Is That True? Byron Katie. (a couple of weeks ago)

Integral Spirituality. Ken Wilber. (public draft – read a couple of weeks ago)

As It Is. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. (some weeks ago)

Clarity

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I have had a new experience over the last couple of days.

Yesterday, during a conversation with a friend, and today during sitting practice, I experienced an unusual clarity in perceptions. It was as if a veil fell away or a light fog lifted.

When I talked with my friend, it seemed that the filters were suddenly removed and I was completely present with him, with no separation. The no separation part is not new, but the clarity of perception was. When the same happened during sitting meditation, it again was an unusual clarity – as if something fell away. In both cases, it seemed so natural and simple – so obvious in a certain way.

Who Am I?

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I sat with this question this morning – allowing past experiences and expectations to soften and melt away, along with (the temporary identification with) the body, personality, all phenomena. What is left is this awareness. Here/now, as it is. Without any particular characteristics of form, color, beginning, end, time, change, boundaries, outside, inside.

There was also a sense of clear empty light in/through this awareness and phenomena.

This awareness is that which is reading these word. When there is effort – as soon as there is a pointing in any direction – I am looking too far away. All that is needed is a relaxing and softening into it, a simpe noticing. It is just what is – here/now – as it is.

A footnote: The dropping away of the body, personality, all phenomena, refers to a dropping away of this in terms of focus… What is left if all these melt away? Who am I if all aspects of this small self – the body, emotions, thoughts – are not there? Of course, this is a dualistic process – separating the world of phenomena from the Absolute – but it does help us differentiate between the two. And when we rest in the nature of mind, in this awareness empty of characteristics, it naturally functions in a more transdual way. Through differentiation we enter into a transdual view.

Current

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I have listed current practices, so I may as well list some current experiences…

  • Soft, warm energy around/in/through and extending beyond the physical body.
  • A soft wholeness of body/psyche, extending beyond the physical body.
  • “Empty light” in/through body/mind and all phenomena.
  • All phenomena as radiant (vibrating light/energy in/around/beyond everything).
  • Deep sense of sensual, calm groundedness.
  • Spacious awareness distinct from all phenomena.
  • “Emptiness” in all phenomena (form w/out substance, radiancy).
  • Rich sense of intimacy with all phenomena (no separation)
  • Sense of some general sickness in the physical body, mild flu symptoms (last few days).
  • The field beyond/through the body is “empty” as well as rich and full, which makes it easy to be here/now and not get caught up in thoughts (thoughts are few and quiet).
  • Sense of the small self – this personality – as a shell, a vortex in the stream, through which the spacious awareness functions/embodies.
  • General sense of ease and comfort, and how it is beyond simple.
  • Resting in the field of awareness through/beyond the body, seeing the habitual hang-ups as a cloud in the distance and not needing to engage in them.
  • Thoughts are quiet and appear within a much larger space, so there is little opportunity to get caught up in them. (I did get caught up somewhat tonight, for the first time over several days, although it was mild and transient – the center of gravity is stably in the field of awareness through/beyond the body).

I sense that the richness and fullness in this comes from a combination of the recent eight-day Breema intensive in the Bay area, daily self-Breemas and Breema bodywork, some minimal sitting practice, as well as the continuing Byron Katie style inquiries and the recent deekshas.

And my external situation has been pretty good (according to the likes and dislikes of this personality) since I came back from Oakland, so there are not too many triggers around… I’ll enjoy it while it lasts(!). There is a lot more work to be done. What is listed above can appear due to favorable circumstances, so the direction from here is clarification and deepening, and rest in it – the series of russian dolls from the nature of mind, via the field of awareness and energies through the physical body – in more and more situations.

Great Turning

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Joanna Macy talks about the Great Turning from an industrial-growth society to a life-sustaining civilization.

And an aspect of this turning is the change of worldview.

Currently, we operate collectively from a fragmented and dualistic worldview. We see the world as separate objects bumping into each other, with no inherent mutual connection apart from being in approximately in the same space at the same time. This is a worldview that leads to power-over mentality, and to isolation, lack of meaning, fear, accumulation, insatiability, etc.

A collective more transdual worldview helps us see everything as aspects of a seamless fluid whole. The Universe is a holarchy of nested systems, one within another. We can make distinctions, but within the context of this fluid and seamless whole. There are no absolute boundaries. This is a worldview of flow and connections, and one that sees power as power-with. My own health and well-being is intimately connected with that of all my subsystems and all the larger systems I am part of. From this sense of connection comes a sense of deep belonging to the Earth and the Universe, a sense of meaning, a sense of trust (although not naive or blind), and a sense of fullness and richness. With this worldview, we operate in a very different way.

And we can experience this worldview through experiencing our inner wholeness – of body/psyche – awakened through for instance an integral practice. When we experience the whole that embraces this body/psyche, we also experience being an integral part of the larger whole. There are no absolute boundaries. Everything is part of a seamless fluid whole.

Footnote: An integral practice can include all our relationships – to the body, energy system, emotions, thoughts, intimate relationships, social and ecological relationships, and our relationship to Existence. Typical components may be meditation, yoga (any form), exercise, nutrition, studies of/within an integral framework, and – for instance – inquiry.

For me right now, it consists of Zen practice, Breema (bodywork and self-Breemas), Byron Katie‘s inquiry, being with/being what I am experiencing right now (Raphael Kushnir), deekshas, studies of/within the AQAL model, walking/biking/hiking, solution focused culture change engagement (initiating NWEI courses, permaculture etc.), and the Big Mind process (facilitating myself and others).

>poof<

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This last week – after some weeks with Byron Katie‘s inquiry process, an eight-day Breema intensive in Oakland, and the deeksha last Sunday – I have not been able to believe in thoughts very easily.

I am spacious clear awareness, and when a situation that typically triggered contractions come along, I can see the habitual patterns thoughts/confusion appearing in the distance – but there is no need or wish to engage in them. It is much easier to stay in the clarity. They drop like leaves off a tree. They appear in the distance and go >poof

Waking and finding myself as pure awareness

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There was a very active thunderstorm here last night, which is quite unusual in this valley. I woke up, and for a while was aware of myself only as spacious awareness. It was the drop waking up, not fully aware of being the ocean (but not being unaware of it either), and not quite connected to the small self.

For a while, there was just the perception of the room and the lightning and thunder – without any labels and associations. Without knowing which small self I – as spacious awareness – was attached to, if it was male or female, or even which species it was, and also not knowing which planet or universe this was. It lasted for a while, enough for several lightning strikes.

It is very intriguing – all the ways the mind can function, and the freedom in it. Big Mind is in some ways less of a mystery to me, both when it is centered on a small self and when it does not have a center. But this, how it can become a local awareness – whether resting in its nature as in this experience or acting through a personality as right now – that is more mysterious.

Projections

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There is often a deepening of my experiences, even of that which I thought I had a good grasp on. The words may still be the same, but the experience different.

During the Breema intensive, there was one particular long body-centered meditation during which we listened to a Breema talk. I sat in the back of the room, and noticed how reactions came up for me triggered by the fidgeting of some of those near me. I had judgments come up and associated emotions, and began to fidget myself. My attention became more dispersed and fragmented. I noticed that my central judgment was “they should pay attention”.

When I turned this around to myself, “I should pay attention”, I experienced a (somewhat dramatic) shift from fragmented attention to being here/now, from discomfort to well-being, from dispersion to containment (myself as one whole beyond body/psyche), from a sense of weakness to strength, from confusion to clarity. I was present, here/now as one whole – breathing, with my weight on the ground, listening to the words of the talk.

What came up as very clear to me, is this process…

1. An impulse arises in me.
2. If I apply it outwardly (as judgments or looking for something outside of me), there is a sense of dispersion, fragmentation, weakness, confusion, impatience, and uneasiness.
3. If I apply it inwardly, there is centering, strength, clarity, direction.

The impulse is a gift from the universe, it is exactly the message I need, pointing out the direction I need to go. If I apply it to something outside of myself, I cannot benefit from its gift. If I apply to to myself, I benefit fully from the richness in it.

The advice is always for me. As Byron Katie says, “I am the one I have been waiting for”.

Integral Practice

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Current practice…

  • Breema (bodywork, self-breemas, principles)
  • Being with what is (asking myself Can I be with what I am experiencing right now? – from Rapahel Kushnir)
  • Inquiry 1 (nature of mind)
  • Inquiry 2 (Byron Katie)
  • Relationships (friends + intimate)
  • Shamata/Vipassana
  • Deekshas (just started)
  • Work (engagement in the world)
  • Social change work (NWEI courses at workplaces)
  • Nature (hiking, backpacking, some deep ecology group activities)
  • journaling (here and in physical journal)
  • Framework (AQAL model, integral framework)
  • Visualizations (health, well-being, view)
  • Exercise (walking, biking, hiking, backpacking, some strength)
  • Nutrition (whole simple foods, listening to the body)
  • Just breathing, walking, standing, sitting, talking – being and living and experiencing

Dreams: Leading a group of people in building projects

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I have had several dreams over the last weeks, all with variations on the same theme:

I am leading a diverse group of people in a hands-on project (most recently building), and relate to each person individually and differently according to what is needed. There is a strong sense of leading and coordination, as well as (a) differentiation/diversity and (b) flow and unity.

I think the transformation coming from my daily Breema practice may relate to these dreams. I am bringing the diversity of my body/mind into awareness (the animal aspects as well as those beyond dualities) as well as the flowing unity of myself and the rest of the world.

Dream: Moving into a large house

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I dreamt that we were moving into a house far larger than we thought. It had a large number of rooms, one of which led to a large public swimming pool…!

We are moving into a new house next week. It is large, but I have concerns about storage space – its from the 70s when they thought people didn’t need storage space. These types of dreams often reflect a process of exploring new sides of oneself. That may be the case as I am in a quite demanding architecture program, and already feel I have explored much – in terms of design and my personality.

Online Audio & Text

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Some of the online audio I currently listen to:

News

BBC World Service – mostly solid news reporting
NRK – Norwegian news and in-depth reporting
As it Happens – Canadian perspective

Stories

To the Best of Our Knowledge – stories on a theme from Wisconsin Public Radio
This American Life – Deeply human stories on a theme
The America Project
Hearing Voices
Third Coast Audio Festival

And what I read:

Google News – world news from a range of news sources (good opportunity to compare reporting)
The Guardian – British newspaper
BBC – World News
New York Times
NRK – Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
Dagsavisen – Norwegian newspaper

BBC and NY Times both have a strong “modern” bias in the Cultural Creatives terminology: Belief in salvation through scientific progress, strongly supportive of neo-liberalism (and disparaging towards its critics) etc. BBC is sometimes surprisingly patronizing when reporting from former British colonies.

Independent/Noncorporate Sources

Common Dreams New Center
AlterNet
TruthOut
ZNet
Independent Media
One World

International

United Nations News
Outlook India – range of international views
IPS News – international news
Islam Online – Islamic views
Al Jazeera – Arabic view on world news

Journals

Adbusters
Yes Magazine
Resurgence
Mother Jones
Linux Journal