One Thing

You know how some things just stick in your memory and you don't know why? Seemingly insignificant bits that pop into current time every now and again, oddly important in the new moment? This is God work in my vernacular ~ prayer fodder, footage for thought. (grin)

The clip below is one of those pop culture theology scenes of my earlier years. It resonates still.
Jack Palance has always been a favorite of mine. Have a look.



"One thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean shit." The cowboy prophet.
I love, love, love that moment!

The character of Curly (Jack Palance) is a man of vision, someone who appears to have followed his calling dutifully. A shepherd of sorts who has strong opinions, but is well acquainted with choice. A man with a sense of humor and a stalwart faith. A man who dies doing what he loves and living what he knows to be true. For the mid-life-crisis fellows he models for: a saint.

One thing. Name it what you wish.

My opinion: we are all that One thing. Aspects of the Whole. Our separateness is our choice.
Our Oneness is a given.

Peace in Action

We stood out in the heat of the day, waiting for the performance. Dieudonne and his drummers were preparing to perform as part of the Dayton African American Cultural Festival.  I was there to watch, to gage audience reaction, to get a sense of numbers, to pay attention. My tasks were just beginning as outreach coordinator for the group. As I watched these men, roughly 4 years old to 55, families coming together to share the riches of a culture, I felt a sense of awe. The joy and camaraderie, the commitment, the mystical sense of awe they exude as they play: the power was there and shared!

At the break, I asked Donne about peace. The dances are celebratory, you know, like the honoring of a community birth or a ritual for young men coming of age. Yet so often, we had spoken of peace. I wondered what he meant. Perhaps the dances marked the end of war? I asked him.

He smiled knowingly. "Well, let me tell you, Jean."
I listened carefully.The answer was humbling. It took a minute to register the full impact. Simple and at some level, heart wrenching at another.

They call themselves the Royal Court Drummers, an extension of the traditional artists of Burundi. The performance of the Royal Drummers has been the same for centuries, techniques and traditions passed down from father to son. The rhythmic chants were said to extol the virtues of the Kingship, regarded as semi-divine. The King had been known to interpret the beating of the central drum into rules for the kingdom.

The drums were (and are) considered sacred. Each one is a hollowed out tree trunk covered with an animal skin. They were kept in sanctuaries, honored for their essential power and connection to the Divine. The Dayton drummers went through copious amounts of red tape to have drums sent to them from Burundi. They provide repairs and upkeep here.

The drums hold a particular order in performance. The central drum establishes a rhythm. Other drums play continuously, offering variations on the central theme. Yet other drums emulate the rhythm of the central drum, adding to the power of the sound. Members of the ensemble take turns playing the central drum: dancing, resting, playing other drums, all without interruption. Each piece, about 25 minutes in duration. There are 8 to 10 players. The dancers work intensely for the entire piece, even the very youngest ones. Inspiring.

The drums were often known as "dispensers of peace." The sacred anthems of the drums were established before the fall of the monarchy, before the massacre of Hutus, before politics, before genocide. The origins were joyful! The playing of these sacred objects was about fertility and regeneration, about celebrating the divine spark within all connected to the King and to each other.
This was the essence of peace within each person, within the community. If played at a funeral, the drums honored the dead - the peace that passes all understanding. Sacred always.

"That is why we play today," Dieudonne said. It's about reestablishing peace. "When we go back to Burundi," he continued, "we want to take the Light of Peace." And Light, they are.

Hearing stories about their war-torn homeland is devastatingly sad. Dieudonne was generous in sharing personal stories, horrific events that no person should have to endure. As I listened to him, i felt myself fall for a moment, into a sense of despair. Where is hope? How can any of us go on? Why such suffering? The answer came clear as I looked into Donne's eyes, as I watched the impassioned performance, as I remembered the words of these men in casual conversation, speaking about bringing their sons up in this tradition. The Divine came rushing in through their intentions, through their actions, like a balm for the soul. The symbol that these men share in this art form is restorative. Not religious, but central to the human soul, however one believes. It's Love. How does Love manifest? Peace, above all things. Peace.

John F. Kennedy said, "peace does not rest in charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of the people." The truth of this is revealed so beautifully for me in the Burundian culture. It shows the Charter for Compassion as the lively document it is meant to be. We all have an entry point. At first, the words were enough. Now the words lead me to see, to acknowledge and to. . .act.

Actions matter. Small to large and everything in between, including the ritual of art making (drumming or whatever suits you) to awaken your call to manifest Love, to make Peace.

Drum traditions in other cultures reflect this peace. The Native American culture is another prime example. Drum circles around the world signify a level of peace through a common "heartbeat" - through the action of music-making in community. It is all so real when we take it in as more than just another activity for the family to schedule, but a genuine effort to restore Love to the center of our hearts and communities. We can all build the capacity for peace, first in ourselves, then in others.

Thank you to my friends: Dieudonne, Everiste, Elvis, Hubert and their families.
Drums as dispensers of peace? Yep. That works.

Renewable Energy!

The world is big. At some level, unfathomable. Billions of people, billions of stars. Thousands of miles of land and sea. Beauty and destruction. Injury and healing. I could go on, as the world does.

Yet what fills me in this morning minute, a moment never to be lived again, though suitable for replication (grin): I feel like I can wrap my arms around the world through the beautiful people I have the good fortune of knowing. Some are relations, some close friends, some through the written word, others newly introduced. With all of them, the world is manageable. Change is palpable. Love is moving us closer together.

The human family ~ connected global energy sources: we are not impoverished. Our collective soul strength is rich and powerful! People are the most profitable energy source, if used wisely. From thoughts, notes, prayers, dreams, visions all the way to deeds, actions, missions and movements:  a broken world can be RE-membered ~ REnewed!! Imagine an Endless Power Source.

The land depends on us. The creatures of the land depend on us. And we depend on each other.
And Love!

Wrap your arms around the world through your people! Because, really, we belong to each other.

The Paradox of Race

The first day of the Healing History conference brought to light a very interesting and intriguing paradox. Many of the scholars who presented concluded that biologically there is no such thing as race. They noted that when we look at DNA, there is no qualifier or marker that identifies race. So here then is the paradox, while there is no such thing as race, racism does exist. 

Human beings have in fact constructed a concept of race which has led to a categorization and a hierarchical system that values some categories over others. These categories, in turn, have resulted in structures and systems that have favored some categories while dismissing others, giving rise to racism on a personal and institutional level.

One of the questions being posed at this conference is: how do we overcome, or as one scholar put it, “eliminate”, racism? Some of the participants suggest that we begin with our minds, in particular our unconscious bias, which is the lens through which we view the world and process information unconsciously. Unconscious bias is not about race but rather how we choose to process and categorize information that creates in-groups and out-groups. This process of assigning negative attributes to certain categories creates a sense of otherness which dehumanizes groups of people. Socially this “othering” creates systems and structures that support and sustain this social construction. The first step to combat this is to be aware that we all have unconscious bias. Next is to challenge stereotypes because each time we prove them to be false, we puncture little holes in them. It is hard to sustain stereotypes when we are in regular contact with those that we have “othered”.

The process of “othering” creates structures and systems to uphold and validate it. For this reason some participants suggested that to eliminate racism, we must pivot away from centering our discussions on race and in turn look to transform the dominant power structures that have been constructed based on the concept of race. They say this because to have a “post-racial” society does not automatically imply that racism does not exist. It is only when we address the underlying structures that were built based on the notion of racial hierarchy that we can truly eliminate racism.

As I am in this amazing conference and beginning to process everything, I think a problem as complex as this is beyond a simple “either/or” situation. If we are to truly realize our common humanity, it will be through holistically applying all means and all methods at our disposal. On an individual level, we have to closely examine how we view and relate to others. We must also take a critical look at the various forms of media we entertain to be sure they are not reinforcing, on an unconscious level, what we are striving to eradicate on a conscious level. However, while these measures can improve how we relate towards one another, we must also look at the structures that create health disparity, income gaps, and a 10 year difference in allostatic load (wear and tear on the body) based upon race. To learn more about current research on race and healthcare in the US, see the presentation given by David Williams of Harvard University’s School of Public Health

As we have the courage to apply the tools at our disposal at each crucial level, we can continue to chip away at the artificial barriers that keep us from equality and a just society.

Amaha Sellassie (CSP 2013) is a mediator in conflict transformation, trained by the US Institute of Peace, and is a facilitator for IofC’s longtime Dayton, OH, partner, the Dayton Dialogs on Race Relations.

Alchemy

Life is about gold-making, the creation of that which we treasure and spend with reckless abandon. Transformation at its finest.

I'm not referring to earnings or profit margins, or material things at all. No lottery winnings or rich, great-uncles passing; no windfalls or unearthed treasure chests.

My reference for gold would be light, contentment, shimmering auras and glistening psyches; to glow is to know a deeper harmony than jingling coins ~ a treasured memory, a reconciliation with a former foe, completion of a noble process.

Gold is bliss. Gold is love. Gold is peace. The things that take us out of our heavy, leaden lives, transforming us into twinkling, polished valuables. Gold is patience, trust, confidence, compassion. Gold is the protective casing for our ample souls, for our fragile faith, a cure for the plague of fear. So how do we access this most-valuable-of-elements? It's a paradox. That which we need can only be found in ourselves. It's already there. In fact, it comes standard with the human model.

It can be lonely in the mines, searching for personal wealth. It's small and dark, treacherous and dank. Some formations are easily revealed; others lay covered and quiet, barely distinguishable without precision tools. Don't expect to get anything accomplished on your regular time schedule. All bets are off when you're deep within. The process of alchemy transforms time as we know it. With our short attention spans, our need for immediate gratification,  it's a wonder we survive.

Not everyone finds their personal bounty. It's likely that many don't know it's there or where to search. Humans don't come with instruction manuals, after all; although body, mind and spirit, combined, provide a mighty navigation system ~ a golden key. The awareness of this human trifecta is all we need to begin the alchemical journey. I propose that our awareness is our bond with the Divine, the Source, the Creator, the One - by whatever name you call this Force, let it be the Guide, inside and outside yourself. This Investment will transform any old you into Gold!

Bee Power

To my fellow lovers of life and victors of the free world. I am a new Beekeeper, i am terrified about what has and is happening to our Bee populations. We will not survive without these sweet little innocent lovers. The chemicals being used on our lawns, and flowers and vegetables, are poison. Where there is a bloom with pollen, bees feed. If chemicals have been used, the bees return that poison back to the hive. They survive, not thrive, just survive thru summer and fall. Winter is a death sentence. Their immune systems collapse. They die. They die because we think clover and dandelions  are weeds. They are beautiful lovely flowers filled with amazing pollen. All a gift of God, that we really must not continue to take such advantage of.
~Peace and Love and Bee Power, Colleen
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Whatever you call the natural order of things: God/Goddess, Mother Nature, evolution and so forth, it can likely be agreed that it is a natural process. None of us came up with it! (grin). The nature of it, the source, the core, the central wisdom: it is a given in our cosmic mathematics. The life cycle of bees is just one proof for the human family to review.

I wonder so often: who are we to think that we have the better answers for the daily life of the natural world? This earth and its organic procedures were here way before humans.Truly, we are stewards of what we found upon arrival. The human ego, however, seems mighty determined to dominate, even when the evidence is clear: things were cool before we started tinkering. This is not to say that we don't have a contribution to make to our lives with nature. Innovative solutions abound, when a general respect for the earth and her inhabitants is honored. Compassionate understanding and intention can lead the way to miraculous results.

 Metaphorically speaking, how have we humans poisoned our brothers and sisters, cultivating toxic energies that are unknowingly consumed and taken back to family homes (hives) corrupting a natural process of human evolution? I'm just sayin'. (smile)
Caring for each other is primary stewardship: human ecology.Talk about a productive use of natural resources! Go exploring in yourself. Find the naturally-occuring, free source within yourself!! It is OUR natural process. I've named it Center Love. You choose your own name. But may I suggest living it as your main natural resource? Bee a good steward! (pun intended)

Center Love Evolution starts with each one of us!

Shalom, Jean
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Closing good news: Facebook post from my cousin Fearn last week:

Our empty hive received a swarm of honey bees today! This is the second year in a row this has happened. Welcome honey girls. may you be healthy and happy here. We love you!

~Fearn Lickfield

Apple Compassion

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There is a baby apple on my baby tree! (Actually, there are two, one on each tree!)

[Baby apples forming on 1yr sapling]

 

This to me is a symbol of growing compassion. Why?

Well, I’m a little bit of an introvert, and although some days I receive energy from interacting with people, other days I absorb more energy from the quiet rustling of trees and
the tranquility of being alone in the grass.

I never tire of interacting with nature—even in the skin-drenching, cold, awakening rains of spring or the thick, burning heat of midsummer—because to me it is the manifestation of God and His creation.  I can be my comfortable self in nature and God will shine his sunny and windy and rainy love upon me in equal measure.  I still love people; sometimes I just need to love them from a distance.

 

[Gods Glory!]

So when I am striving to cultivate plants or simply exist respectfully in the midst of them, my purpose is twofold: 1. With every photograph of gorgeous plant I take  (oh so many!), I am expressing my appreciation and awe at the complexity of God’s design; And 2. I am exercising my muscles of compassion for my fellow humans. (Some days the workout seems harder than others!).

The way I see it, we are all connected. Not just people to people, but people to earth, and even generations to generations connect across time. By planting in, and investing in the landscapes around me, I am investing in not only present beatification and fresh summer veggies, but also future generations who will inherit whatever we leave behind.  We connect with the past and the future through nature, by experiencing the hard work that our ancestors have wrought, and by improving upon the conditions for our children. Isn’t that cool? Nature is such a universal element that all peoples can profit from it, and find a sense of the spiritual therein. So I say, enhancing nature enhances the spirit! 

And so, with these two humble sticks that are in fact Apple trees, I am growing my spirit and my compassion for the world at large.  Just as others may seek to change people’s lives when they serve others in teaching, nursing, I seek to change the outcome of humanity’s future by changing the landscape of the land!

I grafted these apple trees just last spring, so this is the first time I’m seeing them develop. This is only the beginning! I am not planting the apple trees for immediate joy--though I still receive weekly satisfaction watching more leaves, branches, and now tiny new apples emerge—but for the long-term satisfaction of my mother’s grandkids to enjoy. And maybe their kids!

But wait, you say you don’t have your own apple trees? No yard to put them in? (not even your mothers? Harness what you do have. Go ahead, pick the low-hanging fruits! You have the power of the sun, and the wind and the rain! Dry your clothes outside on a nice day.  Or if you’re feeling ambitious you make a solar oven! And after all that hard work, enjoy some tea, brewed in the sun! J We are fortunate in the Western World to have an abundance of water; yet it is still a precious resource to be guarded.  Collect rain water for your gardens, and consider using drip hoses around your plants—it uses less water AND delivers it more directly to where the plants need it most, in the roots.

And of course, whenever and wherever possible, plant things! Let them grow! Encourage green leaves to help the earth and heal people’s souls. (You can ask for help if your thumbs look a little blackish, there are plenty of growing resources out there, and garden friends to be made!)

And I bet, by the time my apple trees really get crankin’, I will be filled with the spirit of compassionate giving, and ready to turn all the energy from nature into energy with people!  Then I can share the fruits of my labor and nature’s compassion with my neighbor! I can’t wait!

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Chelsea Powell grew up in Dayton and enjoyed the experience of The Miami Valley School. She proceeded to study architecture and horticulture at U.C., helping to start a garden in downtown Cincinnati. She now continues her search for good design with various plants, people, and projects in Southern Ohio.