…there is something inane about chaining one’s God (whatever one’s understanding of this is) to something empirically falsifiable. We used to think the world was flat. We used to believe in a terracentric universe. We used to think Newtonian mechanics governed the cosmos. I hardly doubt that quantum physics will be the be-all and the end-all of scince, and if one hopes to validate the mystical by bringing in quantum theory, one had better be prepared to lose both in the long run. The Buddha was not talking about subatomic particles when he spoke of the nature of oneness. The subjective is not reducible to the objective.
In surveys, about two-thirds of adults report having had at least one deja vu experience, and the odd sensation seems to occur most often in people with lively, frequently stimulated imaginations. People who travel a lot are more likely to report the experiences than homebodies, for instance, and those with college or advanced degrees report having it more often than others, perhaps because they have encountered its sweet strangeness in the literary accounts of Proust and Tolstoy — or are more likely to rent the movie “Groundhog Day.” Rates seem to peak in young adulthood and to fall off gradually through retirement age, when, Dr. Brown suggests, many people live daily routines that really are familiar.
No other public setting invites intimacy like that of the hair salon, a place where secrets are shared and confidences exchanged. Capitalizing on the sisterhood of stylists and clients, San Jose is recruiting hairdressers in its campaign to reach an often isolated group: battered women.
The Hairdresser’s Project, piloted earlier this year, resumes its outreach effort this month, once again using San Jose State University student interns to knock on the doors of hair and nail salons and even some barbershops. Better than billboards and more personal than a public service announcement, hairdressers also often speak the language of their clients.
Youth, like a flame, burned ever in his breast, and to youth he turned, to the round little limbs, so reckless, that wanted care, to the small round faces so unreasonably solemn or bright, to the treble tongues, and the shrill, chuckling laughter, to the insistent tugging hands, and the feel of small bodies against his legs, to all that was young and young, and once more young. And his eyes grew soft, his voice, and thin veined hands soft, and soft his heart within him. And to those small creatures he became at once a place of pleasure, a place where they were secure, and could talk and laugh and play; till, like sunshine, there radiated from old Jolyon’s wicker chair the perfect gaiety of three hearts.
As a cat lover, and one who rarely meets a cat I don’t like — or who doesn’t like me — the post from which I clipped the excerpt below is a charming story about seeking one to adopt. The link will lead you to the entire entry.
Cats, we’ve had cats in my family all my life, but finding the right cat for a family is a toss up. Its so hard to tell when one is cat shopping what the fluff balls are really like inside. It’s too bad thereÂ’s not a counseling session one can have with a newly acquired cat, one where you both sit down in a nice clean office and really get your feelings out on the table. (Cats are notorious for not sharing their feelings, someone going into therapy should get to the bottom of it.)
I swear I will not dishonor my soul with hatred, but offer myself humbly as a guardian of nature, as a healer of misery, as a messenger of wonder, as an architect of peace.
Did Jesus Christ come to form an exclusive community called Christian, or Buddha to found a creed called Buddhism? Was it Muhammad’s ideal to form a community called Muhammadan? On the contrary, the Prophet warned his disciples that they should not attach his name to his message, but that it should be called Islam, the Message of Peace.
–Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid `Inayat Khan
From: A Meditation Theme for Each Day
Selected and arranged by Hazrat Pir Vilayat `Inayat Khan
This is a sagacious explanation for one of the “whys” of blogging:
So I asked my therapist why, and her explanation astounded and scared me more than a little bit. To paraphrase: “Everyone needs to ask the universe a few questions now and again. Some people call that prayer, some people call that meditation, there are different words and different methods but the goal is the same. We come to places we can’t figure out on our own, and even our friends and family can’t really help. So we ask the universe — the larger power, God, what have you. And I think your Web page, that act, that place, that’s your larger power. You launch the questions out there and sometimes you get a response, sometimes not. It’s the act that’s important. You’ve just chosen a unique and very public God to question.”
If there are times when things go terribly right in the inner worlds and you’re beginning to think you might be pretty hot stuff, or when things go terribly weird in the inner worlds and you’re beginning to wonder how your sanity’s going to survive, remember this is why humanity was given a sense of humor. To get back to living in balance and harmony, step back, take a good hard look at everyday life, and put your spiritual development in perspective (an excellent reason for keeping little kids and critters around). For heaven’s sake, don’t take life (or the afterlife) too seriously. It’s a journey. As long as our hearts are in the right place, things will work out in the end.
Occasionally your geek may be required to go to formal functions. Whether he is nominated for an award in the cutthroat field of fontography, attending a product launch, or having dinner with the new CIO, the prospect of eating with utensils in public is likely to throw your geek into a tizzy. Suggesting a practice meal or even etiquette lessons beforehand can result in a clamer, less babbling geek. Hoarding (see section 3.5.1) can kick into gear when your geek sees a fancy buffet table. Don’t be surprised if you catch your geek stuffing canapes and other weird foods he would never eat into the pockets of his ill-fitting suit. Gently lead your geek away from the food and ask him to introduce you to the members of his team. They will be the ones in the corner seeing if they can hack into the sound system.
MoveOn.org is organizing a candelight vigil for tomorrow at 8 p.m. The purpose is to respectfully and quietly honor the 1,000 troops who have died since the beginning of the war in Iraq. Clicking on the link will allow you to search for vigils organized in your zip code. I’m planning to attend. It’s the least I can do.
Have you ever been walking along and come upon an intriguing piece of paper on the ground? Were you curious? Did you pick it up to investigate? Or perhaps youÂ’ve found an object: a pen, a ticket stub, a scarf. When this occurs, I stop and wonder about the previous owner. Who was she? What were the circumstances of the ownerÂ’s life? This is especially interesting when reading a discarded or lost note. What have you done with your booty? Have you recycled them for aesthetic or utilitarian purposes?
There is a “new” concept called “found art.” It’s probably not new — for years people have collected stuff they found. What is fairly recent, though, is the changed perspective, that of considering these discoveries a form of art. One concept of found art is that the object itself is art; it retains the energy of the previous possessor. It has a story to tell, at which one can only guess.
Another concept of found art is that of creating works constructed of found pieces. Examples of this are the works of Wes Modes.
And yet another definition of found art is expressed by Stephen Linhart. He interprets found art as creative technique, saying , “I develop an experience-space using technology and existing images. Then I go exploring in that space. When I find something that moves me, I lithify it as a digital collage and polish it into a finished work.”
Lastly, an organization called Found Art! (of course) expresses a perspective that sharing art is a way of connecting and healing souls. The concept is not limited to the discovery of objects. The mission is for people to create art (such as making collages, sketching, painting, stamping an image, writing in calligraphy, writing a poem), registering it on the site, and leaving it in a public place to be found (such as in waiting rooms, dormitories, on bulletin boards, park benches, in library books, on bus seats, to store employees, with your meal tip). Of course, if you don’t care whether you get feedback, you can skip registering with the site and just do your own thing.
Suggestions For This Week:
Go on a treasure hunt. Pick up what you find. Think about what history it might have. Write about it.
Think back to some item you found in the past, be it large or small. What did you do with it? Write about that.
Make some art, using items you find around your home. Be liberal in your standards and definition of art. Then write about the experience. If possible, show us a photo. Then maybe leave it somewhere as a happy discovery for someone.
Explore folk art, some of which is made from found objects.
For a virtual experience, go to Making Contexts. Choose a picture, and write a story or vignette about it.
Feel free to leave a link to your blog (if you write about it) in the comments section. Have fun!
