Re: January

[Guest guest]

In message ,

Gwendolyn Pincomb writes

Gwen,

Another well-expressed and thoughtful post - you have brought a

veritable feast to our pot-luck dinner today! (Curiously American

institution, the pot-luck dinner btw - British hostesses tend to want to

plan their dinner parties very rigidly - they are extremely formal and

regulated occasions, not at all appropriate for a fluid and sharing list

such as ours!!)

>One temptation, for me at least, is to feel irritation

>about the experience rather than appreciation for what

>gifts these people have left as they travelled

>through. Shifting ground. Uncertainty. Another is

>to start feeling a little paranoid about what I wrote

>or someone else wrote -- did they leave because ooops

>we said or she said or he said or I said.

How true!

I remember when I started my own greatgoddess list last April - the

excitement as new people joined (I had been afraid it might end up with

myself and a handful of close friends preaching to the choir) - the joy

as people posted - and the sheer THRILL when a thread evolved on its own

without me having to start it - then, inevitably, a downer - the first

unsubscription!

I had, of course, been prepared for this (mentally) - but one would have

to be inhuman not to feel disappointed - especially when people

unsubscribe without saying why. Obviously, it's disappointing however it

happens, especially when it's someone who has become a friend - but it's

much nicer when the person sends a brief message to the list, saying

that they have enjoyed participating but no longer have the time, or

something. (So far I have been fortunate - we have never had a flame war

or people stomping off in a huff). However, in the early days of the

list, something happened which I have to confess that I handled very

badly.

I opened an e-mail which, by the subject heading, looked like a reply to

an existing thread, and read:

please unsubscribe me

I still cringe when I think of my reaction. I sent the person an

offended e-mail, asking them not to spam the list with unsubscribe

requests, but to go into onelist and unsubscribe themselves.

(I'll leave the resulting guilt trip to your imagination!!!)

Nowadays I would of course remove the person and then send a general

message to the list reminding people how to modify their subscriptions

at onelist. Life is a learning curve!

Someone (sorry, can't remember who) said to Mike the other day " no one

loves a listowner " . I don't think that's necessarily true - but, what I

*have* found is that people tend to have strong *reactions* to

listowners. Lists can become a bit of a cult sometimes - with things

becoming automatically true because the listowner says so. Then

something goes wrong, and it's automatically the listowner's fault.

My policy now (works for me, I'm not saying it necessarily would for

everyone) is to respond courteously and as promptly as possible to

requests (I can't seem to unsubscribe, HELP!!) - or

questions/suggestions concerning list policy, but to refuse to interfere

in personality clashes/disputes (unless of course someone joined with

the sole purpose of flaming people, which fortunately has never

happened).

<insightful comments and beautiful analogy snipped - Gwen put it so well

there is no need to comment further>

>

>Starting to understand now why Maureen made a point in

>JC not to interfere or try to persuade against people

>moving freely into and out of the group -- the freedom

>of flow itself helps keeps the center.

*Exactly*. I learned a lot from how Maureen ran the list. She had a

knack of knowing when to send a friendly warning and when to let a

situation run its course. She also put the word " rules " in inverted

commas and knew when they were meant to be broken.

However - as I cautioned at the time, Maureen is Maureen, and whoever

took over would have to find their own way.

I seem to have offended Mike with my comments on the " two posts "

situation - regretfully, as that was not my intention. I confess to a

typically Jewish dislike of authority, but I really was only trying to

be helpful when I said that I didn't think it such a brilliant idea to

waive the rule during a conflict situation and then seek to impose it

rigidly the moment the conflict was resolved. I think that was a shame -

as we had a day of great posts, then the reminder about the rule (which

I actually saw as a little heavy - although that could just be my anti-

authority complex talking!!)

As I've said before, I have no problem with the rule *per se*. I would,

however, like to remind everyone that the " rule " was made by Maureen for

her own reasons, and she therefore operated under the spirit rather than

a rigid " law " .

It seems that the majority want to keep the rule, and as such,that's

fine by me. I think that what I'm really trying to say here is that

*Mike* is running the list now - and must learn, as must any listowner,

to do it in his own way for his own reasons, and not have to try to be

Maureen. That way - whether or not we are all in *agreement* with his

choices, they will evolve out of his *own* spirit, not some slavish

adherence to a " dogma " (which as far as I can see Maureen never wanted

anyway) - then, our individual choices to go, stay, or take a back seat

will be made for the reasons which are right for us at the time, and not

just reactions to conflicts on the list.

>

>Thanks to all who keep bringing their recipies made by

>hand as well as the snacks -- marshmellows,

One other thing which I've been dying to say for ages - I hate

marshmallows!!!! Roasted chestnut, anyone?

--

fa

http://www.kingseyes.demon.co.uk/greatgoddess.htm

[Guest guest]

Thanks Gwen for your meal of healthy food for the jungfire... I also

wanted to tell you that the founders of Halcyon, Dr. Dower and Francia LaDue

were initiated into the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation.

Dr. Dower in *Letters of Light* page 26 said, " Curiously, my birthplace was

Syracuse, N.Y., and I was much interested in the Indians living about seven

miles from the city, and went among them frequently to study their customs,

religious ideas, etc. As a result of this, I was initiated into the Tribe,

and became an adopted member of the Head Tribe know as the Onondagas. Also,

later on, after the Temple was organized, Mrs. Francis A. La Due, known as

" B. S. " , and co-founder with myself of the Temple under the direction of the

Masters, was also initiated into this tribe.

Then on page 78 and 79... " My object in contacting them [the Onondagas] was

to study their legends and to find out what they knew about what we call

Occultism. I found out a great deal that has never been written in books.

They believed in the Masters, astral bodies, were largely governed by

visions and dreams, and I was told that many remembered their past

incarnations, also they knew how naturally to develop the psychic faculties,

and they knew about elementals. These things are seldom mentioned in books

relative to their beliefs and legends.

My adoption required a regular initiation with one of their religious

dances. They conferred upon me my Indain name but allowed me to select my

clan, which was the Turtle Clan. A Clan is like a family that runs through

the different tribes, and when you visit another tribe you would go to one

of the same clan and you would be taken care of. "

Thought you might be interested in the above...

All my very best to you and your work in the world...

Love,

Roselma

January

>,

>

>I have some lit on the Scrolls/NH library. The latter

>has a copy of one of my favorite poems we've had

>listed here before -- ThunderPerfect Mind. So...I'll

>be interested in your salt's worth for sure (but may

>not be able to read the books right now. Welcome

>back!!!

>

>I would like to pause here and reflect on some of the

>natural cycles concerning January as they may be

>relevant to the experience of watching some of our

>friends come and go. When there is repeated mention,

>attention to this process...it may be associated with

>a bit of discouragement to those remaining, as well as

>a bit of the group or participation mystique

>motivating in either direction -- going or staying.

>

>One temptation, for me at least, is to feel irritation

>about the experience rather than appreciation for what

>gifts these people have left as they travelled

>through. Shifting ground. Uncertainty. Another is

>to start feeling a little paranoid about what I wrote

>or someone else wrote -- did they leave because ooops

>we said or she said or he said or I said. The problem

>with this is that the fun of writing, playing, being

>in turn silly and serious while ever expanding

>creativity, connections, awareness of ourselves and

>each other starts contracting. Less and less to say.

>More and more doubt. Less and less energy to keep

>trying.

>

>I don't think it needs to be this way and these are

>temptations...but not the only explanations for what

>is going on here.

>

>January is a time in any year when people are making

>resolutions, carving out time to ask where was I last

>year, what am I changing -- realistic or not, trying

>to break patterns (at least for a week or so) they

>experience as addictions (food, alcohol, the cigs, and

>a new addiction or fear of it that is novel to this

>decade -- the net). There are the concerns about

>finances, expenditures over the holidays and

>resolutions to take a second or third job. There are

>also varying degrees of emotional or energy swings in

>response to the winter. These range from mild

>restlessness and tiredness and irritability to frank

>depression. May or may not be heightened by the

>holidays and family disappointments. I suspect this

>year intensified by the pre-millenium concerns about

>Y2K and terrorism. Now in the post-climatic moment...

>some of which is a normal fatigue. As we become more

>globally aware individually and collectively it is

>also possible we may be more troubled in our

>transpersonal experiences and collective senses about

>the conflicts raging around the world -- now a bit

>more personalized or real with the faces and

>tangibility of TV coverage for the millenium

>celebration. More awareness those are our brothers

>and sisters -- in every corner of the world.

>

>Obviously there are a lot of ways to deal with this.

>No one is wrong. Some species (and individuals) have

>saught comfort to make it through the winter until the

>promise of sprouts, sunshine and bubbling streams

>huddled around fires in caves and thick tents -- where

>they share deeply and hold off the cold as much with

>stories and proximity as with flames. Others choose

>an equally valid approach for them ... to retreat,

>rest, insulate... even hibernate for a time. There is

>a knowing about which is right for a given species and

>hopefully most times for us humans as well. Many ways

>to protect the seedling of hope and life until spring.

>

>I am going to trust that those who have left have done

>so for their own reasons, good ones by there

>estimation -- and that's what counts, not mine

>judgment about it. Likewise, those of us who stay

>have our reasons too. Change is a part of life -- a

>good one from my point of view more often than a

>threat. If we choose to make it through the winter

>(or whatever season) in community because at least

>this year we want to -- then we will. There is even

>power in a community of 2 if that is all that remains

>(most hopefully we'll be more than 2 however). Point

>is...No wrong or right way. An abundance of honorable

>choices.

>

>It keeps reminding me of walking the Chartes labyrinth

>with a group of friends, each starting at a different

>time. We're all on One journey from the " big picture

>view " though in certain passages we get to walk

>parallel journeys and feast on the fellowship -- other

>times we walk perpendicular or even opposite

>directions. It is no ones fault, and ultimately no

>one has abandonned the greater journey. It is the

>dance ... we come together and we move a little more

>distant...sometimes even more distant and with

>different partners -- there's a pattern, a rhythm.

>The pilgrimage through the labyrinth depends on just

>keeping on keeping on with our own portion for the

>moment.

>

>Starting to understand now why Maureen made a point in

>JC not to interfere or try to persuade against people

>moving freely into and out of the group -- the freedom

>of flow itself helps keeps the center. (Though can

>certainly get real excited about saying WELCOME BACK,

>!!!!)

>

>So...I'm staying. I like the warmth of the fire and

>company this winter and send those who instead travel

>during winter or curl up with their own bear blankets

>-- out with smiles and gratitude for their gifts and

>wishes for the best. Keeping in mind a open spot for

>their return if the path leads back around here again

>before I feel my own inner urge to travel in time.

>

>I'm going to think of the posts here as a potluck

>dinner. I'll bring what I can prepare and want to

>savor. When I've been at work too many hours thatday

>it may taste a bit canned or corny (corn's a staple in

>them store foods). I'll at least promise myself that

>i'll balance out with the times I get to work on a

>handmade meal from scratch. I'm pretty open to new

>tastes too but don't expect to like everything. I

>want some light, some rich, some meaty, some festive,

>some more decoration to delight or tease the eye or

>nostrils than substance, some salty, pungent. If the

>Ayurvedics are right -- I not only can handle but also

>need at least a pinch of bitter, sour, etc. If I get

>discouraged that I'm not being fed at such a flexible

>feast -- well its partly up to me to bring what will

>feed me.

>

>Thanks to all who keep bringing their recipies made by

>hand as well as the snacks -- marshmellows, chocolate,

>rice cakes...

>

>I took a long way to say what Oliver's poem

>entitled SUNRISE does more eloquently (you can find it

>in Dream Work, copyright 1986.

>

>You can

>die for it --

>an idea,

>or the world. People

>

>have done so,

>brilliantly,

>letting

>their small bodies be bound

>

>to the stake,

>creating

>an unforgettable

>fury of light. But

>

>this morning,

>climbing the familiar hills

>in the familiar

>fabric of dawn, I though

>

>of China,

>and India

>and Europe, and I thought

>how the sun

>

>blazes

>for everyone just

>so joyfully

>as it rises

>

>under the lashes

>of my own eyes, and I thought

>I am so many!

>What is my name?

>

>What is the name

>of the deep breath I would take

>over and over

>for all of us? Call it

>

>whatever you want, it is

>happiness, it is another one

>of the ways to enter

>fire.

>

>

>Going breathe in a little happiness today no matter

>what else I do. And what's breathed in eventually is

>breathed out to share.

>

>Gwen

>

>

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