Jacob had a self-defeating neurosis.*
Jacob was full of envy for his twin brother Esau.
Feelings of hostility towards others is a characteristic sign of envy. Hostility for others is accompanied by feelings of dissatisfaction with oneself and critical feelings for one's own accomplishments.
Last week's unsolicited phrase,"Jacob wrestling," is finally coming to fruition. Clinical psychologist Michael Abramsky proposes that when Jacob wrestled and wouldn't let go until he obtained a blessing, his transformation had begun.
I have envied poets. I have envied people who can see past the mundane. I have been critical of myself for rushing past non-literal language.
Beginning to embrace poetry and metaphor, my internal landscape becomes saturated with peaceful unknowing. My bossy pants stay in the drawer more often.
This new place is richer and deeper. Ironically, self-trust is one of the necessary but difficult components. Friends who are a bit further down the path and who generously offer to guide the way, another. Quiet time, essential.
What type of transformation are you undergoing as 2012 comes to a close? Who or what are you wrestling?
Be sure to let me know in the comments section that you will find on the blog - click the link at the end of this email.
As always, thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
*I am indebted to Michael Abramsky for his study of Jacob that influenced the ideas presented in this blog post. "Jacob Wrestles the Angel: A Study in Psychoanalytic Midrash," by Michael Abramsky. Published by International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 29(1), 2010, pp. 106-117.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Can You Wrestle Your Way to Health? - #42
Stop. Take a breath. Get ready to tackle the final sentences of Bob Klein's* "qualities of water" message.
Can you translate (find meaning) in his words:
"Allow your inbreath to be like water evaporating from the surface of the lake and expanding upwards moistening the air.
"Allow your outbreath be like water sinking into the deepest earth moistening the ground.
"Then creativity and health can flourish."
I yearn to understand metaphorical/poetic language; I am loath to stray from literal mind.
So imagine my astonishment when this thought appeared in my mind: Jacob wrestled.
Details were elusive. Who did Jacob wrestle? What were the results? Why did this story fragment show up now?
Being a twenty-first century woman, I queried Google. My eye lit on a new word: Midrash.
The Hebrew verbal root of Midrash is to investigate or explore. Since we are exploring mystery, I thought it prudent to investigate further.
Midrash, as described by Michael Abramsky,** is a genre of Biblical scholarship used to interpret the Bible in symbolic and inspirational terms.
What an amazing synchronicity! Is this what happens when we tune into our awareness? When we pay attention?
Your assignment for the week: when you are struggling to make sense of something or someone, pay attention to stray thoughts. Especially ones that seem "weird" to you. Follow up on them. Believe me - when Jacob's story popped into my mind, it seemed very weird to me.
Be sure to go to the blog and write in the comments section.
Next week - find out what happened to Jacob. What and how can we learn from his transformation.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
*You can learn more about Bob Klein by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.
**"Jacob Wrestles the Angel: A Study in Psychoanalytic Midrash, by Michael Abramsky. Published by International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 29(1), 2010, pp. 106-117.
Can you translate (find meaning) in his words:
"Allow your inbreath to be like water evaporating from the surface of the lake and expanding upwards moistening the air.
"Allow your outbreath be like water sinking into the deepest earth moistening the ground.
"Then creativity and health can flourish."
I yearn to understand metaphorical/poetic language; I am loath to stray from literal mind.
So imagine my astonishment when this thought appeared in my mind: Jacob wrestled.
Details were elusive. Who did Jacob wrestle? What were the results? Why did this story fragment show up now?
Being a twenty-first century woman, I queried Google. My eye lit on a new word: Midrash.
The Hebrew verbal root of Midrash is to investigate or explore. Since we are exploring mystery, I thought it prudent to investigate further.
Midrash, as described by Michael Abramsky,** is a genre of Biblical scholarship used to interpret the Bible in symbolic and inspirational terms.
What an amazing synchronicity! Is this what happens when we tune into our awareness? When we pay attention?
Your assignment for the week: when you are struggling to make sense of something or someone, pay attention to stray thoughts. Especially ones that seem "weird" to you. Follow up on them. Believe me - when Jacob's story popped into my mind, it seemed very weird to me.
Be sure to go to the blog and write in the comments section.
Next week - find out what happened to Jacob. What and how can we learn from his transformation.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
*You can learn more about Bob Klein by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.
**"Jacob Wrestles the Angel: A Study in Psychoanalytic Midrash, by Michael Abramsky. Published by International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 29(1), 2010, pp. 106-117.
Friday, October 12, 2012
How, When, and Where Do You Move? - #42
In previous posts, we have been advised to let ice thaw and water flow; melting and flowing suggest the importance of movement in our lives. Last week we pondered these images, offered by Bob Klein,* and celebrated when our protective armour softened and our bossy pants disintegrated.
Today, Bob describes a different style of movement: "the seedling breaks through concrete to reach the sun." While the previous type of movement helped us release worn out patterns, now the movement propels us toward life in all its fullness.
My body connects to music. Yesterday while driving home, I punched the preset dial for Outlaw Country. Instantly there was rhythm that resonated. The song was Snake Farm** and I couldn't sit still. Downloading the MP3 when I arrived home seemed essential. Now I am guaranteed five minutes of pure pleasure whenever I cue it up - all for only 99 cents. I double dare you to crank it up and not move! (This is not a song you buy for the profound lyrics.)
I met with a truly courageous client who recently was hospitalized for pulmonary embolism. She's home now working on the delicate balance of moving enough and not moving too much.
I've been connecting with an inner sense of movement that provides a sense of ease for me. It has been amazing and in some respects, life changing. Finding my own personal movement means that it is always available to me as a grounding tool. This is courtesy of Kathy Kyar*** and the Trager method. Kathy explains:
I find that this movement re-education moves through my body/mind and into effortlessness in all places in my life.
Keep moving and let me know what you find when you pay attention to the movement in life.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
*You can learn more about Bob Klein by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.
**Snake Farm [MP3 Download],From the album What The Hell Is Goin' On, By: Paul Thorn. Sold By: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
***More from Kathy Kyar:
Today, Bob describes a different style of movement: "the seedling breaks through concrete to reach the sun." While the previous type of movement helped us release worn out patterns, now the movement propels us toward life in all its fullness.
My body connects to music. Yesterday while driving home, I punched the preset dial for Outlaw Country. Instantly there was rhythm that resonated. The song was Snake Farm** and I couldn't sit still. Downloading the MP3 when I arrived home seemed essential. Now I am guaranteed five minutes of pure pleasure whenever I cue it up - all for only 99 cents. I double dare you to crank it up and not move! (This is not a song you buy for the profound lyrics.)
I met with a truly courageous client who recently was hospitalized for pulmonary embolism. She's home now working on the delicate balance of moving enough and not moving too much.
I've been connecting with an inner sense of movement that provides a sense of ease for me. It has been amazing and in some respects, life changing. Finding my own personal movement means that it is always available to me as a grounding tool. This is courtesy of Kathy Kyar*** and the Trager method. Kathy explains:
The Trager
Approach is offered through pleasurable, effortless movement to softly show the
body and mind what is possible.
I find that this movement re-education moves through my body/mind and into effortlessness in all places in my life.
When present to
myself and others, I am ease.
Keep moving and let me know what you find when you pay attention to the movement in life.
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
*You can learn more about Bob Klein by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.
**Snake Farm [MP3 Download],From the album What The Hell Is Goin' On, By: Paul Thorn. Sold By: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
***More from Kathy Kyar:
I have been a
massage therapist for over 20 years. In 2009, I embarked on the path of
becoming a Certified Trager® Practitioner. My path to certification was
about two years long and along the path I began to learn a way to be truly
present to clients while releasing my need to fix things.
More information
is available by contacting me (Kathy Kyar) at 515-201-7161 and from theTrager website
at www.tragerus.org .
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
CAN YOU FIND FANTASTIC COMMENTS?
There are new comments on exploring the mystery Post #41 that are worthy of your attention.Go to the blog: www.NickyMendenhall.blogspot.com (you can click on this underlined address to be transferred to the blog). Click on the phrase, "2 new comments" (which is at the bottom of Post # 41). When you click, you will be directed to another screen where, for some mysterious reason, you will have to scroll up to read two new comments. Let me know if you have difficulties. It would be great if you would leave a comment too.
Thanks for exploring the mystery with me -
Nicky Mendenhall
Thanks for exploring the mystery with me -
Nicky Mendenhall
Friday, October 5, 2012
What Happens When You Thaw Out? - # 41
Admittedly I have been tantalized, touched, and transfixed by Bob Klein's* words. Pursuing this further, I am beginning to be transformed by them.
Listen in your mind, or better yet read aloud the next three sentences from Bob's email. Is there a message in these words for you?
"Allow the ice to thaw and the water to flow. Let it steep into the hardest stone and the driest earth so that life can begin to grow. Water softens the hardest seed, allowing it to grow."
True to my habit of speed-reading suggestions like these, I skimmed them, felt my normal what-does-this-mean impatience, and determined there was nothing of immediate benefit for me.
Nevertheless, I forced myself to hang out with these words unconsciously for forty-eight hours. Then bribing myself with chocolate, I decided to ponder them in a more conscious state for a full fifteen minutes.
Here's the fruit of my exploration:
When I ponder these words as a unit, my body responds. I sense a type of internal movement, almost as if I can sense blood pulsing through my veins and hear the drum of my heart. (Don't be literal here!)
Next, I eye the instruction to allow ice to thaw. Creating a soft focus internally invites the beginning of a melting sensation that is both visual and physical. This sense of melting is real in the way that a metaphor is real. (Go ahead - Try it!)
In sharp contrast to my usual demeanor as a controlling need-to-know-what-the-plan is oldest daughter, this easing sensation pleasantly surprised me. To say it is difficult for me to soften and let go would be an understatement. I'm supposed to be in charge. I like to be in charge. (What's your usual demeanor?)
I'm aware that softening and letting go would transform me. I could be a much nicer person. I want to trust that not knowing what the plan is and not being in control is a viable stance. (What would make you a nicer person?)
When I discern that changes in my behavior are needed from a finely crafted metaphor, it is a humbling experience. On the other hand, I don't feel the embarrassment and shame that comes from being admonished to take off my bossy pants.
Reading these words in silence, or out loud, allows me to soften. To begin the letting go process. To breathe deeper. To pay attention.
What helps you breathe deeper? Which patterns, objects, relationships do you want to let go of?
Tune in next week - there's still one more sentence in Bob's message to explore!
Please go to the blog www.NickyMendenhall.blogspot.com and leave comments.
As always, thanks for exploring the mystery. Nicky Mendenhall
*You can learn more about Bob Klein by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.
Listen in your mind, or better yet read aloud the next three sentences from Bob's email. Is there a message in these words for you?
"Allow the ice to thaw and the water to flow. Let it steep into the hardest stone and the driest earth so that life can begin to grow. Water softens the hardest seed, allowing it to grow."
True to my habit of speed-reading suggestions like these, I skimmed them, felt my normal what-does-this-mean impatience, and determined there was nothing of immediate benefit for me.
Nevertheless, I forced myself to hang out with these words unconsciously for forty-eight hours. Then bribing myself with chocolate, I decided to ponder them in a more conscious state for a full fifteen minutes.
Here's the fruit of my exploration:
When I ponder these words as a unit, my body responds. I sense a type of internal movement, almost as if I can sense blood pulsing through my veins and hear the drum of my heart. (Don't be literal here!)
Next, I eye the instruction to allow ice to thaw. Creating a soft focus internally invites the beginning of a melting sensation that is both visual and physical. This sense of melting is real in the way that a metaphor is real. (Go ahead - Try it!)
In sharp contrast to my usual demeanor as a controlling need-to-know-what-the-plan is oldest daughter, this easing sensation pleasantly surprised me. To say it is difficult for me to soften and let go would be an understatement. I'm supposed to be in charge. I like to be in charge. (What's your usual demeanor?)
I'm aware that softening and letting go would transform me. I could be a much nicer person. I want to trust that not knowing what the plan is and not being in control is a viable stance. (What would make you a nicer person?)
When I discern that changes in my behavior are needed from a finely crafted metaphor, it is a humbling experience. On the other hand, I don't feel the embarrassment and shame that comes from being admonished to take off my bossy pants.
Reading these words in silence, or out loud, allows me to soften. To begin the letting go process. To breathe deeper. To pay attention.
What helps you breathe deeper? Which patterns, objects, relationships do you want to let go of?
Tune in next week - there's still one more sentence in Bob's message to explore!
Please go to the blog www.NickyMendenhall.blogspot.com and leave comments.
As always, thanks for exploring the mystery. Nicky Mendenhall
*You can learn more about Bob Klein by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.
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