Do You Want To Meet Who You Are?- #48*

We've been exploring the mystery for nearly a year! Today we tackle the mystery of Who We Are.

Recently Ivan Granger published a poem by Dorothy Waters** on his fantastic website, Poetry Chaikhana.*** Reading his daily selections for the past three years has seduced me; there are now a few poems in my inchoate collection. The seduction occurred while reading Ivan's sensitive and helpful commentaries after each selection. 

Exploring the citation provided for Dorothy's work, I found a poem we will be exploring today. When the decision was made to share it with you,  I emailed Dorothy to request her permission. Within the hour she called me!

This was a glorious surprise. We chatted as if we were long time friends and in a sense, we were; there is a copiously underlined copy of her 2002 book, Unmasking the Rose, on my bookshelf. She generously said that from her vantage point of 84 years, my 67 was quite young. This forever endeared her to me.

I shared with her that poetry was a new interest of mine; that in the past, poems didn't make sense to me. She said with a chuckle, "You weren't reading the right poems!"

So I present her poem to you hoping that it is the right poem for you.  Force yourself to read each line. Watch for words you like and savor them. See if you can learn something about yourself from this wise woman's words and let me know what you discover.

WHO YOU ARE

 

 

How the body is put together,

with its tender fastenings,

its mysterious openings,

its muscles working in

smooth coordination

to convey it

where it wishes to go,

how it changes

from year to year,

from day to day,

its cells working in a collusion

to carry it always

into a new configuration,

how the face communicates

its signals

 wherever it goes,

whether it is

happy or sad

or puzzled

or plotting,

how the inner and outer,

organs and coverings are part

of the same being,

the same oneness

that is bound together

to make the unique creation,

the one combination

that is you,

present here, now,

spirit's abode,

soul's habitation,

never to be encountered

again in time's endless cycles.

What new configuration are you being led to? Do you honor your uniqueness?

Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall

*Please note there will be at least one new-to-me word in each post. See if you can guess which word it is. Also tell me if I have misused a word, tell me if you like or intensely dislike a word in the post, or suggest a word you think I need to know.

**Used with oral permission, Dorothy Walters, The Ley Lines of the Soul: Poems of Ecstasy and Ascension (2012)

***Ivan Granger, http://poetry-chaikhana.com

You can easily access the comments section by clicking on exploring the mystery typed below.

 

As Promised, Tenzin's Photos



Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

Tenzin has a no-nonsense attitude. Here's a quote from

Into the Heart of Life - her latest book:

"When everything is going well, we can be lulled into

thinking that we're much nicer and more advanced

than we actually are.

But it's when things don't go right,

when people don't do what we want,

when things don't work out the way we've planned -

that's when we learn."

Pay attention when things don't go "right" during the holidays.

 

When you are upset, see how far you can extend your compassion. 

 

Notice how much patience you can muster up.

 

 Share with us what you discover.

Thanks for exploring the mystery  - Nicky Mendenhall

How Miserable Can You Be During The Holidays? - #47

Born in London, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo,* spent twelve years secluded in a Himalayan cave. Her most recent book, Into The Heart Of Life,**  is a collection of talks explaining Buddha's essential teachings; teachings she says we habitually and persistently deny.
 
Here's a thought from Tensen:  "The first sign of existence is dissatisfaction. Life as we normally lead it in our confused and very disturbed manner is not satisfactory." 

The Buddhist word to describe this unsatisfactoriness is dukkha. Dukkha is dis-ease. It describes times when things don't go the way we want them to go.

We much prefer sukha, which Tenzin writes means: ease, pleasure, everything going nicely; a sense of things going smoothly.

During the holiday season it becomes more difficult to handle our feelings of dissatisfaction. We feel peer pressure to be in the holiday mood. But what if this is the first or second year that our loved one is not at the table? What if we don't have enough money?  What if we are just not in the mood? 

Buddha's first noble truth is "Life is suffering." 

Christians sometimes give the impression that if you pray enough, believe in God, and do all the right things, there won't be suffering. I believed that for many years. When things didn't go the way I wanted them to, I figured it was my fault.

While I still remain wedded to my Christian roots, Buddhism has helped me be more comfortable with the unsatisfactory parts of life. 

Alex Lickerman***, MD., cites a growing body of research that shows our expectations profoundly influence how we experience life. If we are warned that an experience will be unpleasant, we find it easier to tolerate.

If we know there will be dissatisfaction in our lives no matter what we do, perhaps when something untoward happens, we won't blame ourselves. We will know that this discomfort is part of being alive. We can seek help. We can be gentle with ourselves.

It is a paradox: knowing we will suffer - we suffer less. It seems a mystery to me. Let me know what you think about life being unsatisfactory. Is this your experience? Is this a comfort or not?

Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall

*While touring India in 2004, I had the honor of meeting with Tenzin. With great temerity I approached her with my camera and inquired if it would be possible for me to photograph her. She reluctantly but graciously agreed. Look for her picture in a separate email this week. Be sure to look at her hands.

**Into The Heart of Life, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (2011).

***The Undefeated Mind: On the Science of Constructing an Indestructible Self, Alex Lickerman, MD. (2012)

Special note: It is necessary visit the blog to make comments. Click on exploring the mystery below to access it. See Post dated November 8 for full instructions.

Are You Rash or Reckless? - #46

What do you think - was tackling the word emptiness last week actually an act of temerity?

Yes, I'd say it was if we define temerity as boldness. Not so much if we define it as rash or reckless.

Giggling to myself and rolling my eyes, I am flabbergasted because the preceding two lines insist on their own font size. No matter what I do, they do their own thing! The audaciousness (a possible substitute for temerity) of these sentences!

Last week we explored the emptiness that many of us experience as we let go of old patterns. It can be a shock to have these empty feelings at the same time that we are celebrating new ways of being.

Bob Klein* informs us that when  he uses the phrase, "melting ice",  he means the melting of mental programming. This been-with-us-for-a-long-time programming wants us to stay the same. It warns us that the change we are contemplating is rash or reckless. 

Bob suggests that when we let go of this type of programming, the world becomes fluid and creative. I like thinking of my stubborn patterns dissolving and flowing away like ice melting.

During this Thanksgiving week, thank yourself for wrestling with these mysterious issues. You are in good company. Celebrate your temerity at increasing your capacity for tolerating uncomfortable feelings!

Thanks to all who made comments last week. If you haven't checked out the comments sections, be sure to do so. I'd love to hear what you are thankful for this year and what questions you have. In order to comment you have to go to the blog: www.NickyMendenhall.blogspot.com. What is the last rash or reckless thing you tried?

Thanks for exploring the mystery with me. Nicky Mendenhall

*You can learn more about Bob Klein by visiting his website: www.movementsofmagic.com.

Note - For instructions on making a comment, scroll until you find the post for November 8.

 

 

 

Emptiness - Full of Agony or Pregnant with Allure? - # 45

Special Note To Readers: There is one unfamiliar-to-me word (besides the "E" word) in today's post that I wish to add to my vocabulary. Kudos to first reader who identifies it in the Comments section and uses it in a sentence.

As time passes and my awareness level increases, I face a paradox: the more emptiness I allow myself to experience, the fuller my life becomes.

Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel* suggests that the "E" word is a "packed" word; a word that takes considerable effort to understand. 

So it is with temerity that we approach the "E" word. 

Let's begin by asking what happens when our internal structures, the rules and ideas that have guided us for most of our lives, no longer make sense to us.

For me, the belief that there was a right way and a right answer has been a mainstay in my life. As this way of thinking about and being in the world begins to unravel, I face a vast open space.

This type of emptiness, experienced when the old becomes no longer feasible and the new is not yet established, can be a dark place full of confusion and anxiety.

This is because in emptiness, we come face to face with unwanted feelings and emotions. Many of us keep ourselves frantically busy so we don't have to deal with these emotions. I can tell when I'm not wanting to deal with something by the importance I place on attaining perfection in any task that is before me.

We  often fail to realize that working with fears and insecurities, instead of ignoring them, is the way we move from one developmental stage to another.   

"Emptiness signifies possibility," Elizabeth writes. It is likely one possibility for us will be increased authenticity. 

Emptiness gives room for new things to arise.

Slowing down and finding space (emptiness) is not for the faint of heart.  

This week, pay attention. Don't fill up the empty places too fast. Wander around in them and see what you can learn. Let me know what you discover.

Thanks for exploring the mystery with me - Nicky Mendenhall

*Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, The Power of an Open Question, 2011, pp. 43-44.

Bonus Bonus Post

Dear exploring the mystery fans,

One of my favorite people just let me know he was having trouble finding the comments section. This is not at all a puerile issue (as he feared). Locating the comments section isn't as straightforward as I have been making it sound.

The secret to accessing the comments section: go to the blog. You can't locate comments from the email itself.

Here's how to get to the blog:

Scroll to the bottom of any email you receive from exploring the mystery. 

On the bottom of this email you will see a phrase: You are subscribed to email updates from exploring the mystery


Clicking on the underlined section will take you directly to the blog!

When you arrive at the blog - you will see color!  Scroll down to where it says comments. Sometimes it will say No comments. Click on either one and like magic (there I go being puerile) a box will pop up where you can write your comment. You can preview if you like.

Push Publish when you are finished. You won't see it instantly as this is a moderated blog which means it is emailed to me for approval before it goes live on the blog.

The learning curve for technology is steep but it is part of exploring the mystery!  I'm eager  to read your contribution to the puerile discussion. While you are there, you can enjoy other people's comments.

Have fun!

Nicky Mendenhall

 

Bonus Post - Puerile

To exploring the mystery devotees, the word in post 44 that begs and whines and pesters to be acknowledged and used................. 
 
                                                    Puerile

1. of or pertaining to a child or to childhood

2. childishly foolish; immature or trivial: a puerile piece of writing.

Would you please take a moment to craft a sentence using puerile  and post it in the comments section?  I want this word to sink in and be available to me.

Thanks for your help!

And Now For Something Completely Different - #44

Were you surprised at the word egregious in last week's post title?

Your author was.

Reading Naifeh and Smith's biography of Van Gogh has me gob smacked at their extensive vocabulary. 

If you agree that a new word in your arsenal is concomitant to  money in the bank, you will be delighted at exploring the mystery's  new feature:

Each post will include a word that is new to me or a word that is familiar but one I've never made my own. If you read the entire post and don't find a new word, or a word you want to know more about, consider providing a word in the comments section for me to use in the future. 

On the other hand, if you don't feel a need to increase your stable of words, you have permission to skip over words you don't recognize - likely you won't miss much.

If, however, you exult when you spot an unfamiliar word, write it on a napkin. Stuff it in your pocket. Pull it out when your memory fails you. Say it every chance you can during the week. (Special note: If it's a paper napkin, remove from pocket before placing in the dirty clothes basket.)

This week I've been proclaiming to anyone who will listen: "The political commercials are egregious."

If you felt too puerile to look egregious up last week, let me assist you: egregious is an adjective that means (according to my amazonkindle dictionary):  Outstandingly bad; shocking.

Have a boisterous celebration of your vocabulary this week.

As always, thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall