Followup from Thursday, 9/10/09

At our most recent meeting we started out by discussing the accelerated times in which we find ourselves. However, we quickly moved off into some interesting tangents on which I wished to follow up with a little more information.

I mentioned some degree programs that combine the spiritual (internal/subjective) and material (scientific/objective) domains in what is referred to as an "Integral" approach. For more info on these, and as a jumping off point for further investigation (there may be other, similar programs, in New England as well) you may wish to look into...

http://www.jfku.edu/programs/programs/int_theory/
http://www.fielding.edu/programs/hod/isC
http://www.naropa.edu/

We also talked about ways to deal with relationships, particularly close personal relationships, where there are one or more mannerisms or attitudes in the other that particularly aggravate us. We discussed how there might be lessons for us to learn in these moments, particularly difficult but ultimately rewarding (and perhaps even necessary) lessons. I also mentioned the 3-2-1-shadow psychological technology for illuminating those same, sublimated portions of our own psyches so that we might ultimately find that what especially annoys us in another person may be just the thing that we are most upset about, and are hiding from, in ourselves. Here is a more detailed study of this process, which, again, I encourage you to use as a jumping off point for further exploration...

http://integrallife.com/awaken/shadow/practice-3-2-1-shadow-process

Next, as a reminder, I mentioned the synchronous ways our own intuitional urges to clean up and simplify our personal spaces align with Lena Steven's recommendations for September at...

www.thepowerpath.org

I found the independent corroboration in our conversation to be inspirational, at least, and I hope you enjoy the site. It is Shamanically centered, so the one of us studying Shamanism may be especially interested in the perspectives and insights offered there.

Furthermore, we discussed how we might assess situations to decide how we might best act (or refuse to act) in the interest of the greater good. We decided that listening to the quiet and compassionate voice of our own hearts (perhaps, I would suggest, this is the seat of our conscience even) is often wiser and more reliable than our brains/minds and/or other urges and impulses. On that note, I thought about some of this recent work which you may find interesting and valuable...

http://www.heartmath.org/

Lastly, when we discussed the "100th monkey (ape?)" proposition, as Paula explained, where if 100 monkeys in region learn and adapt a new behavior, than monkey's of that same species will display that same behavior in geographically diverse regions all over. On that note I mentioned the work of Rupert Sheldrake, but at the time I couldn't recall the name of his theory. I have now, and synchronistically enough Rupert Sheldrake himself is mentioned at the end of the book that I just finished reading a night or so after our discussion. The theory is called morphic resonance, and another potential jumping off point for more on that can be found here...

http://www.sheldrake.org/homepage.html

I look forward to seeing you and any newcomers at Spirit Rising Art in Chelmsford, MA this coming Thursday, 9/24, starting at 6:30 PM.

Peace,
Joe