Greetings all,
We are coming to the dog days of summer now. Lammas eve is tomorrow, the first of the 3 harvest festivals in Celtic calendar. These are often the hottest times of the summer and yet the fading of the light is already apparent. Although I haven't been in school for a number of years I still feel a tie to the academic year and memories of summer vacations winding down always bring my mind back to simpler times. This is not to say I long for those days for they are weighted with regret. I wandered without much direction or purpose in my youth, the road continually vanishing beneath my feet. I regret time wasted and opportunities left unclaimed. This may be why I try to keep myself occupied, so I can appreciate the long hot days when I am not busy as a respite rather than feel abandoned by the currents of life.
When we get to the tail end of summer just as winter we can often feel stuck in the fabric of time. The external world has not offered much in the way of hopeful signs lately. The siren song of cicadas has been drowned out by the circus of two political conventions in the past two weeks. Social media has become a minefield of navigating the various degrees of vehemence on the left and the right. Part of me just wants to check out, and in point of fact I have been spending more time in deep meditations and journeying. This is good in one way in that I am getting caught up with some of my personal spiritual work. Still I know my tendency is to numb myself with transcendental states and disengaging from the 3-D realm around me. The difference these days is that I am not just passing the time in an insulated dream. I am actively seeking knowledge and empowerment so that when I plug back into our collective world I am more effective at implementing changes in my life as well as the lives of others.
I was having a deep conversation (my favorite kind) with a good friend this week talking about my self perceived faults on not being able to connect well with many people. However I was not taking in account that what is often depicted online and in other media about relationships is often scripted. On average people connect on the surface of things and have very few people that they share deep ties with. This is one of the reasons that many of us struggle with family issues. We are deeply connected to them, more so than anyone else except maybe a spouse. We are vulnerable to them whether we want to be or not. We go out of our way to not reveal our vulnerabilities to others. Now I am not saying we should be shouting out to the world our deeply held feelings and vulnerabilities. I've learned the hard way that just because I feel an intense connection with someone it doesn't mean they are meant to be let inside my sanctum. It's tough I am an introvert that loves people (in small groups, not in public spaces or noisy events...I know I don't ask for much do I).
I remember speaking to an immigrant out of West Africa, she told me most of their songs were about rain, because rain was scarce. When she came here she noticed most of our songs are about love and she wondered if love was a rare commodity in our culture. She may be onto something. I think many of us operate under a love deficit, or rather an intimacy deficit. We have so much to distract our senses now that we often neglect developing deeper connections, and yet that is what we all on some level are looking for either in our current relationships or in seeking new ones.
So why am I telling you all this. Well if you're anything like me you want to connect with people and share an understanding. You want to find your tribe where you can be you and feel like you fit. Many of us give up the search and settle for the surface currents of life, we watch tv, skim our Facebook feeds, and check our likes and comments rather than engage in the world. We have tools at our disposal that can help us connect with others who share our values and interests and yet I've heard this from people over and over that when they put up an event if a dozen people say they're coming only one or two show up. We have so many crutches for interactions now that we often excuse ourselves from the possible awkwardness of interacting.
How about you? Are your needs for deep meaningful connections being met? Do feel starved of affection and understanding? Are you convinced there is something terribly wrong and unlovable about yourself? Well many of us feel that way from time to time. Your pain doesn't make you special so try not to confuse yourself with it. In each of us exists a capacity for beauty either through our form, our movements, in our dealings with others, or the work of our hands and spirits. If you find yourself in a dry spell for connection don't despair. There are people who feel exactly the same way, and if we make connecting a priority we can help each other out. Is your past littered with "failed" connections? Well guess what the past is relevant only if you decide it is. It can be your guide for what to look out for instead of a prophetic playbook. So while the warm days last, before the light wanes and the trees fade make an effort to seek those connections out. Not every one will work out, but that's part of the process. Find your tribe and sing your song, I'll be listening for it on the summer breeze.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
Musings
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Wandering Oracle
Greetings all,
Another week another blogpost. I've been pondering this one quite a bit. To give you a bit of background several years ago a fellow psychic informed me that they'd had a dream about me becoming some sort of spiritual leader. They also had envisioned me being killed for my beliefs, and then subsequently receiving some sort of worship like an icon.
First off let me start by saying martyrdom does not appeal to me. However that vision that was shared with me did inspire me to get my writ down just in case. This has been known in my circles as the only commandment. "Don't be a dick." I won't go into that too much here because I wrote a blog post on it a while back where I elaborate. Here I'll just link that so we can get on with it. http://thomasmooneagle.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-first-commandment.html
All caught up now? Good, have we got some roads to walk together yet. Lately as current events heat up one issue or another I've been remarking about the Church of the Mooneagle. Mostly things like in the "In the Church of the Mooneagle we don't care who you marry, just that you treat them well." (It goes back to the not being a dick thing). Still, every now again in the still hours, a figure will drift in and out of my musings. There are no prophets in the Church of the Mooneagle, we don't much hold with that sort of thing. Prophecy is bad for business all around. What we do apparently have are oracles. Nothing so done up as Delphi mind you, our oracles don't stay in one place. Oracles do share one trait with prophets in that no one wants them in their neighborhood very long. My oracle comes in the way a lyrical phrase will fall together while contemplating the mysteries both large and small. I call him the Wandering Oracle. Although I suppose the Wandering Oracle could just as easily be female, because the Church of the Mooneagle is an equal opportunity employer of spiritual truth.
The words of the Wandering Oracle come in little spurts. Good luck seeking him out. Part of the wandering means not so easily traceable. I never know when he'll turn up. Although it tends to happen when I am more centered and aligned with my inner truth and the beauty of the world. In those moments it is like setting an extra place at the table. Sometimes the oracle accepts the invite, and sometimes I dine alone and must put the leftovers in tupperware. I like the uncertainty of it all. Too much certainty poisons any spiritual path.
Where did he come from, this oracle? I almost spilled the beans there for a moment. You see I wrote out his exact origins and then deleted the paragraph. (I know it's particularly wicked for me to even bring that up but I am a trickster). Part of the mystery is where he came from. I know his true name and how he became an oracle, but to share that might dilute the magic surrounding him. An oracle thrives on mystery, it's his meat and mead. That is the function of a true oracle, to point out the mysteries that surround us, to help us puzzle out where we fit into them, and occasionally to lend us compassionate reassurance. So you see the Wandering Oracle helps us to find the wonder in the world.
The oracle's words are not often one of prediction, again we aren't into prophecy down at the Church of the Mooneagle. They reveal a truth, they cast a lens of understanding upon a facet of our lives. To receive the oracle is a gift, for his words do change us. I shall give you the first words I received from the Wandering Oracle.
I walk a wandering road,
East of west and north of south,
My mind flies forward as my heart reaches behind,
My eyes see far across the wastes,
My ears echo with the cries of the fallen,
If you seek me you will find me not,
If you find yourself then I will seek you.
So how about you? Have you forgotten the mysteries great and small? Does meaning seem lost in this world? Do your words carry power and potential like an oracle's? Walk under the light of the moon and stars. Catch the breeze in the summer leaves. Taste the sun in the fruits of the field. Breathe deeply the sounds of the sylvan night air. Hear the chorus of the cicadas. It is the song of summertime. If you move centered and open through the world, you may catch a glimpse of the Wandering Oracle as you walk. He may even gift you with a few precious words. I advise you to write them down, they can be slippery to the waking mind like dreams, fading like mists in the morning sun. I'll gift you again with the most recent telling I received on the subject of futures.
"The future more often than not is written in sand not stone." Words of the Wandering Oracle.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
Another week another blogpost. I've been pondering this one quite a bit. To give you a bit of background several years ago a fellow psychic informed me that they'd had a dream about me becoming some sort of spiritual leader. They also had envisioned me being killed for my beliefs, and then subsequently receiving some sort of worship like an icon.
First off let me start by saying martyrdom does not appeal to me. However that vision that was shared with me did inspire me to get my writ down just in case. This has been known in my circles as the only commandment. "Don't be a dick." I won't go into that too much here because I wrote a blog post on it a while back where I elaborate. Here I'll just link that so we can get on with it. http://thomasmooneagle.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-first-commandment.html
All caught up now? Good, have we got some roads to walk together yet. Lately as current events heat up one issue or another I've been remarking about the Church of the Mooneagle. Mostly things like in the "In the Church of the Mooneagle we don't care who you marry, just that you treat them well." (It goes back to the not being a dick thing). Still, every now again in the still hours, a figure will drift in and out of my musings. There are no prophets in the Church of the Mooneagle, we don't much hold with that sort of thing. Prophecy is bad for business all around. What we do apparently have are oracles. Nothing so done up as Delphi mind you, our oracles don't stay in one place. Oracles do share one trait with prophets in that no one wants them in their neighborhood very long. My oracle comes in the way a lyrical phrase will fall together while contemplating the mysteries both large and small. I call him the Wandering Oracle. Although I suppose the Wandering Oracle could just as easily be female, because the Church of the Mooneagle is an equal opportunity employer of spiritual truth.
The words of the Wandering Oracle come in little spurts. Good luck seeking him out. Part of the wandering means not so easily traceable. I never know when he'll turn up. Although it tends to happen when I am more centered and aligned with my inner truth and the beauty of the world. In those moments it is like setting an extra place at the table. Sometimes the oracle accepts the invite, and sometimes I dine alone and must put the leftovers in tupperware. I like the uncertainty of it all. Too much certainty poisons any spiritual path.
Where did he come from, this oracle? I almost spilled the beans there for a moment. You see I wrote out his exact origins and then deleted the paragraph. (I know it's particularly wicked for me to even bring that up but I am a trickster). Part of the mystery is where he came from. I know his true name and how he became an oracle, but to share that might dilute the magic surrounding him. An oracle thrives on mystery, it's his meat and mead. That is the function of a true oracle, to point out the mysteries that surround us, to help us puzzle out where we fit into them, and occasionally to lend us compassionate reassurance. So you see the Wandering Oracle helps us to find the wonder in the world.
The oracle's words are not often one of prediction, again we aren't into prophecy down at the Church of the Mooneagle. They reveal a truth, they cast a lens of understanding upon a facet of our lives. To receive the oracle is a gift, for his words do change us. I shall give you the first words I received from the Wandering Oracle.
I walk a wandering road,
East of west and north of south,
My mind flies forward as my heart reaches behind,
My eyes see far across the wastes,
My ears echo with the cries of the fallen,
If you seek me you will find me not,
If you find yourself then I will seek you.
So how about you? Have you forgotten the mysteries great and small? Does meaning seem lost in this world? Do your words carry power and potential like an oracle's? Walk under the light of the moon and stars. Catch the breeze in the summer leaves. Taste the sun in the fruits of the field. Breathe deeply the sounds of the sylvan night air. Hear the chorus of the cicadas. It is the song of summertime. If you move centered and open through the world, you may catch a glimpse of the Wandering Oracle as you walk. He may even gift you with a few precious words. I advise you to write them down, they can be slippery to the waking mind like dreams, fading like mists in the morning sun. I'll gift you again with the most recent telling I received on the subject of futures.
"The future more often than not is written in sand not stone." Words of the Wandering Oracle.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
Friday, July 15, 2016
The Greatest Story Ever Sold
Greetings all,
I have a hard time expressing just how grateful I am this week for all that I have learned, and all the connections I have made. I've had the opportunity to use my skills and push the limits of my abilities this week, and it feels so good to stretch. I got to address a local metaphysical church as a speaker and it showed me just how much I have grown in the past few years.
Recently a fellow practitioner remarked on how many different groups I am involved in. Years ago I never would have believed I would be involved in not one but two shamanic groups, a group dedicated to using magic to save the world, a group dedicated to deepening healing abilities and access to grace, a game night group, and several meditation groups. Somehow I've gone from being totally isolated to being plugged in and an active member in social/spiritual groups. I look at it as finally finding environments suited to my own soul. Just like a plant if you put me in the right supportive environment I thrive.
Human beings are social creatures. Most of us are hardwired to seek companionship and community. There are outliers of course, but just about all of us want relationships with other human beings. We are all connected in that sense. In these times we are also connected via satellite, 24 hour news channels, and internet memes. This has its downsides as well as upsides. Beyond that we have a collective consciousness of patterns of behavior. Some of these patterns help to keep us safe, others keep us trapped repeating the same stories over and over like a child who only wants to hear Hansel and Gretel at bedtime.
Right now we have the conglomerate we call media telling us a story. To quote a popular television show, "This is a story about how the world ends." The European Union is falling apart, America is set to elect a narcissistic blockhead, terror attacks are everywhere, and there will be a race war in the streets! You are not safe! Bad people are coming to destroy you, your family, your way of life, your country, your job, and your privilege!
We are not to be informed anymore we are to be entertained and to be told who we should be afraid of. That is the story we are being sold. We are told we have no power, so we must appeal to the powerful. It's a compelling story of the underdog, but in this case the dog gets run over. The thing about this story is, it's a lie. There are facts in it, but they are conveniently placed and highlighted to show exactly the shape of the world we are "supposed" to see. Frightened people are easily manipulated. They tend to make poor decisions since fear shuts down the frontal lobes in favor of the older mammalian and reptilian brain. That portion of the brain is great for rote actions and so you see, history repeats itself.
We are in a quandary, because there is a drive and a certain need to be informed, however in this age of the world we are drowning in information, Much of it is irrelevant to the problems at hand. We are also plugged into this collective of programmed sentiments and reactions. So what do we do? I myself have over the past few years been trying to slowly unplug from that unconscious collective of limitations and negative programming. It is not easy, it takes time, and you have go gently or you will step off into the abyss. The deeper I go inside to unplug, the more junk I uncover that needs to be transmuted, for I am not just dealing with my personal issues, but those that are carried by all of us. The upside is that every person who unplugs from a destructive pattern weakens the whole pattern as it has one less person to power it.
Collectives of consciousness are powerful forces. This is why I have become involved in groups. Nature abhors a vacuum, and so do we. We are social creatures, our lives and our patterns flow into and out of the great void of creation. There will always be a collective, but we can individually address it, change it, and make it a more supportive and loving one. The more of us who do this and take on the mission of changing the stories we are being sold, the more free all of us become.
So how about you? Are you stuck in the world of "the way things are"? Do you find yourself despairing for the state of the planet? Are you drowning in the cult of fear? What happens if you start to question the powers? What happens if you don't buy the story you're being told? What happens if you join with others to sing a new world of possibilities into being? Lift your head above the mire. Marvel at the majesty of the sky. Bow your head in prayer and contemplation of a better world of collaboration and acceptance. Find the other dreamers who have shaken the sleep from their eyes and grasp the hands of your new friends.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
I have a hard time expressing just how grateful I am this week for all that I have learned, and all the connections I have made. I've had the opportunity to use my skills and push the limits of my abilities this week, and it feels so good to stretch. I got to address a local metaphysical church as a speaker and it showed me just how much I have grown in the past few years.
Recently a fellow practitioner remarked on how many different groups I am involved in. Years ago I never would have believed I would be involved in not one but two shamanic groups, a group dedicated to using magic to save the world, a group dedicated to deepening healing abilities and access to grace, a game night group, and several meditation groups. Somehow I've gone from being totally isolated to being plugged in and an active member in social/spiritual groups. I look at it as finally finding environments suited to my own soul. Just like a plant if you put me in the right supportive environment I thrive.
Human beings are social creatures. Most of us are hardwired to seek companionship and community. There are outliers of course, but just about all of us want relationships with other human beings. We are all connected in that sense. In these times we are also connected via satellite, 24 hour news channels, and internet memes. This has its downsides as well as upsides. Beyond that we have a collective consciousness of patterns of behavior. Some of these patterns help to keep us safe, others keep us trapped repeating the same stories over and over like a child who only wants to hear Hansel and Gretel at bedtime.
Right now we have the conglomerate we call media telling us a story. To quote a popular television show, "This is a story about how the world ends." The European Union is falling apart, America is set to elect a narcissistic blockhead, terror attacks are everywhere, and there will be a race war in the streets! You are not safe! Bad people are coming to destroy you, your family, your way of life, your country, your job, and your privilege!
We are not to be informed anymore we are to be entertained and to be told who we should be afraid of. That is the story we are being sold. We are told we have no power, so we must appeal to the powerful. It's a compelling story of the underdog, but in this case the dog gets run over. The thing about this story is, it's a lie. There are facts in it, but they are conveniently placed and highlighted to show exactly the shape of the world we are "supposed" to see. Frightened people are easily manipulated. They tend to make poor decisions since fear shuts down the frontal lobes in favor of the older mammalian and reptilian brain. That portion of the brain is great for rote actions and so you see, history repeats itself.
We are in a quandary, because there is a drive and a certain need to be informed, however in this age of the world we are drowning in information, Much of it is irrelevant to the problems at hand. We are also plugged into this collective of programmed sentiments and reactions. So what do we do? I myself have over the past few years been trying to slowly unplug from that unconscious collective of limitations and negative programming. It is not easy, it takes time, and you have go gently or you will step off into the abyss. The deeper I go inside to unplug, the more junk I uncover that needs to be transmuted, for I am not just dealing with my personal issues, but those that are carried by all of us. The upside is that every person who unplugs from a destructive pattern weakens the whole pattern as it has one less person to power it.
Collectives of consciousness are powerful forces. This is why I have become involved in groups. Nature abhors a vacuum, and so do we. We are social creatures, our lives and our patterns flow into and out of the great void of creation. There will always be a collective, but we can individually address it, change it, and make it a more supportive and loving one. The more of us who do this and take on the mission of changing the stories we are being sold, the more free all of us become.
So how about you? Are you stuck in the world of "the way things are"? Do you find yourself despairing for the state of the planet? Are you drowning in the cult of fear? What happens if you start to question the powers? What happens if you don't buy the story you're being told? What happens if you join with others to sing a new world of possibilities into being? Lift your head above the mire. Marvel at the majesty of the sky. Bow your head in prayer and contemplation of a better world of collaboration and acceptance. Find the other dreamers who have shaken the sleep from their eyes and grasp the hands of your new friends.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Blocked
Greetings all,
I hope you had a good week. The 4th being a Monday really jammed my schedule into high gear. I have been on the go constantly. The rest of the week looks to be that way too, but it is the good kind of busy. Amidst the hubbub I'm amazed to still get messages from my deep self and my guides.
On the 4th, I went to a recreation center with my sister. We played in the arcade, but the highlight for me was the laser tag arena. It may seem incongruous that I am against guns but love laser tag, but shooting people with lasers makes me feel better. I blame video games. Every vest and phaser gun has an ID on them. I grabbed one for my sister and one for myself not even looking at the names. Well the one I "randomly" picked had the codename Wizard on it. This felt a bit like the universe's quirky sense of humor. Well at the end of the round I came out to find that Wizard was number one in the arena. This was awesome because I'd been feeling a little unimpressive lately. Sometimes I get drawn into the mainstream mindset and start measuring my life by the common metrics. The thing is my business pays for itself and always has since I started it officially, but I've hit major blocks when I've wanted it to pay for me too. Recently I took the plunge and cut myself off from my old retail position so money has been on my mind.
Being called a wizard by the universe (don't give me any of that coincidence crap either, I know an omen when I see it buster) really helped lift me up. As far as money goes this week I got a major reveal from my subconscious about some of my blocks around money. Dreams as I have said many times before are useful to me not so much because they foretell, but simply because they offer a look behind the scenes of my working mind. All this time I thought I had a block around money, but it wasn't really about that. I awoke from a dream in which I had finally gotten my own house and in that house I was lonely. So my block is not about money it's about being alone. If I made enough to not have to share living space then I'd have to face being alone for the first time in my life. This was a core block, and the realization of what it meant is huge. I am still not sure exactly what to do with it or how to proceed, but just having it out there and named is a big deal.
We all hit roadblocks in life. Sometimes they are external circumstances, but when we keep hitting the same restrictions over and over the odds are there is some deep subconscious block that is keeping us stuck. So much of our energy goes into mustering a united front within ourselves to accomplish a goal. When we get out of our own way it's amazing how fast things can happen. We really are own worst enemy, luckily we also happen to be our own greatest ally. Deep blocks are tricky because they shape so much of what we perceive they are functionally invisible to the conscious mind. It takes something out of the ordinary to help us see what's holding us back. In my case this week it was being named Wizard and triumphing in the arena, and a dream that hit me at just the right time. Grant it the dream itself was not pleasant at all, but I am very grateful because now I can start to address the block directly.
Why am I telling you all this. Well for starters I want you to know that I have blocks too. I struggle with myself. Some of you put me up on a pedestal and I make a point of taking myself off it on this blog. I am a person so I have my flaws (although I prefer to call them quirks) just like everyone else. The other reason is that we so rarely think about what within ourselves is creating the situations we continually find ourselves in. How about you? Do you find yourself dealing with the same issues or limitations repeatedly? Maybe the block isn't what you thought it was. Pay attention to your dreams especially the ones that make you afraid or depressed. Those are big shining clues. Milk them for all their worth. Start to break it all down and maybe you'll get to some core blocks. It's just the first step on the path to greater flow, but without that first step we're all blocked from getting anywhere.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
I hope you had a good week. The 4th being a Monday really jammed my schedule into high gear. I have been on the go constantly. The rest of the week looks to be that way too, but it is the good kind of busy. Amidst the hubbub I'm amazed to still get messages from my deep self and my guides.
On the 4th, I went to a recreation center with my sister. We played in the arcade, but the highlight for me was the laser tag arena. It may seem incongruous that I am against guns but love laser tag, but shooting people with lasers makes me feel better. I blame video games. Every vest and phaser gun has an ID on them. I grabbed one for my sister and one for myself not even looking at the names. Well the one I "randomly" picked had the codename Wizard on it. This felt a bit like the universe's quirky sense of humor. Well at the end of the round I came out to find that Wizard was number one in the arena. This was awesome because I'd been feeling a little unimpressive lately. Sometimes I get drawn into the mainstream mindset and start measuring my life by the common metrics. The thing is my business pays for itself and always has since I started it officially, but I've hit major blocks when I've wanted it to pay for me too. Recently I took the plunge and cut myself off from my old retail position so money has been on my mind.
Being called a wizard by the universe (don't give me any of that coincidence crap either, I know an omen when I see it buster) really helped lift me up. As far as money goes this week I got a major reveal from my subconscious about some of my blocks around money. Dreams as I have said many times before are useful to me not so much because they foretell, but simply because they offer a look behind the scenes of my working mind. All this time I thought I had a block around money, but it wasn't really about that. I awoke from a dream in which I had finally gotten my own house and in that house I was lonely. So my block is not about money it's about being alone. If I made enough to not have to share living space then I'd have to face being alone for the first time in my life. This was a core block, and the realization of what it meant is huge. I am still not sure exactly what to do with it or how to proceed, but just having it out there and named is a big deal.
We all hit roadblocks in life. Sometimes they are external circumstances, but when we keep hitting the same restrictions over and over the odds are there is some deep subconscious block that is keeping us stuck. So much of our energy goes into mustering a united front within ourselves to accomplish a goal. When we get out of our own way it's amazing how fast things can happen. We really are own worst enemy, luckily we also happen to be our own greatest ally. Deep blocks are tricky because they shape so much of what we perceive they are functionally invisible to the conscious mind. It takes something out of the ordinary to help us see what's holding us back. In my case this week it was being named Wizard and triumphing in the arena, and a dream that hit me at just the right time. Grant it the dream itself was not pleasant at all, but I am very grateful because now I can start to address the block directly.
Why am I telling you all this. Well for starters I want you to know that I have blocks too. I struggle with myself. Some of you put me up on a pedestal and I make a point of taking myself off it on this blog. I am a person so I have my flaws (although I prefer to call them quirks) just like everyone else. The other reason is that we so rarely think about what within ourselves is creating the situations we continually find ourselves in. How about you? Do you find yourself dealing with the same issues or limitations repeatedly? Maybe the block isn't what you thought it was. Pay attention to your dreams especially the ones that make you afraid or depressed. Those are big shining clues. Milk them for all their worth. Start to break it all down and maybe you'll get to some core blocks. It's just the first step on the path to greater flow, but without that first step we're all blocked from getting anywhere.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
Sunday, July 3, 2016
The Same
Greetings all,
June has passed us by in a hurry it seems. I've been quite vocal and oppositional this month. A good friend of mine reminded me thought of the importance of seeing where people are coming from.
When you really look deeply most of us want the same things. We want to feel safe, we want to have a place to call home, a sense of meaning in our lives, have access to health care, and to have people around ourselves who love us. There are other things that each of us may desire, but this is the basic list of must haves.
When we disagree on politics and issues we're not disagreeing about what we want. We're only disagreeing on how we think it can be achieved. It is so easy to forget that in the heat of a debate. We begin to distort how we see each other, thinking that the other person wants to take one of those basic needs away from us. I've been seeing this with the gun control debate. It really all boils down to personal safety. Whether you're for gun control or not you want to feel safe and secure in public and at home. For some reason public rhetoric has shifted towards equating disagreement with the projection of villainy onto others. I see people on both sides, liberals and conservatives both say the other candidate is out to destroy America. Really, that's their goal? Now one side or the other may push a policy that could be very damaging, but I doubt their aim is to destroy the country. (Well in most cases...)
It can be hard to remain cool and reasonable with important issues. Passion is not a bad thing, however we risk alienating those that we may wish to convince or negotiate with if we are blinded by it. I have found that the best way to reach someone is to acknowledge our commonalities. It isn't easy, and certainly not as dramatic as Reality TV would like us to think life is, but it's the only way to get along in society and get things done.
So why am I telling you this? Well there are a lot of important decisions that we as a society need to make in the coming years. We're at a crossroads in history and all our wagons are hitched together. We don't have the option of going it alone so need to learn to come to a choice we can all live with, or none of us will. So consider your interactions carefully. Listen and see where the underlying needs of your opponents are the same. Those are the starting points from which we must build, otherwise we shall continue to only tear each other apart.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
June has passed us by in a hurry it seems. I've been quite vocal and oppositional this month. A good friend of mine reminded me thought of the importance of seeing where people are coming from.
When you really look deeply most of us want the same things. We want to feel safe, we want to have a place to call home, a sense of meaning in our lives, have access to health care, and to have people around ourselves who love us. There are other things that each of us may desire, but this is the basic list of must haves.
When we disagree on politics and issues we're not disagreeing about what we want. We're only disagreeing on how we think it can be achieved. It is so easy to forget that in the heat of a debate. We begin to distort how we see each other, thinking that the other person wants to take one of those basic needs away from us. I've been seeing this with the gun control debate. It really all boils down to personal safety. Whether you're for gun control or not you want to feel safe and secure in public and at home. For some reason public rhetoric has shifted towards equating disagreement with the projection of villainy onto others. I see people on both sides, liberals and conservatives both say the other candidate is out to destroy America. Really, that's their goal? Now one side or the other may push a policy that could be very damaging, but I doubt their aim is to destroy the country. (Well in most cases...)
It can be hard to remain cool and reasonable with important issues. Passion is not a bad thing, however we risk alienating those that we may wish to convince or negotiate with if we are blinded by it. I have found that the best way to reach someone is to acknowledge our commonalities. It isn't easy, and certainly not as dramatic as Reality TV would like us to think life is, but it's the only way to get along in society and get things done.
So why am I telling you this? Well there are a lot of important decisions that we as a society need to make in the coming years. We're at a crossroads in history and all our wagons are hitched together. We don't have the option of going it alone so need to learn to come to a choice we can all live with, or none of us will. So consider your interactions carefully. Listen and see where the underlying needs of your opponents are the same. Those are the starting points from which we must build, otherwise we shall continue to only tear each other apart.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Falling Up
Greetings all,
We've had a scorcher this week. The full moon on the summer solstice was intense and I was running to get all my obligations seen to so that I could perform my quarterly drumming ceremony. By the end of the day I ended up chasing the sun. It was close but the ceremony went off and finished before the sun kissed the western horizon. I look forward to the day when I have a house that has enough land around it that I can simply drum there and not have to go seek out a spot in a park where I will be left alone. It was a rather powerful and focused ceremony. I built up to a crescendo and then all of the sudden I stopped. Then I got to do a despacho with one of my teachers and we all drummed again around a bonfire. It was a pretty magnificent night.
This year I've been easing out of my old patterns. I've removed the metaphorical training wheels on my bike and the floaters from my arms. I'm finally just using my talents to make my way in the world without any part time jobs to fill in the gaps. It's challenging and I find myself worrying about making ends meet. I've done this before a decade ago. I tried it for two years and I failed spectacularly. I've failed a lot in my life. I'm always in awe of those people who pick a goal and simply sail towards it. I end up usually hitting obstacles that derail me and send me off on bizarre tangents. In other words I end up playing a game I like to call, "How many different ways can I fail at this."
I've been told that real success comes after a lot of failure. I had a pottery teacher who once told me you had to make a thousand ugly pots before you could make a beautiful one. The trick was just getting through the thousand without giving up. As I look back on my previous attempts to make my way on my skills I am actually grateful I failed. Ten years ago I knew so much less than I do now, and I am sure a decade from now I'll say the same. The previous setbacks put me in situations where I acquired a whole new set of skills, and where I stopped thinking so narrowly allowing for more flexibility. So I like to think of my failures as failing upwards. I learned things that I then applied to subsequent iterations. So if in this round I fail again I will expand my knowledge base.
However there is a downside with too much failure, you get used to it. Sometimes I have to stop myself from sabotaging my success. The danger comes when you start to identify a failed attempt with being a failure. We're so obsessed with success stories in our culture that we often gloss over the years of failed attempts that lead to breakthroughs, or we cover them in a montage scene with catchy upbeat music in the "based on a true story," movie that comes out. It is hard to stay inspired without the upbeat music and cheer section that the movies provide. Most of us that diverge from the pack only get criticism from those closest to us as we try to do something different. Lots of time this is meant to protect us from failing, but usually it just leads us to feel like a failure. Failing up is different, it is the process of failing that leads us forward with more experience and information. It is a botched attempt that points the way.
So how about you? Do you dread life's many failures? When you fail does it motivate you or drain you? To do anything of significance and challenge we must court failure. What if instead of trying to avoid failure you tried to fail correctly? Fail upward, let each miss-step land you further down the road of your dreams. Remember this isn't a movie, and life is not a montage. What if when you fail you didn't take it personally? I know it can be hard, but instead of viewing everything that goes wrong as a personal flaw we'd do much better to simply see why something didn't work. Sometimes it is us, and sometimes it is lack of knowledge. Sometimes it is just being at the right place at the wrong time. The important thing to remember is that you have a lot to offer, as long as you don't give up, and when you fail try and fail up.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
We've had a scorcher this week. The full moon on the summer solstice was intense and I was running to get all my obligations seen to so that I could perform my quarterly drumming ceremony. By the end of the day I ended up chasing the sun. It was close but the ceremony went off and finished before the sun kissed the western horizon. I look forward to the day when I have a house that has enough land around it that I can simply drum there and not have to go seek out a spot in a park where I will be left alone. It was a rather powerful and focused ceremony. I built up to a crescendo and then all of the sudden I stopped. Then I got to do a despacho with one of my teachers and we all drummed again around a bonfire. It was a pretty magnificent night.
This year I've been easing out of my old patterns. I've removed the metaphorical training wheels on my bike and the floaters from my arms. I'm finally just using my talents to make my way in the world without any part time jobs to fill in the gaps. It's challenging and I find myself worrying about making ends meet. I've done this before a decade ago. I tried it for two years and I failed spectacularly. I've failed a lot in my life. I'm always in awe of those people who pick a goal and simply sail towards it. I end up usually hitting obstacles that derail me and send me off on bizarre tangents. In other words I end up playing a game I like to call, "How many different ways can I fail at this."
I've been told that real success comes after a lot of failure. I had a pottery teacher who once told me you had to make a thousand ugly pots before you could make a beautiful one. The trick was just getting through the thousand without giving up. As I look back on my previous attempts to make my way on my skills I am actually grateful I failed. Ten years ago I knew so much less than I do now, and I am sure a decade from now I'll say the same. The previous setbacks put me in situations where I acquired a whole new set of skills, and where I stopped thinking so narrowly allowing for more flexibility. So I like to think of my failures as failing upwards. I learned things that I then applied to subsequent iterations. So if in this round I fail again I will expand my knowledge base.
However there is a downside with too much failure, you get used to it. Sometimes I have to stop myself from sabotaging my success. The danger comes when you start to identify a failed attempt with being a failure. We're so obsessed with success stories in our culture that we often gloss over the years of failed attempts that lead to breakthroughs, or we cover them in a montage scene with catchy upbeat music in the "based on a true story," movie that comes out. It is hard to stay inspired without the upbeat music and cheer section that the movies provide. Most of us that diverge from the pack only get criticism from those closest to us as we try to do something different. Lots of time this is meant to protect us from failing, but usually it just leads us to feel like a failure. Failing up is different, it is the process of failing that leads us forward with more experience and information. It is a botched attempt that points the way.
So how about you? Do you dread life's many failures? When you fail does it motivate you or drain you? To do anything of significance and challenge we must court failure. What if instead of trying to avoid failure you tried to fail correctly? Fail upward, let each miss-step land you further down the road of your dreams. Remember this isn't a movie, and life is not a montage. What if when you fail you didn't take it personally? I know it can be hard, but instead of viewing everything that goes wrong as a personal flaw we'd do much better to simply see why something didn't work. Sometimes it is us, and sometimes it is lack of knowledge. Sometimes it is just being at the right place at the wrong time. The important thing to remember is that you have a lot to offer, as long as you don't give up, and when you fail try and fail up.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Not Sorry
Greetings all,
This week I like everyone have followed the news from Orlando with a heavy heart. Once again a shooting massacre has torn lives apart, and snuffed out many for no reason other than hatred. I have been quite vocal on Facebook speaking about gun control. I know that it is a polarizing topic and some would say not the right focus for a "spiritual" blog as if there is anything that is out of bounds when it comes to spirit. I am going to talk about it as well as a few other things, because these are things we need to examine as a society, or we shall just continue the cycle of violence.
For those of you who have not met me in person there is something you probably need to know to understand where I'm coming from. I'm tiny. If I were to go out to a bar I would probably be the shortest guys in the place. I don't goto bars in part because of this fact (also because I don't drink and the energy in bars drives me crazy). I have noticed that when there is alcohol involved in an event whether it be a night out or a party someone inevitably gets angry drunk. It generally is a guy and he starts to look around for someone to start something with, and oddly enough it always seems to be the smallest male in the vicinity. That generally is myself. I have been threatened with the promise that someone was going to "get their gun". I have also been physically assaulted in a restroom (and guess what people it was a straight white male not a transgendered person). I managed to get out of those experiences unscathed. I have friends who have not. In my practice I have heard horror stories mostly from women of the vile things they have had to endure at the hands of men. They are considered the lucky ones, the ones that got away.
We have a gun problem in America. If you don't know that you're drinking the koolaid the NRA is giving out with their blood money. Beyond the laws though there is a deeper issue, our obsession with high powered weapons. Why exactly do about half of us believe it is not only their right, but essential to their well being to have military style weapons? I have boiled it down to two main threads, fear and the outdated masculine model. We are bottle-fed fear via broadcast media, social media, print media, and our political leaders. I can't quite wrap my head around the idea that some people would rather see more mass shootings occur than place some restrictions on gun purchases and the amount of ammunition you can buy. For fuck's sake people exactly what kind of attack are you expecting? Do you really think a whole drug cartel is coming for your family? Statistics show you're more likely to die from gun violence if you own a gun. I'm not here to tell you that you don't have a right to protect yourself. I believe you do, but let's face it assault rifles were not invented for protection they were invented for slaughter and maximum kill ratios. Yet gun enthusiasts are terrified that their "protection" will be taken from them, that they will be left defenseless. They are afraid of the darkness and evil in the world. I will not say there is no evil out there. I have seen its face, it's real. However you must ask if you want to structure your whole life around the existence of evil.
That second thread, of the masculine identity being archaic is so intertwined with our society's love of guns and "might makes right" sentiments. The past half century has seen an enormous sea change in gender roles. The rise of feminism has left a lot of men feeling threatened, not because there is anything particularly scary about treating women like *gasp* people, but because when the roles of a binary gender change on one side the other side must also shift. What we've seen instead is a doubling down on some of the most sexist attitudes in the belief that if we just hold out long enough things will go back to normal (whatever the hell normal is). So we're still selling the ideal man image to boys and young men. They are to be big and strong, physically superior, assertive/aggressive, brave to the point of being foolhardy and be successful to provide for the family. If they follow the rules of masculinity they are supposed to get the girl (whether she really wants to be gotten or not). On the more noble side men are supposed to be protectors, heroes, and if necessary sacrifice themselves. We are also not supposed to show emotion except at sporting events and maybe funerals...maybe.
So we have an old model that no longer fits the world we're living in, so what do we do? We sexualize the gun. I mean come on it's definitely masculine. It shoots hot things out a barrel that can change a life. Sound like something else hmmm let me think what could it be....oh yeah a penis. A lot of male power has been decaying the last few decades. Earning power is down for most men, it generally now takes two people working to support a middle class lifestyle in America. Divorce rates have risen markedly since the sexual revolution, and married men live longer than single men. Then there is the big, strong, and powerful model. Well a gun makes it a lot easier to feel stronger and more potent because it can create serious life and death consequences. Now for some I realize a gun is just a tool for hunting and protection for the home, but for many it has come to symbolize the power of that masculine ideal.
I have for the last few years been trying to come up with what would the new masculine model be. So far I have come up empty. I think in part because I was raised on He-Man and GI Joe, and this programming is so deeply ingrained it is hard to see a way out of it. It could also be that I am asking the wrong question. Instead of asking what does it take to be a good man I should be asking what does it take to be a good human being. There are gender differences I know (I have sisters really I know), but like everything they exist on a spectrum and will be more prevalent for some rather than others. If we just nix the restrictions of masculine/feminine and just went for what qualities make up a good person we may be able to escape this death grip (in this case literally) on outmoded concepts of being.
I know I have offended some of you out there this week. I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not. People are dead from something we could have prevented if we stopped beating our chests and being so afraid of losing the right to be able to easily kill many people at once. We need to look at what we're trying to hold onto and why. How about you? Do you hold onto some cultural program for what a man is. or what a woman is? Do you find yourself trapped by roles you didn't sign up to play? How much does your fear drive your decisions? How much do you identify with the tools, implements and weapons that surround you in our culture? How much do you value your rights versus the rights of others to live? Think on all these things carefully before responding, because this week I am not feeling kind or neutral. I am furious that once again many families have lost their loved ones because we have refused to stop this.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
This week I like everyone have followed the news from Orlando with a heavy heart. Once again a shooting massacre has torn lives apart, and snuffed out many for no reason other than hatred. I have been quite vocal on Facebook speaking about gun control. I know that it is a polarizing topic and some would say not the right focus for a "spiritual" blog as if there is anything that is out of bounds when it comes to spirit. I am going to talk about it as well as a few other things, because these are things we need to examine as a society, or we shall just continue the cycle of violence.
For those of you who have not met me in person there is something you probably need to know to understand where I'm coming from. I'm tiny. If I were to go out to a bar I would probably be the shortest guys in the place. I don't goto bars in part because of this fact (also because I don't drink and the energy in bars drives me crazy). I have noticed that when there is alcohol involved in an event whether it be a night out or a party someone inevitably gets angry drunk. It generally is a guy and he starts to look around for someone to start something with, and oddly enough it always seems to be the smallest male in the vicinity. That generally is myself. I have been threatened with the promise that someone was going to "get their gun". I have also been physically assaulted in a restroom (and guess what people it was a straight white male not a transgendered person). I managed to get out of those experiences unscathed. I have friends who have not. In my practice I have heard horror stories mostly from women of the vile things they have had to endure at the hands of men. They are considered the lucky ones, the ones that got away.
We have a gun problem in America. If you don't know that you're drinking the koolaid the NRA is giving out with their blood money. Beyond the laws though there is a deeper issue, our obsession with high powered weapons. Why exactly do about half of us believe it is not only their right, but essential to their well being to have military style weapons? I have boiled it down to two main threads, fear and the outdated masculine model. We are bottle-fed fear via broadcast media, social media, print media, and our political leaders. I can't quite wrap my head around the idea that some people would rather see more mass shootings occur than place some restrictions on gun purchases and the amount of ammunition you can buy. For fuck's sake people exactly what kind of attack are you expecting? Do you really think a whole drug cartel is coming for your family? Statistics show you're more likely to die from gun violence if you own a gun. I'm not here to tell you that you don't have a right to protect yourself. I believe you do, but let's face it assault rifles were not invented for protection they were invented for slaughter and maximum kill ratios. Yet gun enthusiasts are terrified that their "protection" will be taken from them, that they will be left defenseless. They are afraid of the darkness and evil in the world. I will not say there is no evil out there. I have seen its face, it's real. However you must ask if you want to structure your whole life around the existence of evil.
That second thread, of the masculine identity being archaic is so intertwined with our society's love of guns and "might makes right" sentiments. The past half century has seen an enormous sea change in gender roles. The rise of feminism has left a lot of men feeling threatened, not because there is anything particularly scary about treating women like *gasp* people, but because when the roles of a binary gender change on one side the other side must also shift. What we've seen instead is a doubling down on some of the most sexist attitudes in the belief that if we just hold out long enough things will go back to normal (whatever the hell normal is). So we're still selling the ideal man image to boys and young men. They are to be big and strong, physically superior, assertive/aggressive, brave to the point of being foolhardy and be successful to provide for the family. If they follow the rules of masculinity they are supposed to get the girl (whether she really wants to be gotten or not). On the more noble side men are supposed to be protectors, heroes, and if necessary sacrifice themselves. We are also not supposed to show emotion except at sporting events and maybe funerals...maybe.
So we have an old model that no longer fits the world we're living in, so what do we do? We sexualize the gun. I mean come on it's definitely masculine. It shoots hot things out a barrel that can change a life. Sound like something else hmmm let me think what could it be....oh yeah a penis. A lot of male power has been decaying the last few decades. Earning power is down for most men, it generally now takes two people working to support a middle class lifestyle in America. Divorce rates have risen markedly since the sexual revolution, and married men live longer than single men. Then there is the big, strong, and powerful model. Well a gun makes it a lot easier to feel stronger and more potent because it can create serious life and death consequences. Now for some I realize a gun is just a tool for hunting and protection for the home, but for many it has come to symbolize the power of that masculine ideal.
I have for the last few years been trying to come up with what would the new masculine model be. So far I have come up empty. I think in part because I was raised on He-Man and GI Joe, and this programming is so deeply ingrained it is hard to see a way out of it. It could also be that I am asking the wrong question. Instead of asking what does it take to be a good man I should be asking what does it take to be a good human being. There are gender differences I know (I have sisters really I know), but like everything they exist on a spectrum and will be more prevalent for some rather than others. If we just nix the restrictions of masculine/feminine and just went for what qualities make up a good person we may be able to escape this death grip (in this case literally) on outmoded concepts of being.
I know I have offended some of you out there this week. I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not. People are dead from something we could have prevented if we stopped beating our chests and being so afraid of losing the right to be able to easily kill many people at once. We need to look at what we're trying to hold onto and why. How about you? Do you hold onto some cultural program for what a man is. or what a woman is? Do you find yourself trapped by roles you didn't sign up to play? How much does your fear drive your decisions? How much do you identify with the tools, implements and weapons that surround you in our culture? How much do you value your rights versus the rights of others to live? Think on all these things carefully before responding, because this week I am not feeling kind or neutral. I am furious that once again many families have lost their loved ones because we have refused to stop this.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
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