Autumn Blessings and Balance

I’m not sure what excites me about this time of year. On one hand, I feel a hesitative approach to fall, as the days grow colder and I know that soon I will need to order oil to heat the house, and (sigh) get the snow shovel out, and I almost wish I could slow the progress to the colder months of the year. But, on the other hand, my soul is stirred by the crispness of the air, the clearness of the sky, the urgency of the birds – I see more woodpeckers these days and hear more blue jays and crows in the trees. There is a wildness all about, as leaves begin to change their colors with sudden abandon, and are carried in circles by the wind, to the ground.

With the autumnal equinox (or Mabon, as many pagans call it), light begins to die, as the days become shorter and darkness grows. But with these shortening, cooling days, we are provided with sustenance and security. Pumpkins and apples, corn stalks and hay bales – these symbols of fall offer comfort, as do the rich fall hues of orange, gold, red, and brown, the delicious aromas of slowly baked and roasted foods, and the warmth of ovens and wood-fires. We are nourished with deep goodness, to face the dimming days, to accept and understand darker aspects of the natural cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

The autumnal equinox is a harvest holiday in pagan traditions, and as such, is a wonderful time to put on a feast featuring locally grown foods, expressive of thanks for the abundance we have been given. It is also a great time to allow balance in one’s life – as day and night are equal on this day, so might we find equilibrium within.

If you are interested in reading more about the autumnal equinox as a holiday, you may enjoy these books:

Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment of Mabon by Ellen Dugan
Mabon: Celebrating the Autumn Equinox by Kristin Madden

~ Nellie Levine
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The New MInd Body Spirit Marketplace

Hello!
What an interesting, active couple of days it's been! In case you haven't heard, 1000 Markets was sold to Bonanza. Here is the link if you haven't read about it.

As far as the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace, Nellie and I actually see this as a positive opportunity to expand what we have started on 1000 Markets and continue to build up even further off site...through our ever growing blog and Facebook presence. We currently have over 600 followers on our Facebook fan page alone.

We now won't be bound by the 1000 Markets membership constraints any longer. We can comfortably continue to grow and feature other Mind Body Spirit related products, ideas, and people from "everywhere".  From ALL selling sites and as well as showcase work from individual websites. We will getting back to you with further plans as this all continues to unfold.. It's kind of exciting, actually. In the mean time, if you have any questions...or would like for us to feature your Mind Body Spirit work, products, or blog post you can leave me an e-mail at:

mbsmarketplace@gmail.com or at my email, fergrules2@hotmail.com

We'll make sure you are on our contact list and that way we can still be in touch with you and continue to feature your Mind Body Spirit work... wherever it is!
This week we will begin to feature Mind Body Spirit related work from sellers on Etsy as well as other sites.

Thanks again to everyone who worked together to make this 1000 Markets version of the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace possible.  And in particular, thank you to Matt and the other folks at 1000 Markets who created the software and provided the template for many of us to create Marketplaces for whatever we wanted, and allowed us the freedom to take those marketplaces in whatever direction we wished.  The creative freedom the 1000 Markets gave their Market Managers was very generous and it was a unique opportunity and experience for all of us involved.  We are very fortunate that MBS had the foresight to established itself enough outside of 1000 Markets so that we can continue to build upon the wonderful foundation that they provided for us.  We remain committed in what we are doing.  Promoting all things related to the Mind Body Spirit theme so that we can all continue to learn and grow in a positive, healthy way.

Onward and upward! Life is always in a constant state of flux. Remember that wonderful opportunities can grow out of a sudden, changed situation... In many cases it's actually a gift! :)
I'm sure the transition to Bonanza will work out fine for the 1000 Market sellers who choose to transfer over...so think positive! We'll be getting in touch with you again soon!

enjoy your day!

diane fergurson and nellie levine

Many Faces of Ganesha

Ganesha Reimagined

I took these pictures many months ago and even though I had been thinking of writing about them for a while now, I felt uninspired. A week ago, when my friend Diane Fergurson asked me if I would write an article for the Mind, Body and Spirit blog, suddenly it clicked. May be because tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival of Ganesha's birthday. Ganesha is one of the most adored in the Hindu pantheon of gods and Ganesh chaturthi is grandly celebrated by the natives of Indian states of Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In the US, Ganesha is a familiar figure to those who practice yoga.

Ganesha is also called Vigneshwara, "remover of obstacles". At the start of any auspicious occasion, the blessing of Ganesha is sought with the recitation of the verse:

Om shuklambaradharam vishnum sasivarnam chaturbhujam

prasannavadanam dhyayet sarvavignopashantaye

(I meditate upon the all pervading Ganesha, the one with four arms and moon like bright complexion, 
clad in white, ever smiling, to remove any obstacles in my endeavor)

Yet the image of Ganesha with his elephant head and a potbellied human body has fired up the imagination of Hindu artists and has become anything and everything they want him to be. In their hands he could be a busy businessman cooking up deals on the phone or an elderly gentleman taking an afternoon nap or a percussionist in a band or a a stylish beau out on stroll swirling his walking stick or a yoda-like figure or a joyous dancer. This trend started about twenty years ago when it became a hobby for many to collect these cute and charming images of Ganesha. These images are usually made in clay but sometimes they are also made in precious gemstones for the rich collectors. My sister is a collector too and the collage above shows a few a from her collection. It is always fun to stand in front of the curio cabinet and look at her collection of ganeshas because they bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart.

Whereto?

Music anyone?

Vishnu Ganesha

Beau Brummel Ganesha

Shall We Dance?

An Epicurean

Yoda Ganesha

Taking a nap

Iconic OM (photo courtesy: Creative Commons)

Thank you to Indira Govindan for writing this wonderful blog post for us and sharing her fabulous pictures!  You can stop by her shop, "DharmaKarmaArts", on Etsy!


You may also enjoy reading:
"Mudras:  Gestures of a Different Kind"

Messages from Nature

Yesterday, a great blue heron lifted off from the middle of the road as my husband and I turned a corner and came upon it. Because the trees on that stretch of road create a canopy – with a steep hill on one side and a deep gully on the other – and because the heron’s wing span was so large, it could only follow the course of the road, until we all came out from the trees. It was exhilarating, even in such simplicity, to watch the beautiful bird follow the same course we were on, and then quietly fly on its way.

We have been seeing much wildlife lately. At the end of a recent walk, coming out of the woods we saw two deer grazing serenely in a field. They took notice of us, and gazed at us until we were in line with them, passing them on the road. On a recent morning walk a coyote stepped out from the woods onto the road, and upon seeing me, immediately turned and ran back into the trees. Crows have lighted on the tops of trees as I walked beneath… Blue Jays have lit the sky with their song – not always seen, but always heard. Beavers and woodchucks have been busy creating dams or searching woodpiles. Bullfrogs have uttered their bass notes.

I used to believe that each time an animal or bird crossed my path in some unusual, special way, it meant something more. What would the message of the heron have been? Or the two deer watching silently and with gentle trust? Or the coyote, in his skittish manner, darting back to cover? These days, their significance is a little different. I don’t necessarily see a specific message… it is no longer a divination, but the significance is just as great. I see this beautiful, constant interaction between beings – beings of the sky, the earth, the water, and us. We may seem to be outside their natural world, but we are truly a part of it. We are no more separate from them, than we are from our own families. At times, we might even follow the same path.

Recognizing this significance – that I am, indeed, a true part of Nature; a more instinctive awareness that goes beyond a philosophical understanding of being one with nature – brings a unique sense of self-respect, as well as love, affection, and compassion. Should we not be as gentle to ourselves as we would to any of those birds or animals we might encounter? The message I now receive, put very simply, is to treat myself kindly. To me, especially at this point in my life, that is a more important message than any I have ever perceived before from these encounters. And, I would hazard to guess, it is far more divine, in its infinite wisdom.

~ Nellie Levine 

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Spiritual Walking
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Mudras: Gestures of a Different Kind

A recent visit to the Rubin Museum of Art in New York brought to mind the wonderful blog post about Mudras that Indira Govindan had written for us last year.  I decided that I definitely wanted to re-read it, and that maybe some of you would enjoy reading it again (or for the first time) too.
~~~

If you did yoga, you may have used a few in your practice. If you were a Buddhist, you may have seen them on the icons. If you ever sat on a slow crawling traffic, you may have been tempted to create a few of your own. They are hand gestures or _hasta mudras_ as they are called in Sanskrit.  Of course, there are hand gestures and _hand gestures_. Gestures have culturally specific meanings and in Asian cultures the word mudra raises the meaning of the hand gesture to a spiritual and artistic plane.

In the image worshipping Asian faiths, the deities are portrayed in their multifarious aspects with the use of _mudras_. In the photo collage above, there are eight basic mudras. The two mudras that are common in both Hindu and Buddhist iconography are the _abhaya_ and the _varada_. The abhaya is the gesture of “fear not” and is indicated by the right hand raised to shoulder height, the palm of the hand facing outward, the fingers upright and joined. The varada is the gesture of granting wish and is represented with the left palm facing down and outward. Symbolically, the two gestures speak to the salvific aspect at the core of these two faiths of  “surrender to me” and “I will protect you”. Along with abhaya/varada, two mudras that are specifically associated with Gautama Buddha are the _dharmachakra_ (turning of the wheel of law) and the _bhumisparsha_ (touching the earth). The dharmachakra mudra symbolizes the preaching of the first sermon in the Deer Park in Sarnath after the Enlightenment. The bhoomisparsha mudra symbolizes Buddha taking the earth as witness to his transformation from Gautama (ordinary human) to Buddha (the Enlightened one).  My personal favorite in the collage is the _dhyana_ (meditation) mudra where the back of the right rests on the palm of the left with the tips of the thumbs slightly touching each other with both hands resting in the lap. In the collage, it is stylistically represented with the knuckles touching. Another one worth noting is _vitarka_, gesture of discussion or argument where the index finger and the thumb touch each other in a circle and the remaining fingers are held straight and joined together. The palm faces outward in abhaya motion. Contrast this with the modern gesture of argument in which the index finger is held straight while the thumb rests on the other three fingers. The collage has a couple of variations of vitarka and vajra (strong, confident).

The meanings conveyed by mudras are simultaneously simple and multi-layered. If you are a scholar looking to write a book on mudras, they are a treasure trove. But, for the faithful, the mudra’s appeal is transcendent. For me, as a practicing Hindu, the appeal of abhaya/varada is direct and immediate.

The *yoga mudras* are used for healing purposes. The hand is considered a source of energy (_prana_) with each finger representing one of the five natural elements—the thumb is fire, the index finger air, the middle finger ether, the ring finger earth and the little finger water. An imbalance in any of the elements causes diseases and, can be corrected with the use of mudras. The most familiar one is the gyana mudra, in which the index finger and the thumb are brought together with other fingers held straight. This mudra is used for developing concentration, memory and spirituality. This is the same as vitarka and founders of religious faith such as Buddha are often depicted in this pose. This mudra is also practiced for developing extra-sensory perception. The other familiar ones are the _prana_ and _shunya_. If you want to read more about healing mudras, there are two popular books:  Healing Mudras by Sabrina Mesko  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0345437586/1000markmindb-20 and Getrud Hirschi:Yoga in your hands http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/1578631394/1000markmindb-20.

Finally, there are the dance mudras used in the classical south Indian dances such as _Bhartanatyam_, _Kathakali_ and _Kuchipudi_. The classical Indian dance places a great importance on _bhava_ (expression) and it is conveyed through _abhinaya_ (gestures). There are a total 52 basic hand mudras and a number of permutations and combinations have been created out of these basic mudras (see photo for a sample of Kathakali mudras).

This blog was written by Indira Govindan of www.dharmakarmaarts.1000markets.com. She is a member of the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace.

Photos courtesy: www.creativecommons.org and Indira Govindan

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Book Review: The Gospel of Thomas

"Become passersby." - The Gospel of Thomas


What a controversial figure Christ has become! To some, he is Messiah, Savior, Lord. To others, he is Prophet, Teacher, Rabbi. And still to others, he remains an enigmatic mystery; his real identity shrouded in myth and parable. Perhaps, however, to discover more of Christ's true persona, the seeker must look not to the Christian canonized versions of his story, but rather to texts that display his wisdom and his teachings in a more Gnostic association.


The Gospel of Thomas is such a read. It begins, first and foremost, by declaring that it contains the secret sayings of Jesus. A bold proclamation this may seem, but one glance inside its richly unfolded landscape of personal parables and quotes, the reader will find herself captivated by the Christ depicted therein. Whereas the traditional Gospels, as read in the New Testament canon, seek to bring the reader toward an expected end and the promise of a heavenly hereafter, The Gospel of Thomas takes the opposite approach, rather instructing the seeker that the paradise to be obtained can be found only by revisiting the beginning!


The text serves as a manual of sorts, or a handbook, to instruct and guide the student-seeker on a path toward enlightenment, and that path to enlightenment - the Christ therein proclaims - is the method unto salvation. This manuscript is a complete departure from the four canonical gospels, and portrays Christ as a sage, the very embodiment of wisdom, cast more in the tradition of the Buddha than in the heretofore understood role of Savior. Its controversial but worthwhile substance signifies not only its importance, but also provides understanding of why its text has not been canonized, and why it remains highly controversial.


This book, quite simply, is a must-read, regardless of personal faith or spiritual persuasion. It is sure to provide an intimate glance into one of history's most controversial figures, and will simultaneously enlighten and uplift with its richly developed rhetoric and sharp, poignant truths.


The Gospel of Thomas - Unearthing the Lost Words of Jesus
an annotated translation by John Dark and Ray Reigert
Seaston, an imprint of Ulysses Press, copyright 1998

~ Christina Dudley
Capricorn Soap Company

What Motivates an Artist?

I originally published this piece on my blog "In A Creative Context" a few months ago.  I thought I would share it with the Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.  Great food for thought for those who create art as well as those who view it. enjoy!
~ diane fergurson

I was looking through my sometimes mysterious, almost always captivating "keep" drawer the other day and I ran across an interesting handout that had been distributed years ago in an art workshop I attended.  It was titled "Artists Motivation".  I have no idea who wrote it, or what book it may have been copied from.  The premise of the article is that when working in the area of artist development, there are core commonalities that underlay the creative impulse.  Most artist's choose to express themselves for a reason and the reasons coalesce into specific creative motivations.

Of course I recognized where I was on this list right away.  What fascinates me, however, is that I can think of specific artist friends that I have who would slot right into each one of these categories.  A few people may blur between a couple of motivations, but for the most part it seems to be pretty cut and dried.  This seems to somewhat contradict the belief, by some, that we don't necessarily peg ourselves one way or another in what we create....we just let it happen.  I guess though, we just "let it happen" from a more common place then we would like to think.  As explained at the end, these motivations can also been viewed as stepping stones taken through one's creative development.

Below is a revised synopsis of the list.  Do you know what motivates you when you create?

-  Artist-scientists:  These artists have a personal mission that is similar to scientists.  They attempt to make the unknown, unseen word...real.  They experiment with art simply for the sake of inquiry.  Many times they have no interest in finishing what they begin....especially if they have found the answer along the way.  Like Einstein, they also believe that whatever the ultimate answer... it must be beautiful.

-  Artist-mathematicians:  Precision and the harmony of perfection is sought by this group of artists.  They often engage themselves through a different language to other artists-mathematicians.  Kind of like an art shorthand, similar to mathematicians speaking in formulas.  I imagine those artists interested in Sacred Geometry would find motivation in this grouping.

-  Artist-explorers:  Innovators on a quest to find the new and different.  The cannot stand to duplicate or replicate.  Their truly original expression has ultimate value and they constantly sharpen and hone that singularity.

-  Artist-activists:  The creative impulse of these artists stem from the need to rectify an unfair situation or even the playing field.  Examples of their causes include the environment, gender or racial equality, reproductive rights, poverty or homelessness.

-  Artist missionaries:  Artists lit with an inner fire.  They have found some sort of answer through their art and need to share it with others.

-  Artist-warriors:  Artists who take the activist role to an extreme by using their art form to combat forces that they find unreasonable. The artist-warrior is often on a crusade to fight with personal demons or forces.  Whereas the activist-artist grapples with external forces, the artist-warrior battles internal ones.

-  Artist-healers:  Artists who are healers feel that their art can actually mend the mind, body and spirit of an individual.  They have a revered way of referring to their art form.

-  Artist-mystics:  Artists who believe that a higher force is working through them.  They believe they are a conduit for the universal power of spirituality, love and enlightenment.

The article then goes on to say that an artist who works in education may combine many of these motivations.  Also that these motivations can be seen as developmental steps on the way to full creative blossoming.

Working with students actually facilitates artistic development through many of these motivations.  For example an artist-warrior, missionary or healer would be a good choice to work with at-risk populations.  The scientist and mathematician artist is often brilliant in creating new curriculum programs.  Artist-explorers work wonders on new classroom projects.  Of course the mystics and healers would be good working with people in art therapy and situations with divine inspiration.

Artwork:  Mandala #3 Illusion by Diane Fergurson 
http://www.dianefergurson.etsy.com
http://www.dianefergurson.artfire.com

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Part 3: From Jing to Qi to Shen, An Interview with Healer Darren Orr

 Question 5:  Some people believe that you can never fully emotionally heal after a loss (like a death)...and although they may suppress and manage those painful feelings...they continue to carry it with them and it unknowingly impacts their lives greatly.

Answer:
Yes, you are right, this is a very frequent situation that I see in my clinic and have had success in healing and ameliorating problems or imbalances associated with it. I firmly believe you can heal from a loss, you simply need to shift your perspective via self-cultivation.  Many if not most people believe they can never fully emotionally and spiritually heal after a loss such as death and they carry it with them and it does unnecessarily and unknowingly impact their lives greatly, very often negatively.

I understand this sentiment, yet it stems from a fundamental misconception. Firstly, if life is looked at in it's entirety from the macrocosm of the universe and mother nature to the microcosm of the internal universe of the human body, you will see that life consists of change. With loss the first thing that must be understood is that life is change. Change and death are the only things you can count on. The last change is the change of wardrobe at the moment of death from the cumbersome confines of the human body/mind to the invisible spiritual energy of the eternal soul. In America there is a stigma associated with death and dying and it is virtually taboo to discuss it. This is the underlying basis for our youth obsessed and age driven culture perpetuated by the media, multinational corporations and us the individual people, who buy into it.

This question is getting into the Shen (spiritual) level. Most people believe they are this separate individual being consisting of a body/mind that is confined in space and time. That is the great fundamental misconception about life (that we are the body/ mind).  We believe and mistake ourselves to be a separate, finite being consisting of only physical matter that lasts 100 yrs at most. This creates a fundamental fear and insecurity in people which our culture plays off of generously with its media, marketing and advertising.

In truth we are Spirit. We are spiritual beings having human experiences not human beings occasionally having spiritual experiences. We are not our bodies, not our minds/personalities/ego's, not our thoughts, feelings, information, experiences or emotions. We are none of them. As the ancient sages in India used to say Neti, Neti: Not this, Not this. They are simply tools used by the eternal soul to learn, evolve and grow.

In TRUTH we are an invisible eternal spiritual energy that is housed within the body/mind, in what the Daoists called the Taiji pole, similar to a person driving a car. When a person drives a car they don't mistake their identity for being that of a car, but due to life's stresses and our cultural upbringing we mis-identify and believe ourselves to be a body with a personality ie. false self or ego instead of spirit which is driving the body/mind. Again this disconnect usually occurs in childhood between the ages of 5-9, by the age of 12 the acquired personality/ego has taken root. Up until then a child understands the world primarily through spiritual intuition, innocence, energetic sensitivity, a spontaneous openness and exuberance for life. This spiritual disconnect of our children perpetuated by our materialistic culture is the main reason a childhood stress management curriculum needs to be implemented alongside the academic curriculum. If our children never lose their connection to Source/God/Christ/ Dao/Buddha/Allah etc.. in one generation we would have a global shift and uplift of consciousness about life and death.

You cannot have life without death, they are inseparable, yin and yang. Death needs to be discussed openly in our society. The stigma and taboo associated with its discussion in the public forum needs to be radically changed. If our attitude and awareness about death changed then our lives would change. The destruction and degradation of the Earth by the hands of man can only be explained by a fear of death. If we simply saw death as the transition, change and transformation of matter into energy that it is, then we could develop a culture and society integrated with the cyclical changes of nature like the ancients and thus live in harmony with the Earth and not opposed, disconnected, separated and segregated from the natural order of life like we currently are.

Death is the one thing we are ALL going to face. No one escapes it. In essence birth is a death sentence and we all have a terminal disease. Most are petrified of contemplating their own death. Many feel if they think or talk about it they are bringing death and negativity upon themselves or others. As if simply talking about death is a curse. The only way to truly live life is to come to terms with death..to learn how face it, to embrace it and not fear it otherwise whether you know it or not your life is being dictated by fear. When done properly and you contemplate and meditate on your own death you come to such a deep and profound appreciation, gratitude and acceptance for you life, for being alive, for this very moment, to be able to breathe, look at the sky, animals and trees. You can come to terms with death while you are alive and healthy using death as a deep meditation tool to keep you centered, open, peaceful and rooted in the present moment. For if you examine your mind carefully you will see that your spirit only exists in the present, while the acquired ego/personality only exists in the past and future. If you lose your fear of death, what do you have to fear from life? You can do anything if you are not afraid of death. The Buddha has said " of all meditations the meditation on the moment of your death is greatest of all".

 Everyone realizes they are that invisible eternal spiritual energy at death yet most have lived their lives in complete disregard of the spiritual principle and life force that creates, maintains and sustains them. I see it so often when I give medical qigong and reiki to terminally ill patients and their families. My real job and sole intention is to connect the person to that invisible eternal spiritual energy residing within the center core of the body in what the Chinese call the Taiji pole or the River of god so that they can re-awaken their true nature (Wu Jing Shen/enlightenment/Christ consciousness) and fulfill their destiny.The way people heal from loss in whatever form whether it be death, divorce, break-up, job loss etc... is for them to begin self-cultivation and the rooting out of the negative acquired habitual tendencies, behaviors, desires, attachments and aversions from their body/mind and reconnecting with the subtle invisible spiritual core of their being (Taiji pole.)

Here's a poem that popped into my head while writing this Shen level question:

Life is love manifest
You are not the emotions, thoughts and feelings
of the body and mind
confined in space and time.
                         You are the Divine.
                         The eternal invisible subtle
                         spiritual energy of the formless oneness.

                         Namaste


Discussion to be continued...


Interview part 1 
Interview part 2
________________________________



Thank you very much for your thoughtful and informative insights Darren.
We will be posting an addition to this interview in the near future.  I had a follow up question for Darren, but turned out to be an entire subject in and into itself.  We wanted to do it justice, so I will be posting it on it's own in the upcoming weeks.

If you have questions for Darren or wish to inquire about his teaching and Private Practice you can post via our "Comments" section of this blog post.
You can also email him at: Bodhichitta8@hotmail.com    You may also enjoy reading:Namaste- An Explanation of a Very Old Greeting     ~ diane  Follow us on FaceBook   



 

Lughnasadh Blessings

A few days ago I was listening to tall grasses swaying in the wind. As they brushed together in harmony, they created what sounded like gentle music – like the subtlest harp strings or the quietest chimes. The sound brought serenity and a sense of surety. My mother used to collect such grasses, and placed them in tall handmade glass and ceramic vases, that she then arranged on the floor. Thinking of it now, it strikes me that her favorite plants were of this season… the stalks and reeds of a length that reflect the growing long of summer, Black-eyed Susans that dot fields and brighten back roads, meadow flowers in rich colors, gathered by the armful.

August 1st marks the beginning of the festival of Lughnasadh, an ancient Celtic harvest holiday. It was the time to gather ripe grains, especially wheat and oats, and time for berries and apples. Lughnasadh wasn’t all about working the fields and orchards though… celebrations included games and sports akin to the Olympics, fairs that boasted fine artisans and entertainers, the crafting of ritual items and making of magic. Deities were honored – the name of the festival comes from the Celtic sun god Lugh, known as “the shining one,” and patron of craftspeople. The fertile goddess of the earth might also be praised at Lughnasadh. The deities were honored for their life-giving energy, and the abundance they brought to the land.

As we acknowledge the beauty of the seasons today, we might not honor old gods such as Lugh, but we can certainly treat with reverence the gifts of nature. We can enjoy the music of tall grasses and collect the wildflowers of deep summer. We may not gather the grain but we can work grain, flour, and seed into bread. We can create beautiful altars that express our gratitude for what we have been given. And we can certainly embrace the heat of August, play games in the sunshine, and for all of us here at 1000 Markets, offer our handcrafted items with spirit and joy!

Sources and further reading: “The Sacred World of the Celts”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0892817011/1000markmindb-20, by Nigel Pennick “Witchcraft Medicine - Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants”: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/08928197..., by Claudia Muller-Ebeling, Christian Ratsch, and Wolf-Dieter Storl The Celtic Book of Days, by Caitlin Matthews Celtic Mythology, by Proinsias MacCana The Celtic Realms, by Myles Dillon and Nora Chadwick

~ Nellie, BlackRabbit
http://www.blackrabbit.1000markets.com
http://multabasia.com/
http://illuminationtarot.com/

Part 2: From Jing to Qi to Shen, An Interview with Healer Darren Orr

Question 3:  What about people who won't let go of emotional pain?  I know you've come across may people like this in your private practice.                    

Answer:
I could write a book on this!!! lol. I like the progression of the questions from Jing to Qi to Shen.

Yes, I have come across many people in my private practice and throughout my life that struggle to let go of emotional pain. In our culture we are not taught how to deal with  stress and our subsequent emotions in a positive way... especially men...and we definitely are not shown how to release them and let them go. That is the main problem in my estimation. I feel people want to release stress and emotions they just don't know how. Our culture and society fails us miserably in this context because 70-90% of all disease is due to stress, so if we really want to change the health care system we need to learn preventative methods of stress management from childhood onwards. Sadly we don't yet have a system in place.

The inability to deal with stressful emotions stems from childhood where the root of our personality and emotional responses to stress are first learned, developed and practiced. When working with clients with anxiety, depression, rage, worry, fear etc.. you will hear them say it's just a part of their personality and the "way they are". That is so not true. All human behavior is learned. Scientific studies have shown that fear for instance is learned and ingrained into the brain through repeated exposure over a period of time, it is not innate.

At birth we are a blank slate and from the minute we exit the womb we are bombarded with external stimuli. In response to this stress and external stimuli emotions are created. As children we learn how to deal with stress, trauma, change and uncertainty from those around us (parents, teachers, culture, society). Usually though when a child is faced with trauma and stress they just want to survive it and thus develop coping mechanisms to get through that particular event. What happens is that oftentimes those coping mechanisms are not healthy ways to deal with emotions or stress and they become ingrained, go to the subconscious level and when as adults they face similar stress and trauma their habitual patterns, attitudes and behaviors are triggered and the brain goes on autopilot responding the same way you did as a child. So what often happens is either the person will stuff down and repress their emotions or they will lash out and displace them on other people. Neither of these ways are healthy, constructive or beneficial.

Emotions are there for one thing only so that we can move, change and get out of stasis. Again like physical pain they are a wake-up call, signal or beacon to pay attention, for introspection and as a way to understand your true nature. Often mental/emotional pain is worse and more insidious than physical pain and harder to release because the mind replays the past which continually illicits the same negative emotions over and over again and then projects them into the future. The energy of the emotions becomes stuck and traps itself within the cellular structure of the tissues leading to physical tension and pain, stress, tight sore muscles, restricted range of motion, and areas of the body that overtime become susceptible to disease or injury.

Our emotional template can be seen in peoples posture, the way they breathe, facial expressions and the eyes. Our emotions are the results of the beliefs we hold in our mind, how we interpret the changes that occur in our life, how we view ourselves internally and how we view the external world. So when treating and dealing with emotions what you are really treating is the person's mental habits, behaviors, patterns, attachments and aversions.  Alot of pathology can be traced back to imbalanced emotional states because they set up the beat and vibration that the body and mind responds to. Many times emotional pain is the root of physical pain, disease or illness.

Medical Qigong is unsurpassed in dealing with emotional problems because it is a complete and comprehensive system with over 5000 years of continuous empirical and practical use in keeping people healthy and free from disease. Most forms of energy healing are not complete systems. They take bits and pieces of medical qigong and the "creator" puts their own spin on it so they can market themselves and make money. The main emphasis in Medical Qigong therapy is placed on empowering the patient to take back control over their mind, body and emotions.

Medical Qigong is one of the only disciplines, I'm aware of, where self-cultivation and purgation of the excess emotional baggage we have carried around since birth is paramount and given prominence in the treatment modality. It is not enough for the healer to clear the patient when treating, it is just as if not more important that the patient understands and undertakes the responsibility for doing the self-cultivation necessary to clear the energetic charges of the emotions from the body. Specific exercises, meditations, visualizations and sound prescriptions are given as homework in between treatments to the patient to clear out, release and discharge the built up emotional current trapped inside the cellular structure of the tissues and neural connections of the brain.

According to the ancient theories of classical Chinese Medicine emotions are connected to the qi or energy level at the middle dantien in the area of the heart. Each organ has physical, mental/emotional and spiritual components to it. Everyone is born with 5 pre-natal virtues connected to the 5 yin organs. But due to stress and negative experiences from our environment those positive congenital virtues are transformed into negative or acquired mental/emotional states. For instance the Kidneys give us the virtue of wisdom, willpower and enlightenment but through repeated exposure to stress and trauma those virtues become the acquired states of fear, terror, loneliness and insecurity. The Liver gives us unconditional love, compassion and kindness while the acquired states are anger, rage, jealousy, depression, frustration and irritation. The spleen's congenital qualities are trust, faith and acceptance due to stress it flips into doubt, worry, over thinking. The heart is born with the virtues of balance, order, and peace, yet through life it switches due to shock, trauma, over excitement. The lungs give us integrity, honesty, dignity and righteousness while the acquired aspects are sadness, grief, loss, longing, anxiety, guilt, shame and blame. Once the congenital yang virtues flip into the acquired yin states the emotions begin to fill the energetic channels creating blockages, disharmony and illness until or unless this emotional baggage is cleansed and purged from the body and mind.

The point of Medical Qigong and all my treatments is to empower and teach my clients simple, easy and effective methods to drop these negative acquired mental/emotional states and the baggage that comes with them in order to re-awaken the positive congenital prenatal virtues of the Wu Jing Shen that always reside inside ourselves. The acquired aspects can be looked at like clouds blocking the sun. Just because we can't see the sun due to the clouds doesn't mean it isn't there. The clouds are the acquired states and are cleared via purgation techniques so that the prenatal virtues of the wu jing shen can radiate out in all directions like the sun thus illuminating all of life.

Question 4:  .  Can you discuss the connection between emotional pain and physical ailments and some of the treatment modalities that you use...like playing the crystal singing bowls (vibrational therapy).

Answer:
All of the modalities I use to treat people have as their foundation qi or life force energy. Qi is the communicative aspect between the material (jing) world and the spiritual (shen) world. It is intimately connected with the mind and emotions and is called the Great communicator because it is the invisible thread that weaves together the web of life. Whether it's massage, medical qigong, reiki, meditation, dao yoga or quartz crystal singing bowls qi is used to purge negative acquired mental states, tonify and cultivate the congenital virtues of the wu-jing shen and regulate the mind, body and spirit into one integrated and cohesive whole guided by the Taiji pole and eternal soul.

The quartz crystal singing bowls (vibrational therapy) are an amazingly profound and unique treatment modality that I use by themselves and in combination with my classes, treatments and meditations to help my clients and further enhance their healing. The bowls are made of 99% quartz crystal and when played resonate a pure tone on the musical scale (do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti,) that reverberates through and balances the DNA, nervous system, endocrine glands, brain, bones and marrow, myo-fascia, internal organs, 3 dantiens and the 7 chakras.

Like the quartz crystal singing bowls our bones, DNA, brain and myo-fascia also are made up of a quartz crystalline structure, so when the bowls are played they become like tuning forks that transmit the healing vibrations deep into the DNA, brain, body, bone marrow and cellular structure of the myo-fascia thereby opening up the meridians, releasing tension, stress and adhesions, quieting the constant chattering of the thinking mind which allows the body to enter a profoundly deep state of relaxation, regeneration, peace and healing.

In our technological age, quartz is used as a transmitter of energy and information in such things as clocks, watches, electronic equipment, micro-chips and computers. An interesting fact is that computer companies were the first to create the bowls because they use the bowls as a habitat to manufacture their microchips. This ability of quartz to act as an amplifier of energy and information is further enhanced when the practitioner and client place their intention on the sound and healing themselves. The bowls correlate to a specific musical note, particular color, nerve plexus, endocrine gland, internal organ, meridian, dantien and chakra. So when all 7 bowls are played you effectively balance and harmonize every aspect of your being and in doing so are given access to your true-nature/spirit/soul. I offer vibrational therapy using the singing bowls in private one-on-one treatments and group sessions.

continued in part 3

Part 1

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From Jing to Qi to Shen: An Interview with Healer Darren Orr, Part 1

I'm very pleased to have had the opportunity to conduct this insightful three part interview with my former teacher, Darren Orr.  I was fortunate enough to have studied with Darren for several years, both privately as well as in a group setting. Spending quality time and learning from this wonderfully intelligent, kind and loving soul is something I truly appreciate and will never forget.   
 ~ diane

Darren Orr is a Reiki master and teacher, a nationally certified massage therapist and a Medical Qigong therapist and teacher.  He specializations are in Oncology, chronic pain, stress management, life-altering illness and palliative care for the terminally ill. Darren is also currently enrolled in a 3 year Medical Qigong Program, a Graduate Degree of over 2,000 hours.  When he graduates in 2012 he will have become a Dr. of Medical Qigong. Darren also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and maintains private practice in New Jersey.  In addition he lectures, writes and teaches Dao yoga and meditation classes in which sound therapy is utilized as part of his sessions.



Question:  How did you begin your journey in the Healing Arts?

Answer 

I think it was a combination of affinity, synchronicity and my destiny.   I grew up living with someone who was in constant chronic pain, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.  I lived and felt firsthand the strength and weaknesses of our Western allopathic model of medicine.  I never realized that there were any other alternatives to surgery and the management of symptoms other then with drugs and pharmaceuticals. 
Later, as I got older, I had a former girlfriend who had just been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.
I was holding her hand one day and I had an epiphany that changed my life and awoke my slumbering spirit. I felt my qi.  I had no idea what is was, I just knew I felt it. Over the next week we were doing research on the Internet about Fibromyalgia and kept coming across references to Qigong. We had never heard of Qigong before, but the articles kept saying that it was the root and foundation of Chinese medicine for over 5000 years and that its primary aim is to examine and get at the root cause of the disease thereby eliminating it.
The articles also referenced recent studies that showed that Qigong could treat and even “cure” so called “incurable” diseases that Western medicine could not.

This is where the synchronicity and affinity comes in. I happen to mention what we found to my mother, who is a labor and delivery nurse, and she said that the next day they happen to be having a nurse’s appreciation day at the Hospital where she worked.  They were giving a Qigong demonstration followed by Kirlian photography and a Reiki session.  Of course we attended, and the first thing we did was learn to feel our qi.  I immediately realized that this is the exact sensation I had felt a week prior, holding my girlfriend's hand.  It was almost like a light switch had been flipped on and I instantaneously knew that my life’s calling was to use this energy to help, assist and benefit not only people in their health..but the healing and well being of all of life and the earth as well.

Since that day I have been consistently and diligently studying and gathering, cultivating and regulating my qi... always eager to learn, grow and enhance my skill and mastery of the Great Communicator.

Question:
It's interesting that you bring up chronic pain.  I've had several people discuss pain with me lately.
Chronic pain and pain from injuries.  What insights can you give us about pain?  What are some things that you have found out in your practice and experience that can help people help themselves during rough periods?

Answer:
That's a big topic!   lol...
All beings suffer. No one escapes life without trials, tribulations and pain. Whether the pain is physical, mental/emotional or spiritual in nature, I feel it's a signal to slow down and become more aware, to pay attention and be present in this moment ...which is the only moment we are alive.
Pain is a wake up call.
For the most part, people tend to either focusing in the past or projecting into the future, very few actually are present with what's going on in their internal universe. Pain is a beacon or signal to begin introspection and to pay attention. Pain is also an excellent meditative tool that's been used for millenia by ancient indigenous cultures the world over to shift and uplift consciousness and spirit.

 Most people tend to grasp or cling to things that make them feel good and reject or instinctively push away that which is painful. That is the way of the ego. Yet pain is a wonderful teacher.  Pain teaches us acceptance and patience in the face of difficulty and if looked at properly, actually allows us to better appreciate the good in our life. I think the most important factor in dealing with pain is one's own mental attitude and how they choose to deal with it.

 Everything in life is a choice. We cannot control what happens to us in life because all life is in constant flux and change.  But, we do have control over the choices we make in response to those events particularly in dealing with pain. If we can embrace the pain and not push it away, it can be the seed from which a universal compassion can arise... because when looked at properly, you see that pain and suffering isn't just unique to yourself, but shared amongst all life.

The problem is that in our culture we don't have the tools to deal with pain. Everyone wants only good things to happen.  People fail to understand that pain and pleasure are two sides of the same coin, yin and yang. You can't have one without the other, they are inseparable. Our culture also lacks the necessary tools to allow people to learn from their pain in constructive and positive ways. When faced with pain most people look to a magic pill to lessen the discomfort instead of looking for the root cause as to why the pain is there in the first place.

That is why the ancient awareness and healing disciplines of Qigong, meditation and Dao yoga are so beneficial and useful in this modern era. These techniques provide you with the tools and techniques to delve deep within the depths of your being to uncover the root causes of pain, illness or disease.

Question 3:  What about people who won't let go of emotional pain?  I know you've come across may people like this in your private practice.

to be continued in Part 2


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Qigong Interview with Joanne Kornoelje

Do Unto Others....

I ran across this while I was reading the other day.  Thought I would share it with you.  Seven different versions of what my mother use to tell me all the time...still does
                         ~ diane


The Golden Rule can be found in the seven basic religions on our planet... 

BRAHMANISM:  This is the sum of duty:  do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.  (Mahabharata 5:1517)

BUDDHISM:  Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.  (Udana-Varga 5:18)

CONFUCIANISM: Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness:  Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.  (Analects 15:23)

TAOISM:  Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.  (T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien)

ZOROASTRIANISM:  That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.  (Dadistan-l-dinik 94:5)

JUDAISM;  What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowman.  That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary.  (Talmud, Shabbat 31a)

CHRISTIANITY;  All things whatsoever ye would that man should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the prophets.  (Matthew 7:12)

ISLAM:  No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself
(Sunnah)


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Painting by Diane Fergurson.
Connecting Heaven and Earth: Cooperation ©

Namaste - An Explanation of a Very Old Greeting

The first time I read this beautiful explanation of the greeting "Namaste" in artist PattyMara Gourley's blog, I knew I was destined to re-post an excerpt of it on The Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.  Thank you for sharing Patty!  To read more wonderful words by PattyMara and experience all her fabulous creative work, you can visit her at her shop on Etsy!

                                                                                                      ~ diane fergurson


                                                                       

NAMASTE represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture acknowledges the soul in one by the soul in another. Pronounced nah-mah-stay', it is a traditional Sanskrit greeting translated loosely as "The divine within me greets the divine within you"
NAMA means bow
AS means I
TE means you.

Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to You." To perform Namaste, place the hands together at the heart chakra, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect. Although in the West the word "Namaste" is usually spoken in conjunction with the gesture, in India, it is understood that the gesture itself signifies Namaste, and therefore, it is unnecessary to say the word while bowing.

We bring the hands together at the heart chakra to increase the flow of Divine love. Bowing the head and closing the eyes helps the mind surrender to the Divine in the heart. One can do Namaste to oneself as a meditation technique to go deeper inside the heart chakra; when done with someone else, it is also a beautiful, albeit quick, meditation.

Namaste allows two individuals to come together energetically to a place of connection and timelessness, free from the bonds of ego-connection. If it is done with deep feeling in the heart and with the mind surrendered, a deep union of spirits can blossom.

I've made painted clay Namaste tiles for the past ten years. They hang in homes, offices, meditation centers and yoga studios. I've created a new Namaste Painted Clay Collection
I make them now with white mica clay from New Mexico, and they shimmer with luminous sparkle and shine, a perfect reflection of two hearts connected.

 PattyMara's Etsy Shop!  Take a look!

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The Lotus

Mudras:  Gestures of a Different Kind

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Book Review: Black Elk Speaks

"It is from understanding that power comes; and the power of ceremony (of the ghost dance) was in understanding what is meant; for nothing can live well except in a manner that is suited to the way the sacred Power of the World lives and moves"  ~ Black Elk Speaks


Black Elk was born a member of the Oglala Sioux peoples in 1863, and was closely related to Crazy Horse.  In 1930, already an aged man, Black Elk spoke intimately with poet and critic John G. Neihardt, and recounted to him the tale of his vision of the Six Grandfathers and the reconstruction and vitalization of his people the Oglala Sioux.  Neihardt, in turn, recorded those sessions in a text, and thus the body of Black Elk Speaks was born.

The text tells a long narrative of Black Elk's vision for the unification of his people.  The vision came to him during a time of great decimation and privation, when outsiders were robbing the Lakota of their land, food sources and their very way of life.   Black Elk recounts in his memories as shared to Neihardt the fierce bravery of his people and how valiantly they fought for their freedom, winning a historical victory at Little Bighorn and suffering great decimation and loss at the Battle of Wounded Knee.

The text itself, however, is more then just a retelling of history.  It has been hailed by critics as a religious classic, and some consider it among one of the greatest spiritualist texts of the modern era.  It is a stirring narrative of the memories of an aged healer who, as a young man before the reservation years, experienced a great vision, a vision to which he held fast for all of his days, in the hope that it's manifestation would arrive within his lifetime.  It carries not only lessons of acceptance and perseverance, but also a central message of universal love and wonder.

This is a book full of history and wisdom, and at the same time full of insight and hope.  It is a recommended read for anyone interested in not only the Lakota nations, but the history of what it means to be a human being; of the glory and danger that comes with being a traveler through this world.


 
Black Elk Speaks:  Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux, the Premier Edition, 2008, SUNY Press


~ Christina Dudley, Capricorn Soap Company 

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