08.04.06
Posted in Hero's Journey, War at 1:22 am by Administrator
Check out this website for the inside scoop on Medea Benjamin’s arrest. You can watch a video clip of the incident on CNN and CBS.
Click here to see a CNN live video clip of the action!
Click here to see CBS footage of the disruption.
According to the press release, after witnessing Benjamin’s disruption, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, stated “We are going to witness more and more public outrage as the violence in Iraq escalates in this ongoing occupation.”
A recent Truthout article covering the incident cited a World Public Poll which shows that 87% of Iraqis want a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Medea is one gutsy lady. She deserves our thanks for having the courage to stand up and speak the truth. May we all learn from her example.
Namaste,
Swan
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07.26.06
Posted in Hero's Journey, War at 5:09 pm by Administrator
I was watching the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki give his speech on CNN. When a woman begins chanting, ““Troops Home Now” and ”Listen to the Iraqis” I turned to my Mom, who I was visiting, and said, “That’s Medea Benjamin!” Sure enough CNN flashed her picture later and it was Medea dressed up in Code Pink pink. You can read all about the event on the Internet.
I am also posting some links to pictures of Medea. Here is another person who is making a difference. Medea is a good example of someone speaking Truth to Power. I am amazed that she was able to get into the galley. That being said the Force is with her. People are helping Medea so she can confront the Power Elite.
It is small moments like this that give me hope.
Shalom,
Swan
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07.21.06
Posted in War at 7:42 pm by Administrator
Synchronicity struck today. The Goddess is afoot.
I received this email from a friend just a few minutes ago. Please click on the link below and urge your congress person to vote for keeping the Peace in the Middle East. Ask them to vote Yes on H. Con. Res 450.
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/jvfp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=4691
The bill which was introduced by Representative Dennis Kucinich, calls for an immediate cease-fire and for immediate, multi-party negotiations. To read the bill follow this link : http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.CON.RES.450
Please. Take this action. We can change the world if we act together.
Shalom,
Swan
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Posted in War at 1:15 am by Administrator
What is happening?! I have not been able to post anything because the world has gone crazy. It appears to me that we are on the brink of disaster.
What has and is happening in Iraq is criminal. The whole world knows the U.S. was wrong to invade Iraq. But now the madness that is going on in Lebanon is unbelievable and there is no one to stop it from spreading to the rest of the Middle East. I am stunned, shocked, and dismayed by the events that are unfolding as I write this posting.
Here are some of today’s headlines from the Democracy Now! website:
- 72 Die In Lebanon In Deadliest Day of Israeli Attack
- U.S. Rejects Lebanese PM’s Appeal For Immediate Ceasefire
- Report: Israel Weighing Ground Invasion
- Israel Drops 23 Tons Of Bombs On Suspected Hezbollah Bunker
- Death Toll in Lebanon Reaches 330; 500,000 Displaced
- UN: Children Account for One-Third of Casualties
- Questions Raised Over U.S. Evacuation Efforts
Haven’t we learned that war is not a game with winners and losers? EVERYONE loses when there is armed conflict in the world. Everyone, that means you and me and the rest of the planet.
This MUST STOP! A ceasefire must be put in place IMMEDIATELY! Shame on the U.S. for rejecting the Lebanese PM’s appeal for immediate ceasefire. Shame on Israel for attacking and killing innocent civilians, women and children. And shame again on all of us for letting this situation escalate.
I don’t have the words to describe the gravity of this situation.
If we love this world. If we believe in the sanctity of all life. Then we have a moral obligation to stop this madness.
Please contact your congressional representatives immediately. Let them know this aggression must stop now.
With much sorrow,
Swan
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07.05.06
Posted in Hero's Journey at 4:49 pm by Administrator
As July 4th came and went I pondered the question, “What does it mean to be spiritually and politically active?”
A well-known saying states that “the personal is political and the political is personal.” How we live our lives, whether we are aware of it or not, is a political as well as a spiritual choice. Every choice we make, every action we take reverberates across the cosmos. Nonaction is also a choice. Every time we act we pluck the cosmic web. Our life’s song is played out on the choices we make or choose not to make. I believe as people following a spiritual path we need to strive to walk lightly on this earth. And that we also need to be politically active so that we can influence our political leaders to do the same.
As a person striving to walk their talk, I have made conscious choices in my life to reflect my values. For example choosing:
* To buy organic produce whenever possible.
* To support small businesses and artists by purchasing products through them or from them.
* A career as a librarian.
* To monetarily supporting organizations like Truthout.org and Common Ground.
* To foster homeless cats.
* Not to have children.
* To work in the town where I live.
* To replace conventional light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs.
These choices both big and small are political. Together they add up to be significant. The way I live my life does makes a difference in the world.
But the difficult part comes as being a citizen of the Empire. If you are like me, you probably feel like you are not doing enough, because the strength and the influence of the False Gods in the world are so dominate, and the light we shine into the world is so small. We are like butterflies beating our wings against the bulldozers of the Market Place, Reckless Science, Greed and Power Lust.
“Am I doing enough?” is a question I ask myself from time after time. And the answer is always, “No.” This is a depressing observation, but again in order to change and grow first one must become aware; aware of both the positive and the negative factors.
As a spiritual person and a priestess of the Mother Goddess, I believe the response to overcoming the feelings of hopelessness is to stay in contact with the Divine Source. Again it is important to listen to her voice. She will let us know how to act, how to grow, and how to change. We need to keep doing our best and be aware that there is always more we can do.
For example, cars are one the most destructive forces in the world for our climate and the planet. That being the case, I posed the question to myself, “Can I give up my car?” And to be honest I am not ready to make that commitment. I think I am ready to start walking to work one day a week. This smaller step takes me forward on my path, but there is always more that I can do. And one day I believe I will be able to give up my car.
As another step forward on my path, I am trying to learn how to garden. My efforts currently won’t sustain me, but each time I plant my garden I learn a little more and I get a little better. This year I was able to start and transfer some wonderful organic yellow pear tomatoes. I also learned that growing a garden plot at the edge of a shade tree’s canopy can protect the plot from being burned up by the sun.
Everything we do if we live consciously can be spiritual. And everything we do is also political. We can live as if each day really mattered. Or we can escape into fantasy. We can zone out on television, sports, mood altering drugs, the internet, sex, shopping, and over-eating, to name just a few of America’s favorite activities.
Open your eyes to the moment. Live as if each step you take today brings you one step closer to the God(dess). What would your life look like? How would your life make you feel?
Walking towards the Goddess makes me feel alive.
Blessings on your path,
Swan
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07.03.06
Posted in Hero's Journey, Screenplay at 7:47 pm by Administrator
As I posted earlier I am at the 60 page mark in my screenplay. This morning in meditation I acknowledged to myself that I am now terrified. I wrote down the two main items I was afraid of. First, that the screenplay is not any good. And second, that I won’t finish it.
As I named my fears this morning I felt a release within my body. By not saying anything previously, I had been holding tight to those beliefs. Speaking them aloud allowed them to diminish.
What is one of the worse things a person can be? A coward. Especially a yellow coward. As Americans we are taught to keep a stiff upper lip when it comes to fear. We are taught to ignore our fear by whistling in the dark. We are also taught to be self-sufficient, to be the rugged individual who doesn’t need anyone’s help. Is it a coincidence that the emotion of fear is typically felt in the body in the area of the solar plexus and that the color associated with our solar plexus is yellow?
As I acknowledged and listened to my fear, it told me that I would not finish my screenplay. Well how does my fear know that? What makes this cranky little emotion think it is an expert on what I will and will not do? If I keep going forward step-by-step I will finish my screenplay. All I have to do is not give up and baby step my way to completion.
It also told me that even if I did finish my screenplay it won’t be any good. Don’t you just love the rationale of the guardian at the gate? If it can’t get you to stop one way it tries another extreme argument. My fear tells me it won’t be any good so why bother. Just give up and go back to watching television. Why even try when you know you are only going to be a failure.
Well this is a first draft. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Would I expect anyone else’s first draft of a screenplay to be perfect? No. I am not expecting Shakespearian quality. What I hope to have when I am done is good structure, well developed characters, believable dialogue, and an interesting story. And I believe those things are already there, at least in part. I can rework the screenplay after I finish the first draft if I need to add more highs and lows to the story.
After examining and working with my fear this morning I finished my meditation by praying to the Goddess to help me with my screenplay. I asked her to help it grow and develop, because I felt I was running on empty. That I was relying too much on myself instead of being open to the Divine Source. Afterwards I felt I had opened myself to the creative flow.
I see now that fear is part of the cycle of creation. Fear is the inner critic, trying to keep me safe, trying to maintain the status quo. Fear is the Tower card in the Tarot. Walking through fear allows us to break down and destroy old beliefs, patterns, habits, and attitudes. When I am feeling fear I am at the bottom of the cycle. I am at the bottom of the wheel. This means I have no where to go but up.
Earlier this morning I felt unworthy of the task I had set for myself. But that is an old belief. And like the lighting in the Tower card we should burn those old beliefs down. Burn them away so that new beliefs can grow, can arise from the ashes like a phoenix. From the ashes of destruction comes fertility. And from the releasing of old fears comes radiant energy.
At the end of my meditation I felt again the releasing of energy from my solar plexus. The fear had diminished. And I now instead of fear I felt a glowing inside me. I felt a radiant light, like a yellow sun, shining out of my core. So the shedding of fear is a process of letting go of the old. Like a snake sheds it skin, we shed our fears, because those beliefs no longer fit in our life. We shed our fears so that we may grow.
Many blessings on your path,
Swan
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07.02.06
Posted in Musings..., Screenplay at 7:35 pm by Administrator
The screenplay is coming along. I have completed 60 pages, which means I have reached the half way point. Yeah!
I believe all of my characters have been introduced. Rose is now traveling with the Caravan. My two Villians are tracking her, one with more success than the other. I have introduced the character of the drunk ex-girlfriend, Jezzy. I love the character of Jezzy. There is nothing more dramatic than a drunken ex-girlfriend. I look forward to Jezzy causing a lot of conflict in my story.
More later.
Swan
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06.27.06
Posted in Hero's Journey, Screenplay at 9:34 pm by Administrator
Sometimes I feel I have nothing to say or nothing to write about it. And then I take one step forward. I write one word. And then I wait for the next word. I write one sentence. And then I write the next sentence.
Step by step, I work at my writing. My screenplay and my blog are not cut from whole cloth but woven together thread by thread. Word by word. Sentence by sentence.
The Spiritual path is also walked step by step. Most of us do not arrive in this world fully actualized, fully knowing what it is we are suppose to be doing here in this crazy wonderful world. We have to dig for the answer. We have to dig deep within, sifting through the dust and rubble of our past to find the gold nuggets that are within us.
Believe, Listen, Love and Trust are good companions to take on a Spiritual journey. Believe is the magic spark that starts the journey. I started on my path because I believed there was more waiting for me. I believed that I had a part to play in this drama we call Life. Believe is the spark and fuel that feeds the fire within.
But to continue on our Spiritual path we need to have more inside than just believing in ourselves. We need guidance. And to find that guidance you have to look within and Listen. Be very still and Listen. What do you hear? Do you hear anything or are you unable to hear because your mind is chattering away?
If you are unable to hear your guiding voice embrace this information for this is what you need to know. This is where you are right now. You can’t change and grow unless you know what needs to be changed. Love your shortcomings. Love your flaws. For within them you will find your greatest strength.
Love is the key to unlocking the door to your True Self and Trust is the Divine Answer. In order to grow on our Spiritual Path we must embrace our Shadow. Those traits that you cannot stand in others will be found within yourself. Love and Forgive yourself for not being Perfect so that you can Love and Forgive others. This is the path we all must walk.
In my opinion the hardest lesson to learn is to Trust. We cannot know the Divine Spirit intellectually. God(dess) is not found in our heads but in our hearts. We must learn to Trust our experiences with the Divine. We must learn to Trust that everything is connected, that the wings of a butterfly in a rainforest can effect change on the other side of the world. We must learn to Trust that small voice that speaks within our heart. We must be able to trust that voice when the world tells us we are mad, for when the world is insane, sane people will appear to be mad.
Believe, Listen, Love, and Trust, for you are a Child of the Divine Source. The Answers and the Way are within you.
Namaste,
Swan
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06.23.06
Posted in Musings..., Screenplay at 6:15 pm by Administrator
The month of June takes it name from the Roman goddess, Juno. According to Roman custom, the month of June was sacred to Juno, hence the name of our modern month.
As a goddess Juno was known as the Queen of Heaven. She was the wife of Jupiter, the Roman god who fooled around with numerous mortal women. This made her a jealous wife and who could blame her. Having your husband cheat on you would have ticked off any wife, immortal or mortal. Juno is also known as the goddess of marriage, the home, children, and child birth. I wonder how many June brides are aware of the connection between their marriage and the goddess, Juno. I guess it is appropriate that I am “giving birth” to my brain child in the month of June.
June 21 was the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. In celebration of this auspicious date I held a lovely ritual in my backyard under Grandmother Tree, a giant oak that shelters my yard. The ritual was quite moving. I cleansed the area with sage smoke and salt water. Then created a circle using my frame drum and dried rose petals. In the circle I lit candles representing the four elements, the goddess and her consort.
Summer solstice has traditionally been a time to rededicate ones self to the Divine Source, which was the intent of my ritual. I rededicate myself to the Divine Mother and thanked her for her guidance. I again realized that I am not writing this screenplay, it is being channeled through me. This is such a comfort. I don’t have to be brilliant, I just have to still my chattering monkey mind and listen for the voice of the Muse to speak.
This morning in my meditation the Divine Force visited me again. She brought several ideas for scenes that need to be developed. I have two Villains in the script. One Villain represents unchecked authoritarian power (Major Tolley) and other represents unchecked aggressive power (Crime Lord). These Villains balance out my male lead (Pandemonium) who represents healthy male power in the role of community Protector and Leader.
An idea came through of using doves as a way for Pan to communicate with Mrs. MacMillan that Rose was with the Caravan and vice versa. Also as the person who helped Rose leave the city, Mrs. MacMillan is destined to receive a visit from Major Tolley. Lucky, the dog, can be use as a device to find Rose after she gets kidnapped by the Crime Lord. I will stop there for now but the flow of information that is coming from the Divine Source seems to be endless.
I am now on page 37 and plan to be on page 45 by Sunday evening. Many thanks to everyone who is following my progress, I appreciate your support.
Peace,
Swan
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06.22.06
Posted in Screenplay at 10:00 pm by Administrator
Good news. I completed the first act of my screenplay. It is roughly 30 pages long. I am happy to say the feedback I have received from colleagues has been good. I thought it was pretty good when I was writing it, but then it is my baby.
So now I am working on the second act. Pages 30 to 45 focus on the growth of my female lead. Right now I am on page 34. I should be working on my screenplay as I type this entry but I felt a burning need to keep people up to date on my progress.
I was telling a colleague that this is a channeled screenplay. I mean that literally. I feel so blessed to receive information each morning in my meditation sessions. This usually manifests as specific things I need to include or explore in the screenplay. This morning the Muse sent me insight into how I should end the story. In particular what is my heroine’s ultimate goal and how it needs to be resolved. Good stuff!
I am still playing around with titles. I kind of am leaning now to either: “The Caravan” or “The New World Order”.
Oh yeah, just in case you wondering. My screenplay focuses on the collapse of society in a post peak oil world.
Blessings,
Swan
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