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Freeing our thinking from the limitations of its biological form is essentially a spiritual undertaking.
Ray Kurzweil
The more evolved you are, the more of the universe is in your view.
Yasuhiko Kimura
This hour in history needs a dedicated circle of transformed nonconformists.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The spiritual life cannot begin until people
allow themselves to be invaded by the reality of suffering, realize how
fully it permeates our whole experience and feel the pain of other
beings, even those to whom we do not feel congenial.
Karen Armstrong
Adoration is the essential preparation for action.
Evelyn Underhill
Mysticism leads to the transcending of all limits.
Leonardo Boff
Stop learning, start knowing. Rumi
Engage with joy in all the sorrows of the world.
Buddha
If the whole world would hold hands, God would go back together again.
My 8 yr old nephew Noah
Ever age has to redefine its reality, that's what writers and historians are about; we're all revisionists.
To look at your life in this way is a way of creating it, a way of controlling it, so that the mythology shall spring from the life and not the life from the mythology.
Shirley Abbott
Earl In Sitka, because they are fond of them, People have named the seals. Every seal is named Earl because they are killed one after another by the orca, the killer whale; seal bodies tossed left and right into the air.
"At least he didn't get Earl," someone says. And sure enough, after a time, that same friendly, bewhiskered face bobs to the surface.
It's Earl again. Well, how else are you to live except by denial, by some palatable fiction, some little song to sing while the inevitable, the black and white blindsiding fact, comes hurtling toward you out of the deep?
by Louis Jenkins, from North of the Cities. � Will o' the Wisp Books, 2007.
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Greetings!,
A pagan went up to a rabbi and said he would convert to Judaism if the rabbi would explain the whole of the Torah to him while he was standing on one leg. The rabbi was incensed and sent the man off immediately. The pagan then went up to Rabbi Hillel with the same proposal, to which the great rabbi said: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow human being. That is the whole Torah. The rest is the commentary. Go and study."
The Jewish High Holydays, the upcoming Ramadan season and the Christian Eucharist have a lot in common. For the Jews, the season from Rosh Hashanah (sundown tonight) through Yom Kippur (Sept 22) is a time of making amends, reviewing one's life, determining where one needs to grow and setting goals to get there. The lamb of God that they sacrificed in order to achieve at-one-ment with God is the same lamb the Christians refer to when they say, "Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us."
Ramadan, a Muslim time for fasting and prayer starting tomorrow, is derived from the word ramd, meaning "to burn". Since each of these traditions are derived from Abraham, it seems like a good time to give thanks for our common heritage, make amends, determine where we need to grow, and burn away the self-doubts that keep us from our magnitude and the real reason we're here.
I had a facilitator training here this weekend and it was almost miraculous to watch six women find that place where their "deep joy met with the world's deep hunger." And having found it, to design a life where that work would be the source of their sustenance and the focus of their attention. We are here to do the work that excites us and inspires others. As Rumi said, "The eyes are here for seeing, but the soul is here for its own joy."
I am extending my reach into the world by offering longer retreats both here in San Diego and at my lodge on Lake Bonaparte in upstate New York. The announcements for these workshops follow, and I hope to share this joyful work with many of you during the year.
Blessings and love across the miles,
Jan
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Announcing a FABULOUS new poetry book!
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My friend and fellow Skidmore teacher Judi K. Beach has a new book of poems out and it is stunning! I have an advance copy, but the books will not be officially available until October. (possibly earlier on amazon.) You can pre-order there and they will send you the book as soon as it arrives at their warehouse. I'm including one of her poems since it seems so perfect for the Holy Days...
How to Forgive
Uncoil the long rope of memory, that noose of transgressions around our necks.
Untie the boat of hurt. Sail it into the setting sun and be blinded by its incineration.
Stretch out naked on the cold steel of our inner eye and slip the scalpel around, behind the cankerous lump.
Find our fault in the swarm, reach in bare-handed to remove it before it poisons the honey we make.
Admit culpability so there are fewer steps between who has hurt us and what it takes to forgive.
Admit how we sometimes take a bit of sand and build a castle of it. Learn to make a pearl of it.
To pre-order, click here: Judi Beach poetry book
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COMING ATTRACTIONS...
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FOR ALL YOU CREATIVES OUT THERE...
I'm throwing a teleconference party with Judi Beach so she can share with us a few of her new poems and all she learned about co-publishing as she birthed her new book into the world. If you're a poet or writer and are thinking of getting your own book published, this would be the person to talk to. Join us with all your questions. It's going to be a fun hour!
Date: October 17, 2007 Time: 4 PM Pacific, 7PM EST Number to call: 641-715-3200 (access code: 748010#) It'll be recorded and I'll download it as a podcast into iTunes, so if you miss it you can find it on Judy's (soon to be up) website and in iTunes.
Click here if you'd like to hear a teleseminar I did with Noetics institue: jan's teleseminar http://www.noetic.org/SIA/audio/teleseminar_89__phillips_j_2007-04-12.mp3
UPCOMING JAN PHILLIPS WORKSHOPS San Diego, CA November 9-11 January 11-13 FACILITATOR TRAINING a weekend intensive for people interested in becoming workshop facilitators (limited to 6 participants) contact [email protected] for more details
Irvine, CA September 26, 2007 Mystics in the Marketplace: Understanding the Connection Between Prophets and Profits The Inside Edge Breakfast Forum contact [email protected]; http://www.insideedge.org
Syracuse, New York October 13, 2007 Celebration of Syracuse Cultural Workers' 25th Anniversary Plymouth Congregational Church contact [email protected] for more info
Philadelphia, PA area - Pendle Hill November 30-December 2 Untying the K(n)ots That Bind Us http://www.pendlehill.org/programs/
San Diego, Ca January 18-20 The Art of Inspired Leadership: A Workshop for Women Creating the Future
Rockford, IL March 7-8, 2008 The Art of Transformation: A Workshop in Consciousness, Creativity and Community; [email protected]
Denver, Colorado April 3, 2:30-4:30 Tea Talk The Art of Original Thinking-Transforming Wisdom into Action Denver Mile Hi Church [email protected]
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY June 13-20, 2008 Int'l Women's Writing Guild The Word, the Image, the Stroy: Tools of Transformation http://www.iwwg.com
Skaneateles, NY (near Syracuse) July 27-Aug.2, 2008 Creativity as Sacrament Stella maris Retreat Center http://www.stellamarisretreat.org/
House Springs, Missouri Rockhaven Ecozoic Center Sept 19-20, 2008 The Word, the Image, the Story: Tools of Transformation contact [email protected]
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Jan Phillips
5187 Arlene Place
San Diego, California 92117
858-571-1417
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NoteWorthy News & Announcements
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http://www.womensenews.org/ has an opportunity for you to nominate a woman for their 21st century Women in Leadership Awards. A nice opportunity to further the work and reach of someone whose work you admire...
These workshops are being offered by two women whose work I respect a great deal... February 9 - 16, 2008
Returning to our Senses: A Women's Circle in the Rainforest.
Samasati, Costa Rica; explore the virgin tropical forest, trek through
waterfalls, meet indigenous healers and play in the nearby Caribbean
ocean.
March 29 - April 5, 2008
Portals to the Self: A Women's Circle by the Sea.
Isla Mujeres, Mexico; an island sacred to Ixchel, the Mayan Moon
Goddess and historically a place for healing rituals among the Mayan
people.
Women's Retreats - Yoga, storytelling, journaling; creating a circle of
support, compassion, wisdom and replenishment. For brochure: email
[email protected]; www.islawomensretreat.com, 440 779-6727
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What's out there worth looking at? Here's my top three picks for the week...
http://www.flixxy.com/pet-hippo.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG9TsTCfLec http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQLTI4pzeH4
That's it for now. Sorry these get to be so long. There's just a lot of good news to pass along. Feel free to forward to your friends. Happy days! Jan
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