Resistance. This is our speed bump in life. Our resistance to comply and take everything at face value is a valuable time keeper. Our thoughts move at lightening speed and our feels lumber behind in this dimension. We need time to study and contemplate, argue and resist so we know in our bones what is of us and what is it that we need to do in response. Things of importance - especially changes in the world - do not just slide into place. We have to know our investment in change. We balk. We resist. We debate. It is in that process whether on a personal matter or a collective one, that we must put in the consideration time or disappear under the change disempowered, uninformed and clueless.
I'm of a mind that Hafiz talks here about how our thinking progresses and how we need to stumble upon reality to really understand what is of true value in our learning experiences. This is how we bring all of ourselves forward. We have a part of ourselves that we only barely own and it is as bound to us as any living part of our bodies. There is an entire universe of ourselves that we've yet to meet. We need time to wonder, doubt and quibble about spiritual matters. We must consider once again that we are really never alone and rarely know all there is to know with whatever is amiss.
Thank you for listening.
Music: There is no one in this whole wide world like Janis Ian. I have been a fan for so long the years have collapsed into decades. She's a wonder and a great gift. I have this song, Resist, on my immersible MP3 player that I swim with. When it comes on, I can feel myself empowered. Big medicine, this. Ian is an ally to us all. We can listen to her apply her amazing songwriting chops and understand how important it is to take the time to look beyond the prompts and consider the sources of these imperatives designed to move us impulsively. In this song we are given a lot to consider as we make up our minds. Basically, we are not alone in living our lives. There is guidance and there is support if we want it and we must pay attention to receive it...or risk disappearing.
The original post in this series of poems by Hafiz (including an addendum regarding the authenticity of these poems) can be found here. Also, my thoughts on this series a year into these poems, HERE.
The Gift: Poems by Hafiz and translated by Daniel Ladinsky can be purchased here.
My book can be purchased HERE. E-book HERE. The Season Two blogcasts with audio excerpts from my book begin HERE: in Behind The Lines. This reading of the book excerpts in a mixed media format is Season Two of this blog. These recorded excerpts are outside the chronological order in which the book was written. Podcasts with audio only beginning with episode 22 can be found HERE.
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