Luminalogue

The Wisdom of Bones

 

The Wisdom of Bones

Unraveling lifetimes

One after another dissolves in my bones…

These bones of ancient stardust sparkle with a brilliant light

That can’t be seen with the naked eye.

Only gazing inward I am bedazzled.

 

My bones know the story of soul mediated by flesh.

My bones know the mystery of life and death.

My bones attached to flesh are not attached

But free to move from this life to the next

Unencumbered by delusions of permanence.

 

My bones know that life transforms life

With or without our permission.

My bones know that stardust is stardust

Whether ending or beginning.

My bones are not afraid. 

My bones know.

 

By Karen Sella

Kegan's Russian Folktale

At a recent gathering Robert Kegan shared a Russian folktale worth repeating:

On a bitter cold winter day, on his way to chop wood, a woodsman came across a little bird almost frozen in the snow.  Despite his hurry to accomplish the task at hand, he just couldn't bring himself to leave the little bird to freeze to death, so he picked up the little bird and held it close to his chest to warm it.  As he stood there warming the little bird, he realized that his impulse to rescue the little bird now posed quite a dilemma: how was he going to get his wood chopped while holding a small bird in his hands? 

There he stood, pondering what to do, when he noticed some steam rising from the snow in the distance where a herd of cattle had been and instantly he knew what to do.  He walked over and found the largest pile of steaming, fresh, fragrant cow dung that he could find and created a little opening in the middle.  Then, very gently, he placed the little bird in the center and went on with his day. 

The little bird, warm in its new fertile nest, came fully alive and began to sing.  Its song traveled through the forest to the ears of a fox who followed the song back to the little bird and ate it.

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At this point, as you can well imagine, there were many crest-fallen faces in the audience. 

And then, Robert Kegan explained the three morals to this sad little tale:

1. The person who picks you up and rescues you is not necessarily your friend.
2. The person who rescues you and places you in a big, stinking mess is not necessarily your enemy.
3. If you find yourself in a rich, fertile, fragrant pile of dung, don't sing so loudly.

And I will add that if you ever have the occasion to learn with Robert Kegan, do.  You won't regret it.

The Art of Self-Expression

                    

    Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once [s]he grows up.         

~ Pablo Picasso

    May every disciple take care not to cling to words, as if they were a perfect expression of the meaning; because truth is not in the letters.

            ~ Lankavatara Sutra

    You are the artist, you are the raw material, you are the work of art and you are the reality behind the work of art...One experiences ecstasy when one discovers the creator in one, as oneself.

~ Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan

Throughout history, we humans have used art to express ourselves.  We create art not only to represent and beautify our world, but also as a means of understanding and sharing who we are in our world.  Through creative self-expression, we grow in self-awareness, generate insights, resolve problems, and enhance our overall well-being.

However, if you're like many adults, somewhere along the way you may have decided, perhaps without even realizing it, that art-making is not for grown-ups, or at least not for grown-ups like you.  As much as you may like art on the walls and (especially if you share your home with children) the refrigerator, it seems the art-making is best left to artists and children.  After all, when it comes to art, isn't patronage the appropriate role for productive members of society?

You know that you are one such adult if, when invited to draw, doodle, or otherwise engage in some creative activity, you find yourself feeling uncomfortable, perhaps even anxious or mildly panicked.  This discomfort is usually accompanied by thoughts that sound something like this, "This is a waste of time," "please tell me you're kidding," and often culminate in a final protest "But I can't draw." 

Yup, that's when you know that a whole lot of your brain is just withering away from the lack of intentional use.  However, thanks to neuroplasticity--our brains' ability to change its structure and functioning in response to experience--this condition(ing:) is easily treated.  The good news is that with just a little conscious creativity, you can become a smarter, happier, healthier human being.  Here are five good reasons why engaging in artistic self-expression may be just the thing for you.