Friday
Apr242009
Spring Reading:
art community
Purples @ Shelter Garden Columbia, MO.
I have known for awhile now that I have an addiction to knowledge. To understanding my questions through searching out answers that correspond with heart-aspects deep within me. This spring has been blossoming full of new pathways toward self-acceptance, healing, and growth. Many times my journey takes me to books, so tonight I thought I would share with you some of the things I am reading, because they speak loudly about the trail that is being blazed in my soul.
This book is so inspiring to me. It offers a look at a totally different collective consciousness regarding pregnancy and childbirth. For example, many of the women who share their birth stories describe their rushes (the word they use for contractions) as waves of energy, often times taking them to a psychedelic place, and a lot of times not presenting pain.
"Every child born is a living Buddha... Babies are not dumb... A newborn infant is just as intelligent as you are. When you're relating to her, you should consider that you are relating with a very intelligent being who just doesn't speak your language yet." ~ Stephen Gaskin
SARK has always sparked something bright and beautiful in my creative soul. This book is a very great resource as it outlines step-by-step ways to help birth your creative dreams into existence.
"Acceptance leads to expansive change."
This book was highly recommended to me by our musician friend Jon Jackson, when he was visiting a few weeks ago. He had been asking me about my creative pursuits and I was telling him about a dream that I had had a few nights prior that he was a part of. In my dream I was talking to him about my writing and how, as of late, it had fallen by the wayside. He said maybe I had that dream so he could tell me about this book, which he had read. He said he thought it would be good for me to read it. I just got it from the library today and am excited to get started.
"But how to single out your true self, when we are all so many selves? Yes, I know that is hard. I know I have been much puzzled by this, for I myself seem to be so many different people, sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, a murderer, a whiner, a mother, a simpering lady, an old rip, a minister, a burglar, a lion, a weasel. And all my teaching would go for nothing, if in trying to find your true self, you would begin to strain and cerebrate with an anxious neurasthenic frown: 'Am I now writing with the utmost sincerity? I wonder.'
No, you must not do that. The only way to find your true self is by recklessness and freedom. If you feel like a murderer for the time being, write like one."
I ran across Dr. Brené Brown's blog a couple of months ago and was instantly in awe of her. She allowed me to see that I am not crazy studying for my psychology degree (a lingering fear I deal with often). She has taken her background in psychology and has molded it into something so personal, so creative, so practical and invaluable. As I began to learn about her studies in women's predisposition toward perfectionism and shame I began to see myself more clearly. I knew that it was an important leg of my journey toward healing and wholeness to read her book. I was able to get it at the college library today, through Mobius (a book exchange program my college is a part of).
"There is a constant barrage of social expectations that teaches us that being imperfect is synonymous with being inadequate. Everywhere we turn, there are messages that tell us who, what and how we're suppose to be. So we learn to hide our struggles and protect ourselves from shame, judgement, criticism and blame by seeking seeking safety in pretending and perfection... I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't) shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity." ~From the back cover.
For my last birthday Josh got me Spilling Open and it affected me in a big way. To be completely honest I just can't get enough of Sabrina. I will go to her website and get lost in all of her wonderfullness. If I could, I would buy every single one of her books, sadly we are short of funds at the moment and this is not plausible. Happily I found one of her books available through Mobius and I was able to pick it up today. I started reading it as soon as I got back in the car, on our way to the grocery. It is stunning.
"But now I know we need more books by us 'ordinary folks' just making our way through our lives. We need that connection. To know we are not alone. Our questions are necessary."
Reader Comments (2)
oh beautiful you! thank you so much for your love...
i have spiritual midwifery in my birthing book collection, and it served as a wonderful resource of inspiration and beauty. i think that you would really appreciate "Birthing From Within" by Pam England...my copy is tattered and worn from all my love for it.
i have been hoping to pick up "I Thought it was Just Me" for quite some time, and am sure it will fall into my lap eventually. I also adore Sabrina Ward Harrison. So simple yet profound!
It is so nice to be in your space this morning and to catch up a bit on your writing. It has been some time since I have visited blogs and yours is one that I know I will re-renter perfectly.
Thank you for everything you are and all the honest ways you share.
Oh my goodness! I am in the Sark book! I don't usually go around "bragging" about it, but it's so rare that I know of anyone that even knows who Sark is!!! I'm quoted on page 162? Maybe 165? Something like that.
I'll tell you, the first Sark book I read was Eating Mangos Naked and it literally pulled me from a serious funk. I absorbed her other books like a sponge after that. Love her!