Round and Round She Goes

 

 Hey, gang! Welcome to my life - where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems. I'm The Rev. Matt, and I'll be your host - coming at you from within The Depths of Geistopia.

Welcome to my Life is a project, an experiment in Life and ART. A living storyboard, if you will. Its premise is that life is experiential and that you can (and do) experience the life you choose. It is based on the use of The Wheel of Life and The ARTs for The New Millennium as life building tools.

Welcome to my Life is an I TV Studios/Geist...House production, in association with The Center for Creative Inspirationalism. Justus Productions, the parent company, would like to give a 'Shout-Out' to the following for their ongoing, and oft-times unknowing, inspiration and support:

Princess Cuddlebug

Princess Sunshine

Craze & Co.

The Shaman

The Pillar

The Entire Putt-Putt-Putter Clan

FaeriePrincess

Andy Pandy

The Baker of the Cornbread

The White Rose

Professor Siggy Chong

Bert-On

Redds

Hoagie

The Van Man & General Ralph Glossop (May they R.I.P.)

Jojo Dancer

The Looch

Saint Diane…and You

The Piz-Niffer

Dancing Queen

Downtown Encyclopedia Brown

Mama Rabbit

And, of course, a very generous sponsor who (not so much) wishes to remain anonymous.

It is Sunday, May 29, 2016. Time…Exhausting.

Theme of the Week

Now Put It All Together

Lesson of the Week

Let the Demon Slay You

Observation of the Week

If Nothing Else…

ART of the Week

The ARTs of Divination

Totems -

Osprey - (Assertive Hunting) Assert new efforts. Check your commitment to others and theirs to you. Now is the time for active and fearless hunting.

Deer - (Lure to Adventures) Move gently into new areas. Follow the lure to new studies. Practical pursuits bring surprising rewards.  

Rabbit -  (Wait) Look for fertile signs and use the lunar cycle. If unsure, wait. Answers will become clear within a month. Then movement is assured.

Cardinal - (Renewed Importance) Accept your life's importance. Accept yourself as a source of light and do not be afraid to conduct yourself accordingly.

Blue Jay - (Choose Wisely.) Be careful of choices you make. Choose so others do not get hurt. Don't be afraid. Stay with choices you have made.

Bat - (Initiation)  It is a time for change and for a new beginning. An initiation is at hand. Trust your instincts and look for implications around you.

Goose - (Follow Quest) Heed the call to the new quest. Open to new wonders and possibilities. Pursue new adventures. Explore new travels.

Coyote [pup] - (Wisdom & Folly) Balance work and fun in your new endeavors. Trust that all is happening according to plan. Do what is best even if it is difficult.

Moth - (Sexuality) New relationship & sexual energies/activities are strong now. People respond strongly. Trust what smells right to you.  

Shark - (Relentless) Senses are heightened. Use relentless ferocity in your pursuits/defense of your opportunities. Do not trust the instincts of others. Discriminate.  

Blue Bird - (Happiness) Gentleness brings happiness. Do not force transitions. Allow change to come in the manner best for you.  

Groundhog - [2 - 1 baby] (Mystery of Death without Dying – Trance - Dreams) A new area of study is about to open up to you. Give definite signals to the boundaries you wish to have respected in your life. A time of initiation. Opening up fully to the Dreamtime. Dreams will become more significant.   

Opossum - (Appearances) Be careful of appearances. Divert attention away from important endeavors. Pose as you must to succeed.

Spider - (Weaving Fate)Don’t take the roundabout way – be straight. Weave something new. Trust feeling rather than seeing.

This week was particularly heavy for totems.  When I look at everything this past week has been it makes sense to find such an array of energies splashing about me. There is a lot on the table at once (for once.)

I don't usually find this many in a week. Some of them are carry-overs from previous weeks, so I kind of get it. It fascinates me that there are some predator/prey combinations in the list. Technically, when working with a totem one should also become familiar with its predator or prey as well. 

Another aspect to working with totems is to sometimes look at aspects of the totems presence, such as how many of them there were. Quite a few of this week's totems came to me in 2s.

From Animal Speak Pocket Guide, Ted Andrews, Dragonhawk Publishing, 2009

I noticed last week that, for some reason, I could not get the definition for the Unakite stone to publish on the blog. So, I will try one more time to get it to work now.

 To draw negative energies from the body and remove blockages from the heart chakra.  A good stone for someone with anger issues as it helps bring out the softer side of your personality. Helps connect your everyday life and your spiritual life so you remain connected to all that is even when life tries to keep you tied up in knots. This is exceptionally important in today's busy lives because the trials of just getting by can make you feel like you have been deserted by your higher power. Helps you to move past the obstacles in your past that want to haunt and hold you back from being all you can be.

You may have noticed that the ‘Shout-Outs’ list is a bit more concise this week. This has forever been a challenge for me. On one hand, there is the philosophy that everyone I know, or have ever known, has been an inspiration to me. That being said, it has been very easy for a person to make the list.

On the other hand, the list then gets way out of control. It almost becomes too much. Not to mention, I don’t wish to offend or slight anyone. So, in the past, once you made the list you generally stayed on the list.

So, for now, it works like this – the names listed above are the staples. These are the folks that seem to always be there and offer their friendship, encouragement and support. They are in my life wholly and completely. Other names that may get added from week to week are folks that were directly involved in that particular week.

Last week I received some Feedback. A question (or two) from Redds. She wanted to know how I choose the Theme/Lesson/Observation of the Week, and also how I determine my totems.  

Well, as I explained to Redds in the comment section - the Theme/Lesson/Observation are exactly as they sound. The Theme is something that seems to come up frequently throughout my week. The Lesson and Observation do as well, but the Theme always seems to remain dominant. The Lesson is something that comes up throughout the week, but it is different in that it really hits home or strikes a chord with me. I recognize the Lesson as something I can take from and grow. The Observation, is just that -  An observation that I make in the week that really sticks with me. It may be just a moment or it may happen frequently.  

As for the totems, well that is fairly simple. These are the animals that appear to me in a week. They appear in different ways - sometimes up close and personal, sometimes in writing or a picture (or a dream.) But, however the animal appears it resonates with me and I can recognize it almost immediately as a guide. 

She also inquired about which version of the Bible I own. I know I make reference to it frequently and I have no qualms about admitting how much I like it. [In comparison to other versions of the Bibl that I have read.]Well, Redds, it is the Revised Standard Version by World Publishing Company, 1962.  

Redds also asked one more question, but I feel that answer is better suited for later in the post.  

Thanks for asking, Redds! 

I feel like this week's Observation needs a bit of explanation. I don't always do that. Sometimes it is best if you can find the understanding to these things on your own. However, this one sort of leaves you hanging, I suppose.  

I have been dealing with a particular area of my life recently. Over a span of a few weeks it changed and shifted as it went through its 'Stages of Being.' I won't get any more into what it is exactly at this point, because now is not the time for that. That will come later. But, it is an area that I am not particularly thrilled over. It is what it is and right now it is necessary. As I have moved through the different stages I noticed they each brought with them varying benefits as well as sacrifices.  

As a human, it is easy to notice and focus on the sacrifices at first - the things you may not like about a situation or what it asks of you. But as I was drudging through those I began to notice all these little, almost unnoticeable blessings. I would catch myself saying, "Well if nothing else it allows me to do this or that." And, with each change of the phases, came a change in the sacrifices and in the blessings as well. So, I have been finding a lot of, "If nothing else" lately.  

I think it's important to recognize that no matter what is going on, no matter what is undesirable there is always something beneficial to it as well. It may be something small, but it is there… 

If nothing else. 

This week, we continue our investigation into 'The Journey.' (I'm not sure that is the name that will stick, but for now it will do because it is a journey - from then until now.)

Last week's video was very interesting for me to relive, especially over a year later. It was fascinating to look back and see where I was in life. It wasn't too terribly different from where I find myself currently. Circumstances were different. Income and work were different. But the Spirit seemed to be in line.

This week's episode is Moments of Freedom, Part 2.  

The thing about the videos last week and this week is that they were both filmed in the same night. Everything you saw last week and everything you will see this week was all one night of 'being.' I can't even remember how many hours I was at it. I only know it was a very long night. 

Now, remember as you go through this post that it is not just what is in the video that will help you understand where I was at in the moment. The commentary section has always been included for a reason - to provide guideposts and markers along the way. With the reposts you not only get the original commentary, but also my insight and explanations as I watch them now.  

Let's get on with the show, shall we.

Moments of Freedom, pt. 2-a.

In this Episode:

 Previously; The Prelude; The Intro; Theme/Lesson/Observation; Body, Pt. 4 – Loosening & Listening; Doing the Math; New Toy; My Conclusion; Figuring It Out; More Revealing Than It Seems; Serenity; Stopped in my Place; Honest Matt

When I am on a roll with WTML I do try to step it up a notch with each post. The night of Moments of Freedom really took me by surprise, so I just kind of got it edited and up when the time was right. By the time I got to Part 2 I wanted something a little more. Keeping in line with the whole "television" pretext I included a "Previously on Welcome to my Life" segment. This was actually inspired by the realization that this was really a conclusion to the previous video. Each one is whole on its own, but neither is really complete. So "Previously" was intended to refresh the memory from the week before - to remind you of what had already been experienced.  

The Prelude just fascinates me…always.  

The things about the Prelude, as well as the Clip Segues, is that the order they are in is not always the order in which they happened. Again, a good indicator to see [about] where I am in the night is to follow the 'battery indicator' in the top left corner. The Prelude is really nothing more than random moments throughout the filming that I think help set the tone for what is going on throughout the video. A perfect example of this is a clip near the end of the Prelude where I 'semi-whistle' and push my hand up into the air as if something is taking off. That is precisely what is happening in Moments of Freedom. I am taking off…beginning The Journey, as it were.  

The Intro is as it always has been. This week in particular it is exactly as it was last week. It is the same Intro. In fact, I believe that I used the same 'Opening Monologue' as well.  

Since this is the same night as last week's video the Theme/Lesson/Observation are all the same as well. 

The Body, pt. 4 is a continuation of The Body from last week's post. The thing about The Body is that, unlike other segments, it happens in order. It is from Beginning to End. It is the progress and process of my time. In this video it is particularly important to catch that and follow along. Because, in this video…the Magic is in the Music. In the background through most of The Body in Moments of Freedom is 'The CD.' This is the compilation I had made for my last (or thereabout) great love. So, with The Body, if you think nothing else is going on, listen to what is in the background because a story is still being told.   

The CD was a particularly difficult way to begin The Journey. It was not a trip that I really wanted to take.  But, looking back, it was a necessary one.  

At the beginning of The Body, part 4 I am having one of my many, and almost infamous, conversations with Spirit. Needless to say, as the viewer you only get half of that dialogue. Redds once asked me if it was possible for me to share what Spirit has to say - to recap it for the viewers.  

Yes…and no.

No, it is very difficult to stop and repeat both sides of the conversation. It is a fluid experience. It begins and goes until it ends, just as any good conversation should. Imagine for a moment that you are having a telephone conversation and after every few sentences you must stop and repeat it all to someone standing next to you. This would detract from the full experience of the conversation. It is no different with this. 

Likewise (just as with a telephone conversation) if you listen and pay attention there is Just Enough information coming from my end of the dialogue to help keep you on track. Or, close enough anyway.  

As The Body moves on I begin playing with a stick. This is a stick that is intended to become a walking stick of some form or another. Ever since I began working with sticks and staves I have played with them like this. It serves a few purposes.  

First, it helps me to limber up my body It helps me move my energy around. I have to use the whole of my body, including the smaller extremities such as fingers. This is a good spiritual exercise. Second, it helps me understand the power, or magick, behind the stick itself. As with anything else, each stick has its own unique energies and, therefore, uses. Learning how a stick moves with the body helps me understand how it will work with energy. Also, when it is a stick I am to create, playing with it like this helps me come to understand just exactly it is supposed to be formed into.  

I do eventually figure it out in this video...and you will eventually see it.  

'Honest Matt' is a story. Any titled segment that is not the Clips or The Body, is basically a story…or a point. It is a moment when I actually catch a thought and can stay focused on it long enough to get it all out. Sometimes it is philosophical. Sometimes it gives some background on things that are going on. Sometimes, as with 'Honest Matt' they are just fun little moments that have happened to me throughout my life.

Moments of Freedom, pt 2-b

In this Episode:

 The Dance Sequence (or, A Tango with my Trio); Body, Pt. 5 – Comin’ Back In; Revelations; the ART of Storytelling; Grrr…Arrrgh; Deeper Pools of Reflection; Trying to Come Up for Air; Final Confession; The Greatest of Them All; Interesting Timing; Moving On…Almost; The 3rd Clip Segue – Naming the Night; A Message to The Cuz; The Scarecrow; Losing My Hat; Random; C-I-N-D-Y; Musical Interlude; Listen Close; What’s Cookin’; Hello Otis; One More

'The Dance Sequence' - this is another 'story' segment. In this instance it is giving you some insight into me. The segment is actually about 8 minutes worth of this video and is, quite honestly, excruciatingly long. If I were to edit this segment into a video today I would definitely cut a whole lot more of it. [Perhaps I was just trying to fill some time.] I am certain there is a way to cut it more and still get the point across. The point is two-fold.  

First, it demonstrates how my mind can latch onto something and run with it, especially something creative. The video of it is only 8 minutes. The experience of it was much, much longer than that. For whatever reason, at that moment in time, the dance spoke to me. All of the times I have listened to that song and there was nothing. But that night it was very clear.  

In fact, I was seeing it right before me. It was as if the curtain had gone up, the lights came on and there it was. That is the other thing I wanted to demonstrate how when my mind is clear and relaxed I can see…and create.  

Despite my previous comment on the length of this segment, I can excuse it by pointing out that this is one of those times when the video includes "notes" for me for future reference. If I had cut that segment down to just a few minutes, I would not be able to recall the vision so vividly today - where it was going and how it unfolded.  

The Body, pt. 5 - At the beginning of this part of The Body there are different things going on at once. When it first starts I make the comment, "Here we go." I am acknowledging that my Journey, at least for that night, was about to fully begin. Whenever I Spirit quest the process of getting there is fairly standard. In the first few moments of this part of The Body I am starting to move more fluidly. My mind has relaxed and now my body is beginning to follow suit.  

The other thing that happens is I begin to come to terms with The CD and the experience of The Girl as a whole.  

Redds asked me if I ever tried to contact the girl after this moment and tell her how I felt.  

I did not. 

That was not the point to the experience and I had said that early on in Moments of Freedom, pt. 1. Well, to be truthful, Spirit said it, I only repeated it. In this part of The Body I say it again, slightly different. Only this time it is me saying it. It is me having the realizations.  

The point to the experience was to, "find the power in the pain," and to, "let go." 

The 3rd Clip Seque - Again, this is just random moments throughout the night, each with their own unique insight. Some are demonstrating some aspect of 'me.' Some are just there for fun. Some are a little bit of both. For instance, 'My Parable.' It is fun in how it is delivered. The voice is a character I had developed some time ago and just never took him anywhere. I wasn't able to come up with anymore good sayings for him to share and so he fizzled out a bit, except for that one 'parable.'  

'My Parable' also reveals some insight into, not only, my mind but also into life. (I think, anyway.) It makes a statement. Slight. Subtle. But, a statement about life and people nonetheless.

Moments of Freedom, pt. 2-c

In this Episode:

 Brother Love & The Disco Goddess; The Body, Pt. 6 – Still Not the Last Son?; Harsh Reality; My ‘God Bless You’ & The Theme Song of My Death; The Omen?; Oh, San Francisco;  The Boundary Game; Smallen; Pick Up a Chick; Oh, San Francisco, Pt. 2; Time to Devote; Thanks, Bert-On; The Shamus Story; Mental Note; ‘The Cabaret’; Here’s a Thought; A Message to Mama; Oh, San Francisco (You Don’t Know); This has Been…; Tim Conway, Why?; The Variety Show; The White Rose Request; The Closing; The Outtakes; Next Time

'Brother Love and the Disco Goddess' - just another story from my past. It is one of those stories that you just kind of think back on from time to time…and smile, perhaps even chuckle a bit.  

Maybe it was funnier if you were there.  

'The Body, pt. 6' - The CD is still playing. (Don't worry, it's almost over.) The thing about the compilation CDs is that I do them like I do so many other creative things. I just kind of get the idea and go. Along the way I will pick up any number of songs and just throw them together. Then, I go back and begin to

(somewhat) listen to them. Sometimes I am listening to the words. Sometimes it is the music. Overall, I am just trying to get a "feel" for the groove. So, I don't always fully process the actual songs I use until sometime later when I am listening to the CD again.  

This is what happens to me at the beginning of this part of the body. I guess it is actually happening throughout the whole set of videos really. I am catching on. But, here, near the end there is a song in particular that catches my attention. Almost as if it is the first time I am hearing it on the CD. Then, suddenly, so much makes sense.  

When I Spirit Quest there are number of challenges, or as I like to call them 'games' that may come my way. And, as with all 'games' there are always a set of rules that must be followed. These 'games' developed over time as I was learning to quest and to work with Spirit. Or, more importantly, learning to let Spirit work with me.  

One of these games you may have caught on to during Moments of Freedom. It is 'The Music Game.' When I realize it is time to Quest the first thing I do is get music on…for The Magic is in the Music. The rules of the game are simple. I ask what the groove is for the moment and I receive an answer. It may be a particular CD or a genre of music. It may be a channel on a streaming service like iHeartRadio. Sometimes it is just a matter of taking my music collection and letting it play very randomly. 

The rules of the game are simple - turn on the music and let it play. That may seem very obvious. But…you know how sometimes your listening to music and a song comes on that you are not really into or don't want to hear, so you change it. Well, in 'The Music Game' I am only allowed 2 changes. Beyond that I must listen to the music as it plays. So, I have learned to choose my changes carefully.  

The point to The Music Game, or so I'm told, is to teach a bit of trust and faith. I may not always understand the groove at first. I may not be feeling it right away, but before it is all over I come to realize something through the experience. I am never disappointed. Such was the case with the Girl's CD in Moments of Freedom. It was not a place I wanted to go but it was so worth it in the end.  

This is a great lesson for life. We may not always like the direction it is taking us in but if we just trust the process and show a little faith, we will never be let down.  

Another game that has come to be is the Stay Within the Boundaries game. In this game I am given a certain area within which I must work. I actually have wooden boards, of varying sizes, strewn throughout Geistopia for this very reason. That is how it usually works. I get on a board, or a small piece of carpeting and there I must stay until it is time to move. I must do all of what I must do within those boundaries. I must live and completely function without 'breaking the wall.'  

Sometimes it teaches me balance. Sometimes it teaches me control or how to think outside the box. It will call on me to be resourceful from time to time just to get the job done. If you are curious as to the purpose of the game then I suggest thinking of The Zorro movie with Antonio Banderas. When he first begins to study with the original Zorro he is put within a set of three circles (or maybe it is squares.) In either case, the size of the shape varies and each size carries with it a different mark of mastery. This game is very similar.  

Sometimes, the game is just a lesson in learning to follow instructions…no matter what.  

I make a reference in this episode to a Cabaret show I had once wanted to put together. Like so many things in my life it was never to be, but I have never forgotten the vision. 

I think it's interesting that in this video I am going through my loves - The Girl, San Francisco, Mama and others. I still do not understand, fully, why. I do not know what purpose it really served. Perhaps it was just to clear me.  

Early on in this episode I made a comment that if I were to name this night I would call it "The Producer in me." There has always been a bit of producer in me. I am always looking for the next great hit. The next show or performance to put together and overcome.  

I have been hooked on giving the Variety Show a comeback for such a long time. I like that I shared the concept here. Perhaps someone can make use of it and do something with it. (Just remember you saw it here first.) I am also always thinking of different things that can be made into murder mystery shows. Believe me, at this point in time, I have a list of them.  

'The Closing' - This is really just my way of trying to round out the session, perhaps bring some closure to things. Perhaps not. Of course, no matter what the closing is, it should always include the official sign off, "From here in Geistopia…" 

The Outtakes are really nothing more than another set of clips. Sometimes they are ones I liked but just weren't "enough to make the cut for the actual video. Sometimes they are actually bloopers from the night.  

Of course, what would be the point of having a "Previously on..." segment [to review and refresh] without including a "Next time on…" segment to capture and interest.