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.
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