Tag Archives: learning

by

Impermanence

Spring is in full bloom here in Central Texas. Bluebonnets line the highways and backroads and people flock to take pictures of their loved ones amidst a sea of deep blue and white petals.

As a child growing up I remember this time of year fondly, especially the carpeted mosaics created out of Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrushes. It takes my breath away every.single.year.

Yesterday I took my son exploring to show him some of the many variations of flowers we have in our neighborhood. We picked flowers, took photos and enjoyed exploring our own backyard. We discovered many familiar flowers like the Buttercup (which I think is really called Evening Primrose) and Prairie Verbena, but also many I had never seen before like the Scarlet Pimpernel and White Bindweed. There are still some I don’t know the names of but it doesn’t matter. Their beauty made an impact on us both.

Elekflower

Elek smelling a Buttercup. When I was a child we use to purposefully smell these to get pollen all over our noses. 🙂 

evening primrose

I have always called these “Buttercups”.

prairie verbena

Prairie Verbena

purple unknown

No idea what this one is but it is pretty!

scarlet pimpernel

Scarlet Pimpernel – I have never seen these before! Very delicate, beautifully colored flowers. My new fav! 

violet unknown

No idea what these are either. They grow in clusters close to the ground.

white bindweed

I believe this is White Bindweed. Looks like a Morning Glory to me, though.

No Bluebonnets in our neighborhood but you have likely seen pictures galore so no need to remind you of just how beautiful they are. They are the Texas state flower.

Impermanence

This morning I received a newsletter from the Emerging Science Foundation. I would like to share with you the message it contained. It goes splendidly with me and my son’s flower adventures yesterday:

We find ourselves in a powerful and transformative time of year – an interim period between two seasons. The spring equinox was a few weeks ago, but the ground of the northern hemisphere is still remembering the winter and just beginning to wake up to the promise of the warmer months.

This transitory phase is celebrated by spiritual traditions the world over, a living symbol of rebirth and the circle of life.

In honor of spring, I’d like to explore a concept that lives at the very heart of the seasons as well as the wisdom traditions of both shamanism and Buddhism.

Impermanence.

Sitting on the threshold of winter and summer, cold and warm, dark and light, it’s hard not to be in awe of the ever-changing nature of this reality we find ourselves in.

“Real flowers are much more beautiful than plastic ones, in part because of their impermanence. We appreciate the seasons, the autumn and the spring, because they are a process of change. In this way, impermanence is beauty.” – Chögyam Trungpa

The longer I live in this body named Nick, the more I realize just how closely the laws and cycles of our personal world match those of the outer world around us. Nothing in our lives will stay the same, and that fact can bring both comfort and challenge.

If you’re hosting a disagreeable guest in your house who is disrupting your daily routine, the notion of impermanence comes as a relief – “Thank God he or she is only going to be here for a few more days!”

But, remember those last few days of summer vacation growing up? You couldn’t quite squeeze them for all they were worth because of the looming back-to-school doldrums. “Please don’t let this end!!!”

“Somehow, in the process of trying to deny that things are always changing, we lose our sense of the sacredness of life. We tend to forget that we are part of the natural scheme of things.” – Pema Chodron

When we open ourselves to the possibility that the quest for permanence in a constantly changing world is futile, something shifts within us. We see our former end goal of “happily ever after” for what it truly is – a shimmering mirage on the horizon that is always just outside our grasp.

Once the cosmic jig is up, our lives become less about establishing and defending and more about allowing, flowing, and sensing. Like a tango dancer on a moonlit terrace in Buenos Aires, we learn to love the changes, keeping our minds clear so that we can react in the blink of an eye to any dip or surge in tempo.

Change is guaranteed.

Surrendering to this fact is an essential part of the path. By doing so, we arise from the ashes of who we once were, stronger of heart and able to hold space with compassion in any situation.

When we’re experiencing pain, the suffering can be heightened by the fear that the pain will never stop. When we’re experiencing pleasure, the pleasure can be thwarted by the sad truth that nothing lasts forever.

The wise know not to grab or shun either of these, but instead learn to nurture space between their spirit and anything the world outside brings to their doorstep. By not pulling toward or pushing away, we are able to give full presence to every change that happens in our life – the good, the bad, and the ugly 🙂

Here’s to the essence of spring and finding harmony in an ever-changing world.

Stay curious,
Nick Polizzi
Founder, The Sacred Science
by

Tom Arnold

Here are the other OBEs I had this morning. I will say that most of these occurred from 5am to 6am and I got up twice in between to check on my baby. The entire time I was sleeping I was either in-between or in astral and was being instructed by a guide.

OBE#2: Football Field

I was instructed to focus on my heart when I asked why I could not maintain astral. So that is what I did.

I again went downstairs. This time there was light in sporadic places. I glided toward the kitchen and the back door. I attempted to open it and then just went through it.

Outside the air was crisp but it was dark. I saw a fence and approached it because I saw a light glowing in the distance. It resembled the stadium lights of a football field.

I went to the top of the fence to look and saw that the football field shifted into what looked like a zoo with a large lake. I wanted to go there and tried to fly toward it. But my feet were stuck to the top of the fence. I tried many times to get free but couldn’t.

Then I had an idea. I would use the fence as a catapult! So I did and flung myself backward and up, up, up. It felt as if I were being sucked up into the sky. I could not stop it and so closed my eyes.

OBE#3: Tom Arnold

I awoke again frustrated and wondering what I was doing wrong. There was a series of mini-OBEs here intermingled with discussion with a guide. In between each short OBE was a moving title telling me what step was next. It was written in cursive, pink letters and had a dark pink background.

The third title said something about vibrations but I cannot remember it now. I felt vibrations only slightly and then it was black, like I fell asleep, but I awoke instantly while in the process of exiting my body. I had a round object in my hand. When I sat up and got out of my body, I knew it was an egg.

I glided downstairs and it was brighter than the previous times. I threw the egg forcefully at the wall and heard it go “pop”. I was talking to my guide in my head at the time but I don’t remember what was said.

I went again to the place where my son was sleeping. I found him looking like a little cherub and sound asleep. I was relieved and knew he was better. I leaned down and kissed him and said to my companion that I was so glad he was better. Then I wondered aloud what I was doing wrong.

A voice answered from behind me. I don’t remember now what it said, something about using my heart. The voice was not in my head and clear as day. It was a man’s voice. I immediately turned around and asked, “Where are you?” He replied, “Over here”. I saw a brightly lit kitchen. It had a golden glow and there was a counter between me and the main kitchen area.

I went toward it and asked, “Where? I don’t see you? Are you hiding?”

He said, “I’m here. Look over here”.

I wondered if he was invisible because I saw no one.

When I got to the counter top I stopped and still did not see him. I got on my tiptoes and looked down. A man’s head was clear as day and it gave me a bit of a shock. I said, “Oh! There you are!”

A man with thick silver hair stood up. He was all smiles. My vision was very clear, which surprised me. I kept thinking he would disappear so I really took the time to inspect his face.

He resembled my Dad but he wasn’t him. He was probably in his 40s, with a long face. He was also dressed in a silver, gray suit and tie. Very professional-looking.

He smiled the whole time I stared at him. I said to him, “I know you” but I really could not place him. He replied, “I know you“.

I then saw what looked like a push pin sticking out of his head but then it also looked like a small, house fly. I said to him, “Why do you have a pin er bug in your hair?”

He smiled bigger and made a motion toward my face and said, “What’s in your eye?”

I felt a sting in my right eye and said, “Ow! Why’d you do that?”

I knew he had poked my eye. It threw me and I didn’t know what to do next. I went back to my body.

When I came back to my body I was, of course, thinking of the encounter. I knew he was a guide and I was mad at myself for not asking him more questions! His personality was familiar to what I had encountered earlier that night in my normal reflective time, but I did not know who he was. So I asked, “What’s your name?” I heard, “T…Arnold” and thought, Tom? Arnold? Tom Arnold?

I knew he was joking. Tom Arnold is a comedian. So must he be. I then asked why he did what he did. He said, “You saw me, right?”

I said, “Yes”.

“And you heard me”.

“Yes”.

“And you felt me poke you”.

“Yes”, I said.

And it dawned on me. That was the whole purpose of the encounter – for me to experience seeing, hearing and feeling vividly and without losing my hold on the reality I was in.

Bravo!

by

The Time is at Hand

Since my last OBE I have returned to nights of heavy slumber filled with multitudinous amounts of odd and intricate dreams. I awaken only once and that is in the morning around 6a.m. which is odd for me since I typically wake multiple times throughout the night both because of a new baby and being a light sleeper. I have been nudged by both an inner urge and a gentle inner voice to do Yoga before bed. I have been following this suggestion, doing a succession of poses repeated five times with OM’ing and deep breathing. When I OM I can feel it resonate all the way to my toes and it feels very calming. After yoga, I usually fall asleep quickly.

Growing Wings

The first night of deep slumber I had a dream where I grew wings. The dream was long and drawn out, but I will skip most of the details so as to not bore you. I was with a man who I all of a sudden noticed had large, fairy-like wings coming out of his back. They were vivid, deep green and beautiful. He suggested I had wings, too, and as soon as he did I felt them growing and saw the most beautiful aqua, blue and shimmery silver wings emerge from my back and tower over my head. I was astonished and looked at the man with the green wings who nodded at me with a satisfied smile.

As we walked together through the green grass and talked I immediately noticed a fluffy tail poking out of the grass. I looked closer and saw that it was a squirrel. I immediately knew it was dead and had been killed by the dog, though I saw no dog at the time. I yelled out, “It’s dead!” and then soon forgot about its existence.

In researching the symbolism, I found that having wings symbolizes readiness to throw off limitation and soar to success. A dead squirrel symbolizes letting go of old habits and a willingness to focus on positive relationships and endeavors.

Advanced Learning

Last night I again slept so deeply that I did not wake all night. I had very detailed dreams in which I was near lucid.

The first I recall was set in a very magnificent building that appeared to be a university of some sort. I was in the hallway of a grand building with very high ceilings and grand pillars. It reminded me of an ancient place and did not appear to be a college or university that I have ever attended. It had multiple stories and the stone it was made of was polished to a sheen. I think it was marble or something similar as it was white with cream swirls and had a glassy polished appearance. There were plants in planter boxes along open common areas where students of various ages gathered and studied or socialized. There was one large, circular common area that was in the center of the building. It led to different hallways and high up above were glass atrium windows that covered the entire domed ceiling.

In the beginning of this dream I was late for class and could not remember my schedule. At first I was just going to skip but then felt I should at least try to attend part of the class. I entered a room that I thought was my class and there were not enough desks. I inquired if there was one for me that could be found. A student got up and retrieved two desks and put them in front of me. I moved one in front of his seat and sat down but it did not have a desk in front. I thought about how I could not use it to write upon and requested the other desk. I sat at it and noticed everyone was looking at me. I recall thinking the class was an Algebra II class and there was a test that day.

I left the class and still could not remember my schedule. A man was with me who was trying to show me how to access my schedule. He pulled out this white cylinder and pushed a button on top. It lit up a blue color and a tiny tube popped out and then opened up fan-line. It had blue print on it that had his schedule and information written upon it. I want to say it was a holographic image. I thought I would do the same thing but my cylinder was different. It had multiple cylinders attached to it and when I pushed the button a clear solution came out and went into the smaller cylinders. I recognized it as saline solution and saw that it filled a contact lens case. I knew this was no good and would not help me with my schedule.

I thought I remembered my 3rd period class was Economics. I went through the large atrium towards the elevator. I saw a map on the wall with the different room numbers and names. I located my teacher’s name and saw it was on the 4th floor. I thought that odd and remarked that I thought he was at a higher floor. We got onto the elevator and went to the 4th floor. I located the classroom and went inside.

I knew the class lasted 2 hours and I began to feel antsy. I began talking to a classmate and told him, “I don’t think I need this class. I already took Economics and got an A”. He said, “Really?” Then I remembered I already had a Master’s degree and told him so. He said, “What do you do with that degree?” I said, “I am a counselor”. He asked me, “Oh. How do you like it?” I do not remember my response to that question, though. I remember imagining taking more classes. I said to him, “I don’t need to take any more classes but I know if I do that I will do well. I always do well. I am good at learning”. At this point I remember being very proud that I was good at learning and feeling very confident in this knowledge about myself.

Coming Into Myself

I left the huge university and headed towards an apartment. I would be staying there with some female roommates while I went to school. While I was there I felt very odd and for part of the dream I was in the kitchen with a female friend who was visiting. I was getting very upset because I kept finding things put in the wrong location. For example, I found towels inside the cabinet for pots and pans. I began to complain loudly about it and the friend, who was making a chocolate cake, began to take notice. She stopped me and began to question me about why I was complaining so much. I explained that my husband never put things where they were suppose to go and that it made me super mad. She then suggested that I talk to him and explain the pros to having things go in a specific place rather than yelling at him for putting them in the wrong place. Her suggestion made sense and I calmed down.

I was then in a bedroom and waiting for my husband’s sister. I laid down in bed and felt overcome with a distinct feeling. I knew in the dream that I was allowing myself to come into myself. This continued throughout the remainder of the dream and felt very specific and is hard to describe. It was as if I were two people and I was welcoming another part of me into me. The part I was most aware of (the me as the dreamer) was draped in black. I recall communicating with a black, furry cat with very large eyes and then coming to a place where there were two baby warthogs. As I continued to feel the odd sensation, the mother warthog came and passed right between my legs. I was alarmed at first and thought they were going to be mean. I even saw the hair rise on their backs. Then I saw the family of hairy beasts get together and even petted them. I remember feeling odd at that time, like I was changing.

At the end of this dream I was firmly merged and recognizing it. I began to see differently and had the ability to do things with just a thought. I practiced it on the door and made the door shut with my mind. I remember thinking it was curious and I was a bit scared of this ability.

Then I was being instructed on redecorating the apartment and working on replacing the blue blinds with black drapes. I saw a large refrigerator being brought in. It was packed with soda, bananas, ice cream, chocolate frosting and other such items. I commented on how they were going to make all of us fat with such temptations and I resolved to not touch any of the food in that fridge.

My friend and I walked outside and headed back to the university. At the corner she was acting odd and I realized she was late for something. She said she was late for a workout with a friend. I remember thinking I had to go, too, and liked to workout but then recognized I didn’t really want to go. I let her leave and continued to walk, feeling still very different and wondering where I was going next now that I was “different”. I still felt very out of it, like I had been asleep for a very long time and had just awakened to myself. I continued to try to get my bearings as I awoke.

The Time is at Hand

When I awoke I had a knowing that I needed to make changes to my life. I was not scared of this just feeling I needed to begin to think about what I wanted and where I wanted to go in life. I recognized the first dream about college was related to a previous dream where I had been told testing occurred after vacation, not before. It occurred to me that I was nearing this vacation’s end and that “testing” would soon begin.

My first thought was to scan the internet for schools that would help me utilize my spiritual gifts. I had no idea where to look or what kind of school to look for, though. I quickly abandoned the idea, remembering my failure at previously trying to utilize my spiritual gifts.

The next Idea was to find a different counseling job. I realized I could do this and could start looking now. It was a real possibility that I could acquire a much better position for more pay. This appealed to me but then I remembered that I wanted to have time with my children. Yet part of me was already thinking about this option and how I could utilize my current job to give me experience in certain areas that would make me more appealing to prospective employers. I recalled my desire to be with my kids, though, and began to withdraw from this idea, knowing it was more of the same path I had already been upon for my entire life.

I then returned to the idea of exploring the option of the spiritual path. I recognized that it was not necessary to have a “plan”. I only needed intention. As I contemplate this now, I am aware that if I choose to focus upon my current, already established career, that I will be successful and do well financially but I will not feel complete or fulfilled. That path is clearly visible in my mind. If I choose to go the other route and follow where my heart leads I will feel more fulfilled, though the path is not clear to me at all. There is an unknown here the worries me even though I am confident that my finances will not be harmed. It is clear to me, however, that this unknown path is the better one.

The only way out is through. Though the familiar path leads you to safety, it also continues a perpetual cycle. The path unknown breaks the cycle and leads to possibility. Which one will you choose?