Monday, December 8, 2008

Love Notes



At the end of my yoga practice this morning, while in corpse pose, the Earth Mother rose up before me and said, "Love is all that matters. Let the rest go."

The love and compassion journey has been huge for me over the past year, and it really has changed my life in profound ways.

For a long time, I just didn't get "compassion" - not that I was a bastard to people or didn't feel empathy, but the word itself seemed overused and trite. But since opening up more and more to the power of Love and allowing that to be the guiding force in my life (in my actions, words, thoughts, and movements), I've come to gain a greater understanding of compassion and the profound impact it can have in the world. It's so much bigger than just feeling sorry for someone - to truly get the suffering of another on a deep level and be willing to meet them in that place is incredible. Take it another step further and be active about it and that's downright revolutionary.

I work with Kali a lot, and one of the things I most adore about her (besides her wicked sense of humor) is the way she works love and compassion. She will meet us in any place - no matter how seemingly ugly, shameful, reprehensible, awful, rageful - and dare to stand there with us and push us to the next breakthrough. She doesn't shy away from our "dark" sides - in fact, I think She relishes them, partly because She knows that those freaky underbellies are just one roller-coaster ride away from opening up to Divine Love (which we all carry within us, a constant potentiality). On whatever level I can, it's one of my personal prayers that I, too, can meet people wherever they are without judgment and channeling profound Love, helping to guide them to the next level in whatever ways possible. (Using the word "I" in here just doesn't sound right, because I think that opening up on that large level to Love means that a socially constructed notion of self slips away. More on that for another post, perhaps.)



A challenge to my readers:

If you haven't already, sit down with someone (human or otherwise) and have a chat about what love is and how you both think it can change our world.

If nothing else, I bet it will be a good conversation.

(The first image is of the Anahata Charkra, the heart chakra, and can be found at Aquarian Art. My understanding of Anahata is that it's the "Unstruck Sound." Unlike a bell, which we need to act upon in order to cause sound and resonance, the heart just sounds, without us doing anything at all. Sure, we can muffle that divine resonance, but it still continues to ring - so let it sound for all the world to hear, or in other words: "Don't hide your Anahata under a bushel."

The second image is, of course, of the lovely Kali - or "Missy K." as I sometimes like to call her. The colored etching on paper was done in 1770 and is currently housed at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post..the images and the message. I always find that when I come here.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us..we are learning lessons too.

Tiara said...

How is it like working with Kali? I have a feeling she's been trying to get my attention for a while (and I've had a few upheavals) but she scares me!!

Greg Fletcher-Marzullo said...

Hey, Tiara,

I've found Kali to be absolutely incredible! From my experience with Her, it seems like she showed up when I was ready to actually step into my power and walk my Dharma, as it were. Since then, she's provided ample opportunity for me to explore, learn, and do what I do.

If she's trying to get your attention, I would suggest making contact with her in a way that works for you - prayer, trance, etc. - and then see what you get. Just because you stop by for a visit doesn't mean you have to make any commtiments. Find out what you need to find out about/from her and see where it goes from there.

Her fearsome appearance is one that is all about shattering illusions, and by working with her (if that's what you choose), it's harder to live in illusion.

I'd love to hear more about your adventures with her!

Beverly said...

Love this post Greggo! Love and compassion, seems so simple and yet I must admit myself they haven't always gone hand in hand for me. I'm a loving person but sometimes it's hard to feel compassion when someone's being an ass. Trying to remember that we all have bad days and life isn't easy is sometimes difficult when I want to slap someone upside the head, but I'm learning. Thank you for the groovy post and inspiring me to look more into Kali, the badass of all goddesses.

Anonymous said...

Lovely post. Thanks for sharing it.

--Matt

Anonymous said...

Hello Honey Bear,

Perhaps we may want to think of a compassion retreat in which we invite both Kwan Yin and Kali? I get shivers just thinking about it! Juno, Hera and Ganesha seem to think it would be a good idea.

Hmmmm...

deborahoak said...

Yes!!!! Love and compassion are the core of any spiritual practice worth doing. Witches love to mess about with raising energy and feeling "power"...but love is and has always been the most powerful force in the multi-verse.

Beverly said...

Happy Yule Greg! Check out the post at:

http://flying-cupcakes.blogspot.com/2008/12/tiniest-fairy-yule-story-for-greg.html

Balance, Joy and Delicias! said...

You're so beautiful! :)