Scope Response 9

My weekly or weakly(your choice) response to my weekly horoscope for Pisces(look up your own sign) at freewillastrology.com:

I've borrowed a fable from the ancient Greek writer Aesop to create a parable you can use in the coming weeks. Once upon a time there was a very thirsty crow. Rain hadn't fallen in a long time, and the creek from which she'd always drunk had dried up. Searching and searching for a bit of moisture, the crow finally happened upon a tree under which sat a ceramic pitcher with some water in it. But the pitcher's neck was narrow, and the crow couldn't fit her beak past it to reach the water. Inspired by desperation, the crow at last got an idea. Why not drop small rocks into the pitcher, making the water's level rise? And that's exactly what she did. How sweet it was when at last she quenched her thirst.

This is a good one. I know exactly what it means. Lately, I have been feeling a bit down about my current point in life. While I am fortunate to have a job and doing pretty well in school(though I have yet to make a decision about taking a math class), I am missing my friends in California, and missing California Herself, and the life that had- although not glamorous and on the edge of a knife was a period of revolution, change and spiritual illumination. I met some very deep spiritual teachers developed my own unique spiritual practices.

It began in May of 2005 when I noticed a news report that it was a bloodiest day in Iraq after Bush landed on the aircraft declaring Mission Accomplished. Why was this happening? What are we doing in Iraq? Why is no one else asking these questions? When I got to my rented room in Burbank I turned on the radio to listen to some classic rock music and heard the voice of Frank Sontag talking about the Invasion and occupation of Iraq and asking why no one else was questioning why we are there. I began listening to Frank regularly and discovered that there is a deepere reason for my questioning the Invasion of Iraq, that is to question my own views and embark on more deeper questions such as who I am and why am I here?

Many years later- it is 2009. Over 5,000 troops have lost their lives. We now have a new president, who I support- voted for and continue to support. There has been a lot of hatred directed to Obama and most of it is fear-based. But I had a bit of a confrontation with a co-worker who was saying things like Obama is not a citizen and speaks with a forked tongue- that nobody paid attention to him during the campiagn/election. Well, I paid attention and I listened to Obama, listening to the way he speaks, watching for a sign that I could not trust him. And so far I have no reason not to trust him. If he wasn't a citizen and it was such an important flaw in his background, I'm pretty sure that someone in the electoral committee or congress regardless of affiliation would find it. If on the other hand, Obama is not what he seems than, I suppose we will find out in time as we found out the various faults and scandals of past presidents.( i.e. Clinton lying about getting a blow job, Bush lying about WMDs, etc.). It is hard to have a conversation with someone who disagrees about political(as well as religion or sports teams) there is a lot of emotion- fear and anger. Often I have customers come up to buy ammo but because it is so pricy and we never get enough in to satisfy the demand. It often leads to the customer complaining about Obama and saying things like the country is going down the tubes and it goe downhill from there.

For the last six weeks or so, I have been listening to Frank Sontag on his NEW Impact Program on http://talkradioone.com/. I was one of the many who were devastated when Franks show on KLOS was cancelled. But I knew it meant Frank was going on to something better. The new show is much better. On Tuesdays and Thursdays 7PM(PACIFIC)/10PM(EST). I invite any who read this to listen. I am a frequent caller and called in on this same topic- the hatred for Obama.

How does this apply to the Horoscope?

Well. The mess in Iraq was the catalyst to my own introspection and spiritual revolution. Since I have moved back "home" I have revolved or deevolved back to my old ways- many times I have tried to kick start a new spiritual practice- sometimes it will last for a month or more but I cannot keep with anything for very long. The constant contact with fearful, insecure, and emotional people is very draining and this recent reaction to Obama brings up a need to surrender it all and re-energizing of my disciplines.

This fable of the thirsty crow is a good analogy to my present spiritual state. "These times are famine for a soul but for the senses its a feast," Jackson Browne sings. Searching for spiritual nourishment in a spiritually dry land. I keep trying to tap into the old pathways- for instance making playlists of my favorite songs to meditate to but finding it harder to focus to just sit and shut up(at least mentally) and just listen and just let go.

I see the jug of water- but my beak cannot reach the water- so I need to drop some stones in the water- often it is when we are confronted with turmoil- pain, loss, terminal illness that we turn to God or find time to do some introspection, reflection, take a step back and ask some questions or just sit and allow the pain or grief or whatever to wash away. The pain of confronting angry and fearful emotions which seem to hit me hard when they should wash over me.

I am now reminded of an excerpt from Dan Millman's book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, where Dan has a vision- a guided vision of being a goldfish in a pond. Stones periodically splunk! into the water sending him tumbling or panicking. After a while Dan learns to calm himself down and allow to ripples to pass by and ride them out until the water is calm again. Pain, fear, confrontation stones dropped into my water jug making the water rise- from which I can drink.

To spend some time. A little time each day or night, whenever you can find the time. 5, 10, 20 minutes. I say this both to spur myself into some serious meditation and to invite others to discover this for themselves. Don't wait for something terrible to slap you awake. WAKE UP! We don't have a lot of time left- the rivers and streams are drying up- but if God wills it there will be water.

Peace.

See more like this one at my blog