ALL MY RELATIONS

Americans pride themselves on being individualistic nonconformists. No self-appointed hereditary leaders (aka royalty) can tell us what to do. Our ancestors rebelled against the Crown Heads of Europe to establish an elective Democracy. We have the freedom to think, say and do almost anything. We are the champions of our own destiny. Right? Ha-ha-ha!

Many citizens of the United States of America suffer from the delusion of individualism. Perhaps a few self-sufficient hermits reside in the countryside qualify but they are an exception. We are interdependent upon others for electricity, clean water, food, waste removal, security, and every other variable of life. Perhaps you can grow your own calories during the warm months. The remainder of the time you must rely upon farmers, processing facilities, and the distribution system.

We are all interconnected. What affects one person affects everyone else. It may not be readily apparent but the whole concept of six degrees of separation is actually a lot closer. Social media shortens the gap. I know that people from around the world read this blog, which boggles my mind. We may never speak in person but somehow my odd life affects the reader’s life. If only to make you smile or laugh for a moment, we are linked. I am honored when people “Friend” me on Facebook because then I can learn more about their lives and make a closer connection. I have a couple Facebook Friends who have a parent with Alzheimer’s. When they write about their sadness, I understand completely. I may never have the opportunity to meet them but we are united in our loss.

I grew up with the concept of “All My Relations.” My grandfather and Dakota (Native American) kin emphasized that we are inextricably joined together. Of course, you have blood-kin who share your DNA and concern extends to others in the neighborhood (your band) and community (the tribal nation). But it doesn’t end there. Relationships broaden to all the affiliated tribal nations and beyond to ALL. ALL as in every creature, plant, and everything seen and unseen.

ALL is sacred, ALL is linked. Every single molecule, atom, quark, and components smaller than the most powerful microscope can examine. Matter, dark matter, its ALL bonded. The connectedness is wider than the sky, beyond what our telescopes can view. Humans are just one type of animal but we are aware. We can wax philosophically. I am thrilled that CERN scientists are proving the All My Relations concept with the Higgs-Boson Particle. It is what many indigenous cultures have taught, long before any written language was created. We are one; one is all. We all have to care about each other and everything seen and unseen. Period. End of Discussion. What have you done to help All Your/Mine/Our Relations today?

ALL is we.
Copyright © 2013 by Ima B. Musing; All rights reserved.

TEN YEAR 20/20

Wrote a letter to my ten year old self. No specific order but I wish that someone had told me. Hopefully, I would have listened and followed the advise. Another exercise inspired by 20% Theatre Company.

Dear Ten Year Old Ima,
Never doubt yourself
Write down stories from Grandparents. Record their voices on tape and film
Learn about ancestors; catalogue names, dates and all information possible
Enroll in Grandpa's tribe
Don’t get dragged into the negative elements of fundamentalist faith, focus on animism
Make a lot of friends and be a good friend
Never hide your intelligence, be proud to be a geek
Get mental health counseling from licensed art therapist NOW
Put money into retirement and college accounts NOW
Use a lunch bag, not a metal lunch box
Clean the aquarium with soapy water, not the garden hose
Don’t play a musical instrument, join choir instead
Enjoy being eccentric, don’t ever attempt to conform
Convince the popular kids to like you but don’t join their nasty clique
Befriend adults in the area who have connections to Ivy League or Oxford Colleges
Convince them to sponsor your college application and help secure loans and grants
Never be silent or hold your tongue, though don’t be cruel or mean to others
Procure GED as soon as possible and get out of town
Travel the world for a few years and become fluent in several languages
Attend a prestigious college, earn a Master of Fine Arts, and join a sorority
Obtain a PHD in cultural anthropology, become a pracademic
Stay physically active, don't gain weight
Date a lot of men, sleep with few
Adopt kids, with or without a spouse
Advocate for yourself, you deserve the best
Reside on every continent
Earn living as an artist after retiring from teaching and research
Divorce toxic biological family
Don’t regret anything that you say or do, apologize and move on
Jump over fear & shame and run towards happiness
Know that you are worthy of love, health, and wealth

Best Wishes,
Middle-Aged Ima

Thrive, don’t just survive.
© 2013 Ima B. Musing

CONNECTION JUNCTION

The only thing that is constant is change. Alterations commence at conception when egg and sperm merge. Life instigates with the combination and then division of one cell into millions of cells. The DNA stipulate how the cells organize into whatever the creature may be, flora, fauna, or animal ranging from a tiny amoeba to a huge blue whale. Too much or too little cell growth will cause death. The cycle continues when our cells break down to feed other beings and thus we persist in a different form.

I believe in the Infinite Soul. Is the Infinite Soul a senescent and separate being? No. I don’t believe in a singular or plural Creator of any gender. Neither an atheist nor an agnostic, I consider myself to be an Animist. Everything is connected to the Infinite Soul, which includes all atoms, that encompasses our planet, universe and to the great unknown. The link doesn’t hinge upon a narrow definition of life.

Humans remain connected to the Infinite Soul, though we are able to operate as an individual animal. As a semi-separate entity, we are personally responsible for our choices. It is easier to be a negative pessimist. Violence is used by the weak. People with a feeble soul act out aggressively to bully, lie, cheat, steal, manipulate, micromanage, rape, murder, et cetera. They seek to control because they fear being controlled. They impose unrealistic perfection upon others, feel superior, and hide their vulnerabilities. They don’t want to be shamed by their own flaws. They don’t feel guilt for doing negative things to others. What a sad, sad existence.

There are too many examples of megalomania and it’s tragic that this behavior still exists today. We need to evolve beyond that behavior if we are to survive. It is a harder journey to seek the positive. I strive to embrace my vulnerability and shame. I am flawed: Therefore I am. I am a mixture of positive and negative traits. 1 + 1 = 3 my flawed parts make a larger whole. I must surrender to the intertwined complicated partnership and see the holy in the praxis of myself.

Compassionate acceptance of myself is excruciatingly difficult. It’s less demanding to permit the imperfections of others than tolerate those traits in my own being. I think that it would be easier if I felt romantically loved and desired by someone. I am a complete being but it would be nice to know that someone else wants to be with me. That another human accepts the Ima-potpourri and wants to ease the pains of my wounds and I wish to do the same for them. Together we help each other be stronger and live optimistically. Not blind to the challenges but grasping hands and walking through the trials and tribulations together.

Cock-eyed optimist, no, quixotic, just a wee bit, but I seek to live Whole Heartedly. I viewed a couple TED talks featuring Brene Brown. She is funny and insightful. I need to read her books. I’m glad that she admitted that it’s a difficult journey to engaging your entire being. Its much less effort to shield oneself or fall into negativity. It is hard to be kind to myself. I have to reject the internalized criticisms heaped upon me by my family and myself. It is excruciatingly difficult to even write down these thoughts. The adage, name it to tame it, comes to mind. I have to name this process and delve in to eject the bad and grow the good. I’ll save that for another posting…

Be Kind to Yourself.
© 2013 Ima B. Musing

THANKFULNESS

Life offers unending challenges but it is imperative to be thankful for the positive aspects of existence. Here are my top eleven thanks for 2012.

You: Blog Readers (viewing my odd opinions)
Cash Mob St Paul MN Members (shopping local is smart)
Friends: My Logical Family (loving relationships of choice)
Felines: ZoZo and Tillie (furballs of love)
Part time Job (hope funds hold out until full-time employment procured)
Food Shelf (fills the tummy)
Heatshare: Energy Assistance Program (warms the home)
Faith Community (soul food)
My Old House and Auto (though both need repairs)
Garden Growth (flora, fauna, edibles, and critters)
Library & Art Crawls/Fairs (brain food)

Happy Holidays to all!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

BATTLEFIELD FOR GOOD

“[sic] There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless. These people walk by a widow deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise*, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they think, “Business as usual.” But if they perceive a slight against God, it is a different story. There faces go red, their chests heave mightily, they sputter angry words. The degree of their indignation is astonishing. Their resolve is frightening.

These people fail to realize that it is on the inside that God must be defended, not on the outside. They should direct their anger at themselves. For evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out. The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart. Meanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defense, not God’s, that the self-righteous should rush.” Yann Martel, Life of Pi, (Random House, 2001), excerpts from Chapter 25. paise = money or cash

Mr. Martel wisely describes the nature of religious zealotry, ironically published just before 9-11. Zealots of any religious faith (which includes agnostics and atheists) should realize that they are accountable for the world. They chose to condemn people for faults or bad luck instead of helping the “widows and homeless children” et al. Zealots are personally responsible for not assisting those in need. They would rather shout, cause trouble, be violent, and waste their energy in negative activities. Don’t they realize that someday they may be in need of a “good deed”? Who will help them if they don’t help others while they are able to?

I could expound with self-righteous indignation at recent stories of people using religion as a weapon to harm others physically, mentally, or emotionally. Sadly, there are examples in the news every day. However, I have to examine my spiritual and personal efforts to defend those who are less fortunate. My journey of finding faith is detailed in January 1st & 4th entries. I am an Animist & Unitarian-Universalist (UU). More details at www.uua.org

Ok, so what am I doing to rush to the defense of the “widows and homeless children” or any person who is in need? How can I put faith into action? First, I have to accept that I am a single human being. I cannot do everything. I must do what I can. I have chosen to work with 501(c)3 nonprofit non-governmental organizations or educational institutions for 98% of my working life after brief dalliances into for-profit settings and retail sales. I may not make much money in nonprofit but I know that my efforts are helpful. Unfortunately, agency funding has been consistently unstable so that has lead to periods of unemployment including right now.

Making donations to other nonprofit groups is second method of support. I donate funds, in-kind gifts, and volunteer time. I regularly volunteer for disaster response, community building, and mentor college students. I also pitch in for special events, fundraisers, and conferences. It matters how I spend my time just as much as how I spend my money. Each minute of time or dollar spent is a vote for something. Every moment is precious because it will never return. www.volunteermatch.com and www.volunteertwincities.org are good resources.

Lifestyle choice is a third dimension. I live a simple life with two feline companions. I drive a thirteen-year-old car in need of repair. My nearly hundred-year-old home requires lots of repairs but all that is on hold until I procure employment. I don’t have cable/satellite television or a smart phone. The Internet is dial-up because it is cheaper. I try to spread a little joy through this blog. I have never been interested in acquiring “stuff.” Any object that isn’t a basic necessity (food, clothing, shelter) is a luxury. I know that I am fortunate to have a house, auto, and cats. I maintain an attitude of gratitude.

Every human is connected to every other human. I have a duty to aid. I have felt that way since I was a small child. Perhaps it is due to the Higgs Boson Particle but we are all in this experience called life together. Period. End of discussion. What are you willing to do? How will you use the small clearing of your heart to rush to the defense of people in need?

Help others every day.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

OASIS OF FAITH

Please peruse the first part of this journey posted on January 1st, 2012. I have explored different aspects of the search in myriad entries during 2011.

During the past few years I started probing the religious landscape again. I would visit a faith-based gathering and sneak in just before the service began. I quickly learned not to give out more than just my first name. Otherwise, I would be deluged with calls and literature. Proselytizing groups focused on witnessing and conversion were rather frightening. If the service was appealing I would return a couple times and stay longer to chat with the members. I would check out information on the Internet and books from the library. Seeking faith is not a flippant pursuit. According to Pew Research 44% of Americans change from one religious ideology to another. It’s wonderful that we have the freedom to make that choice. Democracy in action!

At heart, I am an Animist, I believe that if there is a Supreme Being(s) it’s not a separate entity but in everything. The problem is locating a religious order that would let me keep my Animistic views. I decided to drop by a few of the places that I thought were interesting 20 years ago. I found a group that was friendly and I mostly agreed with their viewpoints. I almost cried during one of the services because I didn’t feel isolated anymore. They welcomed intellectual debate, theological examination, and were okay with my Animistic beliefs. They offered a variety of programming and worked in practical efforts to better the community. I decided to check it out further but held back my heart. It took a while to open up to the possibilities.

After thirty years of wandering in the desert and several dozen visits I finally found a spiritual oasis. Ironically, I had dismissed them as “weirdoes” during my high school Religions of the World class. They don’t have a creed or a doctrine but logical guidelines. They encourage questions and question answers in a respectful manner. Technically they are Christian but are extremely broadminded and actually fall into the Open To All end of the spectrum. Its not a willy-nilly kumbaya organization, you are expected to be a good person and help others. I joined the Unitarian Universalists also known as the UUs. For more information contact www.uua.org

Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion that celebrates diversity of belief. The congregations are places to nurture every person’s spirit and put faith into action through social justice work in the community and the wider world. Individual UUs are allowed the freedom to search for truth on many paths. While the congregations uphold shared principles, individual Unitarian Universalists may discern their own beliefs about spiritual, ethical, and theological issues. Yeah, I could be Anamistic and UU!

The seven UU principles include:
* The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
* Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
* Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
* A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
* The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
* The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and,
* Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

I keep bumping into people that I know from previous jobs, political activities, and social interactions at UU events. I found out that a friend of mine has attended my congregation for nearly forty years. She never formally joined but considers herself a member. Actually, that is very common. Probably half the people who regularly attend services and UU events don’t officially become a member. Perhaps it is because UUs emphasize freethinking and don’t force brain washing. No group is perfect but I really feel comfie with these folks. The congregation is diverse, inclusive and represents the economic strata of society. They accept me for who I am, flaws and all.

Happy to shake off the sand.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing

WANDERING THE DESERT

The journey commenced when I was young. At about nine years of age I began extensive questioning. As a result, I was sent to camp to become indoctrinated into my parent’s uber-conservative fundamentalist nondenominational religious sect. The brain washing lasted until I entered high school and inquiry was renewed by Religions of the World class. I wasn’t sure if the faith that my parents taught me was true. I researched the origin of the Bible. I learned that it had been translated erroneously, chapters deleted, and edited by myriad people to suit their political purposes. I could not consider it to be a literal document anymore. It offered good moral guidelines but not verbatim documentation. Jesus Christ was a wise person but I don’t know about any other qualifications.

By the time I was sixteen I was informed by the minister to stop asking questions or risk being excommunicated and my family shunned. I didn’t want to endanger my family member’s souls so I ceased speaking. I suffered through the services and learned how to meditate since the weekly lecture was nearly an hour of torture. Meditation staved off panic attacks when I heard the leaders utter hypocrisy and inconsistencies. It was a painful time.

I began visiting different Christian churches when I entered college. These included a variety of nondenominational groups as well as Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, and Latter Day Saints. Ventured to other faiths such as Ba’hai, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, Wicca, and Scientology. I accidentally went to a few places which would have qualified as a “cult” and quickly got away. I probably researched 100+ faith based groups. I really liked the Society of Friends aka the Quakers but it wasn’t the best fit.

Most religions hold the same tenets sacred; they just express it in diverse ways. I could not abide groups who declared that their approach is the only system and all others are wrong. That is arrogant and bigoted. Using religion to make women submissive is reprehensible. It is an abomination to use faith as an excuse to harm others. Mere humans cannot state that they know the Mind of God. The Source may be plural, clearly has no gender, and may not even exist. No human knows. I sought a refuge where questions were encouraged but I decided that I wasn’t comfortable with institutionalized religion.

Animistic teachings of my grandfather who was part Native American was enough to sustain my soul. I would thank the Creator on a regular basis and live a positive life. I hovered between Agnosticism and Atheism. If there is a Supreme Being, it exists everywhere (Higgs boson particle) or else it visited Earth and has deserted us. I began to crave communing with other open-minded people. The challenge is that there is no Animistic Congregation. Animism varies because it is personalized by the family, clan, or tribal nation. They share a lot of the same beliefs but each group does it a bit differently. I visited a couple churches with a lot of Native or Hmong Americans but they were more Christian than Animistic. It didn’t feel like a match so I took a long break from seeking a spiritual home.

Seeking an Oasis.
© 2012 Ima B. Musing