Oh! What a wonderful gift to wake up to. I realize that I have to check my subscriptions to keep up with my community of writers. I did that this morning and wow! SBNR is exactly my orientation too. I use the term numinous more often than spiritual for many of the same reasons you describe. Going to listen to the podcast while I have my coffee. The beauty of the Threshold Choir work is profound. When I wrote my last piece, I thought of you because of the joy I had bringing in all of the fairy tale/mythic details to a story of a teen quest. Finding your work has helped me embrace the mythical side of life even more deeply. Thank you!! 🙏🌹
That’s so great. I’ll have to go looking for that fairy tale. I know what you mean about subscriptions, I missed that somehow. I almost didn’t use the SBNR tag, because of all the things people read in when they see the word spiritual. As a Jungian I like the word numinous. When I was in my MFA program and working on the lit mag, the poetry editor said one day that any poem that had the word numinous got an automatic rejection from him. “Why?” I asked. “Because I’m the editor,” he said. I guess he’d never experienced anything numinous. I still like the word.
Susan, I enjoyed this so much. So much resonance and Joy. I, too, am SBNR and sometimes feel as if I'm straddling a line when I share my work. Thank you.
This was wonderful Susan. I love your SBNR side and hope to see you bring more of it into your Substack. I thoroughly resonate with the JOY, love and embracing our own death to allow us to feel the JOY and love within us.
Let me know if you can access it, its a full, 2-part harmony, demo. (I love it). Its from 'Die Towerberg se Dans'; (tr: "The Dance of the Mountain of Spells"). Enjoy. It might be something you can use. It's needs to be sung, preferably in a few parts, and 'a cappella'.
Yes, thanks. As you know better than most, it can be a bit dodgy to speak of it. This morning I woke up regretting that I used the SBNR thing. I wanted to go back and add that most of what people think of when they say “spititual,” is not what I’m talking about. sigh. Makes me nervous. Cat’s out now, tho.
Love this, Susan. Fear of death. I'm not anymore. Death teaches us that love is the answer. And staying present to the beauty of each moment. Thanks, I'm so glad you posted this. xo
My ex-gf has a tattoo on her forearm that says that. I was quite circumspect about it when we were together. But as I continued my personal work, I learned that it's true. It's not always easy, though, to practice. xo
I love the idea of a threshold choir. I didn't know such a thing existed. My only concern would be my unharmonious voice might be the last thing someone hears before they depart this world.
That is a constant concern. I can carry a tune, and I still worry about it. Some people mostly come to rehearsals. It’s a beautiful group of people who laugh a lot. Singing in a group makes everyone sound better than they do on their own.
Oh! What a wonderful gift to wake up to. I realize that I have to check my subscriptions to keep up with my community of writers. I did that this morning and wow! SBNR is exactly my orientation too. I use the term numinous more often than spiritual for many of the same reasons you describe. Going to listen to the podcast while I have my coffee. The beauty of the Threshold Choir work is profound. When I wrote my last piece, I thought of you because of the joy I had bringing in all of the fairy tale/mythic details to a story of a teen quest. Finding your work has helped me embrace the mythical side of life even more deeply. Thank you!! 🙏🌹
That’s so great. I’ll have to go looking for that fairy tale. I know what you mean about subscriptions, I missed that somehow. I almost didn’t use the SBNR tag, because of all the things people read in when they see the word spiritual. As a Jungian I like the word numinous. When I was in my MFA program and working on the lit mag, the poetry editor said one day that any poem that had the word numinous got an automatic rejection from him. “Why?” I asked. “Because I’m the editor,” he said. I guess he’d never experienced anything numinous. I still like the word.
I like it too. That’s hilarious about “automatic rejection” from the editor. Yikes!
Yup. He was a yikes in lots of ways.
🤣
Susan, I enjoyed this so much. So much resonance and Joy. I, too, am SBNR and sometimes feel as if I'm straddling a line when I share my work. Thank you.
Thanks Kyra. I appreciate this so much.
This was wonderful Susan. I love your SBNR side and hope to see you bring more of it into your Substack. I thoroughly resonate with the JOY, love and embracing our own death to allow us to feel the JOY and love within us.
Thank you Joanne. I’m sure I will. It doesn’t want to be left behind anymore.
I presume you have sung the 'old Navajo' reel:
When you were born
you cried
and the world rejoiced
Live your life so
that when you die
the world cries
and you rejoice.
More joy to you!
And check out youtube for sung versions ... to taste.
I sing, it in my mind, most days.
I learned that from you, Roy! I love it so much. It’s perfect.
Ah, so. But have you sung it in a reel?
I have not. I’d love that, though.
Phew. There are several versions of the sung version on YouTube. This is my favourite one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q5dk9Q6ph4
Let me know if you can access it, its a full, 2-part harmony, demo. (I love it). Its from 'Die Towerberg se Dans'; (tr: "The Dance of the Mountain of Spells"). Enjoy. It might be something you can use. It's needs to be sung, preferably in a few parts, and 'a cappella'.
So beautiful. Truly spiritual, IMHO, to bring such beauty and joy to the threshold. Appreciate you letting us into the SBNR side of your Stack.
Yes, thanks. As you know better than most, it can be a bit dodgy to speak of it. This morning I woke up regretting that I used the SBNR thing. I wanted to go back and add that most of what people think of when they say “spititual,” is not what I’m talking about. sigh. Makes me nervous. Cat’s out now, tho.
Love this, Susan. Fear of death. I'm not anymore. Death teaches us that love is the answer. And staying present to the beauty of each moment. Thanks, I'm so glad you posted this. xo
Thanks so much. I was thinking of you when I did. Love is the answer. That’s right, I think.
My ex-gf has a tattoo on her forearm that says that. I was quite circumspect about it when we were together. But as I continued my personal work, I learned that it's true. It's not always easy, though, to practice. xo
Right. It's the practice of a lifetime, forsure.
I love the idea of a threshold choir. I didn't know such a thing existed. My only concern would be my unharmonious voice might be the last thing someone hears before they depart this world.
That is a constant concern. I can carry a tune, and I still worry about it. Some people mostly come to rehearsals. It’s a beautiful group of people who laugh a lot. Singing in a group makes everyone sound better than they do on their own.