Isn't the American culture the poster child for a dominator culture (we have an ugly hx toward Indigenous ppl and ppl of color - which continues to this day, sadly)?
This sentence grabbed my attention: "the significant losses we suffer, like the loss of a marriage, a job, our health, or a host of other crises, are mini-deaths, probably softening us up for the main event." Yes, yes & yes.
Also, grabbing my attention toward the end of your essay about bringing MAGA Land folks back into the fold, eventually. That's forgiveness and grace rolled up into one, beautiful package. 🙏
Schadenfreude as one of those afflictive emotions - yep.
Found your essay linked by Ellen D. as one of her Love Thugs.
Yes. Well. I’m primarily writing about the US version, but all 3 Abrahamic religions are dominator cultures. We are just more out of control right now. Mostly, it’s about controlling the feminine, especially the divine feminine. Ever wonder why the DF is the Fall Girl? Look at how much of the world is just out of control. Yet we could have a partnership culture. It’s just so effective to use the fear of death to divide us. Profitable for the few. Expensive for the many. That’s why we need to forgive and include. Lies about the fear of death are very compelling.
So many thoughts. First, I am so happy Eileen featured you so I could find you.
Here’s a bunch of random thoughts -
I have never heard of Sophia, which I feel a little embarrassed to admit. Where did she come from?
Having just spent time in Venice, Rome, and Florence, I have been craving the feminine voice. Not as depicted as Mary, the only supporting actress in the story. We don’t exist without woman. Or women. Weird that people forget this.
In Rome, the young Priests were particularly confusing (fascinating). I asked one what called him to become a Priest and the light in his eyes while talking about spreading the gospel was something I have never seen before.
The choice of ugly bad Daddy to avoid death when ugly bad Daddy brings us death closer in is wild.
One of my favorite quotes is from Bertrand Russell, “I would hate to die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.”
And lastly I realize I don’t fear death as much as I fear nobody coming to my funeral. Seems like I fear insignificance which maybe a fear of death.
Thank you for making me think and feel. Beautiful post.
The idea of Eucharist as psychoactive makes so much sense. The divinity and experience of god appeared real.
Being raised Jewish, the extreme displays of Catholicism in Italy overwhelmed me. The amount of money is took to build houses of worship. The “smarter” churches have timed selfie mirrors. For a euro the mirror turns on and you can take a “close up” with the frescos. It’s always been about money.
Thanks for the in depth clarity about Sophia.
I feel more inspired than ever to elevate women. To think of all those men who voted away their rights instead of voting for a woman. Kind of short-sited on the Dems part to think that hyper masculinized cultures would vote for a woman of color.
As usual, those men who voted for Trump didn't think the policies would hurt "their" women. The women who voted for him thought he would protect them. The FAFO part is just beginning. Our worldview (mythology) of dominance that worships a dominator god is killing us and the planet. Why do we need to dominate everyone and everything? Because we are terrified of death. Thank you for fighting to elevate women. I will also work for that. It's the antidote.
What a gorgeous response. I love every bit of this. That Bertrand Russell quote should be a note - or a shirt. Just as the voice of a god one hears telling them to do things, is probably telling you what you want to do anyway. Oh, the ego is wily. For example, who is Holy Mike Johnson's god? The circularity of your fear of death, being nobody coming to your funeral, is exactly how it works. Oh, the ego is wily. And isn't it ironic how it creates the thing it fears (ugly daddy)? Fear creates itself.
In fact, among proto-Christians, women were very powerful. They made and served the Eucharist, which was probably psychoactive. Women were the initiators into the Mystery. The two things the church is most against are women (obviously) and drugs, especially the psychoactive kind that could give you an actual experience of divinity.
"... a Priest and the light in his eyes while talking about spreading the gospel" makes me want to wake up from a nightmare. Perhaps the one where we burned witches at the stake. God save me from the fervent.
Finally, best for last. Sophia Sapentia, the divine feminine spirit of wisdom. Some early Gnostics said she is "the great revered virgin (unmarried) in whom the Father was concealed from the beginning before He had created anything." In other words, when she was pregnant with him. As you say, NOTHING exists without the feminine (women). Not even any god.
Western Christians turned her into the Holy Spirit, and then glossed over the femininity part, because ghosts are neither male nor female. But Eastern Christians built monuments to her, such as the Hagia Sophia in the 6th century (hagia means holy). Then, Roman Christians had to admit she was pretty important, so they created a false narrative about a minor "virgin martyr" named St. Sophia, who had three phony daughters. Now, we can forget about her. Anyway, I could write a whole post about her. What fascinates me is how monotheistic patriarchal mythology (not exclusively Christian mythology) has worked overtime to create a world where women have no power, which is the complete opposite of the truth. We see the devastating results in the modern world.
Susan! So much to chew on here. This is an eye opener for me: "we must weave the MAGA crowd back into the fabric of society because they have been lied to by the right-wing media projection machine, sure, but also by their own minds, which are projection machines, too, and the patriarchal worldview they were born into." That makes so much sense.
The opinionism of the world without contention led us here. And everyone believes themselves to be right even when wrong. And we so capitalize on the past then the present.
The key us letting go and learning how to know that we could be wrong thus finding the right path to being better
Brilliant, Susan. I have many spiritual teachers. Sigh. “What we trust least of all is the thing that will actually save us—the surrender of our worldview.” 🏹 Nailed it. It sounds so obvious. So simple. Incomprehensible to most. Joseph Campbell supposedly said, “Everything is metaphor. And all metaphors are true.” I love this essay.
Thanks Kelly. I really appreciate that. And I appreciate you. Most people don’t even know they have a worldview let alone that it’s a lie. Even when we know it’s a lie, it can still surprise us by how fluid it is, as in the fish can't see the water they are breathing. That’s why we need each other.
How incredibly refreshing it has been for the past almost hour to sink into your writing and let myself wonder and question and fear and love. It is brilliantly delightful to begin to know you and see all that you are and all that you are willing to share and give. And so I must agree with another reader that if you’re not a spiritual advisor, well then you’re probably a spiritual inspirer at least right now tonight for me. Thank you. Looking forward to connecting should you come East. xo
Well you just broke open my heart with that. Thank you so much for saying this. The next time I’m doubting I’ll come back and read it again. I’m so glad you are here.
Hey there. This is why, in my post, I just stuck to the basic universals more or less of gnosticism though I've studied much more of the ins and outs and various interpretations (Sethian, Valentinian, etc) and Joey has been studying it for years. I wanted to stick to the basics and not get into any of the esoteric stuff that can be in dispute. Yes, Sophia (or her equivalent in different cultures) is a goddess. She came down closer to our world and suffered what we humans suffer so I think that makes her more relatable. I asked the Gnostic clergy (again) at the meetings/services I've been going to for a year about Sophia's supposed "fall" and they just say "well, we all make mistakes." There are various interpretations (that I've read) as to how this came about but of course it's all metaphor. Some current gnostic groups don't even refer to this being as feminine at all. People just need to get what they can out of gnosticism, emotionally, and not worry too much about interpretations. It has certainly helped me with my fears. That is just ridiculous that your spiritual advisor blocked you for having a differing opinion!! That's what I'm talking about. People get too stuck in their head and in heady interpretations of metaphor and myth, and I'm hoping my post expresses just the basic, immediately helpful, parts. Thanks for your loving and information/emotion-filled post (as usual)!!
Exactly Thea. I love this response. The importance is in the awareness. I think it’s a beautiful tradition. So many of the sects have an emphasis on wisdom (Sophia) as an embodiment. It doesn’t get much better than that.
I really believed : "you know what happened next." I thought, I don't know! And then when the person was melting and joining with you together and you could be pals I thought, so great! But then, alas. (It was funny too!--not the blocking--his loss). ( LOVE! my "substack spiritual teacher"!!!)
The illusion of control is a big topic for me too--I love that Martin cuts your hair on your porch--and you have satsang there! "I felt an answer blow through my nerve endings" ! what a great line. I love this term "the tightrope!"
And that someone can say they have no fear of death--kind of means maybe they don't have a amygdala! Haha, Because I can tell you that one Zen master after the next grabs their student's hand and says, "I'm so afraid!" I mean how can you develop compassion with out feeling all the things?
"Blamo!"
I would buy that t-shirt! IT'S A METAPHOR!
I love how humor slides in, around and underneath what you write too!
I thought I had dealt with death. Faced the real bone-chilling fear of it after my cancer diagnosis. I meditated on it. I breathed. I regulated myself into a form of acceptance. Then I got better (it's gone now) and I realised the real fear is in facing the mini deaths you described. The ones that take away a bit of who we think we are. So much more I could say about this post Susan. You get to the heart of the thing - we are carrying around our own mythologies and if we don't acknowledge that we risk passing them off as certainties. It's by looking at myths in dialogue we can sharpen our sight. So while I am not surprised you got blocked. It really is their loss. An opportunity to think and grow missed.
Oh Gillian, I'm so glad you are cancer-free. I think you are right about the mini deaths. These are the ones that ruin our politics, the certainties that people in power are so sure of. And yet, they are coming from a need to dominate, to win. I, too, was disappointed but not surprised by the block. That's not entirely accurate. I'm not surprised in retrospect. At the time, I couldn't believe it so much, I thought something was wrong with Substack! Wait? Why can't I see the conversation anymore? Why can I only see the one comment they liked? Where did it all go? Hahaha. Sometimes I'm so slow. I'm so grateful you took the time to comment. Keeps me going.
WOW!! This, this, this. I may have to sit and digest so that when we speak I can tell you all the things that were going on in my head while I was reading it. But maybe, I'll start now. 1. I was surprised at your tactful choice (or whatever it was) not to surround "spiritual teacher" with quotes for the man you interacted with. I would have, because I'm snarky and get pissy when talked down to by anyone, especially a seemingly arrogant know-it-all. But then I'm feeding into my natural tendency toward "us" and "them" which I'm really working on letting go of. What keeps me stuck there? Fear. Of being hurt, and I suppose of death, of being wrong, of being shamed. That was number 1. Number 2. In the time that I've known you, you've become a loving presence for me; The Mother (of sorts), and a spiritual teacher (even though you say you're happy not to be one). Here's what I think about that: you can't not be a spiritual teacher. It's who we are (people, not just the two of us) for one another if we were all paying attention better, and embracing a more non-dualistic framework for living. It's who you were as a teacher. You can't help it, it's you. How you actualize is up to you... 3. Something that came up for me when I was doing Lesson 3 last night of ACIM was about the "stuff" in my life. I felt like I was having the most enlightened insight. I thought I didn't identify with my possessions, but then I started looking around my bedroom, ""I do not understand anything I see." WOW. I realized just how much stuff I have; I didn't run out of things, because even in a room that I consider pretty spare, there's SO MUCH STUFF. And yes, there are emotional bonds to some things, but could I live without all of it? UH. Yeah. There's so much more I want to explore around this. But I got a taste, a sip of what non-attachment feels like, and I have to tell you it was like a deep breath in, and a long exhale, and then I felt a glorious peace. And it made me laugh. And it was a laugh of delight, filled with love. Holy shit, Susan. I'm so blessed to have you in my life. xo
You made my eyes fill up and spill over. This, this , this indeed. I’m so happy to read about your realization. The surprise irony is - with no attachment you gain. It’s a practice though because the ego always wants to contract. We mess up. We move on. If some one asks me what realization is, I just might say it’s the laugh of delight. I love you.
See, I told you, you're a spiritual teacher. It's hopeless, lovely. I think owning it is the best thing you can do. For yourself, and all the lives you touch. The synchronicities keep happening, the more I open myself to Grace. LOVE you!
Last night, I started a file I am calling “The Dark Side,” because I’m tired of censoring myself so as not to rile up the MAGA folks I’m inundated with here daily. My very first essay I started to write there is titled “Death Sucks” and delves into the fear of death being the root cause of all of our horrible woes. It is certainly what drives the far right who now use the Bible as a weapon, spouting “truths” they believe and many will die to protect that are no truths at all and in fact are not in the Bible anywhere. Yes I have read it. More than once. My father is a Presbyterian Left leaning. Feminist. Queer supportive pastor. And the gaslighting of everyone by the far right just makes me so damned angry. Actually, gaslighting on either side also sucks. How amazing to find this post today. Thanks. It gives me more food for my “Dark Side” thoughts which I may or may not publish. I’m not making any plans on that yet.
Ooh that is a very good place to start and thank you. I will ask you questions in the DMs as they come up I’m sure. I really appreciate your willingness to help. 🫶
I couldn’t encourage you more. This is what we need. Straight truth without demonization. Your dad sounds amazing. I’d love him, I’m sure. He’d be one of the pastors hiding people. No wonder you are so amazing, too.
Well I don’t know about demonizing people. I’m pretty angry with Christian Nationalism, and cult mentality, and I’m sure those who believe it would call my anger rants about them demonizations. But I try to speak the truth as I see it and we need less tap-dancing around shit and more speaking plainly. It would take quite a bit editing to post it, but I am thinking about doing A Dark Side Substack where I write very different things about our current world then my animal writing. I’ll have to work on anger management first. I so enjoy what you are writing and the work you obviously put into it. I added your mic drop quote to my piece this afternoon and added a whole page more on the topic of fearing death, while I was in the dark looking at the world devoid of rose colored anything. It’s hard work. I see that now. And the mythologies we hold sacred really have to be looked at and studied with fresh eyes and fresh ideas on how to stop this downward spiral we find ourselves in. Don’t get me started. Apparently, I am on a tear.
I am so glad I found you from Eileen’s Substack. I learned so much this one article and can’t wait to dive deeper in your Substack-land.
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you are here. Thanks for connecting, too. It means a lot.
Isn't the American culture the poster child for a dominator culture (we have an ugly hx toward Indigenous ppl and ppl of color - which continues to this day, sadly)?
This sentence grabbed my attention: "the significant losses we suffer, like the loss of a marriage, a job, our health, or a host of other crises, are mini-deaths, probably softening us up for the main event." Yes, yes & yes.
Also, grabbing my attention toward the end of your essay about bringing MAGA Land folks back into the fold, eventually. That's forgiveness and grace rolled up into one, beautiful package. 🙏
Schadenfreude as one of those afflictive emotions - yep.
Found your essay linked by Ellen D. as one of her Love Thugs.
Yes. Well. I’m primarily writing about the US version, but all 3 Abrahamic religions are dominator cultures. We are just more out of control right now. Mostly, it’s about controlling the feminine, especially the divine feminine. Ever wonder why the DF is the Fall Girl? Look at how much of the world is just out of control. Yet we could have a partnership culture. It’s just so effective to use the fear of death to divide us. Profitable for the few. Expensive for the many. That’s why we need to forgive and include. Lies about the fear of death are very compelling.
So many thoughts. First, I am so happy Eileen featured you so I could find you.
Here’s a bunch of random thoughts -
I have never heard of Sophia, which I feel a little embarrassed to admit. Where did she come from?
Having just spent time in Venice, Rome, and Florence, I have been craving the feminine voice. Not as depicted as Mary, the only supporting actress in the story. We don’t exist without woman. Or women. Weird that people forget this.
In Rome, the young Priests were particularly confusing (fascinating). I asked one what called him to become a Priest and the light in his eyes while talking about spreading the gospel was something I have never seen before.
The choice of ugly bad Daddy to avoid death when ugly bad Daddy brings us death closer in is wild.
One of my favorite quotes is from Bertrand Russell, “I would hate to die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.”
And lastly I realize I don’t fear death as much as I fear nobody coming to my funeral. Seems like I fear insignificance which maybe a fear of death.
Thank you for making me think and feel. Beautiful post.
The idea of Eucharist as psychoactive makes so much sense. The divinity and experience of god appeared real.
Being raised Jewish, the extreme displays of Catholicism in Italy overwhelmed me. The amount of money is took to build houses of worship. The “smarter” churches have timed selfie mirrors. For a euro the mirror turns on and you can take a “close up” with the frescos. It’s always been about money.
Thanks for the in depth clarity about Sophia.
I feel more inspired than ever to elevate women. To think of all those men who voted away their rights instead of voting for a woman. Kind of short-sited on the Dems part to think that hyper masculinized cultures would vote for a woman of color.
And the work continues…
As usual, those men who voted for Trump didn't think the policies would hurt "their" women. The women who voted for him thought he would protect them. The FAFO part is just beginning. Our worldview (mythology) of dominance that worships a dominator god is killing us and the planet. Why do we need to dominate everyone and everything? Because we are terrified of death. Thank you for fighting to elevate women. I will also work for that. It's the antidote.
What a gorgeous response. I love every bit of this. That Bertrand Russell quote should be a note - or a shirt. Just as the voice of a god one hears telling them to do things, is probably telling you what you want to do anyway. Oh, the ego is wily. For example, who is Holy Mike Johnson's god? The circularity of your fear of death, being nobody coming to your funeral, is exactly how it works. Oh, the ego is wily. And isn't it ironic how it creates the thing it fears (ugly daddy)? Fear creates itself.
In fact, among proto-Christians, women were very powerful. They made and served the Eucharist, which was probably psychoactive. Women were the initiators into the Mystery. The two things the church is most against are women (obviously) and drugs, especially the psychoactive kind that could give you an actual experience of divinity.
"... a Priest and the light in his eyes while talking about spreading the gospel" makes me want to wake up from a nightmare. Perhaps the one where we burned witches at the stake. God save me from the fervent.
Finally, best for last. Sophia Sapentia, the divine feminine spirit of wisdom. Some early Gnostics said she is "the great revered virgin (unmarried) in whom the Father was concealed from the beginning before He had created anything." In other words, when she was pregnant with him. As you say, NOTHING exists without the feminine (women). Not even any god.
Western Christians turned her into the Holy Spirit, and then glossed over the femininity part, because ghosts are neither male nor female. But Eastern Christians built monuments to her, such as the Hagia Sophia in the 6th century (hagia means holy). Then, Roman Christians had to admit she was pretty important, so they created a false narrative about a minor "virgin martyr" named St. Sophia, who had three phony daughters. Now, we can forget about her. Anyway, I could write a whole post about her. What fascinates me is how monotheistic patriarchal mythology (not exclusively Christian mythology) has worked overtime to create a world where women have no power, which is the complete opposite of the truth. We see the devastating results in the modern world.
Good read 💯
Thanks! Love your name. I’m going to check out your stack.
Susan! So much to chew on here. This is an eye opener for me: "we must weave the MAGA crowd back into the fabric of society because they have been lied to by the right-wing media projection machine, sure, but also by their own minds, which are projection machines, too, and the patriarchal worldview they were born into." That makes so much sense.
Glad your t-shirt dreams came true ;)
It's amazing. I'm posting a note about it today! There is no one like Nan.
The opinionism of the world without contention led us here. And everyone believes themselves to be right even when wrong. And we so capitalize on the past then the present.
The key us letting go and learning how to know that we could be wrong thus finding the right path to being better
I agree. The key is letting go of all we think is true.
Brilliant, Susan. I have many spiritual teachers. Sigh. “What we trust least of all is the thing that will actually save us—the surrender of our worldview.” 🏹 Nailed it. It sounds so obvious. So simple. Incomprehensible to most. Joseph Campbell supposedly said, “Everything is metaphor. And all metaphors are true.” I love this essay.
Thanks Kelly. I really appreciate that. And I appreciate you. Most people don’t even know they have a worldview let alone that it’s a lie. Even when we know it’s a lie, it can still surprise us by how fluid it is, as in the fish can't see the water they are breathing. That’s why we need each other.
We do. ❤️🔥
Well written, you've treated this essay so well, you've covered much! Keep the intensity. Tom
Thank you Tom. I love you so much.
Susan
How incredibly refreshing it has been for the past almost hour to sink into your writing and let myself wonder and question and fear and love. It is brilliantly delightful to begin to know you and see all that you are and all that you are willing to share and give. And so I must agree with another reader that if you’re not a spiritual advisor, well then you’re probably a spiritual inspirer at least right now tonight for me. Thank you. Looking forward to connecting should you come East. xo
Well you just broke open my heart with that. Thank you so much for saying this. The next time I’m doubting I’ll come back and read it again. I’m so glad you are here.
Hey there. This is why, in my post, I just stuck to the basic universals more or less of gnosticism though I've studied much more of the ins and outs and various interpretations (Sethian, Valentinian, etc) and Joey has been studying it for years. I wanted to stick to the basics and not get into any of the esoteric stuff that can be in dispute. Yes, Sophia (or her equivalent in different cultures) is a goddess. She came down closer to our world and suffered what we humans suffer so I think that makes her more relatable. I asked the Gnostic clergy (again) at the meetings/services I've been going to for a year about Sophia's supposed "fall" and they just say "well, we all make mistakes." There are various interpretations (that I've read) as to how this came about but of course it's all metaphor. Some current gnostic groups don't even refer to this being as feminine at all. People just need to get what they can out of gnosticism, emotionally, and not worry too much about interpretations. It has certainly helped me with my fears. That is just ridiculous that your spiritual advisor blocked you for having a differing opinion!! That's what I'm talking about. People get too stuck in their head and in heady interpretations of metaphor and myth, and I'm hoping my post expresses just the basic, immediately helpful, parts. Thanks for your loving and information/emotion-filled post (as usual)!!
Exactly Thea. I love this response. The importance is in the awareness. I think it’s a beautiful tradition. So many of the sects have an emphasis on wisdom (Sophia) as an embodiment. It doesn’t get much better than that.
edited last line in my comment to add "information/emotion" filled - that's what I love about your posts -- they have both!
Susan!
Wow! This essay is magnificent!
I really believed : "you know what happened next." I thought, I don't know! And then when the person was melting and joining with you together and you could be pals I thought, so great! But then, alas. (It was funny too!--not the blocking--his loss). ( LOVE! my "substack spiritual teacher"!!!)
The illusion of control is a big topic for me too--I love that Martin cuts your hair on your porch--and you have satsang there! "I felt an answer blow through my nerve endings" ! what a great line. I love this term "the tightrope!"
And that someone can say they have no fear of death--kind of means maybe they don't have a amygdala! Haha, Because I can tell you that one Zen master after the next grabs their student's hand and says, "I'm so afraid!" I mean how can you develop compassion with out feeling all the things?
"Blamo!"
I would buy that t-shirt! IT'S A METAPHOR!
I love how humor slides in, around and underneath what you write too!
xoxox, kk
I thought I had dealt with death. Faced the real bone-chilling fear of it after my cancer diagnosis. I meditated on it. I breathed. I regulated myself into a form of acceptance. Then I got better (it's gone now) and I realised the real fear is in facing the mini deaths you described. The ones that take away a bit of who we think we are. So much more I could say about this post Susan. You get to the heart of the thing - we are carrying around our own mythologies and if we don't acknowledge that we risk passing them off as certainties. It's by looking at myths in dialogue we can sharpen our sight. So while I am not surprised you got blocked. It really is their loss. An opportunity to think and grow missed.
Oh Gillian, I'm so glad you are cancer-free. I think you are right about the mini deaths. These are the ones that ruin our politics, the certainties that people in power are so sure of. And yet, they are coming from a need to dominate, to win. I, too, was disappointed but not surprised by the block. That's not entirely accurate. I'm not surprised in retrospect. At the time, I couldn't believe it so much, I thought something was wrong with Substack! Wait? Why can't I see the conversation anymore? Why can I only see the one comment they liked? Where did it all go? Hahaha. Sometimes I'm so slow. I'm so grateful you took the time to comment. Keeps me going.
WOW!! This, this, this. I may have to sit and digest so that when we speak I can tell you all the things that were going on in my head while I was reading it. But maybe, I'll start now. 1. I was surprised at your tactful choice (or whatever it was) not to surround "spiritual teacher" with quotes for the man you interacted with. I would have, because I'm snarky and get pissy when talked down to by anyone, especially a seemingly arrogant know-it-all. But then I'm feeding into my natural tendency toward "us" and "them" which I'm really working on letting go of. What keeps me stuck there? Fear. Of being hurt, and I suppose of death, of being wrong, of being shamed. That was number 1. Number 2. In the time that I've known you, you've become a loving presence for me; The Mother (of sorts), and a spiritual teacher (even though you say you're happy not to be one). Here's what I think about that: you can't not be a spiritual teacher. It's who we are (people, not just the two of us) for one another if we were all paying attention better, and embracing a more non-dualistic framework for living. It's who you were as a teacher. You can't help it, it's you. How you actualize is up to you... 3. Something that came up for me when I was doing Lesson 3 last night of ACIM was about the "stuff" in my life. I felt like I was having the most enlightened insight. I thought I didn't identify with my possessions, but then I started looking around my bedroom, ""I do not understand anything I see." WOW. I realized just how much stuff I have; I didn't run out of things, because even in a room that I consider pretty spare, there's SO MUCH STUFF. And yes, there are emotional bonds to some things, but could I live without all of it? UH. Yeah. There's so much more I want to explore around this. But I got a taste, a sip of what non-attachment feels like, and I have to tell you it was like a deep breath in, and a long exhale, and then I felt a glorious peace. And it made me laugh. And it was a laugh of delight, filled with love. Holy shit, Susan. I'm so blessed to have you in my life. xo
Then I shall laugh with delight. Because it is true. They are.
Aren’t Grace and synchronicity the same thing? Now that’s delightful.
You made my eyes fill up and spill over. This, this , this indeed. I’m so happy to read about your realization. The surprise irony is - with no attachment you gain. It’s a practice though because the ego always wants to contract. We mess up. We move on. If some one asks me what realization is, I just might say it’s the laugh of delight. I love you.
See, I told you, you're a spiritual teacher. It's hopeless, lovely. I think owning it is the best thing you can do. For yourself, and all the lives you touch. The synchronicities keep happening, the more I open myself to Grace. LOVE you!
Last night, I started a file I am calling “The Dark Side,” because I’m tired of censoring myself so as not to rile up the MAGA folks I’m inundated with here daily. My very first essay I started to write there is titled “Death Sucks” and delves into the fear of death being the root cause of all of our horrible woes. It is certainly what drives the far right who now use the Bible as a weapon, spouting “truths” they believe and many will die to protect that are no truths at all and in fact are not in the Bible anywhere. Yes I have read it. More than once. My father is a Presbyterian Left leaning. Feminist. Queer supportive pastor. And the gaslighting of everyone by the far right just makes me so damned angry. Actually, gaslighting on either side also sucks. How amazing to find this post today. Thanks. It gives me more food for my “Dark Side” thoughts which I may or may not publish. I’m not making any plans on that yet.
Makes me glad.
I love it. If I can ever help you just say it. I’ll be there. You don’t have to give up your anger. Let it be your torch.
Ooh that is a very good place to start and thank you. I will ask you questions in the DMs as they come up I’m sure. I really appreciate your willingness to help. 🫶
I couldn’t encourage you more. This is what we need. Straight truth without demonization. Your dad sounds amazing. I’d love him, I’m sure. He’d be one of the pastors hiding people. No wonder you are so amazing, too.
Well I don’t know about demonizing people. I’m pretty angry with Christian Nationalism, and cult mentality, and I’m sure those who believe it would call my anger rants about them demonizations. But I try to speak the truth as I see it and we need less tap-dancing around shit and more speaking plainly. It would take quite a bit editing to post it, but I am thinking about doing A Dark Side Substack where I write very different things about our current world then my animal writing. I’ll have to work on anger management first. I so enjoy what you are writing and the work you obviously put into it. I added your mic drop quote to my piece this afternoon and added a whole page more on the topic of fearing death, while I was in the dark looking at the world devoid of rose colored anything. It’s hard work. I see that now. And the mythologies we hold sacred really have to be looked at and studied with fresh eyes and fresh ideas on how to stop this downward spiral we find ourselves in. Don’t get me started. Apparently, I am on a tear.
"It turns out, the worship of a dominator god creates a dominator culture not worth living in."
Mic drop.
It’s so important. When people say we must wake up, this is the nightmare we must wake from.
Me too, that's one of the sentences that POPPED for me.
I love that you picked that of all the lines. You get it.
So sad, yes? And completely unnecessary. So much suffering in all the worlds.
Yes! I thought something similar when I read that.