Prophecy, Poetry, and Spirituality

Abraham Heschel (1907 – 1972),

“The prophet is like a poet who is frequently overcome by a raptus mentis [raptus conveys seized, captured, trance-like state, and ecstasy and mentis conveys standing outside oneself or departure of the mind]. At times the poet is overcome unexpectantly, at other times he prepares himself for the creative moment with a pen in hand and an inkstand on his desk. With his attention concentrated on a specific content, a certain excitement enters his soul, with his thoughts and images flowing upon him.

….The prophet is a poet. His experience is one known to poets. What poets know as poetic inspiration, the prophets call divine revelation Psychologically considered, prophetic inspiration is not materially different from furor poeticus [ the divine frenzy or poetic madness] of the master-poet or artist. The inspiration of the artist is what is meant by the hand of the Lord which rests upon the prophet.”

Half my FB friends are poets.

"I'm Gerlinde Staffler, a writer from Italy, I started to write in September 2020. My poems are mostly emotional and strongly philosophic and spiritual! These aspects in me are the motivations to live the life in fullest way! Spirituality is a limitless dimension of human experience and has a special approach to life, where research and inner growth counts, extending our life to a deeper level of existence that brings balance to body, mind and soul."

Mirabai: Hindu spiritual poet-saint- The Spiritual Fire - 

I am mad with love

And no one understands my plight

Only the wounded understand

The agonies of the wounded

When the fire rages in the heart

 Mirabai (c.1498–c.1546) is venerated as Saint Mirabai. Mirabai, a famous Bhakti saint, was a Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna!

 Spiritual leaders throughout the world and widely scattered in human history have relied on poetic expression: St. Teresa of Avila, the monk Thomas Merton, St. John the Cross, Zen Masters such as Dogen, Ryoken, Huang Po, Thich Nhat Hanh, and also Chinese spiritual leaders such as Chuang Tzu, Wu Men, Wang Wei. Rumi is probably the best-known Sufi poet but other Sufi poet-seers include Ibn Arabi, and Al Hallaj.  include even Pope John Paul II, and Buddha, as well as Confucius and Lao Tzu. In fact, in the Old Testament, many of the Biblical passages are in verse and poetic form.

15 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

1 “I will sing to the Lord,

   for he is highly exalted.

Both horse and driver

he has hurled into the sea .....

7 “In the greatness of your majesty

   you threw down those who opposed you.

You unleashed your burning anger;

   it consumed them like stubble.

8 By the blast of your nostrils

   the waters piled up.

The surging waters stood up like a wall;

the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea. ........

11 Who among the gods

   is like you, Lord?

Who is like you—

   majestic in holiness,

awesome in glory,

 working wonders?

I have had the good fortune of meeting a lot of people who have had spiritual or spiritual-psychic experiences. Of all those people, by far, Rebecca has done the best job of Illustrating the Truth about spirituality - which is often much better than explaining it in rational arguments. Since a focus of this poetry page is on spirituality I thought I should start with that.

Paths

When you see your knowing come true

A scene of a life unfolding

Two years before life knew

When you know loves meaning

And feel the frequency of powerful truth

Sometimes you are shown your path

Future moments given for review

The gift and curse of this sight

Colors my world in shades of blue

I must believe or not believe

Stay blind or walk the path to you

And while I surrender to the mystery

All the feelings come along too

I get fractured by this weighted sight

And the knowing that comes from the view

Poet 💫

Rebecca 

To Be, or Not To Be? That is the Question! -

Rebecca, who was very private about her experiences, as many are, spoke about the essence of spirituality in a poem about her experiences says pretty much the same thing that I do - except much more creatively and expressively! The following is an excerpt from her poem. The pivotal question is as Rebecca says: "I must believe or not believe"  - To Be or Not To Be , That is The Question! I am a little more pedantic about it but I say the same thing - experiences force the mind to do something with the experiences - one way or another   --- which comes down to "yes or no?" Believe or don't believe? To Be or Not to Be? It is the Ultimate Question of what to do faced by something that just doesn't make sense? - Faced by the Ultimate Chaos Question?    

The gift and curse of this sight

Colors my world in shades of blue

I must believe or not believe

Stay blind or walk the path to you

And while I surrender to the mystery

All the feelings come along too

I get fractured by this weighted sight

Flynn, who at age nine, had a dream that his mother would die mirrors what Rebeca Says as well!

many times I have explained to my children that reality is a very important observation and that understanding it, is living in the now the present regardless of the past reality which only exists in your mind .They have started to understand and understanding it does not destroy the world you live in if you have always been kept in the loop as it is called your reality for example if i have seen the future told others of it and it happens what is the meaning of it ,I am not sure, yet It happened several times and it is my reality.

                               "fractured by this weighted sight"

I feel I should highlight Rebecca's brilliant insight:

I couldn't have said it better - "fractured by this weighted sight" - an absolutely brilliant insight!

Perspective:

In truth, this poetry page, for me, is a bit selfish. In my experience, I have found that artists and creative people can really kick out some energy through their writign adn their creative mosaic of symbols and symbolism - as well as their passion - which can, in my experience, literally be quite contagious - as in Jung's concept of "contagion."

Angel, a counselor and confidante that I met back in 2017 on my journey, eloquently and passionately describes her vison of "spirit" and spirituality that seems to be inclusive of and embrace many others' views and understandings of spirituality : “Spirit, to me, is literally; everything. It is the universe beyond our very small, limited existence as human in a physical world. This encompasses your view too, of Spirit being a creative force. It is THE creative force since it is everything. So, when we as humans, create or connect or dream or heal...we tap into Spirit.” As Angel mentioned my view has always been that spirit and spirituality is in essence and at the core creativity-energy and life-force and drive. 

Annael Poet Artist, perhaps said ti best, when she said

"The ability to be an artist, a true artist, stands like a gift from the Gods in one's soul. To be able to bring down to Earthly life the images of harmony and beauty that live and weave within the Spiritual Worlds, is something that cannot be learned or taught. It is like a river that simply flows and it is a blessing that no human being can produce by himself/herself, but is a Divine Desire and Choice to bestow such a gift unto a human being....As for the gifted person though, this gift must be looked at only as a grave responsibility, and that the whole Glory belongs to the Gods, not to the human being."

Annael

 
Below is a Brief synopsis of what Spiritual People Say about Spirit and Spirituality

1, Gerlinde Staffler, an award winning poetess: brief bio and views

I'm Gerlinde Staffler, a writer from Italy, I started to write in September 2020.

My poems are mostly emotional and strongly philosophic and spiritual! These sides in me are the motivations to live the life in fullest way!

Spirituality is a limitless dimension of human experience and has a special approach to life, where research and inner growth counts, extending our life to a deeper level of existence that brings balance to body, mind and soul.

2,

3, Marwa, a passionate and sometimes fiery spiritual Muslim woman as well as wonderful poetess:  Marwa, who is from Sudan, enrolled in a University for women, who has had spiritual experiences of her own. Marwa's spiritual experiences do seem somewhat parallel to "dark nights of the soul" as one psychology masters student describes those types of experience. Marwa is a psychology PhD and very knowledgeable about Islamic beliefs and the Quran. We had numerous very productive discussions of  spirituality. Unfortunately Marwa contracted covid and since dropped out of sight.  

4, Linda Skarrup

Linda Skarrup, a Buddhist, observed that "Spirit" covers a wide range of beliefs and experiences that are personal! I don't think it's possible to pin it down to just one 'thing'.....for myself, it was a gradual awakening as to who, I AM. It was always there waiting, my first direct experience was at a meditation retreat in Montana... 30 days, no talking, nothing but meditation, food, sleep. One morning, while watching the snow come down outside through a big picture window, I heard the phrase: "this", is all there is"! Later Linda added "My spiritual practices GOT ME TO HERE! There are many paths, many teachings and many teachers.... seek and you will find the right One For You...

Last year when I started my spiritual awakening, coming from a life of agnosticism and eventual atheism, I felt that I was only now beginning to reclaim something that was stolen from me a long time ago.

5, Annie, a psychology student in a masters program:

I went through a major 'dark night of the soul' for a few years that led me to question and dig deep deeper into my false beliefs and what is really going on in the world. In a separate comment she told me that "Spirit is definitely primordial - existing prior to, within and after material. Everything is energy. Like a fish in water, many are just unaware. It's also largely a highly personal experience so the experience may come sooner for others or not at all if they choose to look at a superficial level.

Almost all of education unfortunately focuses on developing and using the left-brain, logical mind and not the right- brain creative mind. Both must be balanced. When people are stuck in the left-brain, they will never understand your spiritual message. The unconscious speaks in symbols and is the key to spiritual truths but people no longer understand how to use this. I feel it is by design...."

Similar to Linda, and Angle, Annie's concept of spirit in that it is "pervasive in consciousness" (everything) and a way of thinking is "everything" as well. She also talks about energy. A moment's consideration of how science might objectively describe or define life in an abstract way, describing "life" as energy or an energy system would seem likely candidates.

6,Marwa Gally, a Muslim woman who has had spiritual experiences of her own and has a beautiful poem about the "spirit eye" which many people like when I posted it. Marwa's spiritual experiences do appear parallel to "dark nights of the soul" as the psychology masters student explained it.

Of her own spiritual experiences Marwa said her spiritual experiences are a "Gift by Allah, giving to those who love believing in him, and give them this spiritual gift" - a "gift and will commit leading to creativity and geniuses." Marwa went on to say that different people have different "gifts" - much as Corinthians in the New Testament lays out about gifts - such as the gift of wisdom, clemency and patience. gentleness and patience, bravery, intense faith, resourcefulness, and leadership, as well as discernment and inspiration.

7, Mirabai, an independent woman with some hybrid beliefs parallel (though likely very different as well) - to Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard's hybrid beliefs. Tulsi Gabbard says that "I was raised in a multi-faith family studying both the Christian and Hindu scriptures. We observed Christmas and Janmastami (the birth of Jesus and the birth of Krishna). So my two primary sources of inspiration, spiritual comfort, and illumination come from the New Testament, and the Bhagavad Gita (the song of God), the ancient Hindu scripture spoken over 5000 years ago." (from Tulsi's website https://www.tulsigabbard.com/about/my-spiritual-path)

Mirabai states that "In our Vedas teachings, we each have a Dharma...a sort of duty... There is the Dharma of an educator...there is the Dharma of an intellectual person...who will always be in the pursuit of gaining knowledge...& enlightening others about it... There is also the warrior Dharma...The merchant Dharma... The labourer Dharma... The other is the outsider Dharma... These are the people who change things... None is superior or inferior. All the above is needed for us to function in this world, relying on each other's Dharma." That is each individual has their own cosmic divine destiny - or dharma. Again this is very parallel to both the Corinthians as well as to Marwa's views. 

One focus of Mirabai is Santana Dharma. Sanatana dharma, in Hinduism, term used to denote the “eternal” or absolute set of duties or religiously ordained practices incumbent upon all Hindus, regardless of class, caste, or sect. Different texts give different lists of the duties, but in general sanatana dharma consists of virtues such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings, purity, goodwill, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, and asceticism.

8.  Sarah, who has had a few spiritual-psychic experiences expressed her understanding as "Religious and spiritual frameworks allow human beings to co-exist comfortably with mystery and unknowing. My relationship to God is limited by my cognition (ability to intellectually conceive or imagine ) It is also outside the scope of my material perception (eyesight, hearing, etc.)  Yet, this relationship is essential to my existence. Technology has benefited mankind enormously but it has limits and can be used for bad ends."

9. Marija Najthefer Popov: an Award winning Poetess from Sivac, Serbia Marija says that her poetry focuses on "Love, the beauty of the rose ... and all my songs are focused on the essence of a woman. A woman's mother, daughter, sister, lover is lonely ... a woman and a woman's inner nerve.

There are countless women in me. I write about them. Spirituality but, that spirituality is so magical, so elusive .... to everyone ... Only hypersensitive women are filled with that spirituality and only those, such, can feel, experience ... all emotions and all passions ...."

 Reflections and Commentary

 From personal experience I have "felt" that spiritual experiences may well perform a synthesis function of some kind. The reference to spirit and spirituality being "everything" by Angel does mirror what Linda Skarrup emphasizes when she says that her "enlightenment" could be embodied in the proclamation - that "This, is all there is!"

That is, spiritual experiences do - on the face of it appear to be syntheses of understanding and awareness! Furthermore, a study on grieving demonstrated that people who "activate" their spiritual experiences in the process of grieving do recover from grieving more quickly than people who do not have experiences. That would dovetail into the grief psychologist, Neimeyer's argument that the process of grieving is a process of Meaning Reconstruction. IN that context then spiritual experiences as a synthesis process would dovetail with grieving as meaning reconstruction.

Meaning, a Sense of Reality, and a Synthesis Function:

J. E Kennedy's observations taken from his article, The Roles of Religion, Spirituality, and Genetics in Paranormal Beliefs, by James Kennedy, also dovetail with spiritual experiences as a synthesis process:   

The reports of increased well-being and other positive effects resulting from anomalous experiences are consistent with the common assumption that paranormal phenomena are guided by motivations or needs (Broughton, 1988; Stanford, 1974a; 1974b; Weiner and Geller, 1984). Although spirituality-related effects were most prevalent, more mundane beneficial effects were also common.

The Index of Changes Resulting From Experiences questionnaire (see Appendix A) indicated increased interest and belief in spiritual matters and increased well-being. As shown in Table 2, the most extreme changes were for spirituality-related items such as desire to achieve a higher consciousness, belief in life after death, and interest in spiritual or religious matters. A preponderance of positive responses were also found on well-being items such as feelings of happiness and well-being, sense of connection to others, optimism about the future, purpose or meaning for life, and motivation to maintain health. Reciprocal responses were found on the negative well-being items: feelings of isolation or loneliness, feelings of depression or anxiety, and worry and fears about the future.

Studies are, to be honest, few and far between when it coms to evaluating the affects on people, there does appear to be a at least a minimal consistency among diverse reports and studies that - as William James indicated in the classic 1902 study, The Varieties of Religious Experiences, that spiritual experiences create meaning and a sense of reality (p.48). There is a spiritual consensus of Viktor Frankl, Carl Jung, William James, and Emile Durkheim that spirit {spiritual processes] create meaning, perhaps best put by Carl Jung, "Spirit gives meaning to his [man's] life!" (CW8:643) Dr. Paul Wong, the prominent positive-existential psychologist, observes: “Frankl considers meaning seeking as stemming from one’s spiritual nature.” (the anthology, Meaning in Positive and Existential Psychology (2014), edited by Batthyany and Russo-Netzer,p.156) Paul Wong elaborates on that theme when he emphasizes that, “religious and spiritual beliefs and practice are thought to serve as a central component of an individual’s orienting system, which helps the individual understand, appraise, and derive meaning from stressful life events and ultimately helps that individual decide how to react.” (p. xl Quest) 

Paul Wong elaborates on Viktor Frankl's views regarding the nature and characteristics of spiritual or noetic (from nous)processes in the mind "in the following quotation: "The noetic (spiritual, specifically human) dimension contains such qualities as our will to meaning [Frankl's central concept of the human being's primary drive] our goal orientation, ideas and ideals, creativity, imagination, faith, love that goes beyond the physical, a conscience beyond the superego, self-transcendence, commitments, responsibility, a sense of humor, and the freedom of choice making. The human dimension is the medicine chest of the logotherapist. Patients are made aware that they have these rich resources of health within." (Fabry 1994 pp.18-19) (p.156) Also, Paul Wong notes that, like many other modern day existentialist-positive psychologists, “Park (2007) regards religion and spirituality as meaning systems.” (p. 156) 

Emile Durkheim, stated unequivocally - which most scholars concur with - that “Today we understand that law, morality, and scientific thought itself are born from religion, have long been confused with it, and remain imbued with its spirit.” (p62 el)  On top of that one can see that the spiritual beliefs in animal spirits must have played a pivotal role in the creation of meaning and social structure (meaning structure) in totemic societies. Furthermore, there is a synergy between the environment, the social-political structure and spiritual and religious beliefs.

Besides the synergetic relationship in totemic societies, the ancient Sumerian spiritual and religious beliefs formed a "Temple economy wit a centralized social-structure-government which was necessitated because of the dependence of the Sumerians at that time for sustenance on a crop that required a massive centralized irrigation system. There was also synergy between the ancient Greek religion based on a hierarchy of god and goddesses ruled by a Patriarch - which reflected the ancient Greek Mycenean Aristocratic government and ruling caste.

Throughout history, religious and spiritual beliefs have always adopted and adjusted - until now. For the life of me I can't find any theologians to talk about psychology and obvious problems like the Definist Fallacy which utterly butchers spirituality completely. One function of religious beliefs has been to explain the environment (i.e storm gods, etc.) I asked an Episcopalian priest and an Anglican priest if, in light of the fact that Christianity fought science tooth and nail from Galileo to Darwin and Evolution whether it is historically ironic that Christianity never questioned or challenged psychology at all. They replied, "Yes!" It is especially ironic since the Lutheran theologian Tillich stated "Religion is Mind" Psychology challenged religious beliefs with the "superstitious nonsense" norm, and Christina theologians and Christian leaders never answered the challenge.   

 A metaphor of light within the meaning of meaning

The best metaphor for meaning in life is LIGHT.

When we feel lost in the dark, we need LIGHT to show us the way to our destination.

When we don't know what is happening in the dark, we need LIGHT to understanding the situation and our role in it..

When we cannot see ourselves in the dark, we need LIGHT to see our true self.

When we feel the horror of night, we need to discover the LIGHT of shining stars in the dark sky.

When we don't know how to make our life significant, we need to endure sacrifice or burning in order to give LIGHT.

by Dr. Paul Wong

Preface: The Song of Amergin I - Earliest Poem in Irish history   

"According to the historical legend, Ireland was invaded from the south, in the year of the world 3500, by Milesius and his followers. They found the isle in the possession of a fair and highly gifted race, the Dé Dananns.

It is related that when the Milesians landed, a conference took place with the kings of the island: these offered, if the Milesians withdrew for three days, they would decide upon one of three courses, namely: retire, submit, or fight. Amergin (brother to Miled, or Milesius), a bard, druid, and judge, was chosen as arbiter. He decided that the island belonged of right to the Dé Dananns, and that his kindred should withdraw over nine green waves. If then they could land again and conquer, the island should belong to them by the right of battle.

"This is traditionally believed to be the first poem ever composed in Ireland. All of the elements of the poem have ruminous associations in early Irish literature There is no dualism here. All is one. This ancient poem preempts and reverses the lonely helplessness of Descartes’s “cogito ergo sum,” I think there fore I am. For Amairgen, I am because everything is in me. This magnificent hymn to presence outlines the ontological depth and unity of the anum-cara  (title of John O’Donohue’s book - anam meaning "soul" and cara meaning "friend". Experience)!"

The Song of Amergin I

loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I am the sea blast

I am the tidal wave

I am the thunderous surf

I am the stag of the seven tines

I am the cliff hawk

I am the sunlit dewdrop

I am the fairest of flowers

I am the rampaging boar

I am the swift-swimming salmon

I am the placid lake

I am the summit of art

I am the vale echoing voices

I am the battle-hardened spearhead

I am the God who inflames desire

Who knows the secrets of the unhewn dolmen

Who announces the ages of the moon

Who knows where the sunset settles

This is traditionally believed to be the first poem ever composed in Ireland. All of the elements of the poem have ruminous associations in early Irish literature There is no dualism here. All is one. This ancient poem preempts and reverses the lonely helplessness of Descartes’s “cogito ergo sum,” I think there fore I am. For Amairgen, I am because everything is in me. This magnificent hymn to presence outlines the ontological depth and unity of the anum-cara (title of John O’Donohue’s book - anam meaning "soul" and cara meaning "friend". Experience)!       

John O'Donohue speaks of the ancient Irish poet and bard Amairgin and says that "For Amairgen, I am because everything is in me!"  

In the crystal dark night of summer

 The infinitely-distant pin-prick lights of the infinitesimal iron core star-lights

 seem but tiny bright winks

-  winks hinting conspiratorially of mystical secrets known to a chosen few

 Thirstily perception drinks in the vast starlit darkled sky bound heavens

Upon the gently waving water of the broad creek,

tiny light points are fleeting reflections of the bright moonlight

-dreamlike, these miniscule sprites

dance and spin as if on sparkling wet fabric

 This summer’s warm night has unveiled an enchanted theatre

-a theatre with a light sprinkled watery stage.

It is a ballet of pirouetting moonlight

-a ballet choreographed to the faint murmuring of summer-wind

It is a shushing song sung by moon-struck muses

-shadowed silhouettes moving about in the dark cloaked scenery

The light wind warmly caresses bare skin

- Sighing wistfully as if the wind-substance had been pressed against ears

Summer

weaves its magic;

creates a tapestry of rich feelings and emotions

- emotions which tenuously touch – and so ever so tenderly - mind and spirit

In the knighted beauty and splendor of starlight, moonlight, and warm tingling wind

 the senses relish the freedom from the drudgery of the day’s duties

-new found freedom from the enslavement of society’s regimented rituals

 It is a long awaited escape from the chains of need and desire

feelings revel in the drunken orgy of senses

It is the fullness of life that spills over

It is the joy of being

 that bursts forth into the warm summer night

Being  rebirths as self-fulfilling prophecy

The purpose of life is to live

 -to feel and to feel intensely and passionately

 ;whole within a melded-universal consciousness

 Being transcends self, like a sphere turned inside out

Being is content in Being-there

-  and

for a brief millisecond

 Being is an end within itself; yet, somehow

,and paradoxically, impossibly

reaches beyond its-self to the realm of Grace.

o Miraculous wonder passes quickly

It is enough to be alive

on a warm summer’s night.

Remember the stars

Remember those stars

 That were above your head.

They were three aching

from loneliness, bleeding

on days, weeping at nights.

Remember the stars, when

your wounds were alive

pulsing pain from that orphan

feeling of your coming death.

On the wait, you were still

Witnessing the stars counting them

one by one for you to forget,

but they were reducing in number

burying themselves in the sky.

Oh remember those stars that

Your neighbors in sadness, they

were your good friends who

listen to you and wait for your

life to come back, while you were waiting

for death.

Remember how to repay the stars.

go back in that desert thank them

feel them, they're still there.

Marwa Gally/

27/6/21

  But the Briefest Brilliant Light,

So much like a shooting star

Life and Creativity reaching so high to touch the divine,

a thought-instant of brilliance in an infinite universe

memoried images  

which - in our mind's eye so brightly spotlight-ed theater

a saga embracing momentous passions, 

of loves lost and loves found, 

stormy desires and turbulent temptations, 

and finally, by chance, coincidence or destiny  

perhaps even enlightenment and transcendence,

The Garden Tree

A shiny soul

He has become for me

A brilliant reflection of the light I see

His reaching sight, of universal truth 

He hung his star inside my views

He simply knocked at the door of me 

So I opened the gate to wonder and believe

I invited him into my tiny garden 

I beckoned him to sit in connection with me

But he knelt to the earth as if a dream

And with his magical light, he planted a tree

I looked at him through my waterfall tears 

Can this be true what I see?

For never once did he flinch

He is not afraid of the intensity of me 

The roots, he said, will grow as they do. 

But my gift, this tree; shall be a canopy of love 

And I’m planting it here to watch over you.

I smiled then, taking his hand into mine 

And we walked about our garden lost to time

We watered our tree with our hopes and dreams 

And from that intention magic bloomed above me. 

Flowers unfolded reaching to the light 

Exploding blossoms made of love and life 

Laughing in the sunshine 

Under the sweet shade the winds caress

This place, a magic space

Shall be our escape from the chaos 

You shined your light into this poetic heart of me

And so forever a part of my garden you will be

Growing now, are those hopes and dreams

And all because you planted that tree.

So, welcome, my love.

You are now alight in me.

 Rebecca Makowski,

a poet and transpersonal therapist (M.A.-S, LPC-S, BC-TMH)

Paths

When you see your knowing come true

A scene of a life unfolding

Two years before life knew

When you know loves meaning

And feel the frequency of powerful truth

Sometimes you are shown your path

Future moments given for review

The gift and curse of this sight

Colors my world in shades of blue

I must believe or not believe

Stay blind or walk the path to you

And while I surrender to the mystery

All the feelings come along too

I get fractured by this weighted sight

And the knowing that comes from the view

Poet 💫

Rebecca Makowski

Burning bright

It is Going Full Out,

                            It is No Surrender

It is Unrelenting and Indefatigable -

It is Purpose and Drive

direction and velocity –

It is targets and ends to be achieved

                                           It is an an objective, to be reached,

Surmounting all other considerations

and criteria

It is That

               that MUST be Done

It is that which is Spirit within

-an all consuming drive

It is not just an essence or being for me

               It is an Energy and Truth for the many

Life is made or broken on ideas, on thoughts, thinking, and beliefs

And ideas and symbols that embrace the mysteries of human destiny and future humanities

all at risk, in doubt,

and ever to be struggled  - and striven for

In a word

 it is Spirit

Not solely in a mere word,

         But in overcoming the deathly emptiness of meaningless-matter

         Because in that model of a spiritless human being there are the ten thousand horrors

         And meaninglessness’ ceaseless tortures of thought and being

          With death and extinction stalking the Being and the Becoming of a Humanity Envisioned  though not yet born

But it is the spirit of life,

it is the bringer of truth,

Born of hopes, dreams, symbols, creativity and imagination,

It is the harbinger of unending creation,

   - spirt the workhorse of fruitfulness and productivity. 

My self!

I am but one light, one candle,

but I am far from alone

we come!

and there are many, many of us!

 we bring creativity and fruitfulness!

Charles E Peck Jr.

Might Makes Right - a Very Real, Dark Force of Historical Violence 

Rising,

                                                               Screaming for the sky.

Arguments are stated,

Historical Cycles,

 Might makes Right,

born of arrogance,

A cultural state of mind – a prison of norms

               Barriers and boundaries

Binding thoughts to conventions

and mundane procedures, codes, and petty protocols

though unseen, unconscious, invisible

and unknown

is yet still a Force

A powerful emotionally energized force of symbolism,

And violent dark energy unleashed upon a witless world

It is the age-old serpent’s trick to give the illusion- the lie that ‘We’ are God!

-         that ‘We’ have the power, the right to rule All,

-         that ‘We’ have All the Answers, All the knowledge

Such a false and empty truth,

In that Absolute Truth is beyond all human consciousness,

For, without questions

               Unfinished understanding and knowledge will turn upon itself

-devouring that lying serpent and your Self and Worldly Being with it.

A Collapsing onto itself.

But for now,

In me, there are questions strung together,

               And thoughts of iron

-         as if chains, forged

 to hold and contain a violent and aggressive ignorance –

an ignorance born

               of some kind of twisted beastial logic,

 an irrationality with its own life of hunger and depravity

Calling, calling,

Horn blaring,

               Loudly, desperately,

 Tangled, perhaps even lost

among the mundane winds of the world blindly turning,

 as ever,

pausing for no one or nobody

not for compassion

not for understanding, or truth

 not even for an angel,

Turning, turning, turning

               And I dancing,

calling, calling, calling

 Singing Spirit,

With Spirit Screaming for the sky,

Hoping to touch the divine – or perhaps in truth be touched

And now,

Gathering is whispered by the wind

Rumors of Truth and Being are brought by these new winds

Often, I find it difficult to explain or express how, in my view, there are some very powerful social, psychological, spiritual, religious and historical forces that - in my view - are clearly powerful forces at work in the world today. For that reason I feel including my "Might Makes Right" letters to the embassies of the allies warning about historical cycles makes sense in that the historical cycle is an intuitive perception and not hard science. So, here is some "historical" background to add perspective for the poem above.

Letters to the allies embassies sent in Mid March 2017

In a letter sent to our allies' embassies, I stated: "I read an article which said that Trump’s envoy to the United Nations was going to “take names” and dictate terms to the nations of the world. That is an utter disgrace. When it comes down to it, at times, Americans can be downright arrogant. Some Americans (especially it seems when it comes to spirituality) think they have all the power and all the answers. The truth of it is Americans don’t even have the right question. History repeats itself and has definite cycles. I believe America is in the cycle of might-makes-right. After the Athenians defeated the Persians they rose to the leadership of the Greek world. They used their power to bully and dictate terms to their allies. The Athenians ended up massacring all the inhabitants of Lesbos on the argument that might-makes-right. Their policies ended up backfiring." There were, in fact, two armed revolts against the Athenians by their 'allies' who the Athenians had abused horribly. It was definitely a "Might makes Right" state of mind - and historical cycle. They say attitude is everything, and in this case it has been very real and horrifically true.

                            Leaks about Trump’s Abusive calls to Allies’ Leaders

July 30, 2020: The title of an article in the Indy 100, Independent stated that “Trump accused of 'near-sadistic' bullying of Angela Merkel for 'vicious attacks' in private phone call” The article went on to say  How Bernstein of CNN observed that Although Trump "regularly bullied and disparaged" other leaders like Emmanuel Macron, Justin Trudeau and Scott Morrison, his most "vicious attacks" were reserved for women, the report claims. Bernstein quoted one of his sources as calling Trump's phone calls with Merkel and May "near-sadistic". Some of the things he said to Angela Merkel are just unbelievable: he called her 'stupid,' and accused her of being in the pocket of the Russians. He's toughest with those he looks at as weaklings and weakest with the ones he ought to be tough with.

The leak from foreign intelligence led to further revelations such as how Trump called May a “fool” on a phone call which was alter verified by former National Security advisor Bolton in his book. Bolton went on to say how he, former Secretary of State Tillerson, former Defense Secretary General Mattis, as well as another former top national security advisor all agreed that Trump is “delusional – off his rocker in common parlance. So it turned out I was right and then some in my letters to allies.  

Athenian Debate About Attack On Lesbos

While I have a few documented transcendental spiritual-psychic precognitive experiences, one of which, my very detailed notarized "What a nightmare" precognitive warning to the FBI, O believe the Might Makes Right Warning is the best because it does bring some major forces at work in our world and culture into focus. What makes the Might Makes Right warning is the specific detail about Greek history focused on Lesbos - because it highlights the "Might Makes Right" argument used by Athenian politicians by the Athenians which Trump and his Republican Supporters are using now. Trump's flagrant and blatant abuse of power has been recently perfectly illustrated by his attempt to destroy the election by hijacking the Post Office.  Many seem to think historical cycles is a philosophical theory. the Might Makes Right worldview and state of mind is a very serious - and violent - real force in today's world.

In the annals of Athenian history, Cleon, an Athenian politician, in a debate in the Athenian council about a punitive (and as it turned out bloody) action to be taken against Lesbos, an "ally" of theirs argued, “We are an empire, we are at war, these are the laws you have passed, you need to uphold them or you put the city and empire in jeopardy.” In Plato's book, the Republic, the philosopher Thrasymachus perhaps argued the power position more forcefully: Injustice, if it is on a large enough scale, is stronger, freer, and more masterly than justice' and goes on to state: Justice is nothing but the advantage of the stronger; Justice is obedience to laws; and Justice is nothing but the advantage of another." 

That is Exactly Trump and McConnell's attitudes and beliefs: "Justice is nothing but the advantage of the stronger!" Convicted out of his own mouth, as the impeachment trial was getting ready to get underway at the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) stated outright that no one should "expect him to handle President Trump’s impeachment trial as an impartial juror: “I’m not an impartial juror. This is a political process,” McConnell told reporters Tuesday while fielding questions about the upcoming trial. 

In a word, it is politics -and politics is POWER! McConnell, Paul Rand, Ryan, and Nunes hadn't the slightest intention of being fair or being concerned in the least for right and wrong. So Senator McConnell and the republican senator granted and acquittal for a president who uses National Security as his personal plaything. And what about: Andrew Milburn, a former top Marine officer who denounced President Donald Trump's decision to pull American troops out of Syria amid a Turkish attack on the Kurds, "saying it amounts to a betrayal of allies that will harm U.S. national security." and What about the 300 Former foreign service and Intelligence Officials who condemned Trump's use of the State Department as his personal "toy" or all practical purposes. All the Republican Senators are perfectly fine with that. The republican Senators have accepted and condoned corruption on a scale never seen before in America - all for POWER! 

New Paragraph

~ Soul Beauty ~

If you want to know where her beauty lies

I promise you it goes beyond

The simple hues of the honey, spruce green,

tangerine, dandelion, and chocolate

The colors of her eyes are soft and subtle, but passionate

Hazel is what they call it,

Bedroom eyes

Pretty as they are,

That's not where her beauty lies

I could tell you of her smile,

And the creases of her dimples

The corners of her mouth,

And satellites of her eyes

Yes her smile, Compares to a sunrise

It's warmth and it's glow

But even in all its bonny

That's not where her beauty flows

You could get lost in her curves

Yes her body is splendor

She could dance away the night

Causing you to render

You would give up your will

Give in to all temptations

But with all that is right

You'd better hold your patience

Yes her body is resplendent

But that's not her beauty's pendant

You'd admire her thoughts

They are a thing to value

Her unique way of thinking

Makes her all too often sought

For her mind is full of wisdom,

Logic, and reasoning

But even that is no comparison

To what lies in her heart

She's sweet, kind, and caring

Her love is overbearing

She wants to help everyone

And watch her people stand

She's an advocate for love,

Fairness, and forgiveness

For equality,

Dreams and creativity

Her soul is full of passion

It's where her beauty lies

Once you meet her,

You'll never forget her

She's written in the skies

In all of her aesthetics

You'll see a certain glimmer

A spark of satisfaction

A definite shimmer

You're sure of a reaction

Yes, She's pretty, certainly

But it's nothing like the beauty

Of her soul internally

© Justine Nichole 2021

All Rights Reserved

JNichole Poetry

#JNicholePoetry

                              It is the lacking

                                      looming, hovering, an oppressive presence overhead,

           The gathered greyly-darkled clouds,

brushing the horizon, lingering weightily on my eyelids

The ominous sky

               Leans over, with an oppressive awareness

The threatening-clouds intimidate, 

                    and glower glaringly,

          upon a winter-withered panorama.

Stark skeletal trees

           stretch longingly, with bony-branched fingers

                       vainly scratching the sparsely grey sky -

                                as if for revenge

These dark-barked life-drained silhouettes

                        blackly contrast to the grey horizon’s colorless canopies

               It is a sky blankly grey and devoid of hue,

                       and hinting darkly of death-masked veils.

The somber landscape,

             with the beaten, wintered grass hunkered down

   Mocks 

the past-spring’s bright budded birthing, 

the summer’s growing green grass, 

and autumn’s pastel tapestry

Gone are the fond memories of lush life of brilliant well-flowered colors

                  Now, Numb to life, 

          and deadened in its own un-existence

Earth has dimly slipped into the winter's seeming dreamless sleep

                 - a dreadful un-life, un-buried, dirge

The world has lost all feeling, and slumbers

 in an soundless senseless nearly half-awakened awareness

Left only with a lingering feathery nostalgia

       for what was once felt,

Now absent

unwept and un-dreamt,

               Being fades to naught,

fraught with haunted fleeting memories

      yet being, now dead to the world

It is The Lacking, 

It is The Absence

That pains the soul!

It is something vibrant and vital

       Now, Not here,

Hurtingly missed;

It is energy and life

 which is so desperately sought;

Humans must feel!

Human beings must feel something!!!

- if only but the stripped-down and nearly naked self-pity!

though perhaps, the slightest breath of life

 – Life needs but the barest ember of hope!

Author: Charles E Peck jr. 

OM SHANTI OM

Om Shanti Om, White Buffalo Calf Woman.

Fate’s boomerang whirling round a rainbow

in the skies above Katmandu. Eagle feathered

Familiar in the form of Cat Woman too,

trailing sparks in the silence of the forest dew,

searching for the fool who thought he knew

the lamp in the darkness of Lao Tzu.

If Minerva’s owl flies at dusk,

and with a glance a child bends

Neo’s spoon, it is not too much

to follow Gandalf’s lance

to the Tao in the new moon,

like water at the bottom of a lake,

flowing over stones

with a song that calls buffalo

back to the land.

……….

don stefan

Footnotes:

         Minerva's Owl

Minerva, the Roman Goddess of wisdom strategic (defensive) warfare, justice, law, victory. Minerva is also the virgin goddess of music, poetry, medicine, arts, trade, and crafts! Minerva is frequently portrayed with her sacred creature, an owl, usually named as the "Owl of Minerva!" The Sacred Owl of Minerva portrayed Minerva as symbol of wisdom and knowledge!

Shakti

In Shakti-Hinduism, creation arises from the union of Purusha (Pure Self) with matter or energy (Prakriti). That is, Pure Self enters into matter and gives birth to the myriad energies (which then lead to the formation of the ‘false self’). Shakti” represents the primordial cosmic energy which is the dynamic force that permeates the entire universe. As the Sufi, Rumi, observed, “The lamps are different, but the Light is the same. One matter, one energy, one Light, one Light-mind, endlessly emanating all things.”

must bring, a falling - and then disgrace;

 Where is a way?

Yes, though the ever elusive words

and, so, remain unspoken;

 That I must bring the light to me!

Light renewing in re-birth!

It must be that my Lady of the Lakes,

She blesses me:

she has the sword of Camelots 

Camelots, long lost in the shrouds 

of half-remembered, half-dreamt legend and truths,

Though also being of the myriad unknown futures and utopias yet to be/

 Beginnings brought to brilliance by being!

Dreamt in a dream long cherished,

 

yet, yearning-to-be

Quest is rooted in Question

Truth, rightly asked questions,

Is that Seeking brings answers

     and necessarily

lights the inner illumination of understanding!

the questing journey marches onward,

ever perilous 

amongst the prophetic portents of meanings and purpose

and 

the rocky dangers of destiny's sensuous siren songs!