Thursday, June 10, 2010

Between the Worlds


Andrew Jackson sculpture in Lafayette Park, next to the White House.

We used to always say What happens between the worlds can change all the worlds - or - heal all the worlds. I think there were other variants. We spoke these words right after casting our magical circles. I always thought of this phrase as an affirmation, a way of encouraging us to put as much energy as we could into the intention of the ritual.

When I left my life as a witch, I forgot all about the idea of effecting change from between the worlds. I stopped "conjuring" - the purposeful shaping of energy for a specific outcome. What I discovered is that for me, conjuring always got me bound up. All that shaping and focusing on a specific intention meant I became blind to alternatives, I couldn't see or imagine anything other than my intention. It was as if, when I did magic, I tied my own energy into knots, got all snarled up, developed the worst kind of tunnel vision. It took awhile to unwind from all that conjuring. Whew. It was such a relief to cease and desist.

When I stopped conjuring, I decided the healthiest thing I could do was to live very fully and specifically in THIS world - you know, the world of flesh and blood, the world commonly known as "reality." I wanted my feet securely planted on bedrock and topsoil, my heart beating real blood, my lungs taking in the skanky air of the swamp where I physically live.

I had in mind some kind of pure existence, something simpler and more direct than the world of magic. Ah yes. It was a very idealistic, one-dimensional idea in which I did not take into account the fact that life is always multi-dimensional, no matter what. I'm no longer there to conjure, but I still visit that place every day. I'm between the worlds when I pray and meditate every morning, as well as in dreams. I'm often between the worlds when I work, following the wisdom of my hands. Ronda, you know what I'm talking about, yes? Walking home from dinner with a friend last night I watched the lightning bugs rise in Lincoln Park where the thought struck me that every dawn and every dusk exists between the worlds (as well as in the "real" world). The space between breaths? Yep. Between. What about my photos? I mean, really!!

This morning I'm thinking about the blog realm. Here we occupy a space between the worlds, definitely! We make friends with people we've never met, we talk to people who live halfway round the world. Time/space collapses here; I leave comments on blogs written by people in Australia where it's already tomorrow (or - is it yesterday? I can never wrap my mind around it).

"In here", we find soul mates, folks we've known in other lives, other members of our tribes. Yes indeed, this blog realm is most certainly between the worlds. For heaven's sake.

As it turns out, though I place my feet on the swampy ground of Washington DC every day, tracing the same paths that Brother Lincoln and Brother Whitman followed way back when, and Brothers Washington and Jefferson before that, I'm still a creature who inhabits, and benefits from, the things that transpire in liminal spaces. So, go figure. There is no such thing as a pure earthy, one-world existence after all.

I was slow to put two and two together but I get it now, at last. May what happens between worlds heal all the worlds. Amen!


Between the worlds, after a nice rain.

19 comments:

Angela said...

I smile and nod, Reya. You are such a good watcher of things-in-between! And they are definitely there. Nothing is only this or that. And time is not important either. When I think myself away to times or places far from here - I am there! I love to spin your thoughts on. When will we meet?

Cynthia Pittmann said...

Everything happens in the gap between spaces that seem concrete. You make such a good point about seeing alternatives! Thanks for sharing!

Reya Mellicker said...

Angela, we already know each other so well. You and I meet often, I think. Do you agree? Still would be fun to take a walk together in the "real" world sometime.

You, too, Cynthia!

ellen abbott said...

I love the bottom photo. As an earth sign I mostly spend time here, I am here by choice after all. though I do visit the non physical world in dreams and love it there and often wonder which is the more real. But really earth is here because we all agree that it is while we are here. All is one.

Reya Mellicker said...

I love corporeal existence, Ellen, make no mistake! I'm a bodyworker, someone who loves to cook, eat, drink, kiss, etc. I even like cleaning house. Earthy, earthy. But I still have occasion to spend time between the worlds. Don't have to conjure there, just float - or notice.

Dan Gurney said...

"It was a very idealistic, one-dimensional idea in which I did not take into account the fact that life is always multi-dimensional, no matter what."

I think the more we try to live in "reality" the more magical and multidimensional it becomes. Reality is completely miraculous when lived in fully.

And yes, the blogrealm is a space between, definitely.

Elizabeth said...

Your photos are mundane and magic all in one.
Both are excellent
the bottom one knocks my socks off

yes blogland which sounds( BLOG/ LAND)
very concrete and earthy and grounded
can help us soar.
It's such fun.......
and I do love my blog chums

Ronda Laveen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ronda Laveen said...

I absolutley know about being between worlds when we do bodywork. It is the ultimate expression of: Be here now! Be there now! And be all places at once.

Those of us here on the planet are on our Earthwalk. Who knows for how many births before and yet to come? But we can simultaneously access other dimensions, realms, and locas with a breath and a change of vibration. Kool, yes?

Steve Reed said...

I think we all live in in-between spaces -- we just don't notice it. We think of the day as a series of events, but most of our day happens BETWEEN all those events. Most of our day is just breathing or eating or BEing.

My Zen teacher taught me in meditation to pay attention to the space between breaths. I thought that was such an interesting (and helpful) idea -- a way to notice what we never notice.

Reya Mellicker said...

What's interesting to me are the connections made in the spaces between. Like you and me, Steve. How could it be that both of us were out, taking pictures, listening to our ipods and being overwhelmed by beauty on the same day? Blows my mind.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Through a different set of circumstances, I think I may have "tied my own energy into knots" at times. Very interesting read. I'm glad I have stumbled into your blog, here, between the worlds.

Joanna said...

That photograph is just perfect. So multi-dimensional.

Karen said...

Amen, sister! Lots and lots of in-between spaces! I think they can help us think about blurred lines, about resisting the urge to put things in well-defined categories.

Looking forward to meeting you in the flesh, in the world we call reality... :)

(I love the idea of walking in the footsteps of Uncle Walt. What a gentle, intense soul!)

Mrsupole said...

There were a few years that I used to have outer body experiences, to where I am not quite sure, other then it was a place where they drove on the other side of the road. I know this because every time I would get in the car it felt strange to drive on the left side. I seriously would sit there and have to think about how to drive on the left side. This went on for a few years and then it finally stopped. I was actually kinda sad that it stopped but then I know that we have no actual control of some things.

I do not think it was England that I would go to because it was usually very sunny. I also think that I would be in a convertible because I remember so many times driving and seeing the sunlight in between the trees. I just remember that it always felt so free to do that. I have never driven a convertible and so was always surprised that I would even know what it felt like to drive in one. I do kinda miss it. I guess it was a cheap way to travel, but yes it is truly living inbetween two worlds.

Love the pic of the boots and horse. The second pic with the bricks is cool.

God bless.

Val said...

hi Reya - the blogosphere is definitely a world between worlds, and so much to uplift and inspire there ! with enormous potential to heal the earthly worlds we know and love. I am so happy to know you and all my bloggy pals xxx

Val said...

oh yes and those photos are AWESOME xx

Pauline said...

oh I do like these musings - and your conclusion (not to mention the photos). Nothing is as it seems :)

Barbara Martin said...

I, too, understand perfectly about life between the worlds, Reya. When I'm meditating and working on healing the icks in my past lives that affect my present life. Each night I see a different star filled night sky than the one we see from Earth.