Shalom from CHILLY, rainy, gloomy DC. (Yay!)
Silly me. I decided to look at FB first thing this morning, before my daily practice of prayer, stretching, ohmming and meditation. Big mistake.
One of my FB "friends" posted a heinous lie about President Obama. I'm trying so hard to keep a thick skin until the election, or at least run away, run away whenever I see anything about the campaign. What was I thinking, opening my ipad first thing?
My mother used to say I was "sensitive - too sensitive." I guess that's right, and believe me, it is as much of a curse as she thought it was, but it is also a blessing. My uber sensitivity makes it possible to do good work both as a shaman and as a bodyworker. I'm like the Princess and the Pea when doing massage; searching for areas of congestion in my clients' tissues. When I find an area of engagement, I spend more time there, making for a more effective massage. In my profession, ultra sensitivity is a great thing.
Being too sensitive is also an important part of the shamanic job description. We work with the subtle energies after all. Shamanism is not like crushing a beer can on your forehead. Actually, neither is bodywork - or - it shouldn't be.
Some shamans shut themselves off from the regular world of interactions with humans in order to orient themselves more towards the astral realms where we do our work. I tried that for awhile, when I was learning the Art, but it didn't work so well for me. I need to be part of the world, in the world. Engagement with the world of people, animals, plants, weather, seasons and all things physical is a significant aspect of my Plan to Stay Sane.
What I realized this morning is that along with keeping me sane and grounded, my morning practice shields me from the impact of shadowy, fearful, ridiculous things I really don't need to take in, such as that FB ex friend's post, in which she said "a friend" told her Obama was going to take away the right of members of the military to vote. And she was serious! Good lord. I looked at her page for 20 seconds. She is hoping the CIA can be returned to its former glory under Romney. She loves Paul Ryan.
Of course I unfriended her, then got right to my practice. I won't make that mistake again. Whew!
7 comments:
This season is certainly weeding the FB garden for us! Romney and his peeps scare the ever lovin' out of me!
A lot of that going around apparently. So far I have restrained from unfriending anyone by either hiding their ugly or hateful posts or removing them from my newsfeed temporarily. Though why I should want to remain connected to someone who engages in ugliness I don't know. I may have to re-think that.
I have Republican friends who have different values but aren't vicious. I have friends who are Democrats and say horrible things about Romney and Ryan. It's the hatefulness I dislike, not the political values.
Dislike? The vitriol is toxic!
I had to tolerate a friend's social group at a gathering at her home recently-(mainly friends of her husbands)of a political persuasion opposing my own. They were goading, rude and arrogant. I wanted to steer clear of politics myself but any attempt to get out of the conversation and baiting was met by the alpha-males, with "we have obviously offended you".
I can see now why they say to steer clear of politics and religion -I think as a host the husband let some pretty poor behavior slip by with very boorish guests.Not the kind of social scene I enjoy at all.
On a hatefulness level, our Australian Prime Minister,still grieving her much-loved father's recent death has had to put up with fiercely right-wing media personality Alan Jones saying that her father no doubt "died of shame" due to her lies and policies. After a huge national backlash of disgust, I note the man is still on the airwaves, albeit with sponsors like Mercedes Benz taking back the provided chauffered car and sponsorship backing.
I walk away from vitriol because yes, it is toxic. What do children learn from political arrogance- that is is acceptable to be hateful or ruthless?
What amazes me is that people actually BELIEVE stuff like that. I mean, why would Obama take away the military vote? On what grounds and with what authority? It's just stupid.
It's always a shock when someone you thought was lucid suddenly lapses into mental mishmash. Where are the reality checks? I'd like a box of them to hand out.
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