Symbolic Themes - from Malayna Dawn tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-15341042011-11-30T11:28:21+05:30Explore how symbols and their themes resonate within us, transforming our lives, and find the Meaning Behind the Movie, Music or Story.TypePadEmbrace it Like the Very Last Christmastag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e88340162fd1ba460970d2011-11-30T11:28:21+05:302011-11-30T11:28:21+05:30Written Malayna Dawn for Unity Community Church where she poses as web-"mistress". If the Mayan calendar is right, and the world is ending on December 21 2012, (my birthday) or even transforming dramatically, this could be the last Christmas* and...Malayna Dawn
If the Mayan calendar is right, and the world is ending on December 21 2012, (my birthday) or even transforming dramatically, this could be the last Christmas* and the last New Year. At least, the last one we might recognize.
Kinda a bummer, I know. But we Unitics (AKA Truth students, positive thinkers, Pollyannas) can make it work for us.
Last year, we thought it might be the last holiday we could spend in our family home, so we did it UP!
We infused every aspect with appreciation and love, and lived it consciously and meaningfully.
(P.S.--Thanks to the law of attraction and our attitude of gratitude, we didn’t lose the house!)
Let’s treat this holiday season the same way. Deck the heck out of those halls, and trim those trees to teetering! Be good to yourself, and give to others from the heart.
If anything can stop the end of the world, it would be unfettered, unadulterated LOVE. And if it can’t be stopped, we may as well enjoy it to the fullest, live in the moment and have no regrets.
Make the most of the Mayan prophecy and make this holiday season the best EVAH!
(And if it turns out NOT to be the end of the world, we can top ourselves next holiday season while we giggle.)
* We'll probably get to squeeze out one more Hannukah. No Kwanzaa though.
The Mind Behind the Haunted Carnivaltag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e8834015436c50e4c970c2011-10-31T10:31:00+05:302011-11-29T05:55:39+05:30Written by Malayna Dawn for Whole Life Times What is it about Tim Burton’s creative vision that resonates with so many of us? In a time when fairy tales have been cleansed of anything scary, violent or even hinting at...Malayna Dawn
What is it about Tim Burton’s creative vision that resonates with so many of us? In a time when fairy tales have been cleansed of anything scary, violent or even hinting at death, Burton revives the darkness that has been removed, but for the delight of grown-ups, and without removing the magic.
Look back to the original versions of fairy tales—at the least the earliest written ones we can find recorded, such as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and you’ll see that they were indeed grim. There was violence and horror mingled with the enchantment. Endings weren’t always happy, but they served a social function…several, actually. Beyond scaring kids into behaving, they also fulfilled the purposes of mythology: to offer a metaphorical guide through the journey of life (which, let’s face it, can be messy). It’s a path we all travel, though at different times—from infancy to independence, puberty to procreation, adulthood to aging and finally, death.
Tim Burton eases us back into what we’ve removed from fairy tales, connecting us to what was and at the same time making it relevant to today’s pop-culture obsessed society. With a comical twist, a cartoony appearance and a tongue-in-cheek attitude, he helps us to accept and even enjoy the presence of darkness mixed with the light, whether in patterns of black and white stripes or his signature inward spiral. There is magic in the darkness, too—how else could you see the stars shine without the contrast offered by the night? Burton plays with shades of light and darkness, and like the yin-yang symbol, brings a touch of each to the other, and then adds bold splashes of color.
All of Burton’s films offer these myth-like lessons and cautionary elements:
Beetlejuice (1988) – LESSON: the unknown and unseen may not actually end up being that scary, once you can make peace with it. CAUTION: Beware of hubris and fiddling carelessly with things you don’t understand.
Edward Scissorhands (1990) – LESSON: There is much we can learn from those who are different. CAUTION: Society can be fickle. Watch out for the torches and pitchforks of mob mentality.
Batman (1989) – LESSON: We all have choices about how to respond when bad things happen to us. CAUTION: Better to look like a monster and be a hero than letting experience twist you into a true monster.
Batman Returns (1992) – LESSON: Living in the world requires duality, but animal totems can give us strength. CAUTION: There is a fine line between hero and villain.
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – LESSON: Embrace who you are at your core rather than trying to be someone or something else, but be open to outside influences. CAUTION: There are consequences that affect the world at large if you try to be other than your authentic self.
Big Fish (2003) – LESSON: Our life’s story can bring us strength and imbue our hero’s journey with a sense of purpose and destiny. CAUTION: In relating your story to others, remember to tailor the telling to the chosen audience for the best chance at gaining their understanding.
The LACMA exhibition not only showcases more than “700 drawings, paintings, photographs, moving-image works, storyboards, puppets, concept artworks, maquettes, costumes, and cinematic ephemera, including art from a number of unrealized and little-known personal projects,” but you can also avail yourself of a “handheld tour” that includes relevant video clips and interviews Tim Burton.
This month (August) will feature Saturday Monster Matinees, and with the exhibition running all the way to Halloween, inarguably Burton’s best time of year, look for a costume party, extended hours and family programs.
Malayna Dawn, a native Angeleno, is a world-traveler who is obsessed with writing about symbolism and culture.
Steampunk and Clockwork Couture tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e8834015390442c69970b2011-07-29T23:36:15+05:302011-11-29T05:56:44+05:30If it weren’t for the brightly shining sun on the leafy green trees and modern cars out the window, you might think you were in Victorian England – where the fog would obscure the cobblestone streets and gas lamps, so...Malayna Dawn
If it weren’t for the brightly shining sun on the leafy green trees and modern cars out the window, you might think you were in Victorian England – where the fog would obscure the cobblestone streets and gas lamps, so you could only hear the hoof beats of horse-drawn carriages and the hoot of the steam train in the distance. But this lovely little room is in the sunny Southern California suburb of Burbank!
Clockwork Couture has more than Victoriana, it offers the opportunity to become a Steampunk! To be a steampunk, you need to imagine that you’re living at the turn of the last century, when science is making huge strides and the British Empire stretches across the globe. The Queen’s subjects bring tales of steamship adventures and souvenirs from exotic lands. America lures many with the promise of freedom and danger in the wild West, and grand Colonial plantations in the South are creating Civil War, while on the East Coast, a new-world version of Victorian refinement can be found.
From this exciting point in time, almost anything could have happened. Things could have gone a different way -- technology could have been developed using clockwork gears and steam power…or at the very least, the aesthetic of highly ornamented and shining brass. It is into that world of possibility that Steampunks launch their imaginary travels.
Such journeys can be taken through speculative fiction or the screen, role-playing games of different types or at conventions. (Or all of the above, of course.) There are now many books in the sub-genre to supply you with tours of the Steampunk world, but allow me to draw your attention to the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger. Not only are they “wickedly funny” as it says on the author’s website, but Clockwork Couture’s Captain Donna Ricci graces the cover of each of the books in the series! See?
Silver screen-wise, adding a retro-futuristic twist to Victorian style is great fun for Hollywood production designers--sci-fi that looks like a highbrow period piece!
Think of: • The Wild Wild West (Will Smith, Kevin Kline-1999) • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Sean Connery-2003) Even the recent film Suckerpunch (Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens - 2011) had a steampunk style to it. The beloved Joss Whedon TV series Firefly (Nathan Fillion, 2003) and it's follow up film Serenity (2005) fits too with its cowboy-in-space thing, (as does, I’m sure, Cowboys and Aliens Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, 2011).
There’s less need to be historically accurate and more call for imaginative incorporation of fictional devices that could-have-been along with fashion twists on Victorian staples like corsets and feathered hats, or aviation goggles and brass accoutrements.
That’s why at Clockwork Couture, you’ll find everything from cowboy boots to Absinthe sets, ornate timepieces to feathered hats, and complete clothing ensembles with jewelry to match.
Check out Clockwork Couture at ClockworkCouture.com. They make clothes and hats to order (great for Red Hatters!) and can ship them anywhere, but make an appointment to visit the shop in Burbank and they’ll make you tea!
Watch the video here or on YouTube and tell your friends!
Art and Fashion Enchant an English Palacetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e8834014e8a111452970d2011-07-23T18:57:03+05:302011-11-29T05:58:14+05:30Before embarking upon my recent trip to London with one of my best girlfriends, she told me she really wanted to visit a palace. Though Buckingham Palace does offer tours, it’s only during certain months, and it wasn’t available to...Malayna Dawn
Before embarking upon my recent trip to London with one of my best girlfriends, she told me she really wanted to visit a palace. Though Buckingham Palace does offer tours, it’s only during certain months, and it wasn’t available to us during our 3 days there, so I checked out what Kensington Palace had to offer. I was so excited with what I found!
Not only do they offer tours through the State Apartments, but a theatre group called Wildworks has been brought in to bring the rooms to life, not as it was, but an enchanted version that lets you get a *feel* for the lives of the seven princesses that once lived there. The Enchanted Palace is what Kensington Palace has become, through the fashion and art installation that tells their stories.
We started our visit with afternoon tea on the terrace of The Orangery, an 18th century building commissioned by Queen Anne (reign: 1702-14) with French floor to ceiling windows overlooking a manicured garden. “The building was supposed to serve as greenhouse for over-wintering exotic plant and citrus trees that ornamented the gardens in summer. Its accomplished interior decoration reflects the Orangery’s other uses as a ‘summer supper house’ and a place for entertainment.”
The only hints toward the Enchanted Nature of what awaited were: 1) the design printed atop a chocolate tea cake and 2) the whimsical archway at the garden entrance.
(click any photo to enlarge it)
As soon as we entered to pay our admission, we could see that this was not to be an ordinary historical or architectural tour--there were tree branches coming from the ceiling, threatening to take over.
We were given a pocket guidebook with a dance card to note the order of our time with each princess as we came upon them.
The guidebook also encouraged us to “BE CURIOUS, EXPLORE, ASK QUESTIONS” of the various “Explainers” we’d find wandering the halls, a hint at how interactive this tour would become.
Up a tightly twisting staircase we went, into The Room of Beginnings, where the rest of the tree we saw below could be found. With numbered pointing hands on the tree and our trusty map in hand, we entered the first room, The Room of Royal Sorrows. Here, a bed, the sound of weeping and hundreds of small “tear-catcher” bottles with handwritten tags on strings with stories of the last time someone cried, surrounded us. A book of poetry told the story of the princess who became queen, but could not produce an heir to the throne. (Read all the poems here.)
Though this dress was not there when I visited, this video shows a bit about the room and tells more of the story.
From there, the Room of Enlightenment was a bit like walking into an observatory in motion. The guidebook says “A chamber of Significant Thoughts; surrounded by Philosophers, Theologians and Scientists, Newton expounds on his theories of time, motion and the Clockwork Universe.” You could hear him, too. Apparently it was Queen Caroline who was a fan.
The Seat of Power was made of soft, pillowy parts with an empowering banner to contemplate from the throne. "Sit here and feel your power. Your WORD can change lives -- SPEAK OUT! Be careful what you wish for..."
(photo by ME! Malayna Dawn. Click to enlarge. I'm sure those bubbles are ghosts!)
The Room of Flight featured a Vivienne Westwood gown (there seem to be several that rotate) seemingly flying down a grandly decorated spiral staircase. The poem describes the tragedy of Princess Charlotte, who married for love and then died in childbirth -- “She was running towards love and dancing with death all her life.” Light installations at the edge of the balcony allow you to see the princess watching you from the corner of your eye. (Photo from Wildworks)
The Room of Palace Time is full of clockwork cogs and unraveling timepieces. The guidebook tells us, “This clock doesn’t tell time, it makes it.” Oooohhh….. Check out this video !
In The Room of the World, the World in a Room, there are, of course, maps and globes. But the room also honors Princess Caroline’s predilection for collecting curiosities and precious things. The centerpiece of the room is the amazing Cabinet of Curiosities from the Sea. This piece is haunting and beautiful in a different way from the rest of the Enchanted Palace. Instead of fairytale things in a gorgeous antique cabinet with drawers and openings on all 4 sides, you can see behind glass collections of very real things from our modern world that have washed up on the beaches of Cornwall. Things like doll parts, colorful plastic fishing line and net, plastic lobster pot tags and seedpods from South America. Peep into one opening and you’ll see film footage of crashing waves.
The Enchanted Palace website tells us, “Cabinets of curiosities emerged in Renaissance and Enlightenment Europe as a way of making sense of the unknown world. For their creators they were also things of beauty and wonder, to be marvelled at and enjoyed….” but this cabinet, along with the other work done by the artist, Jane Darke, also helps us to understand where our trash goes, and how it impacts the world’s oceans.
The Room of Royal Secrets is where the guidebook explains “Peter, a feral child, was kept as a pet.” It’s reminiscent of the film Greystoke, The Legend of Tarzan but this is more than a legend. Peter, The Wild Boy, was found living in the forests of Germany. You can read more about him in this Guardian UK story, but the display for the Enchanted Palace was slightly disturbing (though not the only disturbing work...) with the the mix of nature and what could be found in a palace, like these fox furs.
The Rooms of Lost Childhood and the Room of the Sleeping Princess were both haunting for the same reason—the magic and promise of childhood trapped in a gilded cage. Described as “precious but not always loved,” by the guidebook, an “explainer” described the life of a royal child to us.
Beyond being “seen and not heard”, they were kept in a small room to play quietly, not necessarily with other children. Recordings of quietly singing, whispering, lonely sounding children played in a dimly lit room with beautiful décor and ornate toys. A piece of furniture showed the words trapped inside the children, longing to be heard.
The sleeping princess’ bed was reminiscent of The Princess and the Pea, piled high with plush mattresses. But dead leaves and moss strewn across the bed and floor tried to answer the question, when free to roam in her dreams at night, “what do Princesses dream of?”
The Room of Dancing Princesses depicted the life of glamour and fashion outside of the palace walls with two dresses--one worn by Princess Diana and the other by Princess Margaret (the current queen’s sister). Behind glass with messages that appear in black light, they shimmer against the black tree branches that fill the rest of the room. You can see better in this video:
There was a Gallery of War and Play with zillions of army men (not my bag, baby), a Room of Fish and Beer where royals dined privately and comfortably, and The Room of the Quarrel where a fight between best friends changed the map of Europe. The best friends were Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill, who was an extremely powerful influence... until she pushed things too far. You get to eavesdrop and imagine the scene in the nearby paper doll puppet theater. (Read more about these ladies here.)
The final stop is the long Gallery of Dancing Shadows, where you’ll find portraits of the seven princesses and a bit more of their stories. Then you’re ushered down to the shop where you can learn more in one of several books about the palace and find fabulous souvenirs!
The spell cast over me by The Enchanted Palace is still not broken, more than two months later. After writing about the experience, I am even more inspired by the fabulous storytelling, and hope you are encouraged to take the journey yourself!
Goddesses of Business - Female Archetypes for Professional Rolestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e8834014e899d1a4c970d2011-07-05T20:08:51+05:302011-07-05T20:10:09+05:30By Malayna Dawn As women in business, we aren’t always lucky enough to have role models to follow. But if we look back to the ancient world, we can find that many mythologies included ideal feminine concepts that were not...Malayna Dawn
By Malayna Dawn
As women in business, we aren’t always lucky enough to have role models to follow. But if we look back to the ancient world, we can find that many mythologies included ideal feminine concepts that were not restricted to the care of home and family.
The psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961) used familiar symbols as models for patterns of behavior or personality traits called “archetypes”. We have many archetypes at work within us, helping us to fulfill our various roles in life. There are numerous images to choose from, but for representations of ideally powerful women, goddesses are probably the best.
(Photo of Athena at the Vatican Museum taken by Malayna Dawn)
Listed below is a sampling of goddess archetypes we can apply to the business world. Whether we recognize these qualities in ourselves already, or long to possess them, perhaps with these archetypes as guidance, their traits can become part of our working personas.
Athena/Minerva
Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. Her mother was Metis, goddess of wisdom, but she emerged fully grown out of her father Zeus' head. Her Roman counterpart was Minerva, goddess of wisdom, medicine, the arts, dyeing, science, trade, and war. She was also credited with the invention of numbers and musical instruments.
The Athena/Minerva archetype speaks to women’s ability to multi-task. The Athena-type’s well-rounded education allows them to communicate well with men and earn their respect, which can be very useful in business.
Alaghom Naom
Mayan goddess of thought and intellect.
The Mayans were an advanced and ancient civilization known for creating one of the earliest and most accurate calendars. For women of color, especially, this goddess may help boost one’s confidence when feeling in the minority…for any reason.
Benten
The Japanese goddess of eloquence, wisdom, the arts, music, knowledge, and good fortune, (among other things), is usually depicted riding a dragon while playing a stringed instrument. She is also known for having eight hands which allow her pray while simultaneously holding a sword, a jewel, a bow and arrow, a wheel, and a key.
We can look to this goddess when we feel the need of many arms. She shows us that by balancing mind, body and spirit we can juggle many different things, including taming business dragons.
Nerthus
A Teutonic (Germanic) goddess of abundance, creative power, peace and wealth.
We need not be starving nor mad to be artistic and creative. This archetype tells us that we can live a creative, peaceful, abundant life!
Nga Mareikura
Maori female spirits that carry messages between mankind and the divine power.
These women offer an archetype of communicating inspiration that can be useful for artists as well as those in creative roles such as graphic design, advertising and media.
Nisaba
The Sumerian goddess of grain, writing and wisdom.
The Sumerians were highly advanced ancient people in what is now Iraq. As the goddess of one of the oldest and most sophisticated forms of writing in existence, she can inspire speech or report writers, lecturers, or authors.
Sarasvati
A Hindu goddess, the patroness of speech, writing and learning, and of the arts and sciences.
Here again we have a well-rounded goddess who can use both her right and left brain faculties. She sounds like she’d be perfectly suited as an archetype for a politician.
Shahmeran
In Anatolian (Turkish) mythology, the goddess of wisdom and the guardian of secrets.
This goddess teaches diplomacy – important as a business strategy, as well as in personal relationships. Though the truth is said to set us free, she reminds us to exercise wisdom to consider how it will affect others involved and the situation as a whole.
Snotra
Norse goddess of virtue and master of all knowledge, she exemplified the value of self-discipline.
The self discipline of balancing virtue with mastery is a worthy goal in the business world. Not only to reach our personal goals, but also to become admirable leaders in our companies and business communities.
Themis/ Justitia
Themis was the Greek goddess of justice. Her Roman counterpart, Justitia, gives us the well known portrayal of justice as blind, as she held balanced scales and a sword while blindfolded.
These goddesses remind us to be fair, balanced and impartial in our business dealings. The ideal archetype for lawyers and judges, they are just as easily helpful for anyone who has ever been accused of being irrational.
Var
In Norse mythology, Var is the goddess of contracts, from whose wisdom nothing could be hidden.
It may be a woman’s ability to pick up on subtle body language that generally goes unnoticed by men that gives us the reputation of knowing when someone is telling the truth. This reputation, even if not exactly true, could be very useful in negotiation.
For more information on goddess archetypes, read Jean Shinoda Bolen’s Goddesses in Everywoman: Powerful Archetypes in Women's Lives.
For more information on archetypes for personal transformation, read Carolyn Myss’ Sacred Contracts: Awakening your Divine Potential or visit myss.com.
Malayna Dawn is an author and freelance writer with over 1000 published articles and one spiritual adventure novel to her credit. Raised in Los Angeles and now living in Sri Lanka, she sees connections between pop culture and world culture, entertainment and religion, ecology and education, and hopes to share that perspective with you. Her novel, Echoes Across Time, is available worldwide from Amazon.com and many other major online retailers.
Being a Shaman – for self and otherstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e88340147e411fa41970b2011-04-12T19:38:17+05:302011-07-05T20:12:27+05:30Image from Lankapura.com The word “shaman” may bring to your mind images of medicine men in colorful outfits, dancing around a fire to the beat of tribal drums, much like the image of Sri Lankan devil mask dancers, above. And...Malayna Dawn
The word “shaman” may bring to your mind images of medicine men in colorful outfits, dancing around a fire to the beat of tribal drums, much like the image of Sri Lankan devil mask dancers, above. And you’d be right, though you’d be getting only part of the picture.
The REASON they do all of that is to get past our attachment to the “real” world and connect to our inner workings--to help us travel the landscape of our hearts and souls and make us whole in mind, body and spirit.
Now for you and me, their performance probably would not work. This is because they’re not speaking our cultural or symbolic language. To do that, they’d have to tap into our religious and spiritual beliefs, our cultural upbringing and the images we see in our dreams.
Wikipedia describes shaman as “intermediaries or messengers between the human world and the spirit worlds… Shamans are said to treat illness by mending the soul…[which] restores the physical body of the individual to balance and wholeness.” They also said “Cultural anthropology approaches shamanism as an integral part of the study of culture, belief, and practice.”
So who are the shaman of our modern Western culture? Who guides us through the realm of dreams, symbols, metaphor and stories to help us make choices in our lives? Joseph Campbell said it’s the artists—painters, poets, singers, dancers, actors, directors, comedians, etc. They take inspiration, which is a message from the spirit world, and communicate it in a language we understand. And when they really get it right, it not only entertains, but touches our hearts and inspires us. (Of course, that’s not always their goal.)
Joseph Campbell and Caroline Myss both have said that in today’s world, it is up to us to find our own way through our spiritual landscape. We have to be responsible for the well-being of our own souls. In other words, we need to become our own shaman.
SO, when I heard about this new book from Hay House, Be Your Own Shaman, I was very excited and had to share. Deborah King offers a step-by-step guide that combines ancient shamanic techniques with modern day energy medicine to help you lead the life you've always dreamed of! Whoo hoo!
The extra bonus of this book is that by signing up for the promotional offers, you can access a TON of free offers, including a free e-book version of my novel, Echoes Across Time! You can also take part in a contest to win, among other things, an Apple iPad2. (Talk about cultural symbolism – the apple with the bite taken out of it means we’ve eaten from the Tree of Knowledge.)
Hay House was kind enough to ask me to be part of the promotion of this book, I’m guessing because they found the following in the intro on my webpage, malaynadawn.com:
Sometimes meditative, other times sassy, she acts as a modern-day shaman, helping people to navigate their way through their inner and outer worlds through symbolism, stories and metaphor.
Sometimes I call it Practical Spirituality, sometimes Self-Growth and Personal Improvement, and other times Eco-Ethical Living, which incorporates body-mind-spirit with environmental and global concerns, but it’s all taking positive concepts and applying them to day-to-day life. I just like to throw out ideas and share how I use them, but this book tells you HOW.
April Foolishness and Archetypal Enlightenmenttag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e8834014e60499a19970c2011-04-01T05:00:00+05:302011-04-01T05:00:00+05:30April Fool’s Day is a day to play jokes, which can (if we’re lucky) have the positive effect of shaking people out of their stupor, and hopefully making them laugh. This is great for seeing things from a new perspective...Malayna Dawn
April Fool’s Day is a day to play jokes, which can (if we’re lucky) have the positive effect of shaking people out of their stupor, and hopefully making them laugh. This is great for seeing things from a new perspective and lightening up – or maybe even Enlightening Up!
“Everything that I’ve read suggests that enlightenment is lightening up,” said comedian Mike Myers in an interview. “’Ha Ha’ and ‘A-Ha’ are connected – they’re related industries.”
Caroline Myss examines the archetype of the Fool along with about 70 others, in her book Sacred Contracts. She explains that the fool is more than a simpleton, but by acting like one, he is able to communicate serious issues through humor.
In the case of a Court Jester, the fool expresses to a King what commoners or even the court members wouldn’t dare to say, much like political satirists do today. In other words, at their most positive, the Fool can “carry truth into closed circles or closed minds.”
The shadow, or negative aspect, of the Fool archetype manifests as cruel personal mockery or betrayal, specifically the breaking of confidences gained through knowledge from the inner circle.
So if you see any unenlightened pranks being played on April Fool’s Day, step in to find and share the positive in the scenario. Tell pranksters and their victims about:
• the Sufi (mystics of Islam) figure Mullah Nasruddin, popular in Egypt, Iran, and Turkey-- half saint and half fool, he acts like a ninny to teach wisdom.
• Or of King Arthur’s court jester, Sir Dagonet, who was knighted as a joke, but who also performed bravely in tournaments.
• Or the tricksters of Native American lore -- Heyoka, from the Lakota Sioux, who does things backwards to teach people not to take themselves too seriously or the animal medicine of Coyote. (Remember Wile E. Coyote from Warner Bros. cartoons?)
So don’t be afraid to act like a fool on April Fool’s Day. It may offer the breakthrough you’ve been looking for!
Carried in my Heart - Not Heavy at Alltag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e88340147e2b28f01970b2011-02-20T20:13:23+05:302011-03-07T15:43:17+05:30Feb 20, 2011 Recently, I tried to comfort one of my god-daughters after the loss of a family pet by posting this to her Facebook page: “When they're in your heart, they're always with you. I know because I carry...Malayna Dawn
Feb 20, 2011
Recently, I tried to comfort one of my god-daughters after the loss of a family pet by posting this to her Facebook page:
“When they're in your heart, they're always with you. I know because I carry a whole menagerie around with me in my heart…and some humans too. They're not heavy at all.”
I come from a pet-friendly family, well known for rescuing all kinds of animals, and as much as it hurts to lose them, it never stops us from investing our love into another animal friend. As one little ditty goes, “Love is something if you give it away, you end up having more.” Loving and being loved, even from a pet, is so good for us. It expands our light; and our hearts will expand to accommodate it all.
See the image? That's the landscape of my heart -- plenty of room!
I remember being comforted by one particular thought before I moved across the world -- distance doesn’t dim love. I learned this when one of my very best friends, the kind who you see or talk to daily, left to travel the world (which he did on and off for about 8 years) and whenever we spoke or saw each other again, it was as if no time had passed. We just picked up where we left off.
Today, on the eve of the 19th anniversary of my grandmother’s passing, I realize that I’m still continuing my relationship with her. Sure, it’s a bit different, but she’s part of my life’s story now and there’s nothing that will change that. I still smile when I think of all laughter we shared (my grandma was a funny, fabulous lady!), and still ask her for help and support and when I need it.
I’m also still feeling the loss of a close friend whose 41st birthday is one month from today. I won’t say it “would have been” his birthday, because it’s still the anniversary of his birth, and I will still celebrate his existence and his recurring role in the TV series of my life.
So, my friends, now YOU are characters in my life story and always will be! There’s nothing you can do about it either. Even if we never speak or see each other again, even if we’re not Facebook friends and don’t exchange holiday cards, you’re in there. You’re in my story and you’re in my heart.
And I believe that one day, on the other side of this life, I’ll close the distance between myself and those who’ve crossed over before me, and we’ll pick up where we left off. We’ll continue the relationship we started, because it never really ended in the first place.
My Valentine Clevernesstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e88340147e2914626970b2011-02-14T08:30:00+05:302011-03-07T15:44:07+05:30I’m feeling terribly clever at the moment, and just had to share! I figured my blog is the perfect place for such shameless self-promotion and self-congratulation. As you probably already know, I write about the mind-body-spirit connection and our place...Malayna Dawn
I’m feeling terribly clever at the moment, and just had to share! I figured my blog is the perfect place for such shameless self-promotion and self-congratulation.
As you probably already know, I write about the mind-body-spirit connection and our place in culture. At the moment, and for some time now, that writing has been in the form of ghostwriting for websites in the U.S.—more specifically, blogging. My current clients include a holistic addiction recovery facility, a hospital heart clinic, a wedding venue and a costume company specializing in comic and anime conventions. I feel clever because I’ve been able to have my own little Valentine’s celebration while writing for each of these clients.
I find it the most satisfying when I can incorporate what I’m thinking about anyway into my posts. So here’s what I did today and earlier this week:
For the heart health clinic - I wrote about -foods OF love—those that are considered aphrodisiacs, and what their actual health benefits may be. And -food AS love – the concept behind the use of food as a form of affection-- especially with children. This is not always good, since those who feel unloved for whatever reason may end up becoming overweight. I suggested different ways of expressing you care while also supporting the health of those you love.
For the holistic addiction recovery facility – I wrote about love and addiction -- how addiction affects relationships, and that the main relationship that needs to be nurtured is the one with oneself in order to recover.
And for the costume company, I talked about the love interests of superheroes (who are sometimes superheroes or villains themselves and therefore wear costumes). Fun!
Because I’m a ghostwriter, I can’t direct you to the actual articles I wrote, but I’ve included links to a few sources (and music videos ) above for those who want to play along at home.
Now that I’m done with work, I can go celebrate with my hubby!
Economy and Environment Conspire to Change us for the Bettertag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e54fccf67e88340147e11aaaa7970b2010-12-29T14:59:09+05:302011-03-07T15:44:47+05:30It seems to me that the environment and the economy are conspiring to force us to change...for the better. An ethnography professor studying the effects of You Tube on society says that people are reaching out for connection and community,...Malayna Dawn
It seems to me that the environment and the economy are conspiring to force us to change...for the better.
The environment has been encouraging us to grow our own vegetables, ride our bicycles, use solar power, and recycle. And the economy may be forcing us to do this by sharing expenses and resources by moving in with family members or friends.
As humans, we generally resist change. We don’t love it. It scares us. We like routine…at least until it bores us. But we can learn from the popularity of “What the Bleep” and “The Secret” that we affect our reality, and the world around us, with our thoughts and our choices. So let’s not move forward with fear, but with the excitement of someone about to embark upon an adventure.
Let’s see the economic shift as a way to bring us together, and to be creative about finding more meaningful, connected and sustainable ways of accomplishing our goals.
Let’s see the environment as a beloved part of us that we must learn to nurture and appreciate again, like our own inner child.
Let’s make “Follow Your Bliss”-- Joseph Campbell’s advice after years of studying the world’s religions and mythologies—the basis for our choices. And where our bliss truly comes from may be overlooked sources such as an abundance of time, connections with people, and a return to the earth and environment (whether that means going to the park or the beach, starting a garden, or camping in a foreign landscape).
Another thing we can do as we move into this new phase is to really consider the cliche “making the world a better place” with our every move. We can buy products that were made ethically, and environmentally, that support indigenous communities or give a portion to charity. We can take volunteer vacations that help improve others’ horizons while expanding our own.
As the New Year approaches, perhaps we can make our resolutions about taking less and giving more, appreciating all that we’ve got and all that we can share, and making conscious choices that support our ideals, thereby creating a 2011 that we can all be proud of.
May your new year be one of abundance, joy and pure bliss!
Edited and reposted from the original post on Dec 30, 2008 written by Malayna Dawn for her blog, Symbolic Themes.
What is it about Tim Burton’s creative vision that resonates with so many of us? In a time when fairy tales have been cleansed of anything scary, violent or even hinting at death, Burton revives the darkness that has been removed, but for the delight of grown-ups, and without removing the magic.