The Worlds State of Affairs

Humans Growing Up; A Story

In the 50's we were like children. We lived with "Father Knows Best", both in our lives and on t.v. The male authority was God and we accepted that. We might have felt angry, scared, or alone. But, for the most part, we tried to put on a happy face, to give the impression that all was always fine. In the 60's we grew into our "teenage years" and rebelled. No way were we going to go along like sheep and say "yes" to our governments desire to kill and oppress. It was a time of acting out our anger and fear that had been building throughout our "childhood".  During the 70s and 80s, we grew into "adulthood"; we were waking up. We started questioning others motives. Reality t.v. became a hit, along with talk shows that dug deep into peoples personal lives. Gossip had come out of the closet. We took a long look at people we thought were different from us and realized that they're not so different. They have the same feelings as us, the same needs as us.

As we grew up, we went from blaming others to questioning our choices and our very existence. For decades we had avoided politics, accepting that all politicians were corrupt and since we told ourselves that we were not, we let them do the "dirty work". But we realized that we had abandoned ourselves by letting others legislate our lives. Because we did not hold them accountable, the politicians were enjoying the freedom to legislate how they saw fit. Not needing to listen to "the people" they were in bed with those who would further their agenda, while receiving lots of $ to further their insider friends agendas.

In the 90s and early 2000s, we brought what had been expressed in the streets in the 60's to politics and corporate America. Today, we continue our search "down the rabbit hole". We are digging deeply to understand just how far we have gone in relinquishing our own freedom of choice. We see the deceit and oppression of those to whom we have abandoned our free will and we don't like it.

As we dig deeper into our search for Truth, we see just how complacent and in denial we have become.  We now are taking a good look at who we are. We are hearing "not in our name" more frequently. We are reclaiming the power that we had relinquished so many years (if not millennium) ago.
We are hotly debating every aspect of life, with the underlying themes of justice and equality. Every issue that had been in the "closet" is now center stage.

Every aspect of our existence is being examined as never before. From equality to environmental stewardship, to the birth rite of each person to choose their path. I believe that we have chosen to recognize that we are one people, one family; in truth, one mind. We have chosen to awaken to this truth at this time, concordant with the massive changes we see everywhere on the planet.

The Catalyst For Change

The times in my life when I have awakened the most are the times when my survival was most at risk. In fact, to the degree that I was on the "edge" was to the degree that I recognized the beautiful gift that is my life, this world, and the people in it.
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Beyond war, deceit, oppression, and our perceived differences is the very environment in which we live. The balance of our planets air, water, and soil has been trashed as we have abandoned ourselves. We are in a process of returning fully to being the stewards of our planet. As we are aligning in this one focus, greater creativity is being released. As we move seemingly closer to the "precipice" of environmental destruction. we are stepping out of our fear and isolation into Love. The call to return to our Oneness has never been louder and our aligning in Oneness has never been faster.

We are realizing our deepest dreams on the canvas of our entire planet.

In the "big picture", remember that even our bodies and this planet are transitory. This will all cease to be at some point. That we are One in Consciousness; this is eternal. I believe that we are here to return to that awareness. I believe that we have chosen to use this "play field" of Earth to come Home.
Welcome Home.

Still we see our human sisters, brothers, and our children being brutalized. This brings us to our knees. It breaks our hearts. What can we do, how can we "deal" with this reality?  I do my best to put myself in their shoes; both the perpetrators and the victims. As I "walk" in their shoes, I imagine what they may be experiencing and become clear as to what needs they may be trying to get met. No matter which side of any conflict someone is on, in the end, they want love. The sooner I understand what is motivating them to their fight or flight stance, the sooner I understand them, and have compassion for them .


Consider these few lines from the song, The Rose;

"It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes a chance.
It's the one who won't be taken who can not seem to give.
And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live."

When I have walked in the shoes of another, I understand what needs they are trying to get met. The beauty of this is that by assisting them in getting those needs met, I find mine met as well. I feel fuller, more satisfied. If you want to receive compassion, offer it.

 "Be the example you want to see in the world." 
~Mahatma Gandhi

What Redwoods Have To Teach Us

In our search for a long, healthy and harmonious life, the redwood provides a nearly  perfect example..

Longevity
The Redwood tree has been around longer than any other tree on the planet. They existed as long as 160 million years ago, during the Jurassic period. These trees, while growing to a diameter of 22' grow to as much as 367' tall, with a life span between 600 and 2000 years!
The redwood is the only known species in which some of them have exactly the same DNA today as redwoods that existed 150 million years ago! Every other species has changes in its DNA from generation to generation. Perhaps the redwood reached a near perfect way of existing in harmony, needing little more evolution.

Health, Stability, and Community
The root system, although descending only 8'-13', travels laterally as much as 150'. It combines with the surrounding redwood root systems to create a kind of mesh network. This network is a remarkable system that creates a strong foundation for the trees. They literally support each other. The nutrients sucked up by the roots of one redwood are shared with all the trees throughout the network. No tree is without food.
When a redwood dies, the roots from the dead tree continue to provide nutrition and foundational support for the community. Usefulness beyond death. Because of the tannins in their bark, disease and insect damage are virtually unknown to redwoods and only the hottest of fires can damage them.

Redwoods have a remarkable ability to regenerate and multiply. While most species regenerate through sexual reproduction, the redwood also reproduces from stumps, downed root systems, and redwood burls.
Traveling up these giants, you find that the redwood sustains many micro-climates, or communities of animals and birds. Since many of these species never leave their chosen elevation, we are often unaware of their existence..

Just being in the presence of these giants inspires awe. The knowledge of how incredibly efficient they are while living so harmoniously, inspires me to reflect on our human existence and how we can learn from their example.  I find it  ironic that while redwoods go nowhere and seem to do nothing at all, they accomplish so much. We on the other hand, are busy all the time. Busy with what?  I believe that we all want to feel a sense of belonging; of "family" or "tribe". We spend our lives in search of our place in this world. A place where we can contribute in a creative and deeply satisfying way, while feeling loved and appreciated.

Yet, we live very isolated lives. We sleep apart, we live apart, we travel apart. Although we have neighbors, we may not know them and for the most part, we don't share our lives with them. Although we travel in huge groups, we're all in our own metal boxes, in our own little world.

Living in Harmony
In the late 70's I lived in an ashram. I had discovered an idyllic community. We didn't need large homes with lots of stuff, because we shared everything ( a huge divergence from a culture where "possession is 9/10's of the law").  We shared meals. This made the shopping, the preparation, and the clean up quite easy. Our meals, although fresh and organic, came to about .80 per meal! It was an environment where for little buck, we got a huge bang. There was a free box, where items were left when no longer needed for the next person. A stellar example of environmental stewardship, this life style left a very small environmental footprint, while making a very positive impact on it's community.

I lived quite happily. I got three squares a day. I lived with my friends. The activities that I enjoyed were right there and always free. I had nothing in my way to clutter what was really important for me. I lived on a stipend of $100/ month and was able to save money!  I lived a slower, deeply fulfilling life.
An idyllic life. Although, one that not many Americans might embrace today. So, how can we translate this to our present day lifestyle?

Fruit Gleaning
 Some years ago, I created a support network in my neighborhood for fruit sharing. I documented all the fruit trees and when the fruit ripened, I contacted my neighbors to arrange a day and time when they could pick the fruit. I discovered a huge bounty. From this experience, I believe that within any given neighborhood, there may well be enough fruit trees to supply most of the communities fruit needs. Added benefits being that we get to know our neighbors, utilize the local bounty (rather than having it go to waste), along with providing a very sustainable service for our planet.

Disaster Preparedness
 A few years back I organized a few "Map Your Neighborhood" evenings. This is a very effective disaster preparedness program that is free to communities across America. The fire department gave me flyers to give to my neighbors, with a date and time. I supplied the place and popped in a DVD. People arrived with the intention of collaborating around disaster preparedness. Yet while discussing the material, a beautiful thing happened. We got to know each other and actually enjoyed each others company.
We exchanged contact info, and agreed on locations where people would go in case of a disaster.
We made a list of those folks who have skills to assist in a disaster. We listed all the tools and equipment that might be necessary along with it's location. We coalesced into a team. Now I know these folks and feel so much safer and grateful for them. Many of them are now my friends. Through these experiences, my sense of belonging, and my satisfaction as a contributing member of our community deepened.
( If you want further information on this program just contact your local fire department.)

Sharing the "stuff of life"
Imagine, nearly every house has a book and video library. On any given block, there's probably enough to last one heck of a long time! The same goes for tools. In any given neighborhood, there are enough tools to fill a hardware store.

I recognize that all neighborhoods may have many of the services and goods that we often drive elsewhere to get. The benefits of this "localizing" is that we can spend less money, reuse products rather than purchase new ones, utilize local services, thereby supporting our very local economy, and give ourselves more leisure time as we have goods and services available within walking distance. Localizing in this way can further deepen our feelings of belonging and safety. Once established, we would be surrounded with people we know, associate with, and possibly have friendships with.

Through all these means we have the potential to slow our lives way down and deepen our "roots", while making a huge impact on our planets well being.
Peace, Sahar

THE QUINTESSENTIAL QUESTION; WHO AM I ....REALLY?

We continue to hear how we are in a time of shifting paradigms. A time in which we are recognizing our intrinsic connection to the Earth, each other, and all Life.  I believe that we are collectively on a course to answer the most important question of our lives; "who am I?"  How we answer this question is the basis for every choice we make; for every thought we have.

Although we may not be conscious of how at the most fundamental level of our being, we answer this question, it still determines every thought we have. Beneath the level of thought is what I call the "petri dish" of our existence. At this primal level of our being, we hold the existential belief of who we are. Out of this belief  we determine every choice we make.

Setting Our Course

As very young children we made significant decisions in relationship to the main authorities in our lives (generally, our parents). These decisions were based on the degree to which we were loved and accepted as the unique, naturally gifted and beautiful beings we are. Each decision was a "brush stroke" in the creation of a "picture" that we painted. This "picture"  became our own self image.

With parents who were in conflict we may have made decisions about how to behave in order to be safe. These decisions lead us away from our natural state of authenticity and spontaneity, to believing that we had to determine our life's course  based on perceived  circumstances. We shifted from an internally, freedom-based, pro-active reality to an externally based, re-active existence. Our natural state is experienced as "us as Life" or "us with Life", our reactive state is experienced as "us as separate from Life"; an existence of struggle, which is how most of  us live.

How to return to the freedom and spontaneity of our True Self?

Beyond (or behind) the perceived struggle there is an awareness that has always watched our thoughts and the drama of our lives. It's like a movie screen in a theater upon which the movie is projected. Although the movie is cast upon it, it remains free from what is projected upon it. The drama has all kinds of characters, activities and perspectives, yet the "screen" is none of these. This "witness" (as it is called in Eastern Mysticism) watches our thoughts, emotions and even our dreams.  I consider this "witness" our doorway to The Infinite Life

At age 15, I met an enlightened Being, Swami Muktananda. Three days into my visit with him I had the direct experience of my truest Self, beyond this still witness. I was joyfully chanting away, my arms swaying, my whole being uplifted. In an instant, the borders of my being dissolved; no body to confine me or separate me; no three-dimensional reality whatsoever.  Distance disappeared; no here, no there. Time dissolved; no sense of before or after. This experience was of an eternal Now and an Infinity without measure. This was accompanied by a Joy that had no bounds. Free of thought; completely still, I was not separate or alone. Only our minds conjure up the thought that we're alone.

Thought free, infinitely blissful, transcendent of everything, at one point I had the thought "this is great!"
At that very moment this experience began to "shrink". Over the next few hours I became more identified with my thoughts and body. Although, I remember being in the lunch line and still being so blissed out that I hugged a pillar next to me! Even the pillar was a part of the Oneness.

I learned that that experience is called "Satchitananda".  "Sat" means Existence Absolute. "Chit" means awareness of this Existence. "Ananda" is infinite bliss. Great! I now had a name for what I had identified as my truest Self.

How do we return to that experience?

I love to quote Joseph Campbell's pithy, poignant, phrase; "Follow Your Bliss". Like the bumper sticker says: "If it ain't fun, don't do it".  Following our bliss invites us to recognize what we love to do.
It invites us to reflect on where we're struggling in our lives and why we're perpetuating struggle.
Having this phrase as a  guiding light, my entire life has changed. I do work that I love, I live with people that I love, and have learned how to return to love when I have entered conflict.
Follow your bliss long enough, and your life becomes filled with inspiration and passion.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs.
Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that.
Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
Harold Thurman Whitman

                                                             What's Your Bliss?

 

By the way, I'm hosting an evening of chanting at my home/studio tomorrow evening and 

will be playing with Jaya Lakshmi next Tuesday evening (8/20), at The Dhyana Center. Peace.

Life After Car Ownership

Four years ago, my truck was totaled in an accident. The insurance company said the accident was my fault.  I was convinced that I was "innocent."  I've spent much of my life trying to convince myself that I'm innocent.

With the "death" of my beloved truck came the intuition that I was not going to "re-up" on the car ownership thang. That Life had something else in store for me.  This was to be the first time in 26 years (1/2 my years on the planet!) that I would not own a car!  And I have'nt gone back. 

A  freeing experience. 

As I let go of my attachment to my truck, I was able to listen more to Life's calling. I relaxed into the work that called to me, waaay more than about 1/2 of the work I had been engaged in at that time. Not having the truck (a symbol of my previous work) actually freed me up to lean more into my counseling practice, my music, and the groups that I facilitate. My real joys.

I just had to let go of being in the "driver seat" to recognize it.

I see how identified we are with our cars. The thought of being without our car can be quite scary. It's like loosing a limb. It's a huge symbol for freedom. The thought that we can go anywhere anytime we like is a sweet one. The car is a symbol of safety. If we need to get away from someone, we've got our car. An emergency? We're good. Homeless, we've got a roof.

Yet like relying only on the contents of a book to tell us about the Great Mystery, when we rely on "our" car as our "vehicle" for freedom and safety we can easily miss the direction Life is inviting us into. Letting go of my car was one of the most freeing invitations from Life that I've ever stepped into.

Opening to the Mystery

Just the other day, a friend of mine, who was heading to Santa Rosa, gave me a lift to an appointment I had.

I felt excitement at the mystery of how Life would carry me home. After my appointment, I had a wonderful, brisk walk for a couple miles. While on a route I had taken hundreds of times, who do I find on the side of the path but a djembe drummer, jamming with great passion, while listening to a metronome. As a djembe drummer myself, I was enthralled, listening to his great groove.
Now, I had never crossed path's with a drummer on this route, but what followed was a very inspired conversation and a ride in his comfy car to Sebastopol. Magical. If I had fallen back into the "known" of car ownership, I would not have been open to the Magical Mystery Tour.

Before letting go of my truck, when  planning a trip, I never considered the journey ("flower-smelling" and the like). The car was in the driveway. That was the journey. Done. Now, when I have somewhere to go, just by the very nature of not having the car in the driveway, I get excited as to how Life will provide, which in turn, opens me to recognizing when and how Life is inviting me to it's "Tour".

It's always a Grande Adventure!!!

In this day when we are becoming ever more aware of how we isolate ourselves, I see just how much car ownership can be another way that we do this. We're in a box, most often by ourselves.
I'm not promoting the end of cars. I'm inviting you to look at how your attachment to your car actually limits the thing that you identify it with; FREEDOM.

There are multitudinous ways to get around. I love carpooling. We save money (big time!), pollute less (way less), share costs (give a few bucks to the driver), hang out with friends (old or new), & help with directions. Remarkable, how when there is nothing else but you, the road, and a friend, just what can be shared.

I live near a bike path.  I ride a recumbent bike; it's more comfortable, faster, and safer than upright bikes. Believe it! I occasionally take a bus. I walk a lot. I do much of my work out of my home. All of this contributes to a slower, more peaceful life.

If you want to talk about the being car-free, give me a shout. My window's open.  Let's go for a walk.

Three reasons why people have relationship difficulties and how to solve them.

We often think of sex and money as being the two primary areas of conflict in relationship. Conflict is an expression of underlying unmet needs. So, what are the motivating factors that lead to conflict?

Assumptions

The dictionary definition of the word assumption is "taking for granted; arrogant". When I take someone for granted or I am arrogant, I recognize this as an expression of  "self importance".  What to do?  Deny our self? Love our self?  To understand which path to take, we need to understand what we mean by "self".

 What is this self that we think of as us?  When we speak of "self", aren't we just referring to a collection of stories; of memories, fantasies, and beliefs? Think of this as a book. We're each a "book" of stories.  From our early life, we identify with this collection of stories and develop strategies to keep this "book" safe and "alive". We move through our lives comparing our "book-selves" to other peoples "book selves".

Yet, like the wind, these "books" have no solid ground, no permanence. And until we question the truth of our existence, we enforce this "story" illusion each time we rely on a story to determine the basis of  reality.
In Vedanta, one practice is "neti neti" or "not this, not this". This is the practice of recognizing what of our existence is temporary. When all that is temporary is identified and transcended, whatever remains is of a permanent nature; the truth of our existence.

Beyond the "book" that makes up our "self", there is an awareness that has existed throughout our entire lives. As a child, that awareness observed our every thought, word, and action. It is the same awareness that watches our thoughts today. Everything else in our lives has changed, except this awareness. From the cells of our bodies which are completely renewed every seven years to our deepest beliefs, everything changes.

This "awareness" is our eternal and only real Self. It is pure awareness, free from story and any sense of duality. Everything else is a critique of life based on the stories.

When I'm "story-less", I have no thoughts about me; what I can get, how I can hide, how I can be "seen". When I am "story-less" I have no  inclination to  make other's wrong, or overpower them. In these moments, I "get" whomever I'm with. I understand them intellectually, I "walk in their shoes" empathetically. If they are living from their "book", I recognize the  need they are trying to get met. Along with this awareness is the appropriate means to be with them in a way that reaches beyond their "book" to them; the uniquely beautiful and alive being they intrinsically are. This is often understood as "being present."

A teacher of mine once said "I'm monogamous with everyone".  I understand him to mean that he is fully present with each person he's with. His attention and his love are given to them unconditionally.

"I am not my thoughts, emotions, sense perceptions, and experiences. I am not the
content of my life. I am Life. I am the space in which all things happen. I am
consciousness. I am Now. I Am."
                                                                                 Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks

Expectations. 

This one always leads to disappointment. The extent to which I have invested in my expectation is the extent to which I will be be disappointed. 'Tis a bummer. When I recognize that I'm expecting a certain response from someone, I look to see what need of mine I'm trying to get them to meet. It may be that I want appreciation. It's always about wanting acceptance.

So, what better way to meet this need than by giving it? "In giving is receiving." Simple and easy.
"The greatest gift you can give is the purity of your attention." ~ Owm'r Faruuk
  
Keeping secrets. 

I don't mean day to day details. I mean the stuff of life. When we're honest with ourselves, we know which "stuff" is pertinent to share. By not sharing, we create a deception, no matter how small.

Whenever we withhold something from another, mental, emotional, and physical energy is stifled. Our natural state of being is one of flow. Consider that e-motions are "energy in motion". In our natural state, emotions are experienced and expressed. It's that simple. Otherwise they (along with their accompanying stories) remain within us and manifest as "stuck energy" or "cellular memory".

Stress as defined in the dictionary is "pressure or tension exerted". Stuck energy is stress. Each secret/withhold we accumulate adds to the amount of stress we carry and experience. Eventually, "withholds" require so much energy that we give more vital energy to them than we do those things that we hold precious! We're investing more of our life force into hiding than we are into what and who we love.
That's gotta hurt!

Oriah Mountain Dreamer put it this way in The Invitation :

         It doesn’t interest me
         if the story you are telling me is true.
         I want to know if you can
         disappoint another
         to be true to yourself.
         If you can bear
         the accusation of betrayal
         and not betray your own soul.

Do you feel stuck in your life; have concerns in a relationship; .feel weighted down by addiction?
Do you want to experience the wealth of strength and joy within you? It is my profound honor to assist you through whatever passage you are traversing, to a deeper awareness of your innate worth, and the recognition and expression of your unique gifts.

Visit my web page; www.SaharPinkham.com.

I wish you Peace.

Devotional Chant & Kirtans

My favorite genre of music.  It has the capacity to bring you to the depths of tranquility.  I do it at the Center because it has a fabulous PA system, professional, soulful musicians and an audience that is so open and receptive that as a musician it is a great pleasure to play for and with them.

As a member of the audience, you will experience tranquility and ecstasy and you  will have the opportunity for an experience of huge inspiration.  Oh the joy of chanting.  If you want to find and sink into peace and feel sweet joy,  I know of no other means that is as effective as chanting.

Immerse yourself in an evening of spiritual chanting and add your voice to timeless sacred songs with the musicians of the Center for Spiritual Living: Music Director Chris Fritzsche, Chant Leader JoAnn Newton, 

Sahar Pinkham on Tablas, Guitarist Mike Perkins, and Steven Anderson on keyboard, along with our Devotional Chant Chorus. Singing will be in English, Sanskrit and other languages with projected lyrics on the wall to make your participation easy and joyful. Wednesday, July 31st 7:00 - 8:30pm Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa 2075 Occidental Rd, Santa Rosa

My new blog

I've created a new blog, where I will be posting information and inspiration.  You can follow it several ways, by entering your email address to receive updates, or by following me on Twitter @SaharPinkam

 I hope you'll visit the blog and let me know what you think.

Here is some upcoming, Kirtan on the fifth Wednesday evening of the month at Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Rosa.

I'm playing tablas and I'm inviting you to come.  Starts at 7 pm.

2075 Occidental Road.

www.cslsr.org

707-546-4543