Kurt Brindley's Blog, page 92

From the Dark

it is from the dark

that the light shines the brightest

to reveal the way

 

 

Filed under: Photography, 俳句 Tagged: dark, haiku, light, metaphors, photography, poetry, spirituality, writing, zen

THE EMPEROR WEARS NO CLOTHES!: A Guest Post by Author Avril Meyler

We are all familiar with the term “The Emperor Wears No Clothes.” An expression arising from a tale told of a young boy who in his innocence declared aloud during a parade by the ruling King of the Realm, where everyone had to bow down to the King’s will.

“The Emperor Wears No Clothes!” as all around him bowed low and refused to see the obvious, much less name it.

The ruled had been indoctrinated into believing the King was dressed in full regalia and no-one dared to challenge his nakedness except this young innocent.

When anything unseen and hidden is causing problems either within a society at large or as is often the case within the immediate family, first you have to name it. Until something is named there is no possibility of resolving it. Whilst people around the “hidden issue or situation” pretend there is nothing wrong, the hidden gets power.

Naming a problem that everyone around is trying to cover up takes courage. Whistle Blowers often do this, as well as the family “scapegoat.” Child abusers rely on the hidden, look what has happened within many establishments in the UK over endemic child sexual abuse, torture and in a couple of cases murder; and widespread cover up from leading establishment figures, currently being revealed through a major enquiry, some of which goes back 40 years and beyond.

How many of those in authority in the Concentration camps knew inherently what was happening was heinous yet never had the courage to speak out?

It takes courage to name something when everyone around you is accepting something as being “normal” or “O.K.” There is tremendous psychic pressure to keep the status quo, to not upset the apple cart. More so when one’s livelihood depends on such silence or in the case of family, one’s sense of belonging is at stake.

But we remain silent at the cost of the Soul’s Integrity. Do we want to spend our years racked with guilt or denial because we did not speak when we needed to?

By our silence we are complicit.

We remain silent sometimes within a bad marriage. We know things are going terribly wrong but the prospect of our whole world shattering and the pain and suffering that ensues causes many to put up with years of unhappiness.

Fear of being alone causes many to remain in stagnating relationships with an apathetic resignation because they do not believe that no relationship is better than a bad one.

It is the same with any involvement. Becoming a member of an organisation, whether paid or unpaid, if we start to see our own personal values and ethics being compromised and at odds with the organisations goals we may have life changing choices to make.

I have been personally challenged with this in two mental health charities and a meditation group I am affiliated to. Those of you who have read

A New Human by Author Avril Meyler

or been following my work on this and other websites will know that I sustained a seven-year period of altered realities when undergoing an awakening, which is described in the book. This was followed by fifteen years of world wide travel, volunteering, learning from Buddhism, Hinduism, Quakers and some Shamanic beliefs. I was led to research Mental Health both through personal connection with someone who has and still does suffer from a range of issues and has had periodic placements in secure units for their own safety; and through my own short time need for counselling, following returning from a stressful volunteer project in India.

As my involvement with these organisations deepened, I saw that despite their ethos to de-stigmatise mental health issues and to not label many conditions as an illness, they stopped far short of opening their minds to an Holisitc approach.

But there is something else going on here apart from an inability to address the more Holistic aspects of the Mental Health process, and that is many of these and other organisations are reliant on funding, if the funding sources and committees of these organisations have little or no awareness of an Holisitc Approach to Mental health then would they also decide that something they cannot easily see or relate to as being “Wacky” thus undeserving? I have attended enough meetings to see clearly where these concerns influence decisions.

Everyone is entitled to their views and free to believe what they want to believe, but when those same people become rigid in those views and categorically refuse to consider other perspectives on Mental Health, because it involves a major shift in their comfort zones then do we wonder how the Mental Health Paradigm is still stuck in the Psychiatric/Medical Model? Which causes in many cases worse side effects and long term problems than the original episodes of psychosis – read altered realities.

It may sound as if I am being pedantic here but I am attempting to convey an overall picture of how much minds are still closed, despite the information age of one-line Internet. There is no excuse for not being informed in today’s climate.

The question is “Do we want to be informed if it disturbs our reality?”

No one grew or evolved without touching the darkness within themselves or came to conclude that you cannot have a Universe made up of positive experiences only, it would lack substance and be completely out of balance. We need an amount of negativity in order to move and create time and space. The problem is because we collectively have not evolved to this understanding we are stuck in this Earth Reality where we allow our need for comfortable untruths to rule our minds.

It perhaps sums it up when a Committee Member commented when I said

“You do a lot of work for this Charity don’t you?” They responded “Well it gets me out of the house.”

We all have different reasons for volunteering but I guess meeting and interacting with someone like me who is convinced she has a “soul’s mission” to reveal all, including her own dark journey into a trail blazing brilliance of light, and refuses to shut up about it, would invite the comment, “She’s wacky!”

I speak of Psychic Attack and I speak of Possession. I also speak of life changing 500 mile pilgrimages, of Oneness and the need for discernment in these accelerated times. Reading or hearing the words Psychic Attack or Possession can cause a reaction of repugnance, well I have been there and discovered traumatically that…

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

– Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio ~

Sadly the hidden does have power, it’s only by shedding light on the darkest of realities that we have any hope of raising it into a space where it may be seen, understood and dealt with, thus opening the gateways of higher Universal Consciousness.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

~ Edmund Burke ~

 

Avril Meyler, author of A New Human and A Multidimensional Paradigm, is a qualified counsellor, hypnotherapist and holistic practitioner. She is now retired and a full-time writer and volunteer for a Mental Health Charity. For more about the author visit her website at

multidimensionalreality.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Filed under: Writing Tagged: A Multidimensional Paradigm, A New Human, authors, Avril Meyler, books, counseling, health, holistic therapy, hypnotherapy, Indie Authors, mental health, spirituality, therapy, writing

Backyard Bliss no.2

 

You can view the unedited version here. (And while there, you might as well check out my few other vids, “Like” them, perhaps, and if you feel slightly daring, go ahead and subscribe to my channel.)

 

#iamthatiam

#abundance

 

 

Filed under: Nature Tagged: abundance, Backyard Bliss, backyards, birds, family, hummingbirds, life, music, music videos, nature, photography, Run Into the Sun, videos

A NEW HUMAN & A MULTI DIMENSIONAL PARADIGM by Avril Meyler: An IABS&R Volume IV Book Reveal

This reveal comes from the second package of books I received the other day from my significant haul at the PO Box. The first package of which I revealed here. Subsequent to this haul I received another package from author K.D. Rose, so I will be revealing her book sometime next week. In the interim, you can check out what she’s got going on by visiting her website at authorkdrose.wordpress.com.

 

Brindley, Bradley…it’s all good. :) Throughout my life I’ve been called many things. The G-Rated names being those such as Bradley, Bremley, Brentley, Brinely, and of course Brinkley. Like the old saw goes: I don’t care what you call me as long as it not late for supper. But in case you were wondering, Brindley originates from a son of a noble family that William the Conqueror brought over to England from Normandy. When the son was married he was given some land that was known locally as the “Burned Leigh,” which, in an effort to be accepted by some of history’s very first French-despising Brits, he took on as his own family name, or something like that. So, essentially I’m a Viking by way of England via France. Long live Rollo!

Anyway… Enough about me.

The first thing I noticed about these books are their beautiful blues and purples that brings with them a universal, spiritual vibe. Which is appropriate, because although these books are rather diminutive in size – A Multidimensional Paradigm clocks in at a svelte 70 pages; and A New Human a bit huskier at 157 pages – they both promise some pretty heavy content.

A selection from the back cover of A New Human:

A New Human describes the soul’s journey through the awakening of her spirit in human embodiment. This experience sees her perception of life on Planet Earth undergo a major evaluation as she makes a bridge between her human self and her soul…

A selection from the back cover of A Multidimensional Paradigm:

Many people are undergoing a huge transformation as they begin to awaken and understand how Orwellian our world is becoming. In the past 30 years the Author has been shown past, present and future; possible futures, impossible presents made possible by mankind’s paralysis in the face of a fast changing world…

Does that rock or what? And I’m talking here a very heavy rock to accommodate the very heavy content of the books…

Anyway, she had me at “Orwellian.”

 

Visit with Author Avril Meyler at her website: multidimensionalreality.wordpress.com

 

I know you’re completely intrigued by what’s been revealed to you today so you will be happy to know that tomorrow we’ll have a guest post from the author. Right on?

Write on, my friends…

 

The deeper we go the brighter the light
~ Author Avril Meyler

Author Avril Meyler is a qualified Aroma therapist, Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who devotes her time to travel, volunteering and writing. You can learn more about her and her work at her website:

multidimensionalreality.wordpress.com

 

 

Filed under: Reviews Tagged: A Multidimensional Paradigm, A New Human, aroma therapy, authors, Avril Meyler, book reviews, books, counseling, hypnotherapy, Indie Authors, publishing, reviews, spirituality, writing

All That’s Before Us

cosmos expanding

new horizons revealing

all that’s before us

 

 

Filed under: Photography, 俳句 Tagged: Cosmos, flowers, haiku, nature, nature photography, New Horizons, photography, poetry, Senryū, space, spirituality, writing, 俳句

If You Could Read My Mind – Coming Soon To a Microchip Near You(r Brain)

This is a really cool and rather creepy story about our technological ability to read minds by NPR:   To listen, click here.

 

This is a really beautiful and rather sad song about love lost by Gordon Lightfoot:

 

#rememberwhenturquoiseqwascool

#yescanadiansweallknowgordonisfromcanada

 

 

Filed under: Music, Science Tagged: Gordon Lightfoot, If You Could Read My Mind, mind reading, music, music videos, National Public Radio, news, NPR, science, technology

Country Roads Are Like No Other no.5

the absurdity

cannot be denied by me

yet still I believe

 

 

Filed under: Photography, 俳句 Tagged: absurdism, absurdity, Albert Camus, clouds, country roads, existentialism, farms, landscapes, philosophy, photography, poetry, spirituality, writing

NO RACE TO CALL HOME: A Relating to Humans Race Issue by newmommytesla

NO RACE TO CALL HOME

newmommytesla

 

I have no idea what race or culture to identify with.

My blood is mixed. I don’t fit into any one category. I’m Aztec, Spanish, Scottish-Irish, English, German, and little slivers of many more.

It was difficult growing up, not being able to relate to one side. Not being able to deny or fully embrace one or another. I can’t speak Spanish. I don’t feel Irish or German. When I lived in North Dakota and was the only person with a last name like Rodriquez, I was known as “The Mexican.”

Being a mixed blood did nothing to help me find myself as a teenager, either. But as an adult it’s helped me to relate to more cultures and races than I ever thought possible.

I belong nowhere. And everywhere.

I know I’m not the only one.

After a thoughtful pause during a recent conversation with my mom, as she contemplated what else is in my blood, she said, “There’s going to be a little bit of everything in everybody at this point.”

She’s right. It’s rare to find someone of only one race or culture. America and the Americans in it are as much of a mixed blood as I am, yet we have some of the worst cultural, religious, and racial clashes.

Indian and the white man. Black and white. Muslims and Christians. The list goes on. Look at the news. Cultural clashes are among the top headlines.

America has a big opportunity to prove peace can be real, that cultural divides can be conquered. But we’re too busy concentrating on what one side of ourselves we want to identify with most – just as I did as a teenager.

It reminds me of a passage in the Bible my mother pointed out:. “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.”

Does America not want to stand? Do we not want to accept the truth staring us in the face?

We are all related.

Imagine what America could be if we embraced that. Imagine if the United States was actually united. Imagine the potential to excel for our children — for the mixed-blood child growing inside me now.

Let’s get out of the teenage mentality and grow into adulthood as the people of this country. Let’s admit that each race, culture, religion has done something — many things — wrong, and move on with breaking down the walls that divide us.

Let’s acknowledge, as I had to, that we are no one side. We are all.

trailblazingmotherhood.wordpress.com

 

Have you gained wisdom in how to relate with us fickle humans that you would be willing to share? Visit the Relating to HUmans page for submission guidelines.

 

 

Filed under: Human Relations Tagged: blended relationships, culture, essays, ethnicity, Guest Authors, identity, life, race, race issues, racism, Relating to Humans, relationships, societal issues, writing

Sailors, All Are We*

To all the Sailors lost at Sea

Whatever to Them

Their Sea

May be

And remembering thus

That all of Us

Through Life

Are Sailing

We

*This poem is the dedication for the forthcoming short story collection

LEAVE: And Other Stories Short And Shorter

Read the short story LEAVE for free at Smashwords

 

 

Filed under: Photography, Poetry Tagged: destinations, fiction, Hudson River, life, metaphors, New York City, photography, poetry, sailboats, sea, short stories, short story collections, writing

Props to #TEAMNASA

How cool is it that this little guy, after buzzing through space for nearly ten years, was able to do a fly-by of Pluto and open that apparently still-living planet (is it or isn’t it a planet) to us like it’s never been before; and is now, as I type, over 3,000,000,000 – as in three billion with a B – miles (I believe you need to multiply by 1.6 if you speak in metric, but I’m American so I’m probably the last person who would know) away and counting…

Pretty cool.

I wonder if it will ever catch up with the Voyager Mission…

Doubt it seeing that Voyager 1 has a 25-year head start on it and has already left the solar system…

Along with Elvis.

Huh?

 

New Horizons

 

 

Filed under: Science Tagged: galaxy, NASA, New Horizons, photography, Pluto, science, solar system, space, technology, universe, Voyager 1