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#Truth
Showing posts with label Truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Truth. Show all posts
Friday, October 31, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Anything or anyone/That does not bring you alive/is too small for you
Sweet Darkness
When your eyes are tiredthe world is tired also.
When your vision has gone
no part of the world can find you.
Time to go into the dark
where the night has eyes
to recognize its own.
There you can be sure
you are not beyond love.
The dark will be your womb
tonight.
The night will give you a horizon
further than you can see.
You must learn one thing.
The world was made to be free in.
Give up all the other worlds
except the one to which you belong.
Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is too small for you.
-- David Whyte
from The House of Belonging
©1996 Many Rivers Press
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
On Writing
My New Mantra
“remember,
you were a writer
before
you ever
put
pen to paper.
just because you were not
writing
externally.
does not mean you were not
writing
internally.”
― Nayyirah Waheed
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Revolution of Self
"The world is coming to an end, and the path towards a new beginning starts within you." Prince Ea
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Interviewing My 7-Year-Old Niece
Mackenzie:
"If the planet gets sick, we get sick.... If the planet dies, we die. The trees help us breathe."
"Animals being hurt makes me sad. Because they are special and part of this world."
Sunday, July 6, 2014
knowing there is a chance/our hearts may have only just skinned their knees
Andrea Gibson: "The Madness Vase/The Nutritionist"
(Best part of the poem)
So the next time I tell you how easily I come out of my skin
don't try to put me back in.
Just say, "Here we are" together at the window
aching for it to all get better
but knowing there is a chance
our hearts may have only just skinned their knees,
knowing there is a chance the worst day might still be coming
let me say right now for the record,
I'm still gonna be here
asking this world to dance,
even if it keeps stepping on my holy feet.
You, you stay here with me, okay?
You stay here with me
(Best part of the poem)
So the next time I tell you how easily I come out of my skin
don't try to put me back in.
Just say, "Here we are" together at the window
aching for it to all get better
but knowing there is a chance
our hearts may have only just skinned their knees,
knowing there is a chance the worst day might still be coming
let me say right now for the record,
I'm still gonna be here
asking this world to dance,
even if it keeps stepping on my holy feet.
You, you stay here with me, okay?
You stay here with me
Friday, June 27, 2014
Sunday, May 4, 2014
We love, yet we destroy.
"We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we
cut them down. And people still wonder why some are afraid when told they are
loved."
~Unknown Author
Sunday, April 27, 2014
"Collapse," Apocalypse, Suicide Notes, Pain, Meaning
I got caught in a rabbit hole of inspiration, depression, truth, and death on Friday.
It started during the day at work when my co-worker suggested I watch the documentary, "Collapse." I watched it Friday night and then started tweeting about Michael C. Ruppert, the activist/whistle-blower/author, speaking throughout the movie.
The Twitter world told me he was dead. I searched how Michael C. Ruppert died.
The interwebs told me he shot himself only a few weeks ago (13 April 2014). He left two suicide notes. Ruppert's attorney left a comment: "He absorbed the pain of the world on a daily basis until he could not take it any longer."
I also found out Vice Media, Inc made a special series about him, "Apocalypse, Man." The first two minutes highlight the tension and the pain that Ruppert was living with. "I'm tired. I'm ready to die," said Ruppert. Right after that comment, a teary-eyed Ruppert expressed his love for this broken, dying world. Tension. Pain. Grief.
Finally, I listened to the radio show that Michael C. Ruppert recorded shortly before killing himself. Twenty-two minutes into his show, after giving shout outs to those who have been "doing the work," fighting for the world and acknowledging climate change and social collapse, Ruppert shared the song, "Calling All Angels," by Jane Siberry and KD Lang. (Listen to it, you won't be disappointed.) Such weight in the lyrics and sounds.
What hits me hardest is how worn down Ruppert must have been. I caught glimpses of his despair throughout his videos/radio show. There were scenes of him breaking down, of his hopelessness coming through. Ruppert also said that he moved to Colorado "to die or to commit suicide."
I try to imagine 35 years as an activist, whistle-blower, author and truth-seeker. I'm not even 30 yet and feel isolated and tired. In the "Apocalypse, Man" series, Ruppert commented on how he found a community of support. "I'm so not alone anymore," he said. However, we're all ultimately alone. As much as we can grieve for the state of the world in community, we wake up and fall asleep in our heads. If we can't work through our own feelings, a community won't be much help. We have to do our individual grief work to be able to process such heavy, overwhelming feelings.
Ruppert's friend, Carolyn Baker, speaks of the importance of inner work and of finding peace and love. There's no doubt in my mind that Ruppert had to have done serious inner work over his years of activism. What is heart-breaking is that it wasn't enough. Grief and despair wear you down, break you down. How can we learn to sustain ourselves in a world that is constantly compounding bad news?
How can I find meaning in my present life knowing that we're committed to global climate change, to social change, to suffering? This is the question I'm researching and writing about for my thesis. Seems so important, but it requires sitting with tremendous tension and few answers.
My thesis chair tells me to sit with the tension, to find answers in the process.
Wish me luck.
Final thought: "An entirely new level of human consciousness is needed right now, or we're all dead." Michael C. Ruppert
It started during the day at work when my co-worker suggested I watch the documentary, "Collapse." I watched it Friday night and then started tweeting about Michael C. Ruppert, the activist/whistle-blower/author, speaking throughout the movie.
The Twitter world told me he was dead. I searched how Michael C. Ruppert died.
The interwebs told me he shot himself only a few weeks ago (13 April 2014). He left two suicide notes. Ruppert's attorney left a comment: "He absorbed the pain of the world on a daily basis until he could not take it any longer."
I also found out Vice Media, Inc made a special series about him, "Apocalypse, Man." The first two minutes highlight the tension and the pain that Ruppert was living with. "I'm tired. I'm ready to die," said Ruppert. Right after that comment, a teary-eyed Ruppert expressed his love for this broken, dying world. Tension. Pain. Grief.
Finally, I listened to the radio show that Michael C. Ruppert recorded shortly before killing himself. Twenty-two minutes into his show, after giving shout outs to those who have been "doing the work," fighting for the world and acknowledging climate change and social collapse, Ruppert shared the song, "Calling All Angels," by Jane Siberry and KD Lang. (Listen to it, you won't be disappointed.) Such weight in the lyrics and sounds.
What hits me hardest is how worn down Ruppert must have been. I caught glimpses of his despair throughout his videos/radio show. There were scenes of him breaking down, of his hopelessness coming through. Ruppert also said that he moved to Colorado "to die or to commit suicide."
I try to imagine 35 years as an activist, whistle-blower, author and truth-seeker. I'm not even 30 yet and feel isolated and tired. In the "Apocalypse, Man" series, Ruppert commented on how he found a community of support. "I'm so not alone anymore," he said. However, we're all ultimately alone. As much as we can grieve for the state of the world in community, we wake up and fall asleep in our heads. If we can't work through our own feelings, a community won't be much help. We have to do our individual grief work to be able to process such heavy, overwhelming feelings.
Ruppert's friend, Carolyn Baker, speaks of the importance of inner work and of finding peace and love. There's no doubt in my mind that Ruppert had to have done serious inner work over his years of activism. What is heart-breaking is that it wasn't enough. Grief and despair wear you down, break you down. How can we learn to sustain ourselves in a world that is constantly compounding bad news?
How can I find meaning in my present life knowing that we're committed to global climate change, to social change, to suffering? This is the question I'm researching and writing about for my thesis. Seems so important, but it requires sitting with tremendous tension and few answers.
My thesis chair tells me to sit with the tension, to find answers in the process.
Wish me luck.
Final thought: "An entirely new level of human consciousness is needed right now, or we're all dead." Michael C. Ruppert
Friday, April 4, 2014
Sixth "Great" Extinction
Sixth "Great" Extinction
Before you dream of me tonight,you must first know that we named a geologic era after you.
You mark time by 3's
-Species per hour, that is.
The metronome has clicked 24 times since my morning alarm sounded.
I heard you got the Western Black Rhino.
-Pity
The dog wags his tail.
He doesn't know about you.
His kin are dying.
My kin are dead.
We build our lives in squares.
You take lives from circles.
Lost voices echo off concrete floors
And invade my dreams.
You're doing this.
No,
No,
We're doing this.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Where I am Now.
I haven't blogged in a long time because I didn't like where this blog was going. I wanted to put more depth into it, but found myself too busy to do so. And still, I'm not sure if I can do exactly what I want to do with it, but I figured I'd update it and see where it goes.
I'm struggling with where I want to go in my life and what I want to do. Since I was young, I've been passionate about the natural world and biology. I figured the sociology program at MSU would be a wonderful opportunity to integrate my knowledge of natural sciences with social sciences. It turns out that I'd have to nearly abandon my natural science knowledge because the program is so rigid with sociology coursework. There's little room for anything else. It should also be mentioned that I'm not funded and earning funding doesn't look promising, either.
So, now I'm trying to figure out what the next step should be. Another Program? Work? I've always envisioned completing a PhD program. But since coming to MSU, I've reflected a lot on my motivation to pursue such a degree. It's distorted thinking to believe that I'm not a valuable member of society unless I have a PhD. And, it's also false to think that I NEED one. It's odd to carry such pressure along with me all these years.
I'm confident that I want a Master's degree, but no longer confident in my ability to commit to a PhD. I'm applying to a few programs around the country, which will mean I'll have to move again. However, if it's only a Masters, I'll only be gone a few years instead of 5-6. There's a program in "Environmental Humanities" at the University of Utah that looks promising for what I could see myself doing. I'm submitting my application this month. I'd also like to apply to an "Environmental Management" program at Duke University, to open up more options.
I'm constantly trying to seek out what the truth is but realizing that it's always more complex than I thought it to be. Understanding truth is a constant process of re-evaluation; re-evaluating myself and the information that I come across. But, I hope to keep this up as I continue moving forward.
I'm struggling with where I want to go in my life and what I want to do. Since I was young, I've been passionate about the natural world and biology. I figured the sociology program at MSU would be a wonderful opportunity to integrate my knowledge of natural sciences with social sciences. It turns out that I'd have to nearly abandon my natural science knowledge because the program is so rigid with sociology coursework. There's little room for anything else. It should also be mentioned that I'm not funded and earning funding doesn't look promising, either.
So, now I'm trying to figure out what the next step should be. Another Program? Work? I've always envisioned completing a PhD program. But since coming to MSU, I've reflected a lot on my motivation to pursue such a degree. It's distorted thinking to believe that I'm not a valuable member of society unless I have a PhD. And, it's also false to think that I NEED one. It's odd to carry such pressure along with me all these years.
I'm confident that I want a Master's degree, but no longer confident in my ability to commit to a PhD. I'm applying to a few programs around the country, which will mean I'll have to move again. However, if it's only a Masters, I'll only be gone a few years instead of 5-6. There's a program in "Environmental Humanities" at the University of Utah that looks promising for what I could see myself doing. I'm submitting my application this month. I'd also like to apply to an "Environmental Management" program at Duke University, to open up more options.
I'm constantly trying to seek out what the truth is but realizing that it's always more complex than I thought it to be. Understanding truth is a constant process of re-evaluation; re-evaluating myself and the information that I come across. But, I hope to keep this up as I continue moving forward.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Pink. Perfection. Music. Truth.
"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it."
Salvador Dali
"All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection."
"All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection."
William Faulkner
"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing."
Harriet Beryl Braiker
Stephanie showed me Pink's new music video yesterday. I've always liked Pink as an artist. I havent liked all the music she's released (which is typical of any artist I like), but she says a lot of powerful things... Things a lot of people are intimidated to say. This song in particular brings to light how strongly society pushes us to be perfect, to fit the mold created for us. She expresses how the pressure sometimes feels unrelenting, and it comes from every angle (peers, parents, media). It also shows how detrimental striving for perfection is. I like the "happy" ending, but I understand that this is an idealistic way to finish the song/video. Not everyone gets to experience the happy ending. But maybe by being aware that we don't have to fit into those oppressive molds, we can begin to accept that being flawed is ok. We don't have to be someone we're not. "Once you accept the fact that you're not perfect, then you develop some confidence."
Rosalynn Carter
Check this out:
Fuckin Perfect (Video)
Made a wrong turn
Once or twice
Dug my way out
Blood and fire
Bad decisions
That's alright
Welcome to my silly life
Mistreated, misplaced, missundaztood
Miss "no way it's all good"
It didn't slow me down
Mistaken
Always second guessing
Underestimated
Look, I'm still around...
Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like your less than
Fuckin' perfect
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like your nothing
You're fuckin' perfect to me
You're so mean
When you talk
About yourself
You are wrong
Change the voices
In your head
Make them like you
Instead
So complicated
Look how big you'll make it
Filled with so much hatred
Such a tired game
It's enough
I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons
See you same
Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like your less than
Fuckin' perfect
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like your nothing
You're fuckin' perfect to me
The world stares while I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in lying and I tried tried
But we try too hard, it's a waste of my time
Done looking for the critics, cuz they're everywhere
They don't like my genes, they don't get my hair
String ourselves and we do it all the time
Why do we do that?
Why do I do that?
Why do I do that?
Ooh, pretty pretty pretty,
Pretty pretty please don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less then, fuckin' perfect
Pretty pretty please if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing you're fuckin' perfect, to me
You're perfect
You're perfect
Pretty, pretty please don't you ever ever feel like you're less then, fucking perfect
Pretty, pretty please if you ever ever feel like you're nothing you're fucking perfect to me
Once or twice
Dug my way out
Blood and fire
Bad decisions
That's alright
Welcome to my silly life
Mistreated, misplaced, missundaztood
Miss "no way it's all good"
It didn't slow me down
Mistaken
Always second guessing
Underestimated
Look, I'm still around...
Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like your less than
Fuckin' perfect
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like your nothing
You're fuckin' perfect to me
You're so mean
When you talk
About yourself
You are wrong
Change the voices
In your head
Make them like you
Instead
So complicated
Look how big you'll make it
Filled with so much hatred
Such a tired game
It's enough
I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons
See you same
Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like your less than
Fuckin' perfect
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like your nothing
You're fuckin' perfect to me
The world stares while I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in lying and I tried tried
But we try too hard, it's a waste of my time
Done looking for the critics, cuz they're everywhere
They don't like my genes, they don't get my hair
String ourselves and we do it all the time
Why do we do that?
Why do I do that?
Why do I do that?
Ooh, pretty pretty pretty,
Pretty pretty please don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less then, fuckin' perfect
Pretty pretty please if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing you're fuckin' perfect, to me
You're perfect
You're perfect
Pretty, pretty please don't you ever ever feel like you're less then, fucking perfect
Pretty, pretty please if you ever ever feel like you're nothing you're fucking perfect to me
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
What's The Truth?
"Truth exists. Only lies are invented." Georges Braque
I've had several discussions with several different types of people about what truth really is. Groups all across the board like Republicans, Liberals, Christians, Buddhists, Atheists, Therapists, Writers, and Professors all believe they know and possess the truth (or at least some aspect of truth), but how can all of them be right? How can groups that harbor beliefs that are polar opposites still see their own "truth" as supreme, ultimate, "the right way"? It seems like believing your own truth takes a great deal of faith, and faith does not equal truth. Therefore, can we ever really know what the truth is?
And on a side note: I'm not even sure we can find truth because we are constantly bombarded by propaganda and marketing strategies that force us to think a certain way. The lives that many of us live are so convoluted and caught up in materialistic nonsense that we've taken other people's truths as our own.
I'm constantly searching for my truth. I'd encourage you to do the same.
I've had several discussions with several different types of people about what truth really is. Groups all across the board like Republicans, Liberals, Christians, Buddhists, Atheists, Therapists, Writers, and Professors all believe they know and possess the truth (or at least some aspect of truth), but how can all of them be right? How can groups that harbor beliefs that are polar opposites still see their own "truth" as supreme, ultimate, "the right way"? It seems like believing your own truth takes a great deal of faith, and faith does not equal truth. Therefore, can we ever really know what the truth is?
And on a side note: I'm not even sure we can find truth because we are constantly bombarded by propaganda and marketing strategies that force us to think a certain way. The lives that many of us live are so convoluted and caught up in materialistic nonsense that we've taken other people's truths as our own.
I'm constantly searching for my truth. I'd encourage you to do the same.
Friday, December 3, 2010
I stumbled upon this....
"28 Must-Read Books That Will Forever Change How You See the World"
I would also like to add Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
And, I'm currently reading The Omnivore's Dilemma. I think change can only come through awareness. So, read up and learn about what's going on around you.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Starting Out.
I'm obsessed with truth. I feel like I've been lied to my entire life; by parents, the school system, our government, and basically anyone else who has an agenda they'd like to fulfill. So with that said, this is my way of "giving back," trying to provide some sort of truth in a world focused on lying. I'll try to post clips, news articles, reviews of movies or documentaries that are thought-provoking or otherwise relevant. Perhaps these posts will promote discussions, spark ideas, or at the very basic level, allow me to feel like I'm not just storing a lot of information in my head.
The clips, articles, and movies/documentaries are all created by human beings with flaws. I, too, am a human being with flaws. Please realize that what I post up here is intended to get people to think. People need to start thinking and becoming aware of the world that is around them.
The clips, articles, and movies/documentaries are all created by human beings with flaws. I, too, am a human being with flaws. Please realize that what I post up here is intended to get people to think. People need to start thinking and becoming aware of the world that is around them.
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