Sites of Inspiration

Brainpickings: Brainpickings.org

An example of their offerings: “The question that we ask ourselves is, what protects you? What protects you in this world from sadness and from the loss of an ability to do something? For me, what protects me … is work and love. And I think that those two things cover pretty much every single thing. Because what you do, who you love, what you love, and what you do with your time is really the only question that you have to answer.” Maira Kalman

Joanna Macy: http://www.joannamacy.net/

Joanna Macy has ushered in a deeper work of acceptance of my spiritual path through her translations of Rainer Maria Rilke, along with Anita Barrows, in “Book of Hours – Love Poems To God”. “I yearn to be held in the great hands of your heart…Into them I place these fragments, my life, and you, God–spend them however you want.”

Rob Brezsny’s Free Will Astrology: http://www.freewillastrology.com/
Welp. Y’all are welcome to click on through to Mr. Brezsny. But he’s landed himself in the disappointment category for me this year (2022). I had the nerve to call him out on his polarization of the issues surrounding the covid vaccine. I made it clear I am vaxxed but that I’m also someone with chronic illness (MECFS) who had a debilitating and life-crashing reaction to the 2nd Pfizer jab. Do I think this means the Pfizer jab is pointless? Hell, no. And I made that clear. But maybe it was my audacity in saying “this isn’t who you are”. I don’t know. I was making the point that it’s counter-productive and destructive to tell folks to unfriend you if they’re not vaccinated. The issues are complicated and include folks who cannot risk vaccines. And there are people with highly valid trust issues where public health policy is concerned. And he was content to alienate them. I was fed up, having come across yet another person who is clearly very abled and enjoying the privilege of not having to know or understand the complexities of chronic disabling illness.

I obviously care or I’d have deleted him here since he blocked me from commenting or liking his Facebook page. I’ve spread the word about his annual horoscope predictions for years now. Not sure I’m so keen anymore. But you can decide for yourself. Sometimes, and this has been true all along for me, Brezsny’s perspective is a bit much, like someone who hasn’t experienced as much loss as others. Or at least it hasn’t reached him as deeply as it has others. In any case, I have made a pointed effort to not ditch people whose views run contrary to my own at times. I am that afraid of fundamentalism and have every reason to be as someone who will, to my last day, be working to salvage what was ravaged by a fundamentalist upbringing. There are a few folks with prominent social media presence I frequent online who sometimes (and sometimes often!) aggravate and annoy me with their views. But I respect them and I keep exposing myself to them because I don’t want to live in an echo chamber.

So, what follows is what I had to say over 10 years ago about Rob Brezsny. I still believe he’s got some beauty and truth to spread. But he’s not absent some blind spots. We all, at some point, figure out we’ve got our head stuck up our hindquarters on some issue or aspect of being human. There is a definite cure for that ailment.

Cue the words written a long while ago…

Brezsny’s vision and wit brings intelligence and personal growth into focus while challenging every person of every walk of life to go beyond the status quo, to find personal greatness and peace. I don’t always agree with him but I love this guy. His is a huge heart for liberation.

Hilary Barrett’s I Ching with Clarity: http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/

Onlineclarity is a powerhouse of opportunity for learning the I Ching’s ancient wisdom.