CONNECTION

Is it possible, that perhaps one of the causes of fear stems from loosing touch with our CONNECTION to all of life? We innately know we are 'supposed' to be connected . We innately know were are all related. We may not know these things consciously however on some level we feel that need for connection. Then, when we can not touch that place, we are more apt to feel fear and concurrent anxiety related to knowing something is missing even if we can not put a finger on exactly what it is that is missing...

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Seeing the Self as seperate from the Whole

creates isolation.

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Isolation creates fear and anxiety.

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When prayers are focused on needs other than those of self ... when at least we see the needs of others as just as important as the needs of the self (the topic of ... need vs want ... is something to also look at sometime in the future) fear tends to diminish. Taking the focus (perhaps obsession) off of self is a good thing. The Buddhist have a form of prayer called Lojong Tonglen or taking and recieving which lends itself to expanding the prayer beyond the needs of self. http://www.lojongmindtraining.com/

Certainly there are times when it is appropriate to pray for self, however, it is not uncommon for our prayers for self to not take into consideration the effect our prayers will have on others. The indiginous peoples of Turtle Island remind us to take seven generations into consideration when we pray. Our prayers for others and for self must take into consideration the effect we have on all Creation.

Recently my family said prayers that a relative might recieve a liver transplant so that he could live. One of the things the family had to look at before sending these prayers out was the consideration that in order for our family member to recieve a liver transplant someone would be loosing their life so that a liver would be available. The wording of the prayer needed to be very specific so that no harm was brought to anyone. The prayer had to not end the life of someone so that our relative could have a liver. The prayer was made for a liver to come from one who was leaving this earth life for his / her own reasons and then the liver would then be available and matching. A liver did come to our relative and his recovery was many weeks faster than is common. The doctors were astounded at how his body accepted the liver and recovered from the surgery.

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Who sees all beings in his own Self

and his own Self in all beings

loses all fear

... from the Isha Upanishad

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KAI and RAJA

What do you think goes on in the mind of a human baby? What do you think goes on in the mind of a member of the cat nation? I would expect Raja (the cat) to want nothing to do with (the little human boy of 10 months of age) Kai. I would expect the little boy Kai to pull Raja's fur. However that is just not the case. The cat actually seeks Kai out. The cat will call to Kai to get his attention. Kai did not need major teaching to understand the importance of being gentle with this old gramma cat (Yes, Raja though a typically male name is a female cat. You need to ask Starr about the naming process here).

Kai's mom, Starr was one who has always been comfortable with life. I remember taking her to an ashram when she was about 5 or 6 years old. In a quiet side garden there was a coy pond. She became quiet looking at the coy. she put her little hand in the water making an upturned cup with her hand and fingers under the water. numerous little fish swam into her hand and just sat quietly. The fish were not nibbling at her fingers. They were just sitting quietly. Others in our party tried the same 'trick' but none of us obtained the same response from the fish. So.

When Starr was about two years old and just learning to express herself well i thought i would ask her about her memories of being born. i was a la leche league leader surrounded by conversations on birth and nursing and so had an interest in her perception of birth. Also she had been exposed to pregnancy and birth so i was cautious of blindly believing her story (if she had one) of what it was like to be born. What she told me stunned me ... in a good way.

We were sitting on the couch in our living room. Just Starr and i - no one else around to distract us.

i asked starr, "Do you remember what it was like being born?"

Starr nodded and said, "Yes."

"What was it like?" i asked.

She held her head in her hands and said, "Hurt."

"It hurt being born?" i asked.

Starr nodded yes.

i asked, "So, what did you want to do?"

She responded, "i wanted to go back."

i assumed where she wanted to 'go back' was to the womb, but i asked her, "Where did you want to go?"

Starr became very still and she looked at me with the eyes of an ancient being. Then without a word while maintaining focused eye contact with me she very carefully placed her index finger at the point of the third eye.

Maybe there were more questions to be asked. But the ancient eyes looking at me with powerful focused intention stilled my tongue. My little daughter had said it all. I interpreted her actions to tell me she wanted to return to at-one-ment with Creator and Creation.

So perhaps Starr's children will have a similiar understanding of Creation and Creator. Maybe.

i do think, little 10 month old Kai hanging out with the gramma cat is a good start.