A perspective on Reality

On Saturday evening (11/21) I traveled to the Penobscot Reservation on Indian Island to watch the independent documentary "Trudell" and hear poet/AIM activist/actor... John Trudell speak after the film. I am still feeling the experience, absorbing his words...
I am very impressed by this man. He is eloquent. He is self aware. He is passionate but rational. For me he speaks truth, pure and simple. Much of what he said was not new to me, but I had not realized it's pervasiveness. Native people have dealt with the reality since 1492... but those of us who are of mixed or non-native descent, have not understood how destructive of the human experience our national legal/political/financial systems are. Trudell considers economic policy
John states it simply. These policies are insane. They are anti life. They are anti nature. They are founded on economic properties that ignore law and seek to dis-empower individual responsibility. His focus on personal responsibility is what I am working to absorb. Having been raised in a culture that celebrates property and privilege, it is sacrilege in our national conversation to suggest that life choices that are based on acquisition and "power" are not a true pathway to a good life as a human being. It is a truth that I have always intuitively felt but never had affirmed by the people around me. To hear him speak is to finally understand my own discomfort and alienation with/from my culture's morays. I have not lived with this awareness long enough yet to know how or what my future choices will look like... I am still ruminating... my body, spirit, heart and head are not in accord yet as I have no answers...
I am allowing my spirit to take the lead. I love how Trudell's spirit when faced with "reality" is based in awareness, recognition, and the power innate within individual consciousness rather than in fear or anger. I am determined that is the direction of the path of a true Human Being. John Trudell on the Identity of being a Human Being

A new Gadget

Just curious to see how this works... blogging from  my iGoogle page - Seems good for short posts... course mine are rarely short!

Shifting Fortunes

Have you ever awakened with a premonition of change? That something wonderful was about to happen for you? Nothing you could explain or even pinpoint... just the awareness that the energy had shifted and possibilities were waiting to manifest...
That is what I'm feeling today, and I'm very excited about it. Lately I have been working at clearing the clutter of my life... things and dynamics that no longer serve... and I feel like I am standing on the other side of a tipping point! So... one more trip to the dump with another load of flotsam and jetsam, and then I am going to paint something that expresses the potential I am feeling...

How Now Brown Cow

Thursday started out with irritation - the awareness that some relationships are a vexation more than a pleasure. Fortunately as the hours progressed my mood lightened.
I was able to help a friend and generate some income too...
I have worked  for the needs of others too often without benefiting... and so I intend reciprocity from here on out. I've found that often, the ones you give something free to - do not honor either the gift or you in the bargain!
I had some good conversations throughout the day... so the morning's irritant was a catalyst for moving on and keeping only what serves. A useful awareness that could prove to be a solid foundation to build upon in the future.

An abundance of life...

Yesterday I once again returned to Sears Island. My purpose was to witness the use of a 60 foot Beach Seine that would indicate what sort of "biomass" would be found this late in the fall, in the shallow waters along the island's western beach near the causeway. Much to my surprise the "catch" was impressive.

The net was set about 50 feet from the edge of the beach, and walked back to shore, when examined it contained an abundance of small shrimp,  a variety of different species of fish from an inch to 6 inches in size, many green crabs, some loose mussels, and innumerable other tiny creatures. The abundance and fading light made it impossible to get an accurate count without jeopardizing the lives of the fragile creatures, but it intimates that the shoals off Sears Island are a vital ecosystem for immature marine life - even in the late fall.

As others managed the net, I took photos of the late fall color of the island. The shore was varying shades of crimson, purples, indigo, ultramarine, and bits of gold and silver with the oncoming sunset. My photo (above) doesn't do it justice as the fading sun light made it impossible for my camera to record the colors as I saw them... but it was deep and luscious to say the least!