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In Quixote's Journal you'll find his adventures and musings.
Comments and feedback.Tuesday, February 28 2006
The Journey - Part VI - Finding Lady Dory
So the first task was to find a new publisher, a task that was to delay us for several years. Since publishing a magazine for our community took a combination of unique skills (skills I was sure no one else could possibly have as we had) this would not be an easy task. Using one of the lessons for manifesting we learned along the way we put an advertisement on the spiritual bulletin board. This is done by setting a clear intention, letting go of the outcome and waiting for the results.
Synchronistically, it was at this time that the Lady Dory felt a totally irrational impulse to become the president of the area holistic practitioner’s guild, known to the world as CHHA. With all the things going on in her life she certainly didn’t need another task, but felt compelled, followed the impulse and accepted. I was working on the CHHA board and as the year progressed it began to dawn on me that this just might be the person I was seeking. She demonstrated during the year many of the skills that are important to running a publishing business. And so it was that at the end of the year I offered her the job and it turned out to fit well with where she hoped to go with her life. It always amazes me how Spirit guides us to be just where we need to be. Things that often make no sense at the time are the very answer to our prayers.
Because she had some other commitments to fulfill it would be another year before she could begin work with the magazine and because of the complexity and variety of tasks involved in publishing it would be yet another two plus years before we could totally let it go. Every once in a while we would ask Spirit, “Now can you tell us what lies ahead?” And Knowing would just say, “Trust Spirit.”
To be continued.
Monday, February 27 2006
The Journey - Part V - Hard Choices
A few years ago after I passed my sixtieth birthday I began to wonder if I had fulfilled all that Spirit had in mind for me or if there might be something else I could do. So once again I set out to find that place from which The Door Opener was birthed. Over the years Sancho loosened up and we became more sensitive to Life’s nudges. We could feel the gentle breezes and currents of Life that urged us to go this way or that. And we learned to trust that we could go with them and things would be all right. So it was that in opening ourselves to other possibilities the knowing (for I know not what else to call it) came that if we let go of all the tasks with which we so identified ourselves, and in truth had become our identity, something else was waiting for us, something that would reignite our passion, which had somewhat dimmed after many years at the same tasks.
Sancho asked Spirit what lay ahead. Knowing said, “Trust Spirit.” Sancho was reluctant to set off not knowing where the path would take him. I, Quixote, saddled up . . . and eventually Sancho came along for the adventure.
Now a choice had to be made. Abandon the publication or find someone who would carry it on. There was much debate between us. I don’t like to wait and was eager to see what lie over the hill. Sancho felt a responsibility to the community that has come to depend on the magazine. He finally convinced me we would be doing a dis-service to those we love, and how could we then justify seeking a way to do a new service. I so dislike logic!
Sunday, February 26 2006
The Journey - Part IV - Letting Go
And so it happened. One night, near the end of the week, I sat pondering the meaning of the symbols shown to me by the Lady Enid. When suddenly the meaning of one of the symbols became clear to me my heart burst and I wept as I hadn’t since I was a lad. The cleansing tears seemed to purify me for they left me an empty vessel - but empty in such a way that all things were possible - that in that void was infinite potential. And in that moment I was able to move beyond ego and what I wanted and just offer to be of service to Life as it would have me serve.
I had learned that if you ask with a clear open intent your wish will be granted within a month’s time. And so I went back to the world to wait for the answer I knew was coming. The next month three opportunities came to me. One was a lesson that showed how our mental images of ourselves can limit us; that by changing our mind we change our life. The second was an opportunity at my place of employment to learn skills that would serve me in the years to come, and the lesson that our mental image of others also limits us. And the third was the opportunity to publish a networking journal for our community. I seized all three opportunities.
For the next decade and a half I found my service in publishing, working with organizations and helping health practitioners organize. It was very rewarding, but I’ll skip this part of the journey as this story is about how I came to the point of creating this website and I’ve digressed enough in setting the background.
Saturday, February 25 2006
The Journey - Part III - Preparation
The third year was as the second. I became more comfortable with the work and was on a high for the four days of the celebration. But at the end of that faire the Lady Beverly announced that the third was her last; she had done all that she set out to do.
I became depressed, for what was I to do now? I felt no closer to finding my place in the world. I had tasted joy, but now the source of the joy was gone. Once more I felt I would be set to wandering in the fields with no sense of purpose. Again a knight with no cause.
Two fair maidens I met at the celebration in May saw me in my misery, took pity on me and invited me to join them at a gathering to be held that summer of 1986 in the kingdom of Pennsylvania. Knowing not what else to do I accepted their invitation and found myself at a modest college in a place where there were many farms. Great teachers were invited to this place from all over the land. By day I studied at their feet and by night we danced and celebrated. Great healing took place as we journeyed and meditated and played and meditated again.
One night, for example, we were taken on a mystical journey in search of our power animal. As a strong, brave knight I knew my animal must be a lion or a tiger - something the equal my courage. But as I journeyed the first animal I came upon was a small kitten. A kitten! What kind of power animal is that for a knight? I chased it a way and moved further along the path seeking something worthy of my skill. But the kitten followed me. And nothing else appeared. So I sat down in a clearing, since nothing else seemed to be happening, and the kitten climbed in my lap, where it mewed as kittens do. While I sat disappointed, a voice came to me and said, “This kitten is your power animal; for in gentleness is your strength.” And so it was to be, although I didn’t understand it at the time.
And as the week went by such amazing things were unfolding for me. Among my regular teachers was a most amazing sorceress, the Lady Enid, who had knowledge of many things including Huna, the spiritual way of the Hawaiians. She had the ability to lead us to planes of being far beyond our own, including a plane where things only appear as symbols, the meanings of which aren’t immediately known. After days of teaching and meditation I found myself totally open and vulnerable, having put aside the protective armor I usually wear. Even a scarred knight of many years felt safe and ready for any magic that might happen.
Friday, February 24 2006
The Journey - Part II- The Faire
In our wandering late one May, we came upon a most amazing faire - it was indeed a Celebration of Life being held in the rural countryside. There we found many wizards, seers and faery folk laughing and dancing and making merry in so many ways that we were drawn to join their festivities. Even Sancho forgot his self-consciousness and joined in with gusto. The faire lasted four days and nights and we sat at the feet of great teachers and heard of fantastic things, and were led on unbelievable healing journeys, and met many others on their own spiritual journeys. It was as if we had entered another place where everything was lighter and the other world had vanished. But, alas, when the faire ended we had to return to the mundane world. It was not easy coming back down. But before I did I begged the great Lady Beverly, the inspiration for this faire, to let me help at whatever lowly task I could perform for her, should she choose to manifest another faire the following year.
And lo, she did plan a faire for the next year and the year after that, and I was called to help. With no experience at putting on such an event I thought there would be little we could contribute, but to my amazement Sancho proved to have a gift for making lists and keeping track of details. He found a place with the group while I sat back and encouraged him with pride, for without me he wouldn’t have been there.
My part came during the faire itself as I found I thoroughly enjoyed helping our guests find their way and seeing that they had a good time. This seems like a small thing, but came as quite a surprise to me, as I had been for most of my life focused on myself and my own needs. I had no idea I could derive such pleasure from helping others. It was like an elixir and I wanted more.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
The Journey - Part I - The Beginning
Our story begins exactly 20 years ago. Interesting how major events in my journey seem to take place at 10 year increments. Years ending in a ‘6' are big years. What year is this?
Anyway I had been intensely studying metaphysics for the past 10 years beginning in 1976 when, through a series of odd happenings, I discovered this hidden world. Hidden not in the sense that it was concealed, although it was very much underground in those days; but hidden in the sense that my eyes weren’t yet ready to see it. Once opened though I couldn’t get enough of this ancient knowledge and searched out books and teachers throughout the state. At first I was fascinated and curious, but sure I would find most of it to be foolish nonsense. Yet the deeper I dug and the more I experimented, the more I found I was changed by it. Here was the secret to alchemy - the transformation of the self!
And so I changed, shedding habits I detested and gaining confidence in my powers until the day came I felt ready to take up my lance and come to the aid of those of the realm who were still in need. I wanted so to be a wizard who would help transform others, so they too could see the Light.
But what was my task? I didn’t feel called to be a seer or an astrologer, nor did I seem to have that gift. I didn't feel called to be a healer for I could not feel energy as others did; so this was not my gift either. Nor did I feel I had enough knowledge and the eloquence to become a teacher of others.
Thus, I felt adrift - Sancho and I wandering the realm, seeking our place to do service. A knight without a quest; there is nothing so sad as a knight without a quest.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Trusting Life
I follow the winds, going wherever it feels right at the moment and doing whatever moves me; but poor Sancho in his left brain struggles with letting go, listening to his intuition, and trusting that things will work out as they should. He’s getting better though and has made much progress, particularly at trusting and learning to manifest. Looking back over our life there seems no question we were guided to be exactly where we are today, but hindsight is easy. It’s much harder to trust that the next step will be supported too.
As an example of how Life supports us if we trust that it will, I’ll tell you the story over the next few days of where the inspiration for these websites came from. It covers a number of years and includes a number of the tools and techniques that are available to all of us. If I can use them to create the life I want, so can you. That’s really the point of all this - to encourage you to create a happier, healthier life for yourself.
And to give you an idea of what a magnificent Universe we all live in check out these pictures and the accompanying music. Thanks to Dan Millman for telling us about it.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Greetings
I have my own website! How many poor seventeenth century knights can make that claim.
Anyway welcome to Quixote Enterprises. Here you can follow the development of the Community Center website and we’ll play with ways to communicate back and forth that may find their way to the new website also.
In this journal I’ll pass along interesting tidbits I run across and chronicle the adventures I have and things that pop in and out of my head. Your comments on my musings are welcome and also pass your thoughts along; they may find their way into the chronicle also.
At my age you’ll probably find that I ramble and reminisce, so I may jump back and forth in time; but you New Agers keep saying ‘there is no time’ so you should be right at home here.