Cycle of Abuse

I found this website on the Cycle of Abuse that is easy to understand has some good connections to other informative websites. Thought I'd pass it on.

"X"tra forgiveness

In A Course in Miracles there is a saying "Love brings up everything unlike itself." Meaning when we make a decision for more love, expansion, empowerment, and healing all the crap we don't want to face comes up to be healed. Last night I gave a sermon on forgiveness based on the Lord's Prayer "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" (or sins or debts - depending on your tradition). I spoke of exercising daily this prayer and building up your "forgiveness muscle".
Today I get an email from my ex. Haha guess the preacher has to practice what she preaches. I cannot respond to this email due to there being some very good reasons for breaking up - It's Called a Break Up because It's Broken.
Nonetheless I can practice forgiveness and letting go in my heart. Forgiveness is rehab of the heart. It's tough work. It's also a path to peace.

quarterlife - new show on NBC

Last night I happen across a new show called quarterlife on NBC.
Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, the creative team behind "My So-Called Life," "thirtysomething," "Legends of the Fall," and "Blood Diamond," first produced this show on Internet. Its an insightful show of relationships during life's key passages, this one being the years between 20 and 30 and important life decisions are made. "quarterlife" is the story of six creative people in their twenties. It reminded my of St Elmo's Fire from the 80s or Reality Bites and Singles from the 90s. (I'm guessing this show will produce just as awesome soundtracks).

It starts with Dylan, a young woman whose overly truthful video blog (on quarterlife.com of course) spills the closest secrets of her friends, the show's characters – filmmakers Danny and Jed, actress-bartender Lisa, geek-extraordinaire Andy, and still-tied-to-her-parents Debra – chart the sometimes excruciating, sometimes comic, often emotional experiences that comprise coming of age in the 21st century.

"quarterlife" initially launched on MyspaceTV.com and on quarterlife.com in November 2007. The Internet series includes 36 eight-minute webisodes, with two new episodes airing each week. The show is also available on other sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Imeem, as well as NBC.com.

In last night's episode Lisa's acting coach confronts her "lack of sexuality" or "power." Lisa dresses sexy, has a lot of sex, but does not emit a center of power - her sexuality. Where is your power? Rob Bell in his book Sex God: Exploring the endless connections between sexuality and spirituality
proposes that Sex and God are connected. You can't speak of one without the other. Where is your power?

quarterlife.com already has an established social network. The members of the quarterlife community – by their willingness to share their feelings, creative passions, and deepest concerns – are redefining what a social network can be.

Mythic Parables

In my class tonight we discussed living between myth and parable. Myths allow us to dream and to believe in a future better than the present. Parables won't allow us to live in a dream world. They call us to confront the present and deter us from trusting in any hope that does not face the hard reality of the present. Ironically we need both stories in our lives. We were to reflect on the mythic and parable in our own stories and rituals.
I have a ritual. On Friday nights I like to prepare and buy a favorite meal (usually Thai), pour a glass of red wine, rent a few DVDs, and take a long hot shower after some yoga or pilates or running a few errands after work. I work with people 7 days a week. My job is in service and I serve my employers, my church, my family, my friends the best I can. I'm an extrovert and am very social - a real joiner. My Friday nights have become sacred. A special time set aside for me, to indulge in alone time, to simply be. The mythic ideals of this is that choosing a life alone is better than the challenge of being-for-others all the time. We all need "me" time. The parable is I'm alone. At the end of a long week of socializing and supporting I'm still in solitude at the end of the day and it is my choice. The parable is that in the alone time I must face who I am, the choices and mistakes I've made and nurture my soul not fill it with distraction.

Baby oh Baby

Have you noticed a trend in films this past year with an "unwanted pregnancy" theme. I'm thinking of Juno, Waitress, August Rush, Knocked Up. Maybe you can think of a few others. There is a famous story that came out last year...Nativity. That tells the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus Christ. Yes that is another story of another "surprise" teen pregnancy. I recently watched Turner Classic Movies channel and Love with the Proper Stranger, starring Natalie Wood and Steve McQueen was on. The plot is of Angie Rossini, an Italian Catholic Macy's salesgirl, who discovers she's pregnant from a fling with Rocky, a musician. Angie finds Rocky (who doesn't remember her at first) to tell him she's pregnant and needs a doctor for an abortion. He finds her a doctor and they work together to raise the money. Rocky doesn't let her go through with the abortion and tries to do the "right thing" and marry her. Angie refuses and gets an apartment on her own and lives a "liberated" life. The movie never goes far into the pregnancy and you are left to discern that Rocky and Angie are really in love and live happily ever after. In 1996 a movie called Citizen Ruth took a satirical look at the pro-life/pro-choice politics by utilizing dark comedy in the debate.
The common theme I continue to find in these movies is that of personal transformation, change, birth of a new self, and discovery of true love. These stories are not just about women experiencing a transformation both physically and emotionally but the men in their lives. Some grow apart, some grow closer.
Pregnancy is a symbol of new growth and creativity among the metaphysical literature. Unwanted or surprise pregnancy reflects the resistance we have to change. We live in a time that is pregnant with change, not unlike the 1960s. Something is a-coming. Just look at our presidential race and the monumental change of having such diverse candidates in serious running. Life is getting loud and the suspense is boiling over. What do you think? Where is God in all this pregnant change? We fight over family values, pro-life/pro-choice, but what is beneath the fight? Is it our values and sacred regard for life? And what of this life? I learned long ago to "let go and let God." It's a wild rollercoaster ride, that sometimes has not track, when you do. Are we ready to give birth to a new age, a new society, a new experience? Change is coming. I have an assignment for school to examine popular movies for deeper themes. As I review the films in this years Academy Awards line up I see old stories retold in a new way. The changes we are feeling and growing into are simply a part of the human experience. I plan to look at more of these human transformation themes in popular culture - films, TV, music, etc. If you have any suggestions for me to explore - please let me know.

More stuff on stuff

I found a comedy routine by George Carlin on you tube talking about stuff. Keep in mind he can be a bit offensive, but try to laugh at yourself. I know I am. "I'm ok, I got my stuff, right?"

story of stuff

Have you seen "Story of Stuff"?
The Story of Stuff http://www.storyofstuff.com will take you on a provocative tour of our consumer-driven culture — from resource extraction to iPod incineration — exposing the real costs of our use-it and lose-it approach to stuff.
Check out this teaser
At Spirit Garage we are taking a lenten journey through the theology of earthkeeping (see Earthkeepers Guide to the Universe). I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be an earth creature - a creation of God. In the Bible it says in Genesis 1:26-28 that we are created in the likeness and image of God with dominion over the creation. "Dominion in the likeness of God's dominion is being-for-others love." I read that in a textbook years ago and it is on my mind. How can we be-for-others in our practices of consumption, our economy, our lives, and our world. I look forward to hearing what you think about the story of stuff. Be earth keepers who care for and protect the only home we share with all life.