Who is Wisdomona? What is she?

 

Wisdomona is many things and being womanly she changes her mind (and clothes) quite often.

She is the egg, pollen, bird, the bee and the butterfly. She knows where she came from, has a destination in view but often loses her way.

Trust is her strength and downfall. She can’t always tell the sincere from the insincere – many a nightmare is dressed like a daydream! Trusting in herself is easy – no one knows Wisdomona like Wisdomona!!

Honesty she’s learnt can get her into trouble but trouble is her middle name. She rarely shys away from a challenge. Uphill, perilous emotional terrain she’s no stranger to; her heart rules her head (unless the latter is overruled!).

Softness of heart and strength of mind she possesses but often gets them mixed up and ends up with no end of moral dilemmas. Should I kick or kiss or stroke?

Creativity is the mother of her inventiveness but she lost the father along the way! Whether father-less or man-less she continues on her path with pizzazz and humour!

Passionate she is about injustice in all its forms. She’s a “problem child” and won’t accept that there’s not enough food on this big, old planet to go around.

Truth she still hasn’t got to grips with – ultimate, absolute, your version, my version? The jury’s still out on this one!   

Charisma she’d like to think she has. Birds – of a feather, of prey, eagles, sparrows and vultures all want a piece of her!                            

Influence she has a little I guess – over her offspring – but she’s a quiet leader and maybe when she’s pushing up the daisies…someone may decide to follow her wisdom.

Humanity she’s got in spades. She’s a people person but knows that by leaving some alone is the only way to gain peace.

Solitary she is; never lonely. Loves, loves her own company. She is “the one” and “a keeper”.

Worldly – she’s not fully got to grips with this planet…and would like to get off it sometimes. To be in this world but not of it. It’s a work in progress with much failure and few successes.

 Confidence – aah! She has it but forgets and reverts back to the amoeba stage. She isn’t always aware that her wings were made to fly. There’s a few buzzards who’d like to clip hers anyway!

Unconventional – there’s no other way. She doesn’t see (or cares not to) view life through a muddied, wide angled lens (herd mentality). She’s a one off and anyone who doesn’t believe that…..can just go take a running jump into a dry lake.  

Love is the stuff she carries around in her soul but how she dispenses it will intrigue and shock! Love is…..letting go and keeping it away. Love in her book is loading the gun with bullets of peace. Love, to her, is gentle and fierce. Love is fast and slow. Love is moonlight and an electrical storm. Love is a showing not just telling. Love is…….whatever she wants it to be…….but you always want more of hers!  

Spirit – she’s a woman with lots. Freedom is her birthright; no chains can hold her.

World-view – aah…..that’s tricky. She rarely watches CNN so doesn’t get her fix from the miseries/absurdities of life.

Money – follows her around but is an uncommitted partner. So she’d like to get a printing machine and make a mint.

Domesticity – she likes to indulge now and then but routine kills off her brain cells so it’s just not her cup of tea or even the washing-up!

Work – its better than begging or stealing so work is necessary to stay connected. If her heart and soul are engaged (and married to ) the job……… it’s a reward.

Leisure – is her pleasure. Whiling away sun filled hours on a soft hammock must be like swinging on a cloud. To stop and stare at softly brushed sunrises and sunsets makes for a rich life.




Children – mini Wisdomonas – there are three. All individual and cute as cupcakes. One is like a long knicker bocker glory – imperfectly perfect and delicious. The other is like a chocolate sundae and any day of the week it tastes good. The last is like a pavlova – elegant, classical andwith more than a hint of the drama queen.   

Food – the older she gets, the less she partakes. Mental food suits the palette of life and adds more texture and flavour than anything found in the kitchen.

Animals – she’s close to and hates to eat them.

Reading & Writing – these are at the top of her list (sometimes even ahead of friends and family!) and they have been steadfast companions and she has guilt pangs over the little time she devotes to each of late.

Female – she’s a life long member of the elite sisterhood. God help the twisted mister who comes between her and her soul sista!

Travel – the windmills of her mind keep turning to every corner and she’ll never give up on finding Shangri-La.

Health – seeking the optimum is her mission and you won’t find her in surgeries, clinics or hospitals.

Aging – is just maths (50+1) and who’s counting?

Religion – let’s not go there! It’s divisive but useful for keeping people off the streets.

Home – where is it? No one knows. Wisdomona can make a house a home but she can’t remain in it. She’s rootless and belongs everywhere and no where.

Heaven – is a state and it’s always a bit more heavenly wherever she is……

Wisdomona.........whoever she is........is irrepressible and irascible!

The Pen and the Sword

Je suis une machine à penser

I don’t need to review last week’s events in Paris to understand worldwide shock and sadness.  In the hearts of mankind, good and evil live side by side and engage themselves in a power struggle. It’s a struggle that is as old as the hills and like truth it will never go away.

Man is the sum of many parts – body, mind and soul – but he has not yet fully learnt to integrate or refine the intricate mechanisms that make up life enhancing character and talent. Too often one or more aspects are neglected or sacrificed and the journey towards authentic power is rarely begun.

However, when man chooses to access his authentic power and develop his talents for a higher purpose, you can be sure that he will face many obstacles. The powers that claim to rule our world are mostly corrupt – they restrict the truth and allow lies/misconceptions free rein. Creative artistes - writers, poets painters, sculptors and dramatists in every era have been responsible for pricking global consciousness and fuelling the fires of change.

Words and pictures are proven weapons in the war on terror. Words touch us and break down our egoistic guard whilst an image leaves a lasting impression. There are no shortage of visitors to art galleries all over the world who wish to gaze and mull over the enlightened offerings of the greats: Van Gogh, Monet, Michelangelo, Picasso and Shakespeare.

History reminds us of the Renaissance Period where new thinking was ushered in to raise human worth. Human beings started to be thought of as something more than cattle or chattels. Human suffering was depicted in literature, art and drama brought to the masses. Love and tragedy, pathos and piety were written, drawn and acted out.

Words have power, they move and disturb our psychological sediment.  They have to be used with care and consideration. However there is a point of zero tolerance and so words (like the truth) hurt feelings. If we are in touch with our authentic power then we will ask difficult questions of ourselves: do we wish to be hurt by the truth or take comfort from a lie?

Living the lie is what most people opt for otherwise we’d have better human relations, governmental and religious systems. I don’t wish to dwell on the motivations of individuals who find problem solving down the barrel of gun. Picking up the pieces of man’s inhumanity  to man, we face the onerous task of dealing with the less enlightened who believe violence will further their erroneous ambitions!

The less enlightened have less than loving thoughts that include not loving their neighbour, not forgiving their enemy and, worst of all, using a sword/gun to silence a perceived threat. Destroying life is easy for the undeveloped mind and constructing a better world challenging to even the most developed.

As long as mankind believes in the sword as a solution then they will continue to die by it. In time, they may decide to lay down the sword and other dehumanising objects and take up a more humble instrument, like the pen, that can still pack a (metaphorical) punch!

Forgiveness is the spiritual strategy but it challenges equally as the war on terror. Anyone who wants to see the power of words can log in to YouTube and watch the sentencing of serial killer, Gary Ridgway (known as the Green River killer responsible for the murder of 48 women) in 2003. At the end of the trial, each of the victims’ families spoke to the perpetrator directly and many of the messages followed a similar theme. Their words were laced with the deepest vitriol for these heinous crimes, except for one.

One grieving father in a powerful moment says: God tells us that we must forgive, as hard as it is. So you are forgiven, Sir.” Only then do we see the stony faced Ridgeway show a glimmer of genuine emotion akin to remorse.

Evil is evil.  It is not religious or patriotic. Putting good words and appropriate action together to enhance mankind and rid itself of savagery is the struggle that any sacrifice is worth. Though the cries of the bereaved will pierce our hearts, the war for lasting peace continues. Through the penship of mighty scholars, authors, poets and ordinary heroes will  words be sown, to live by and be healed. I think, therefore I am…..and what I am….. is not a killing machine!

Money - what's not to love?



Rolled over relief

 

Money can’t buy love we know but it can make misery comfortable! This is a metaphor for the “good life” – the life that we’re sold or coerced into by  parents, schools, employers, government and other establishment figures.

Money is the common denominator that affects all of us in paucity and prosperity, for better or for worse and only in death are we parted from it. However, no deathbed regretter ever made mention of the word “money” unless he was a cryogenic Scrooge dedicated to “waking up in the future”!

Money is an earthly distraction and, no doubt the Almightly, regularly splits his sides (and experiences a touch of incontinence) over how careful/careless we are with the “readies” and how we choose to swell the coffers of our favourite brands/stores/charities (not so much the latter!!).

Money is an indefatigable foe and dubious friend. It is an enemy of peace and most importantly, rarely brings peace of mind. This is will strike a contrary note in hearts of the financially challenged. Money is the answer when you hit a low and money can ease discomfort but only when its administered by the wise (and Wisdomona knows a few of these!). If you’re not strong enough to withstand the “slings and arrows” of one’s unique karma then money plays mayhem with the undisciplined mind!

Mental discipline and other positive attributes are not wrought by money “man does not live by money alone!” Money may improve your material position but it cannot improve character. Generosity can make for an uncomfortable bed fellow.  Money doesn’t care about your inner life, it is fixated on the externals – furnishings, finery and all manner of fun filled distractions. To be rich in character you need more than a few million dollars. When you can appreciate life without a lot of money then you’ve hit the jackpot!

Ultimately money breeds fear. Fear that it might run out and fear that we will be less loveable without it. Power, position and the size of our assets keeps us hungry for the cake even though we might have the icing! But it is not evil though the hearts and minds of men are.

If thoughts are things then so is money and it buys a lot of things! Some businessmen claim that happiness breeds money – I’m not sure – since money is not happiness. But then what is happiness? I guess the meaning of happiness will be debated upon for centuries to come and each generation will have its own definition. For the purpose of this blog, I wish to define money and perhaps the best way is to explain what money is not:

Money provides a bed but not good sleep. It provides books to read but not knowledge; food to eat but not an appetite; fine clothes/cosmetics but not real beauty; medicines but not optimum health; a house but not a home; luxurious living and travel but not culture; companions/acquaintances but not true friends; leisure activities but not relaxation; religion that doesn’t satisfy the soul; travel to everywhere…except heaven.

 Money is not a lot of things but it’s a yard stick and human weakness has us craving more. Look into the eyes of the dying and you won’t see money. The spirit knows that it has to stay in the game of money until earthly needs are met. Once life and money is spent..... you can laugh at it…..all the way to the bank!