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Awakenings
May 2004
In this issue:
Copyright © 2001-2002
Jagriti International.
All rights reserved.
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May 2004
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SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM THE LAND
OF OZ
by Cindy Jones
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| It is eight o'clock
on Saturday morning and I, much like Dorothy, feel as
though my world is spinning helplessly out of control
as a Palm Springs Aerial Tramcar transports me a dizzying
5,873 feet up the side of Mount San Jacinto and deposits
me at the station summit for a day-long seminar on the
mythic wisdom of the fairy tale classic, The
Wizard of Oz. |
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The workshop, Finding
Your Way Back Home, is described in the brochure as a
search for courage, intelligence and passion - a quest for home,
for wholeness and for the true self. Drawing upon the rich symbolism
of good and wicked witches, silver slippers, winged monkeys,
Hammerheads and Munchkins, the workshop promises to take me
on an unforgettable journey down the Yellow Brick Road of life.
I fasten my seatbelt and get ready for an awe-inspiring ride.
"Myth is the original self-help psychology manual," states our
workshop leader, Marianne Archibald. "Dorothy, The Wizard, Auntie
Em and Toto - they all possess archetypal wisdom and provide
us with a self-knowledge we are unable to access without the
power of our mythic imagination."
Archibald is a dynamic storyteller, lecturer and visionary philosopher
whose engaging warmth and mesmerizing voice seem to, within
minutes, magically transport me to the Land of Oz. There, for
the next eight hours, I am introduced to my personal Scarecrow,
who helps me find inner-wisdom; my Tin Woodman, who pumps new
life into my aging heart; and my brave Lion, who instills within
me the courage to travel deep within myself to search for my
true home.
I sit in rapt attention as the "Theater of the Spoken Word"
rolls out a feature film filled with glorious landscapes, eclectic
characters, and a kaleidoscope of mythic symbols filled with
ancient wisdom.
Toto is a spirit guide -- the voice of nature. Among other messages,
he reminds us that we are all animals. We are walking around
in animal flesh. We are not just visitors to nature, or merely
caretakers of nature. We are nature. Guiding spirits are crucial
in mythic stories and in real life. Psychologically, this might
well represent the intuitive wisdom of the body.
The Wicked Witch is our shadow-side; aspects of ourselves that
have been neglected or rejected. People project onto others
those feelings and fears they are unable to acknowledge in themselves.
A life-changing radiant light shines on us when we find the
courage to meet our shadow-side.
Scarecrow represents our failure to understand the hidden meaning
in the signposts we have seen on the road of life. It is not
until all aspects of the intellect have been activated that
awareness, understanding, and wisdom are free to develop. Scarecrow
reminds us that wisdom does not come from knowledge stored in
the mind.
Tin Woodman represents a wounded heart. Blinded by love, he
becomes a victim of his own weapon of aggression. His rusted
heart represents the disconnection that occurs within the psyche
when emotions are denied and suppressed. Opening our hearts
to love means accepting all of our emotions -the painful ones
as well as the blissful ones. Tin Woodman reminds us to keep
our hearts well oiled and to let our feelings flow freely so
that we can fully experience the joys of love
Cowardly Lion represents fear. Fear without real danger is a
distortion of reality that perpetuates self-doubt and insecurity.
We compensate for our lack of confidence by adopting an inflated
and pretentious attitude. Without courage, the heart is unable
to open and the mind cannot recognize truth.
It is only in the presence of Dorothy that the Scarecrow, Tin
Man and Cowardly Lion are able to address their inadequacies.
She creates a climate of unconditional love that enables them
to look inward to find what they are seeking.
Archibald tells us that to find our way home - a metaphor for
the spiritual home that resides within - we, as Dorothy, must
look within and begin at the beginning. So I close my eyes and
open the door to my childhood home. It seems to unlatch a floodgate
of memories and musings, tears and laughter, insights, revelations
and loving resolutions. The resulting memories tap into a storehouse
of personal myths and explore the sometimes painful, sometimes
joyful rites of passage I have experienced along my journey
thus far.
In the past, my rusted joints and straw-filled head have sometimes
tested my courage, compassion and willingness to continue steadfast
in my shoes in my pursuit to find home. Today, however, I seem
to have magic slippers on my feet as I travel deep within myself,
finding new understanding and meaning in my life.
As I get up to fetch a glass of water I smile silently to myself,
realizing that I have kicked off my shoes and am standing in
my bare feet. I hear a voice inside my head say "Cindy, you
never needed the shoes. You always had everything you needed
inside of you to find your way home."
This is our message of empowerment for women around the world.
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