Now that I understand this one, crazy body technology, knowing that I don’t have to physically integrate my higher, big-bodied self with my little, ordinary self, I ask, what, then, is their physical relationship?
In my study of shamanic practice and observing the ongoing disasters of high-profile spiritual and not-s0-spiritual people, I realize that the human capacity for big bodied high play is not required to translate to being a full time evolved, wonderful, or gorgeous person.
Our big-bodied, creative, artistic, ritualistic journeying is a resource given to gather ideas, mercy, and wisdom for everyday life. Though I feel a bit addicted to my bigness, ordinary life is taking on more magic and beauty. I don’t have to “go big” as much. (Alternatively, I think many people need to open their wings and do some flapping!)
Could there be something beyond integration and mastery of the subtle skills of being human? Within me is both the saint and the gargoyle. Perhaps, they just want to interplay.
I love gargoyle’s atop cathedrals. Artists clue in to the sense that the Highest of the High hosts a crazed and google-eyed humanity. Weird humility brings texture to life.
I have gargoyle moments everyday. I believe that my bodyspirit is beautifully designed to access higher and lower emotions: those of gargoyles and those of saints. Every emotion is purposeful. To resist emotion makes the wheel on my mental desktop spin.
Don’t get stuck. Truth wants communication. Fortunately, I don’t have to be a pain in the neck with my instinctual emotions. The best way to play with truth is to make art!
That’s why I am taking on a new spiritual practice: I’ll make a few gargoyle faces everyday. Hold them tight enough to make an impression on myself. Release and detach. This works perfectly with shape and stillness in a three-step process.
- Play out the gargoyles in a minute or so.
- Detach. Shake it out.
- Shower the gargoyley self in a mercy bath with love from the higher self in a hug, a nap, a sit in the sun, a beam from above.
One rule. Don’t drop a gargoyle on another person’s head. They need mercy, too.
As a mystic-in-making, I listen through my senses. I embrace emotion to acclimate and open my heart to being human. This helps free me from overwhelm.
As I embrace and honor my heart, I discover experiences still hidden that cause me to spin, like fear of death, for instance. Thank goodness the artists keep pointing it all out. There are gargoyles everywhere.
Know Thy Gargoyle: Here is an interesting exercise. You might need to print this out to do it at some point.
Dignity Respect Self Worth
Ashamed
Beaten down
Cut down
Criticized
Dehumanized
Disrespected
Embarrassed
Humiliated
Inferior
Insulted
Invalidated
Labeled
Lectured to
Mocked
Offended
Put down
Resentful
Ridiculed
Stereotyped
Teased
Underestimated
Worthless
Freedom
Bossed around
Controlled
Imposed upon
Imprisoned
Inhibited
Invaded
Forced
Manipulated
Obligated
Over-controlled
Over-ruled
Powerless
Pressured
Restricted
Suffocated
Trapped
Trust
Cynical
Guarded
Skeptical
Suspicious
Untrusted
Untrusting
Love/Connection/Importance
Abandoned
Alone
Brushed off
Confused
Disapproved of
Discouraged
Ignored
Insignificant
Invisible
Left out
Lonely
Misunderstood
Neglected
Rejected
Uncared about
Unheard
Unknown
Unimportant
Uninformed
Unloved
Unsupported
Unwanted
Justice/Truth
Accused
Blamed
Cheated
Disbelieved
Falsely accused
Guilt-tripped
Interrogated
Judged
Lied about
Lied to
Misled
Punished
Robbed
Safety
Abused
Afraid
Attacked
Defensive
Frightened
Insecure
Intimidated
Over-protected
Scared
Terrified
Threatened
Under-protected
Unsafe
Violated
Give yourself credit for all the gargoyles you’ve encountered. The more you receive mercy and love for them, the more magical life becomes.
Question: The Way of Wisdom and Mystery initiates us through raw human emotional energies. What tricks or skill do you use? What is your favorite body wisdom secret for coping with everyday stresses?
If you didn’t receive the pdf about the crazy secret, let me know…I’ll send it.
P.S. Thanks to those of you who are ready to subscribe to the Mystic Tech Journey starting in February. I am working out the online logistics for all this. I’ll be in touch soon!
Related articles
- Where gargoyles come from (johndcook.com)
Beauty and Beast never had a makeup kit, nor a healer so fair.
Reminds me of “let yourself fall ill if you want to be healed… without pain no doctor will give you medicine.” Rumi
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It is generally acknowledged that dance, music, poetry, and other art and fine arts are human expression at their finest. Why then am I not permitted to use these forms of expression for my testimony in a court that purports to seek truth? No reason given seems high enough. Gargoyle? …maybe suffering a thousand cuts? …maybe my cowardice to stand alone? …maybe my fear of being hurt or killed or imprisoned? …maybe its my imagination in all cases until something happens?
I love your comments Dyck. You are a true mystic! And a crazy one at that, ranting in made up languages at poltical rallies. And considering the truth of our non-sense to be worthy of the “high” court. Is there an actual story in behind these musings?
Maybe Just the story I foresee coming from when I need to express myself in court in the near future… as I am accosted by police more than half the times I do my ‘soap boxing w/o words’ in their so far unsuccessful attempts to thwart me. My hidden weapon… I just laugh at what they tell me and go back to what I’m doing.
Learning to embrace Gargoyle emotions without “dropping them on someone else’s head” is definitely a challenge of mine right now.
How do I practice “having” the emotion of being misled, or under-protected, etc, so that I don’t attempt to have it at inappropriate moments?
Sometimes a present-day situation warrants feeling controlled (for example), but my reaction to it is likely to be extreme: as if I need now express all the pent up “I’m feeling controlled” emotion I’ve ever felt (or not let myself feel). And what that leads to is me “defending” myself, “fighting” for myself, when there’s not a situation to defend against or fight with.
How do you suggest supporting the underlined and starred emotions so that they have a place? Is that something I can do on my own by conjuring up memories to try to experience an emotion in the present? Without expressing the emotion to someone else, will it still feel like I’ve experienced it?
Hi Dorothy. This question is one of the great inquiries. Tracking with it, we somehow map out a sequence of responding to the emotional currency. For myself, the great, deep feelings I have had do need to move. Ruth King author of Healing Rage gave me one of the best answers of all. “How will you dignify your rage?”
On the gargoyle end…I have found it helpful to 1) Do a dance with a witness to three sequential pieces of music. Spend down the various pieces of information. I have also found it helpful to tell the truth in a truthful voice to a detached person. I have also found it helpful to write it all out. What is my story? I have come to see that there are mighty rivers flowing below my situtational experience. Rage, Grief, Anxiety. I do not expect to stop these rivers or drink them up. I think now that I can respect that, do what I can, but not live in those rivers. These emotions and the suffering that comes with them is what initiates us into wisdom. Jesus said, “Learn to suffer, so as not to suffer.” I am pretty sure he got that from a Buddhist on some mountaintop. You are incredible and loving and true. P.S. Thank God for Alanon. It really helps me to have a mysterious, high power to help with all of this.