And again ... same drive home, but another farm ... no wonder it takes so long to get to work! 

Typical Commuting Problem in the Lakes - Slow Cow(s) Ahead! 

Summer Solstice, Castlerigg. We went a little early, but people were already gathering for the evening. Noisy and intrusive, not really my kinda thing. I guess I'm spoiled really, because I usually go back a day or so later when no-one else is around and make my own observences (see Samhain entry earlier in this Blog). I did scatter some hand-made incense at the gate though, as a blessing for all those walking into the Circle. 

Mixed Messages, NLP & Collapsing Anchors

Armando Ianucci, writing in the Telegraph, noted that the first lines of the first stanza of Milton's "Paradise Lost," can be hummed to the theme tune of the cartoon series, "The Flintstones,"

http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/jmilton/bl-jmilton_plost_1.htm

There's something I find really funny about that, like when I laughed last week about someone writing about economics on a forum, and wondering if at the Marks & Spencers AGM, they introduced the annual figures with "...this is not *just* a profit warning ..." (You need to have heard the sultry voice doing that on the M&S TV adverts, and even then you'll probably not find it that funny).

I guess it's the NLP student in my head, listening to those mixed communications, where the content and the delivery are completely diametric to each other. We humans are incredible things - a close friend told me this week that they'd been told of the death of a friend's small child on the same day they themselves became a grandmother, and were holding their new grandson. "I can now tell you I know," they said, "that it's possible to hold two completely opposite emotions in your head at the same time."

In NLP work with clients, I often get them to "collapse anchors" by imagining ridiculous music in their head at the same time as playing through an event they are concerned about, and repeat this (in a very particular way) until they cannot imagine the original event without laughing out loud and wondering why they were ever concerned about it.

Imagine then, for one moment, that you could imagine utter illumination and an answer to everything you ever questioned, a contentment beyond belief, for one brief second, being filled with and through the Universe now, your old self, everything you ever thought, collapsed, not being held in your head at the same time, the self held up against the light and truth ... but another anchor removed, leaving Nothing but Truth and Now ... and that's right, it could be that easy to know nothing but that ...

"This is not *just* an ordinary Blog ..." LOL.

Last weekend and this Saturday I presented my NLP/Hypnotherapy course at a hospital in Liverpool to a group of therapists, counsellors and even a Dentist this year! I've run this for three years, and find it very fulfilling but absolutely exhausting! I've just driven 2 hours back and can barely stay awake although it's only 8pm! 

My brother, who lives in London with his wife and two darling children! I have managed to keep more hair, despite being two years older - hooray for random genes ...! 

Ricky went to the 'Circus Space' in London (he's bottom right of the pyramid) and brushed up his juggling, trapeze and rope work! 

Went up to Haystacks last week on holiday inbetween being ill. This is my favourite place on the planet - Innominate Tarn, close to the summit. One of the most tranquil magical spaces, where the sky is reflected and nothing is between you and heaven ... 

Anselm Kiefer

Caught a rare interview on TV last night with the German artist Anselm Kiefer. I particularly got interested in his interpretation of Merkavah, the 'chariot' tradition of early Kabbalah. This involved a mystical state rising through levels of existence, and Kiefer depicts this as seven towers or palaces, which are large structures:

http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/kiefer.html

The interview was held at his grounds, where he also has an underground labyrinth with exhibition spaces, which also connects to suspended tunnels above the ground.

What *really* made my ears perk was a reference to a "strange russian poet turned historian" who had 'calculated' that there was a 'decisive' sea-battle which affected the whole of history every 637 years (or some other precise figure which I am now trying to find!). Kiefer was using this figure on the side of his trademark "lead battleships," and said that it was patently nonsense, but also true ... he also contextualised it by pointing out man's need to find patterns in the unknowable world. It reminded me of the 'Aeons' of the Western Magical tradition, the Yuga's of the Eastern traditions, the Cycles of Ancient Aztec culture, and the Ages of the Astrologers ... all seeking patterns ... all making predictions ...

Do a search on Google Images for Anslem Kiefer and see some of his other works, particularly titles such as 'Lilith,' and 'The Artists Guardian Angel' amongst many other esoteric works.

Urghhh ... Viral Katz

Even our cat, Beth, is sneezing and dribbling on the carpets. B and I are both floored again by this nasty virus - sore throats, temperatures up and down, achy joints, sneezing, and headaches. I've been off work for two days, and had to run the first two days of the NLP course I teach with a sawdust voice. Urghhhh. We've had this for months, on and off.

I've also got a specialist to go see in 2 months to poke my ears and make sure my dizzy spells are a passing labyrinthitis. I suspect it may be metanoia ;-)

But on a plus-note (this blog entry is my first medical state-of-play, so you get the full update!) my dentist reckons my teeth are in good condition and just need a little work to get them up to full health. Hurrah for good gums!