Today is Good Friday, a holy day in Christianity, marking the crucifixion of Jesus in the unfolding story of Easter and Resurrection. There are many ways to touch the spiritual significance of Easter and our focus at Hillside has often been on one of the last recorded phrases of Jesus as he suffered on the cross, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." In the various ways of interpreting His final seven phrases that are included in the Bible (recorded by different disciples), this phrase is listed first. These words mark a powerful place to begin to heal when we have reached the limits of our own personal suffering and seek spiritual sustenance, understanding, guidance, and new/renewed life. Throughout the Pandemic, I have been led back to this powerful spiritual principle and practice. Good Friday forgiveness, led by the guidance of your own heart, clears your emotional/mental fields, leaving fertile ground for the seeds of new life. Open wide and forgive. "Just for today." (Susan Nettleton)
March 28, 2021
For this Sunday, I am posting one of the poems I read this morning. Contemporary American poet Jane Hirshfield, gives us a Zen perspective on today's topic of movement and rest.
Follow the link: http://inwardboundpoetry.blogspot.com/.../233-door-jane...
March 26, 2021
Here is your reminder for this Sunday's Zoom Service!
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Topic: A Path of Movement and Rest
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March 21, 2021
Starting with the idea of doors beginning to open (from my March 19 post), I recalled this poem from Lao Tzu's classic Tao te Ching. Here we discover a deeper spiritual aspect of the Pandemic-- not re-opening business and society, but the opening to existence itself--wonder unto wonder. (Susan Nettleton)
follow the link: https://www.awakin.org/read/view.php?tid=475
March 19, 2021
This week I entered a nearby, local grocery market for the first time in a year. I have been ordering online groceries for pickup during the L.A. County Safer at Home Orders. Now, I am past the 2 week wait after my 2nd vaccine dose and this was the action I chose to mark that turning point. The market requires masks, of course, and follows the limit of 25% capacity, and I really missed picking out my own fresh local produce--that's why I chose this particular venture out. I had planned to only grab a few things aa a first experiment in new "freedom" but when I entered I was overwhelmed by what used to seem like a few options (compared to chain groceries) and now seemed to be the land of plenty! So I lingered a bit, digesting this reality and noting my responses to those well-stocked shelves.
My fellow customers were all solitary older shoppers who mostly observed social distancing. The atmosphere was quiet and focussed but not tense. Still I found myself watchful. I over-bought, later realizing that part of me still expects another lock-down. I considered walking across the street to a nearby coffee shop that does not offer drive through but has online ordering and relatively easy pick up. But after loading the groceries in the car and briefly meditating in the parking lot a bit, I realized this one step back into the community was enough for the day. I was flooded with the awareness of the silent impact of the Pandemic beyond the unfathomable death count and the hospital crises, the violent protests, the closed schools, and social isolation, there is this accumulation of small disruptions in daily rhythms, rituals, and routine.
I write this as a snap shot of re-opening. I believe no one in this culture has escaped some degree of trauma during this Pandemic. Whether we deny it or not, re-entry and reopening is tricky. Take your time. Complete the vaccination process. Observe your own responses--not in judgement but in self-discovery. Trust you inner directive. Let Life lead your way. Then walk through the open door. (Susan Nettleton)
March 14, 2021
Over the last few days, there have been many commentaries and articles on the 1 year anniversary of the Pandemic in America. While the review process is an important aspect of healing and recovery, it is still very difficult after this year of uncertainty and turmoil to digest and assimilate all that has happened. We need time. We see a light toward the end, but the Pandemic is not over. One way to affirm a positive movement to our lives now is adding the element of gratitude to our review. This doesn't mean ignoring or suppressing the memories of fear, sadness, and anger. Rather it means adding balance by considering the aspects of the last year that have brought us meaning, depth, a new perception of ourselves and others, and our spiritual life. I am sure each of us has had our own personal 'gifts' of the Pandemic. These grow stronger through our gratitude.
This Sunday, I am leading you to a prose-poem from Contemporary American poet Maya Stein who offers a gentle future vision of such gratitude. Follow the link below. (Susan Nettleton)
March 11, 2021
Today, is Maha Shivratri, which literally translates to "great night of Shiva", a Hindu festival in India celebrating Lord Shiva, one of the principle deities of Hinduism. It is also personally memorable to me because of a spiritual breakthrough that I experienced, years ago, on Maha Shivratri. In "The Garland of Guru's Sayings" a collection of poetic stanzas from the sayings of Ramana Maharshi by Guru Vachaka Kovai, there is this notation "S(h)iva, the Lord who dances in darkest midnight, stands for the Awareness which sees both light and its absence."
As we watch areas of the country where Covid-19 cases are dropping and yet grapple with the potential for resurgence at any time, it seems to me fitting to share one of these stanzas on Maha Shivratri, 2021. (Susan Nettleton)
28. The Jiva's Unreality Not at all by one's own effort, But by the light of Grace alone, Pure gift of God supreme, can one Behold the light that shines in darkness, The bliss of being Awareness true. Even mid the darkness of the world.
March 9, 2021
Hope you can attend attend our online Sunday Service for Hillside Church--
Susan Nettleton is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting
Topic: A Path of Movement and Rest
Time: Mar 28, 2021 11:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
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March 7, 2021
Today's Sunday post is a link to Jack Correu's latest article from our website. He brings us back to the winter crisis in Texas with the reminder that our healing is interwoven with Nature and even though we lose sight of that, we are never outside the web of life that cares for all. Follow the link to read, "Frozen at the Little Shack".
March 5, 2021
Yesterday, my household celebrated Butterfly Day--a made-up household event that has come about through the Pandemic. I wrote about our first Butterfly Day in a June 5, 2020 post where I explained the process of ordering caterpillars from an area monarch butterfly farm and carefully caring for them until they form their cocoons and undergo their transformative process, bursting forth with wings and flashes of color. We were able to hatch 2 'families' of the Monarchs until the late summer fires further devastated the butterfly population that spends fall and winter along the coast of California.
Western monarchs fly long miles from the Pacific Northwest to central and southern California each November and the entire cycle of migration from north to south and returning again, can take up to five generations to complete, since new butterflies are hatched from eggs that are laid on the return trip north. In the 1980's the estimate of these migrating beauties along the coast was 4.5 million. But by 2017, the numbers plummeted to 200,000, then 30,000 in 2018. Last November-December the count totaled only 2,000. While the numbers are staggering, data from other areas of the country show positive shifts in migration eastward, possibly due to changing climate features. There is much for science to learn. The monarch butterfly has become a “flagship” species, representing the need to do more for the conservation of all pollinators nationwide. The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) that include Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada have now put in place a regional monarch butterfly plan that includes goals and actions for those that winter along the California coast and breed throughout the west.
Yesterday, we celebrated our new monarchs as symbols of the beauty and richness of life and our mutual dependence. We released them with great fan fare, music, and delight. They are one of the gifts of the Pandemic. In the restrictions of this Pandemic, we added only another 5 monarchs, but we all, even the youngest toddlers, grew in our capacity to care for life. Yes, there is grave responsibility facing humanity and our changing planet, but there is also great joy in a newfound relationship with the cycles of life in all of it's forms. (Susan Nettleton)
February 28, 2021
For today's Sunday post I give you a link to a poem by American poet James Wright (1928-1980). It is a story of the unexpected realization that comes in a flash. When your heart is pierced to the core of life, the walls of separation crumble. (Susan Nettleton)
February 24, 2021
Yesterday, the weather here was so spring-like that I decided to venture around the block for fresh air and a fresh viewpoint. Even though the latest article in Atlantic Monthly on "The Most Likely Timeline for Life to Return to Normal" predicts very little change in the Covid-19 lifestyle this coming spring (but is hopeful for the summer), we are far more adapted to basic restrictions than we were a year ago. That, in addition to the continuing vaccinations and accumulated medical experience in treatment, will be a significant difference from last year's shocks. The prediction of 500,000 deaths from Covid-19 in American did not seem possible. And yet, now here we are. Yet, as we try to absorb this phenomenal level of loss, the case loads are falling. It is a time to mourn as well as look toward the future. There is no easy way, no perfect way. As I wandered down the street, birdsongs filled the air, the light on new garden growth in the yards was amazing, ) a mid-school age girls' athletic team ran past--all wearing masks with their coach behind shouting, "6 feet apart, 6 feet apart!" It seemed to me there actually were more people out with masks, another observation to fuel my cautious optimism.
Spiritual explorer and writer Alexandra David-Néel (1868-1969) wrote: “The wise expect nothing, hope for nothing, thus avoiding all disappointment and anxiety.” And American spiritual teacher/writer Ram Das advised, “It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.” We all vary in our capacity to handle disappointment or wavering faith. Some wisely give up having any expectations whatsoever. While I certainly agree it is better not to expect life to conform to our demands, and not to judge events as they unfold, it seems to me that faith in ultimate Goodness gives us resilience in the face of hardship and devastation and the strength to act in service of that Good, again and again. The Good is already at hand. (Susan Nettleton)
February 21, 2021
For this Sunday morning post I am offering a link to a poem by 20th century American poet Anne Sexton (1928-1974). This is for all of us who have likely spent far more time in our homes than we ever imagined possible. I personally am awaiting my second dose of vaccine and even though masks and social distancing (and yes, frequent hand washing) will still apply, I hope to soon have more adventures out in the larger community. This is something we can all aim for, for each other. We really don't know the future adventures that await us. We know the problems facing us, collectively and individually. If we remember to take the time for stillness, we find that space inside us which is sustaining us through winter, through the time of Covid-19, through the mistakes that are also a part of life and in their own way, often painful way, point us back to Truth. Today I invite you to welcome this Sunday to find peace and beauty and even the transcendent in what is right in front of you. (Susan Nettleton)
February 17, 2021
This week has brought welcomed news of some slowing of the Pandemic cases. Even though the trend remains fragile, let it lift you. It is not time to change any of our Covid-19 prevention practices, but it is time to be thankful. Instead of letting fear and hopelessness spiral, we can affirm gratitude that can spiral and touch many areas of our lives. This opening or space of lightening-the-load may also mean that you begin considering where you would like your life to lead when restrictions lift. Maybe there is something new stirring in you. We cannot get ahead of the process or our pushing forward too quickly will push us right back. There are still many, many who need to be vaccinated. There are still unanswered questions regarding the new variants and how the vaccine responds to them. And it is also a time to offer prayer support for those who are struggling in the winter storms and power failures across America. Yet, prayer, gratitude and cautious optimism generates new life and new possibilities.
To further your sense of new possibilities beyond the restraints and devastation of the Pandemic and our changing climate, consider tuning in or looking at the news about the Mars Rover project this Thursday. The NASA rover aptly named "Perseverance" will land live in the Jezero Crater this Thursday afternoon, looking for microbes and evidence of how habitable Mars was in the ancient past. It will begin the work of collecting samples for a return mission to Earth several years from now. The Perseverance Rover will also conduct a test flight of a helicopter/drone for the first time on Mars that could eventually be used for scouting and exploration in future Mars missions. I've included a link below where you can find more information on space.com. Let yourself be inspired by human perseverance and Life's' endless possibilities. (Susan Nettleton)
Follow the link to learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/perseverance
February 14, 2021
"In the midst of winter I at last discovered that there was in me an invincible summer.” Albert Camus, Retour à Tipasa
For today's Sunday post, I turn to the above quote from 20th century, French Existential philosopher and writer Albert Camus. (1913-1960). Today is St. Valentine's Day, now practiced globally as a celebration of love. Originally, February 14 was set as a Feast Day in AD 496 to commemorate one of the early Christian martyrs, Saint Valentine of Rome. Over a thousand years later, the day had a celebration of romantic love. Today, depending on the culture, it has expanded to include the spectrum of love. In the Northern Hemisphere, Valentine's Day is a winter holiday that bridges the time between New Year's and holiday celebrations of Spring. It gives us a chance to consider the heart of life, including the bond of love that brings us back to a focus on relationships that are essential to human survival, perhaps more essential in the dead of winter. There are of course many types of love, not always easy to define. But it is an emotion that connects and unifies. Love brings a sense of invincible summer, a sense of life at its fullest. The beauty, richness and awe of life can be found in all seasons but in summer, it is no longer hidden. Life thrives.
As extreme weather and life threatening winter storms sweep across the country this week, most of us will withdraw inside and wait it out There are those who cannot because we need them to take watch and take care, as we have needed others throughout the Pandemic "storm", a metaphoric winter experience when life often seems to be frozen. Yet it isn't. Life is moving forward.
Camus's discovery arose with a transcendent experience, when he returned to his homeland Algiers, seeking something...some renewal perhaps or inner resolution after the moral devastation of WWII. On his trip he found it. "And under the glorious December light..., I found exactly what I had come seeking, what, despite the era and the world, was offered me, truly to me alone, in that forsaken nature."
Wherever you may be this February, there lays within you an invincible summer. Perhaps today is the day you too can discover it. (Susan Nettleton)
February 12, 2021
After watching parts of the impeachment trial the last few days, I am reflecting on collective trauma. The graphic video footage of the attack on the capitol and the open acknowledgement of emotion--fear, even terror--from Senators and Congressional Representatives, paint a vivid reality of danger and the emotional trauma that follows. Reactions to traumatic events include fear, grief and depression as well as physical symptoms such as dizziness, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, and withdrawal from daily activities. These often continue for weeks following trauma before emotions return to normal. We use the term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about what happened continue to be triggered, after experiencing or witnessing trauma. These reactions do not just occur to those who were actually in a life threatening situation. We, as spectators can also be traumatized by the images we see, and the news we hear.
Continued exposure to stories of tragedy and violence, as well as direct exposure to the trauma of others, can overwhelm the nervous system. We have seen this emerging from the medical and staff workers in hospitals during 2020. A remarkable research project in Britain 5 years ago documented that such stress responses are not just caused by direct traumatic experience, but also happen through social media. Written and visual images of violence and trauma produce anxiety and repetitive replay of the material, that trigger stress responses and cause secondary trauma. These symptoms of interrupted sleep, hopelessness, feeling ineffective, eventually lead to compassion fatigue-- caring people can no longer care--until time, rest, self care and support reset our nervous systems.
All of this is an aspect of Pandemic fatigue, and it continues underneath, compounded by the violence and political conflict. Yet, moving through the structure of law and procedure as the trial is aired and viewed by the American public, also has a healing element. It reaffirms a social order to life that includes public observation as a form of participation. The phenomenally courageous officials who openly shared their emotional reactions, serve as role models for us all in the collective process of healing, not just in terms of the capitol attack, but the Pandemic as well. As individuals, one of the ways we re-set and are able, over time to integrate events, is through the spiritual process of meditation and prayer. This integration is re-enforced as we are able to actively share our traumatic experiences with others who are understanding and caring. Collectively, we heal by public events and programs that acknowledge the emotional impact of pain, fear, anger and grief, while reinforcing the qualities of resilience. While the impeachment trial can be seen on different levels with differing agendas, it is also an active acknowledgement of collective trauma. If it has further overwhelmed you, step back from the news. If you have a sense that you can begin to integrate these events now, because of the facts and honest expression of fear and pain, whatever the final verdict, focus on our collective resiliency. (Susan Nettleton)
February 7, 2021
Today is Super Bowl Sunday, a uniquely American tradition that offers the opportunity to vent what I am calling pent-up Pandemic energy through the athletic battleground. Whether you are a sports fan or not, it's a good day to find your way to recreation and healthy release. While many Americans continue to adjust to the demands of the Pandemic, we are warned there will be a price for any super spreader events, especially at a time when the case rates are starting to slow. Stay home, stay digitally connected, shout, laugh, cheer--or head outside for exercise, fresh air, and nature as your companion. There's still time for quiet gratitude, prayer and stillness. (Susan Nettleton)
Here's a link to an excerpt from Maya Angelou's poem, On the Pulse of the Morning. It bring a message that rather than repeating pasts mistakes, together we can move forward with hope.
February 5, 2021
"We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success." Henry David Thoreau
Along with the quote above, I offer you a quote below which at first reading seems complex, in the way astrophysics is complex. They are quotes I read last Sunday, as a part of the talk, "Walking the Edge of New". I decided to post them as one way to lift our vision to a larger frame beyond the Pandemic, just as a meditation exercise. Because of the many stops and starts that have happened with the world's attempt to overcome the Pandemic, it can be difficult at this point to gather up the stamina and enthusiasm to stay focused and optimistic about the necessity of continuing masks (and even double masks here in California) along with social distancing as we again face changes in health advisories and do what is needed to insure vaccinations. Stretching our awareness beyond the focus of our immediate situation paradoxically gives our minds a much needed break from the continued rehearsal of our situation and offers new perspective on the amazing scale of creation. This particular quote below is a reminder that the unknown has always been and continues to be an unconquerable aspect of life. Still, we do discover, uncover, and adapt to our acquired knowledge. The search furthers the creativity of life.
"The Universe has many edges: the edge of transparency, the edge of stars and galaxies, the edge of neutral atoms, and the edge of our cosmic horizon from the Big Bang itself. We can look as far away as our telescopes can take us, but there will always be a fundamental limit. Even if space itself is infinite, the amount of time that’s passed since the hot Big Bang is not. No matter how long we wait, there will always be an “edge” that we’ll never be able to see past."
February 1, 2021
My talk yesterday concluded with a line from this poem by Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). It is a reminder that the spirit of joy underlines the human experience of creativity and discovery. Human joy mirrors what we can only express as Joy in the Divine Creative process that brings forth all levels and expressions of life. We have the capacity to touch that point of Joy by reaching for it, but also being open when it finds us, even in times of great difficulty.
And Joy is Everywhere
It is in the Earth's green covering of grass;
In the blue serenity of the Sky;
In the reckless exuberance of Spring;
In the severe abstinence of gray Winter;
In the Living flesh that animates our bodily frame;
In the perfect poise of the Human figure, noble and upright;
In Living;
In the exercise of all our powers;
In the acquisition of Knowledge;
In fighting evils ...
Joy is there Everywhere. ”
~ Rabindranath Tagore (2016). “SĀDHANĀ - The Realization of life”, p.64.
January 29, 2021
This is your reminder email of our Zoom Service this Sunday!
Topic: Walking the Edge of New with Dr. Susan Nettleton
Time: Jan 31, 2021 11:00 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
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