Training wheels

Returning to thoughts on creativity...

In the past months I've made [seemingly] silly, fun and outrageous goals as to my creative aspirations. I've dreamed of perfect days, jobs, lives and pastimes ranging from living in a place with only spring flowers, to doing African dance, to being a photographer, to having a mountain in my backyard change form daily... *laugh* It's been hope-giving, but at times I've experienced resistance in the form of, "Megan, you can't do that! Why would you even dream about it? That's ridiculous!"

Not so!

This week, I experienced two of my goals take visible steps towards actualizing (for Spanish speakers, I want to use the verb "realizar"...)! Goal #1: Become a good enough tango dancer to keep up with my teacher. Hope #1: This week, when he taught me how to lean on him so he could put me into an incline, I learned quickly. He gave me a proud, excited hug and beso on the cheek and sent me off to practice. I am inspired by his encouragement and faith in me. Goal #2: Do a headstand in yoga by December 2009. Hope #2: Last night in yoga, as we worked on upper body strength, our scary teacher (we flinch when she walks past us -- she's so intimidating! Oh Gloria...) stopped in front of me and said, "Do you want to try a headstand today? It just clicked for you." (!!!!) I did a headstand! (Not completely alone... Gloria helped me balance.) Gloria ohhhmmm'd later, "You're like a kid on training wheels, it will happen."

Some fun exercises to think about:
1. What are 12 things you would love to do? They don't have to be things you already do... allow yourself to dream a bit! Don't think too hard, just list them.
2. List 20 things you like to do.
a. Now for each one, is it free or have a cost? Cheap or expensive? Do to alone or with someone? Is it daring or calming? What part of you does it feed -- spiritual, mental, emotional, physical?
b. From that list, create the perfect day as life is now.
c. Now create and describe a perfect day in your wish-world.

Eating Disorders, Latin America

While in Buenos Aires, I was challenged with body image because there is a heavy emphasis on maintaining one's figure. Culturally, it is very distinct than the United States. Of course, Argentines do eat healthier portions and walk more, but it was more than that...something was not right. I had heard random statistics of eating disorders, but had never read anything trustworthy. And finally on BBCmundo there is an article about eating disorders in Latin America! For those of you who read Spanish, here is the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/misc/newsid_7294000/7294863.stm

The author speaks of women in Argentina (and now other places) taking anti-hunger drugs on a regular basis. These drugs, filled with amphetamines, sedatives, laxatives, diuretics and hormones, wreck women's bodies. My family was very healthy, therefore I was never directly affected by the use of anti-hunger drugs, but I knew others who were. The association of the fight against anorexia and bulimia (ALUBA) quotes that 1 in 10 Argentine girls have some sort of eating disorder. 1:10. That is incredible. Why more in Latin America? The answer must be more complex than differences in eating cultures. If I find answers, I'll let you know.

Chicago 10

This past weekend I saw two fantastic independent films -- if you need an activity this week, don't miss them: Chicago 10 and The Counterfeiters. Especially Chicago 10. It is just quality and fun and historical and... great.

Here's the trailer:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=M9uJL7lWdFg

Enjoy!!

The week's ponderings - weird, fun, and beautiful.

** Last night I had this organic moment while drinking water –a moment of clarity – at the most basic level, I’m an being/animal drinking these two gases that happen to make a liquid that nourishes my body. Weird, really, to reflect upon. I may have various levels of thinking/feeling/relating, but I have to drink water to be able to do any of those things. (I was realllllly tired, so my thinking was kinda strange anyway, hence my organic thought. *laugh.)

** The past few weeks I’ve been fighting/resisting these “monsters” as I’ve deemed them: things that threaten my dreams, my purpose, my “deepest desires” – ideas of financial comfort, of choosing the easy course, of appeasing others. I’ve turned to a few people for help/advice, but none so insightful as this little girl. Enjoy.
Go to: http://youtube.com/watch?v=UCOPNuuGeKA

** I just read On Liberty by John Stuart Mill – some parts deeply resonated with me. I think this quote is beautiful:
“Human nature is not a machine to be built after a model, and set to do exactly the work prescribed for it, but a tree, which requires to grow and develop itself on all sides, according to the tendency of the inward forces which make it a living thing.” Mill quotes Wilhelm von Humbolt to say that to develop ourselves, for this “tree” to grow, we must have “freedom, and a variety of situations.”

The beautiful part of our society is that we have freedom (debatable, I know, but for the purposes of this thought, go with me). We have freedom, so we just need to seek and intentionally put ourselves in these varying situations. My goal for the week is to experience two “new” situations that challenge my thinking/way of life.

And... deep breath... GO.

Breathe in the positive energy...

In September, the concept of energy entered my life primarily through two sources: my spiritual director and... yoga. *laugh. I feel so cheesy saying it, but it’s true! I cannot justify it scientifically, nor biblically, but from what I have observed and experienced, I believe that energy has a deep impact on how we feel physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Tonight it all came together for me in a very beautiful picture. Let me explain.

BMH. My spiritual director filters her thoughts before speaking, sometimes stopping mid-sentence to say, “Oo. That’s negative energy. I won’t say that.” Or she’ll gently and humorously chide me for promoting negative energy in things I say or ways I act. Such language threw me off for the first few weeks of getting to know her; I had never used such terms or concepts. However, I have found that she’s right: what I say regarding a subject or a person really does infiltrate the space with an energy, either healing and growth inspiring, or negative.

Yoga. For those of you who haven’t tried yoga, its root is in breathing patterns with the goal of bringing energy to the body through strength, flexibility and balance, as well as focusing and relaxing the mind. During some exercises, one is encouraged to visualize inhaling positive energy, and exhaling negative energy and stress. (This is nothing new; any how-to-relieve-stress will advise breathing deeply.) The more I practice yoga, the more I am cognizant of the negative energy stores in my body, and how my body feels when they are released and filled with positive energy. Although slight, the difference is definitely noted.

Tonight. Taking that deep breathing idea... Tonight I was with a group of women who were encouraging one another. I noticed multiple times that when particularly encouraging words hit an individual, she would take a deep breath and exhale slowly. It was like a yoga breath. It was as if she was inhaling the positive energy, the words of affirmation and hope, and exhaling the fears, lies and insecurities. The image of these deep breaths of renewal is beautiful to me.

Tonight’s experience tied it all together for me. There IS some dimension of energy of which we are not immediately aware, but it is reality. In our personal spaces, in our words, in our bodies, in our thoughts. I think the concept of “energy” is tossed out in the lingo of new-agers, but give it a chance. Pay attention for a few days – to words, to spaces, to how your body feels, to deep breathing...

Internship learning #1: Detained Immigrants

This semester I am interning with the National Immigrant Justice Center of Heartland Alliance. To further general awareness/knowledge of our country/world/immigration system, I'm going to offer updates.

Detained Immigrants. When persons flee their home countries to find safety in the US, they come to seek ASYLUM. Being a REFUGEE is asking for protection while being outside the US. Asylum is sought once in the US. Asylum happens one of two ways:
1. Once in the US on a visa or with a document (legal or illegally), one goes to a lawyer or organization to seek asylum. These are the persons with whom I work.
2. Upon arriving at Customs, the person declares they are afraid to return to their countries and are seeking asylum. At this moment, Customs officers detain them and put them in detainment centers (often local jails).

These detainment centers are overflowing. At any one time, there are approx. 30,000 detained individuals in our country. Therefore, the overflow are 'housed' in jails, and treated the same as the inmates. Their asylum cases *generally* go through the courts within a few months, but in some cases take years. Apart from the legal process, it astounds me that these people seeking asylum are imprisoned. Literally. They are coming to the US to seek shelter, to be safe, after having been tortured, received death threats, been raped, being heavily persecuted... and we put them in shackles (literally) and van them to a detainment center or jail.

Something's gotta give. I'm intrigued to learn more...

PS. If anyone is interested, there are volunteer opportunities to go to the detainment centers and talk with the immigrants to hear their stories and document them so we can then decide if they are eligible for legal help. Talk with me.