…and Sun

by Richard Reeve on January 3, 2009

in AziMuth

Don't let the sun go down on your grievances
Image by kevindooley via Flickr

(Third in a series of posts examining guiding words for 2009: water, fertilizer, and sun.)

After examining testimonies through hundreds of pages in his masterpiece The Varieties of Religious Experience, William James concludes:

“Meanwhile the practical needs and experiences of religion seem to me sufficiently met by the belief that beyond each man and in a fashion continuous with him there exists a larger power which is friendly to him and his ideals.  All that the facts require is that the power should be both other and larger than our conscious selves.  Anything larger will do, if only it be large enough to trust for the next step.”

When I selected sun as the third word of my guiding triad for 2009, it was with this idea: of moving forward being open to powers greater than myself.  Planning is an essential activity, but each day throws the unexpected in our path from both within and without.

I’m reminded of the simple African ritual that Jung encountered in his travels.  At sunrise the men would spit in their palms and raise their open hands to the rising sun.  That done, they got on with their day.  For me the word sun is all about remaining in right relationship to the cosmos, honoring both the fragility and the intricacy of the balance that results in this marvelous show.

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  • Zoe

    I'm curious to know your thoughts on the muse as an archetypal image?

    <abbr>Zoe´s last blog post..9 Ways to Change Your Context</abbr>

  • That will make a great post...I'll let you know when it up.

  • Zoe

    I've just finished reading this triptych, and I think you've embraced the three-word idea beautifully. I am gaining more understanding as to the power of archetypal images to inspire/motivate...

    <abbr>Zoe´s last blog post..9 Ways to Change Your Context</abbr>

  • Thanks for the comment Zoe. The thing about archetypal images is just that, they are a glyph expressing the energy that generates them.

  • Varieties is one of my favorite books as it had a profound impact on the way I think about psychology and it's role in religion. It's refreshing to read new approaches to the same subject.

    <abbr>Chris Allison´s last blog post..Here’s What You Should Do</abbr>

  • Thanks for the comment Chris. "The Varieties..." was one of those amazing gits in my forth decade, keeping me ever aware of how little I know.

  • Well Howard, that's exactly James' point, and like both Jung and James, I proceed from an experiential frame recognizing the the truly Other that manifests within and without. The goal I'm trying to share here is about figuring into It's picture, the It being what Jung called the Self.

  • I'm impressed by the thought and creativity you've put into your three words for 2009. Out of curiosity does your choice of sun simply reflect your desire to delve deeper into seeking truth or being open to what may come? How does God factor into the picture?

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