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Welcome
Feature from Chicago, Illinois
Dreams of Purity
Why the Liver?
Book Recommendations
Purity in the News?
Who's Who in Purity
The Child's Garden
Poetry

From the Editor

NE

Thanks to Cammie Doty, Carol Bucklew anewsletter.

Tamar Frankiel, Editor

Feature from Chicago, Illinois

This month's principle is Purity. Here is a teaching from one of our dream sisters:

As I watch the intricate snow patterns etched on my kitchen window, I'm reminded how snowflakes were my first memory of what it meant to be "pure of heart." For me, snow has always been God's reminder that each individual is as elegant, complicated, and stunning as a snowflake - a unique blueprint from the lining of God's heart. What better way to remember this truth than be surrounded by swirling drifts of snow - and no school! From the child's viewpoint, however, the downside of snowstorms was my mother, a blizzard in her own right, who felt it was too dangerous for us to be in playing in the snow. This perception of my mother, however, was transformed a few years ago. The following vignette reflects the power of the Purity principle - and it occurred in the midst of winter.

For several years, my mother's mind has rapidly succumbed to Alzheimer's. She recognizes no one, and spends her hours in the nursing home, screaming, eating, or sleeping. When I visited her last winter she insisted: "You are not my daughter - I would know her as her mother. You're nice but you're not my daughter." One particular day of my visit, as I walked down the corridor, I heard my mother screeching like a terrified, trapped animal. I gently approached her bedside, knowing it best not to touch her in this state. Even the trained staff were helpless in their attempts to soothe her. All I knew to do was to hum" Silent Night" and, with no prompting, I watched her hand reach out to meet mine. I assured her I would not hurt her and I promised to try and find her daughter.

At first, Ma was very confused: she recognized my voice but how could that be? I wasn't her daughter's form. I gazed directly into her vacant eyes and whispered:" Ma, I am your daughter and I love you. I always have and always will. I have never forgotten you." Her body shivered, the fear melted like ice held to fire, and "Thank you - I love you too," slipped from her drooping mouth. And then, a deep, peaceful sleep claimed her for several hours. As her grip on my fingers slowly relaxed, I leaned into the nurses standing there and together we wept. All the caregivers were women who had been on the receiving end of my mother's "sharpness" at one time of their lives. All had volunteered with her on various committees and local civic projects. No one dreamed they'd be witness to the power of Purity in my mother's soul.

Skeptics dismiss this story as Ma being under the influence of Alzheimer's. I believe it was a moment when the "radiant beams of God's love shone through" and the face of the Divine became visible. In a moment of Grace, the "wicked witch" story dissolved and blueprint of gentleness and being cherished emerged as recognition.

And so, I am reminded once again, looking at the snow, that blizzards are difficult to live with - it doesn't matter if they come in nature or in human form. The common denominator, in terms of Purity, is that every storm is composed of snowflakes and their patterns are perfect. It simply takes a discerning eye to see the delicacy of God's plan.

--Annette Hulefeld

Dreams of Purity

We can learn about the principles by examining our dreams. Here are some dreams of Purity.

Fantasy land, with three distinct realms - the City, the middle land and the Dragon Mountains. The middle land, from which Ithe dreamer seemed to hail, was a land worshipping the Goddess/Feminine Principle. We were also close to the Dragons whom we could summon/call telepathically. The City was a beautiful majestic land - strongly Oriental in architecture. In between the realms were the waters.

How I got into the dream: I followed a horse. I 'awoke' in the dream and I was looking up at foliage. Then, there was a horse peering in, a wonderful chestnut with healthy coat and warm dark eyes. I could reach up and touched his face. It was surprisingly velvety and furry. I reached up and suddenly, I was in the dream. Somewhere in the dream, I said to the man who seemed to be my mate, I do not want to wake up. He nodded and said that he did not want to wake from the dream. I knew I was awake in the dream and knew I was still sleeping.

This lucid dream took the dreamer directly into devic worlds - worlds of blueprints, including the feminine blueprint, the dragon blueprint with the natural world of foliage and animals, and the city blueprint for human civilization.

My daughter was on a ladder catching and inspecting and soothing these small flying fairy-looking dragonflies. One flying close to me was a teal color with hints of green. I caught it in my hand and the force of the vibration and thrust the wings could move made my hand move into another zone of power. On closer inspection I saw it was a hummingbird with a small green garter snake in its mouth. The snake was very skinny and young wrapped into a sideways figure 8. This did not alarm me but the strength of how it maneuvered shook my hand down to my bones. I then lifted it up for my daughter to look at on the ladder.

The above dream emphasizes the power in the blueprint - the vibration that sometimes can be felt even in the physical world.

A gathering of initiates. We were each given a talisman, something of power that would be with us in the days to come. A small balsa-colored living turtle was given to me. It seemed completely nude and did not have a hard shell; the hard shell of 13 sections was yet to be. The turtle was so small it fit in my hand or even in my pocket. I was told to carry it with me everywhere, and to consider it at all times.

In many gatherings that went on all night, the turtle would often come out of my pocket and crawl about on my body or the floor. Its travels were always by design. It seemed to emanate a luminous glow, and just to see it or hold it was to be fed and inspired by its very essence. Each time I saw it or held it in my hands this was true, and the night was filled with many memories of these sightings and infusions, especially the cellular sensations of the turtle resting in my hands. At one point there were questions we had to ask and answer. Some of the questions were hard to answer. Someone addressed me by name, and said, "Why don't you consider the turtle?"

Then I understood that to consider the turtle also meant to ask the turtle. So I did. The turtle turned its head sideways, and its head began to lengthen horizontally. Its eyes widened, and its face turned into the face of Connie Kaplan transposed through the face of the turtle. From the side it looked a lot like a whistle or small flute with an animal head. The Connie-turtle began to speak in a low voice. Words of prophetic wisdom, like that of an oracle, began to issue from its mouth. The words could be seen as well as heard, and were multidimensional, going into my body and lodging there for the time when they will be needed. A knowledge of my future was also present in those words and this knowledge filled me with great joy and peace. Something new is coming.

This teaching-healing dream used the powers of the devic world, represented by the turtle that traveled "by design" and evoked the dreamer's potential. This is the purpose of talismans, which every tradition uses -amulets, natural objects like crystals, icons of plants, animals, or humans. They carry the blueprint, they exemplify the design, and thus help us remember who we are.

To find Purity in your dreams, look for references to the liver. . . . actions of scouring or deep cleansing . . . elves or other nature spirits... the colors blue or turquoise. . . the number 2.

Why the Liver?

The metaphor of the liver is easy to understand, for the liver is known for its ability to manage toxic substances and purify the blood. Interestingly, the liver is full of blood, and blood is the inner focus (bodily metaphor) for the principle of Peace. Purity and Peace are at opposite ends of the principles (#2 and #27), both in the Blue sphere in the color work.

Book Recommendations

The Findhorn Garden: Pioneering a New Vision of Humanity and Nature in Cooperation by George Trevelyan
The classic on the discoveries of the Findhorn community in Scotland in creating a new approach to gardening, life, and spirituality.

The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird
A book of wisdom about the plant world that introduces the kind of science that challenges mainstream thinking. While some of the studies cited have not been backed up by further research, it is very encouraging and exciting to see the possibilities that are developing on the cutting edge of biology.

The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA by James Watson
The original (recently reissued) story of the science, and personalities, behind the twentieth century's greatest discovery in fundamental biology. If you never read it, here's your chance.

Purity in the News

Ask yourself regarding the following recent news items, Is Purity appearing in its common meaning, or in its spiritual meaning as a basic Principle of form:

• Headline: Wisconsin Team Starts with Skin, Derives Liver Cells
  Mark Johnson, Journal-Sentinel, December 27, 2008: In 2008, scientists began trying to turn new reprogrammed cells into all of the building blocks doctors might use to treat a multitude of diseases. . . . Steve Duncan and Karim Si-Tayeb [at the University of Wisconsin] are trying to become the first scientists to use the new technology to make liver cells. They hope the liver cells would someday help patients with a relatively rare form of inherited diabetes called MODY (mature onset diabetes of the young). http://www.jsonline.com/features/health/36790124.html

• Headline: Significant Purity Differences Among Leading Brands of Water
  Business Wire, December 31, 2008. JMAR Technologies, a leading innovator in developing systems to detect chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive materials, announced the results of an independent study into the different purity levels of the leading brands of bottled water based on the Company's unique pathogen detection technology. The findings were surprising as they revealed that many of the higher priced brands contained heavier concentrations of bio-particle contamination than less expensive brands.
  http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view

Answer: The first article, about the transformation of one kind of cell into a different kind, certainly relates to Purity as the principle of the biological blueprint. The second article is a more common understanding of purity as "free of contamination."

6. Who's Who in Purity

Famous people in whom Purity came to life - the following have Sun in Purity

• Hillary Clinton, 1947-
  Former First Lady, first female candidate for President in 2008, and nominee for Secretary of State in the incoming Obama administration, she is author of It Takes a Village, a book which focuses on family and community - the fundamental blueprint - when it comes to raising children..

• Jack Nicholson, 1937-
  American actor known for his dark roles; winner of multiple Academy Award nominations and 3 awards, including at least one nomination in each of 5 decades, and one of the youngest awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Wernher von Braun, 1912-1977
  After entering the U.S. via the secret Operation Paperclip program for former German scientists, Von Braun became "father of the United States space program" as director of NASA's Marshall Space Center and architect of the Saturn V, which propelled the first American rocket to the moon.
  
  
• Kurosawa Akira, 1910-1998
  Prominent Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter since 1943 with Sugata Sanshiro. He received an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement..
  
  
• George Orwell, pseudonym of Eric Arthur Blair, 1903-1950
  British author, born in India, best known for his novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, which raise issues of social justice and totalitarian consciousness.
  
  
• Erich Fromm, 1900-1980
  Renowned Jewish-German-American psychoanalyst, social psychologist, and humanistic philosopher, author of many widely-read books such as The Art of Loving and On Being Human.
  
  
• J. Robert Oppenheimer, 1904-1967
  American theoretical physicist, director of the Manhattan Project to develop the first nuclear weapon. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he lamented the use of the bomb and used his position with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to lobby for international arms control. His outspoken political opinions against the arms race with the Soviet Union led to the revocation of his security clearance in 1954.
  
  
• Amelia Earhart, 1897-1937?
  Noted aviation pioneer; the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for her solo flight across the Atlantic. She set many records; in an attempt to fly around the world, her plane was lost in the Pacific.
  
  
• F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1896-1940
  American writer of novels and short stories, regarded as one of the twentieth century's greatest writers; from the so-called "Lost Generation" of the 1920s. His most famous novel is The Great Gatsby; he wrote dozens of short stories of youth and promise, despair and age.
  
  
• Emperor Hirohito, 1901-1989
  Officially Emperor Showa, the longest-reigning Japanese emperor, the 124th, who after being defeated in World War II presided over Japan's transformation into a constitutional democracy (though the office of emperor continued to exist).
  
  
• Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Martyr Patricio Clito Ruíz y Picasso, 1881-1973
  Spanish painter, draftsman, and sculptor known for co-founding the Cubist movement and for his wide variety of styles. Considering his Sun in Purity, it is interesting that his family named after so many saints - denizens of the devic worlds! Picasso grew up sketching birds and animals, following after his father who was a painter.
  
  
• Queen Victoria, 1819-1901
  Queen of Britain and Ireland for more than 63 years, beginning in 1837; Britain's longest reigning monarch. The "Victorian Era" was named after her, characterized by a strong emphasis on moral and family values. As power passed from the monarchy to the parliament, her reign created the concept of the "family monarchy" with which the middle classes could identify.
  

7. The Child's Garden

The spiritual parenting of our children - through studying their principles - teaches us as well as them. We at Generosity Incorporated believe that bringing this work to the next generation can be one of the most powerful forces to heal humanity. Here's an example of learning from our children:

My daughter's early years were those of a "city girl." Because her father and I both worked full time, she had a nanny from the age of 18 months. When I became ill and spent a couple of years in bed, the nanny moved in. Sara was used to being assisted in all her chores. She was accustomed to having life delivered to her. While it concerned me slightly, I was too exhausted to figure out how to make things "harder" for her.

When she was in second grade, Sara and I went to a spiritual conference where we met Debbie Jameson, an amazing beautiful earth-mother. Sara fell in love with her. When Debbie told Sara that she ran a summer camp on her ranch-a camp where kids slept outside, milked cows, worked the garden, took care of and rode horses, pooped in outhouses, and did their own cooking, I rolled my eyes at the thought of my princess doing all that. To my surprise, Sara's face lit up and she said she'd be there the next summer.

Before I paid the price for the camp, we drove out to the Jameson's ranch. I wanted Sara to at least see an outhouse before she committed. She was in love from the moment we arrived. She went to camp that summer. . .and the next . . . and the next. For eight years she went, each summer staying a little longer. She loved working in the garden, she loved being chosen to be the one who rode the horse up the road to get the mail, she loved milking cows.

Years later when I learned about the principles, I saw that Sara's Jupiter was in Purity, and I realized why she loved the ranch camp so much. When she's romping with the devas Jupiter's arm is around her and she's in the "right place at the right time." I'm confident that those yearly trips to camp, living in absolute Purity, did as much to create the loving adult that she is today as anything I did!.

-Connie Kaplan

8. Poetry

Thomas Merton

contributed by Annette Hulefeld

Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts ...
The person that each one is in God's eyes.
If only they could see themselves as they really are.
If only we could see each other that way all the time,
There would be no more war,
No more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed.
I suppose the big problem would be
That we would all fall down and worship each other.

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