presents a free newsletter for friends of generosity incorporated

Welcome
Feature from Austin, Texas
Dreams of Humility
Why the Skin?
Film and Book Recommendations
Humility in the News?
Who’s Who in Humility
The Child's Garden
Poetry

From the Editors

This month we are featuring Humility, number 24 of the Descending Principles (numbered 20-29). Humility is the characteristic of one who relates to the earth (humus) even though he or she may touch transcendent spheres ­ Moses was called the most humble man who ever lived. “Whenever you find God’s greatness mentioned,” say the ancient sages, “there also you find his humility.” Thus integrating the light, allowing it to infuse earth itself, is the call of Humility.

Tamar Frankiel, Editor

Thanks for help on this month’s newsletter from Carol Bucklew, Cammie Doty, Annette Hulefeld, and Connie Kaplan.

Feature from Austin, Texas

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

I grew up in the ‘50’s and 60’s. I was born with two “tragic flaws.” First, I was painfully shy. Second, I was highly opinionated. With Humility as my sun principle, these were two qualities that made me vulnerable to the general opinions of the day: that women should not be outspoken. My shyness made me willing to remain silent, even as my opinionated nature made me long to speak out.

Humility demands that one self-investigate. Authentic self-knowing is the goal of Humility. However, my early years, I didn’t see self investigation or self knowing as possibilities. I was stuck in a dilemma. As I stated in The Invisible Garment: “It is arrogant to think yourself as grander than you are. It is equally arrogant to think yourself less than you are.”

I was caught, for the first portion of my life, in the Humility dilemma. I had “grand” opinions; yet I had been taught that it was arrogant to state them. It simply wasn’t a woman’s place to make bold statements, and the shy part of me comfortably hid behind that “rule.”

When I went to college in 1967, things changed culturally and personally. Culturally I heard Gloria Steinem and Bella Abzug telling me to speak out. I heard Hillary Rodham’s Wellesley College commencement address admonishing every woman of our generation to speak out. My culture started giving me permission to be myself, to have opinions, to articulate them.

My freshman speech teacher loved me. She encouraged me to write an oration on a topic. I wrote one on legalizing abortion (long before Roe v. Wade.) She made me enter a contest. I won. She sent me to a regional tournament. I won. Shy me discovered that when I’m in the spotlight, the shyness melts and as long as my opinions are supported with scientific and documented evidence, I can be rewarded for speaking them.

I realized at that point that I had been “arrogantly” hiding my authentic self. Of course it would be a few more decades before I would have the vocabulary to articulate the encouragement that Humility sent my way, but at age 18 I woke up for the first time to the possibility of living according to my true nature rather than walking a culturally defined narrow line.

--Connie Kaplan

Dreams of Humility

Humility dreams in our collections seem to show up primarily in two forms ­ in dreams of nudity (showing the skin), or in dreams of orange, golden, or amber light or liquid. We think you’ll find these examples of the 2nd type interesting:

The space is pastel lemon yellow, no walls, but one doorway which I am walking through--the door frame is made of raw unfinished pine-colored wood with honey brown grain ­ into a creamy white area. I am holding/carrying a large clear glass lantern, with a wide base, tapering off to the top, with a smooth glass carrying handle that reaches from the top rim to the bottom, as if made by a glass blower. I am having it filled with a brilliant clear golden liquid that I understand to be the fuel for the lantern. Then I realize that I can not travel with the lantern because I have over-filled it with fuel, out of a feeling of insecurity. It makes more sense, I "hear" from a wise androgynous voice, to put in a small amount, filling the large bowl at the bottom of the lantern, and then I can carry it easily and move about as I need/must. I try it out. It does make sense, but I feel a sense of loss at the idea of not having the lantern full up to the top as I'd had earlier.

This is followed by my drinking a honey-colored tea from a clear glass, where I put this new principle to work and instead of filling it to the top, I fill it one-third of the way up. I realize that I have been given a principle that applies to all things carried.

The wish to be secure led the dreamer to fill up her lantern, but that made it impossible to carry, so she could not travel. In the follow-up, this is applied to what she ingests as well ­ what she carries inside. The inner and the outer must match, and Humility demands that one carry oneself and one's possessions lightly.

I'm in a shop looking at a display case where there is a large glass container of amber colored liquid that is advertised as a cough suppressant. I'm really curious about it because it appears to be so old. There are other artifacts is the display case as well, with items commemorating the start of the business that produces the liqueur, in the year 1614.

We talk to another woman who is wearing unusual old-fashioned clothing; she is minding the shop. My companion questions her and the woman offers some cryptic advice, saying she has spent too much of her life looking inward and now it's time to look outward. She takes off the stiff gray apron she is wearing and gives it to my companion who puts it on. The woman walks away, leaving us to ourselves.

Again, an amber liquid appears, this time as an old liqueur, the featured article in an ancient store. The Thirty Principles are alluded to numerologically, because 16+14=30. The “cryptic” answer of the woman associated with the “mind” of the store was to balance inwardness with looking outward.

I go to a meeting and after hearing a speaker I go up to ask questions. He is very dignified, African-looking, fairly dark with darker spots on his skin. I ask my questions and am concentrating very hard to remember my points; I close my eyes. When I open them, he’s gone ­ just walked away. I’m not going to let him get away with that ­ so rude! I thread my way through the knots of people. When I find him, I decide to say nothing, just give him a look.

Then I go to another hall. As I stand there, upset and discouraged, in an empty hall, another brown-skinned man comes up ­ younger, slimmer, lighter-skinned but also with darker spots. He says, “They think you’re too influenced by psychologists, and very critical.” I try to defend myself ­ no reply.

Then the first man enters, comes over and hands me a bottle of wine ­ a deep brilliant blue bottle with a large spreading base and a narrow neck topped with a gold/silver foil top. He says, “I don’t want you to feel so alone.” I start crying and answer, “Very few seem to care about that.” We hug and cry. Then he leaves.

I step over to a counter along the wall and take a plastic cup, ice-cream-cup size, and pour from the bottle. It’s a golden-orange liquid, opaque changing to translucent & back again. It looks and tastes like a good orange soda with a creamsicle tinge. I drink it.

In this more personal dream, two angels introduce the dreamer to aspects of herself that she must recognize. First, her effort to concentrate inwardly leads to disconnection, to which she tries to respond with “a look.” Then she has to face direct criticism of her thinking, to which she responds with defensiveness. Finally the first angel brings truth and genuine connection. Now the principle of Humility can be introduced, again in that beautiful liquid form.

Isn’t it interesting that allusions to “inwardness” and “outwardness” appear in all these dreams, from different dreamers at different times?

To find Humility in your dreams, look for references to the skin or nudity ... to contained light... to the number 24, or the colors orange or amber.

Why the Skin?

The skin develops out of the same early cell systems as the brain. It is the outer sensory mechanism, but also part of the respiratory system which cools the body, as well as giving protection. It lives, senses, breathes, moves and stretches, and ‘takes the first hit’ from anything that threatens the self. No wonder it is the metaphor for the authentic self ­ and of course, it is the interface between inside and outside.

Film and Book Recommendations

Doubt, directed by John Patrick Shanley
Starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, this film portrays a schoolmaster nun who confronts a priest whom she suspects of abusing a child. A strict disciplinarian with a deep concern for children, her determination and conviction seem to model an authentic response to life and to her profession. At the same time, the priest, who has support from the church hierarchy, protests his innocence. In a wrenching scene, he makes the claim for his own authenticity and questions her standards. Should she doubt herself? Is she arrogant or is she truly in humble service?

The Soloist by Steve Lopez
Lopez, a Los Angeles Times columnist, met Nathaniel Ayers while searching for material for his columns. Ayers was once a music student at Juliard, but developed paranoid schizophrenia and had to leave school, ending up on the streets among the city’s homeless. The story of their relationship became a series of columns by Lopez, now in book form. The struggle for authentic life in the face of a debilitating disease, and the compassion and friendship that make it possible, are the themes of this book.
This story has also been made into a film, due to be released in the spring.

Humility in the News

Does Humility make it into the news or are they incompatible? Occasionally you can find it, if you look hard enough . . . . .

• Headline: The See-Through CEO
  Wired, March 2007. “Radical transparency” may be the new watchword in business. One of many examples is Glenn Kelman, of the brokerage firm Redfin, who publicized his firm’s internal debates and even mocked himself. The result: success! http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.04/wired40_ceo.html
  
  
• Headline: Ex-Aide Lost Faith in Bush
  Jim Ruttenberg, New York Times, April 1, 2007: The first of Bush’s inner circle to speak against him was admired for his honest expression of his views. He went on to become in independent political consultant.
  
  
• Headline: Local humility in Myanmar inspires student
  May 4, 2008 A student writes of her impressions on a visit to Myanmar, describing how in the midst of terrible repression, the local people can live with dignity and self-discipline.http://tnjn.com/2008/kay/04/local-humility-in-myanmar-insp/
  
  
• Headline: Pompi's Song
  Tess Henley wrote a song and made a video about her Grandfather who she said was the epitome of Humility. He died of skin cancer. http://www.vimeo.com/2807894

6. Who's Who in Humility

The famous people we found with Sun in Humility are an interesting group, who (like most famous people) are not always associated with being humble. A number of them have a relationship with the search for authenticity, though sometimes in peculiar ways. See what you think!

• Helen Hunt, 1963-
  Award-winning American actress, widely known for her role in the television sitcom Mad About You; in moving to film, she is best known for roles in Twister and As Good As It Gets.

• Sean Penn, 1960-
  Actor and political activist, known especially for his award-winning Best Actor performances in Mystic River (2003) and Milk (2009).

• Jerry Springer, 1944-
  Born in the U.K., former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, then later a television personality and host of the controversial television tabloid talk show bearing his name.
  
  
• Martin Scorsese, 1942-
  Award-winning American film director, writer and producer whose work addresses themes of guilt and redemption, machismo and social violence. His film Kundun was a remarkable study of the Dalai Lama’s early years.
  
  
• Pete Rose, 1941-
  All-time major-league baseball leader in hits and games played, an All-Star game player in an unequaled five different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B, and 1B). After retiring, Rose agreed to permanent ineligibility from baseball amid accusations that he gambled on baseball games.
  
  
• Madeleine Albright, 1937-
  The first woman to become a U.S. Secretary of State, under President Clinton.
  
  
• Waylon Jennings, 1937-2002
  American country music singer, bass player for Buddy Holly, later working with the ‘outlaws’ for authenticity versus the “Nashville sound” of the corporate music scene. His memoir has been called “as frank a country autobiography as has been written.”
  
  
• Ken Kesey. 1935 ­2001
  American author, best known for his novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as a counter-cultural figure linking the Beat Generation of the 1950s with the hippies of the 1960s.
  
  
• Loretta Lynn, 1932-
  American singer-songwriter, one of the leading country female vocalists during the 1960s and 1970s. Her many autobiographical songs bluntly addressed many issues in the lives of women, especially in the South.
  
  
• Jasper Johns, 1930-
  American artist and printmaker, known for appropriating popular iconography as in his flag and target series, but also for many explorations in color and texture.
  
  
• Phyllis Diller, 1917-
  A pioneer of female stand-up comedy, she created a stage character persona as a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife. Another distinct characteristic is her cackling laugh, one of the best-recognized in comedy.
  
  
• Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, 1917-2008
  British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey.
  
  
• Art Linkletter, 1912-
  Host of two of the longest-running shows in U.S. broadcast history: House Party and People Are Funny, for 25 and 19 years, respectively. Famous for interviewing children on Kids Say the Darndest Things.
  
  
• Albert Schweitzer, 1875-1965
  Theologian, physician, and musician from Alsace-Lorraine, who spent most of his life in Africa maintaining a hospital near a mission, he was regarded in his time as the epitome of the humble way of life .
  
  
• Jane Austen, 1775-1817
  English novelist (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice), famous for her social commentary and masterful use of both free indirect speech and irony.
  
  
• Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770-1827
  One of the greatest composers in the history of music, who continued to compose even when he was almost totally deaf. He also was one of the first composers to free-lance rather than being permanently employed at court or by the church.
  

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:

Jenna was her birth name; Sun Dancer, her soul given name. As early as the age of three, Jenna could be seen in front of her bedroom window, jumping on her soft bed, looking out at the bare branches in the cold of winter, wearing a bikini, singing to the sun, and yelling with glee: “Mommy, mommy the Sun loves me ­ she tells me to dance with her ­ and the clouds will melt away.” And so, this child would dance, knowing love came directly from the rays of the Sun.
Jenna was also the young girl who in 6th grade, decided to create a one-girl theater play called She Who Dances With Light. The main character was a “silly” girl who became very sad when it rained or when the skies were gray and gloomy, or when it was windy and cold. In order to stay on the earth, the “real” girl travelled in her dreams to the desert, lie on the heated sand, draw paintings on the rocks, and talk to the Sun. She often told her family and teachers that her poems came from the belly of the Sun.
Of course, this kind of behavior was perceived as quite eccentric, even odd enough to have her sent to the office of a therapist. Jenna refused to speak and instead, opened the blinds, and waited until the Sun came streaming through onto her face ­ and then she’d laugh. She knew the truth. She came to learn that what was most authentic about her would probably raise the eyebrows of most “normal” people. She came to realize that dancing naked in the sun was not acceptable behavior unless you lived in a rich neighborhood with high fences for protection!

--Annette Hulefeld

8. Poetry

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) had his Sun in Humility. That principle may have helped guide Whittier to his Quaker faith, as illustrated in this poem.

The Quaker of the Olden Time

by John Greenleaf Whittier

The Quaker of the olden time!
How calm and firm and true,
Unspotted by its wrong and crime,
He walked the dark earth through,
The lust of power, the love of gain,
The thousand lures of sin
Around him, had no power to stain
The purity within.

With that deep insight which detects
All great things in the small,
And knows how each man's life affects
The spiritual life of all,
He walked by faith and not by sight,
By love and not by law;
The presence of the wrong or right
He rather felt than saw.

He felt that wrong with wrong partakes,
That nothing stands alone,
That whoso gives the motive, makes His
brother's sin his own
And, pausing not for doubtful choice
Of evils great or small,
He listened to that inward voice
Which called away from all.

O Spirit of that early day,
So pure and strong and true,
Be with us in the narrow way
Our faithful fathers knew.
Give strength the evil to forsake,
The cross of Truth to bear,
And love and reverent fear to make
Our daily lives a prayer!

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