A Heartening Poem by Clarissa Pinkola Estes-'We Were Made for These Times'

Thanks for this, Mary.

One thing that resonates strongly with me is . . . the word "action."

- Recently, in the "U.S. Election: Holding the Tension . . ." thread, Eva Rider said ". . . compassionate action is the correct response to fear."

- The last line in Pinkola Estes' "We Were Made for These Times" in this thread is . . .
"When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for."

Of course, there are lots of different ways to "take action." But for me personally, at this time, psychological theories and analytics seem like not much more than some helpfull rigging on my own ship. They can sometimes aid in steering, or trimming the sails a bit, but they have no power at all over when, or from where, the world's winds will blow. What's more -- If there are storms on the ocean that put everyone in peril, how "safe" am I, really, in the harbor? And how do I justify not venturing out to try and aid those who are floundering or boarded by pirates? You have to set sail, even if into a storm, to use a ship for anything worthwile.

It reminds me of the process of trying to understand dreams. Recording them is only a first, necessary step. Then, even if working with the imagery results in some genuine insight, Robert Johnson (among others) recommends taking some concrete action, possibly symbolic, in response to the dream's message. Otherwise, the change it's pointing to is not fully realized / embodied.

These thoughts are part of how I view the demonstrations immediately following the recent election. One can argue that they are "impractical" - as they are not a direct response to legislation proposed in Congress. And yes, they may be "divisive." But I see them as positive, "compassionate action" in response to the fear that their government will use prejudice to violate people's rights. They have good reason to fear this, when a Trump surrogate offers the internment of Japanese during World War II as a "precedent" for a planned Muslim registry. Aside from problems many would have with the idea of a registry itself, it seems pretty clear to me that this harkening back to what many see as the last truly "good" and "noble" war (WWII) -- is a deliberate and calculated appeal to see anti-Muslim legislation as both "patriotic," and an as an action within a "war" context.

I don't think it's just fear of what Trump or his advisors have proposed that is prompting demonstrations. It's also the realization that a lot can happen in just four years; so speaking up now is letting the leaders know that people of conscience will not stand idly by. They are prepared to take compassionate action on behalf of the rights of all.

Replies

Dennis Carlyle November 18, 2016 at 3:50pm

Thanks for this, Mary.

One thing that resonates strongly with me is . . . the word "action."

- Recently, in the "U.S. Election: Holding the Tension . . ." thread, Eva Rider said ". . . compassionate action is the correct response to fear."

- The last line in Pinkola Estes' "We Were Made for These Times" in this thread is . . .
"When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for."

Of course, there are lots of different ways to "take action." But for me personally, at this time, psychological theories and analytics seem like not much more than some helpfull rigging on my own ship. They can sometimes aid in steering, or trimming the sails a bit, but they have no power at all over when, or from where, the world's winds will blow. What's more -- If there are storms on the ocean that put everyone in peril, how "safe" am I, really, in the harbor? And how do I justify not venturing out to try and aid those who are floundering or boarded by pirates? You have to set sail, even if into a storm, to use a ship for anything worthwile.

It reminds me of the process of trying to understand dreams. Recording them is only a first, necessary step. Then, even if working with the imagery results in some genuine insight, Robert Johnson (among others) recommends taking some concrete action, possibly symbolic, in response to the dream's message. Otherwise, the change it's pointing to is not fully realized / embodied.

These thoughts are part of how I view the demonstrations immediately following the recent election. One can argue that they are "impractical" - as they are not a direct response to legislation proposed in Congress. And yes, they may be "divisive." But I see them as positive, "compassionate action" in response to the fear that their government will use prejudice to violate people's rights. They have good reason to fear this, when a Trump surrogate offers the internment of Japanese during World War II as a "precedent" for a planned Muslim registry. Aside from problems many would have with the idea of a registry itself, it seems pretty clear to me that this harkening back to what many see as the last truly "good" and "noble" war (WWII) -- is a deliberate and calculated appeal to see anti-Muslim legislation as both "patriotic," and an as an action within a "war" context.

I don't think it's just fear of what Trump or his advisors have proposed that is prompting demonstrations. It's also the realization that a lot can happen in just four years; so speaking up now is letting the leaders know that people of conscience will not stand idly by. They are prepared to take compassionate action on behalf of the rights of all.

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