Imaginal Journal
Imagination is Medicine
Dates with Destiny: Ganesh
A month before I left my corporate job, our yoga instructor, Ashley Turner, had us do a mantra to Ganesh, the Hindu elephant god that is the remover of obstacles. And within weeks, space and opportunity to take a new unforeseen path, that once seemed impossible, emerged. I considered going back to school and pursuing a new career. But in what? I was not so sure. I knew I loved writing, the humanities, and helping people. I considered Master's writing programs but I did not feel that they penetrate the deeper levels I wanted to explore. Then by chance, on my last day of work, Ashley was doing a talk on Yoga Psychology at my old alma mater LMU. There she mentioned the school she had attended for her masters, Pacifica Graduate Institute.
I decided to attend the next open house for prospective students and the chancellor did an opening welcome, inviting us to consider any recent dreams with the person that lead us to Pacifica. I was surprised because I had, in fact, just had a dream with Ashley in which we were in a large room and there were pink balloons in the center. The dream continued as another woman enters the room and instructs us to gather the balloons or else it will attract negative energies. We complete the task. I wondered about the dream but it felt compelling in considering Pacifica. At the end of the open house, a prospective student pulled out some cards with Animal Spirit Guides with a depth perspective that she had just purchased at the campus bookstore that day. I drew this white Elephant card at random from the deck. It was beautiful and I knew it was no coincidence.
While my application to enroll at Pacifica processed, I decided to return to our family ranch in Mexico, a visit that was long over due. There I wrote dreams, read the magical realism book of Latin American fame, One Hundred Years of Solitude, practiced yoga, cooked with my mother and aunts, explored with my father and brother, steeped in family stories, and collaborated on creative projects with my nieces and nephews. I woke up one morning and thought to myself-- for my birthday later that summer, I want to ride an elephant. I told my mom at breakfast and she thought I was crazy. When I arrived back in LA, I let my husband know of my wish. I then investigated and found out the OC Fair was in effect and offering ELEPHANT RIDES! Husband and I went on our soonest mutual day off and I finally got to ride the majestic creature and feel its grounding power.
The next day I went to my part-time shop job and I had another amazing moment of synchronicity. I noticed that the daily picture calendar read, 'Who's riding the elephant?" with a line drawing of an elephant for the exact date we went to ride the elephant at the OC Fair. My artist co-worker had drawn a cat and a giraffe on the elephant, which I liken to my husband and me. She began to tell me about her artist friend who had very similar views and experiences as me.
So the day finally came when I started at Pacifica, to my astonishment, our classroom was the room from my dream and the woman with the instructions on the balloon gathering was to become the program director, In addition, I serendipitously met my co-worker's friend who was in my cohort. She became one of my most treasured friends.
Without a doubt, my destiny with Ganesh, who both removed obstacles (and creates them as I came to find), ushered this new soulful path and work in world.
Blood and Flesh Wisdom
“My belief is in the blood and flesh as being wiser than the intellect. The body-unconscious is where life bubbles up in us. It is how we know that we are alive, alive to the depths of our soul and intouch somewhere with the vivid reaches of the cosmos.”
Forgiveness
“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.”
What Prevails
“Whether creative possibilities or regressive destruction shall prevail depends not upon the nature of the archetype or myth, but upon the attitude and degree of consciousness”
The Artist is Present
Performance artist Marina Abramovi explores the profound experience of being fully present to her audience in this MOMA exhibition film here.