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divine feminine
October 2009 
PRESENCE and presents
Posted on Dec 12th, 2008
by 
Sylvia
Sylvia
I've been reflecting on the tension and the resonance between presents and spiritual PRESENCE for more than a week now.
In all capitals - PRESENCE for me is the Holy, Source, the greatest Mystery, the Divine Feminine, Jesus' Abba (daddy), ultimate stillness ...
leaving several blank spaces for readers to fill in their own terms and metaphors.
Somehow, I find the words for this blog flowing out as I'm sitting upstairs in the unbelievably quiet second bedroom at my sisters' of the heart. Here I am in touch with Spirit - with PRESENCE - with Mystery. My sisters are on the road dropping off their daughters at a baby-sitters so they can have a very rare and precious romantic dinner together. Part of the spiritual tingle here is echoes of the love they share millisecond by millisecond - with the ravaged teenaged foster daughters that usually pack the third bedroom - with their biological daughter and the toddler they're about to adopt after having fostered her since birth - with each other - with me, with just about everyone they meet. Tomorrow the three of us plan to make the trek down to the long anticipated MA graduation of our fourth sister 2+ hrs away. In the meantime - I have these moments in the quiet house with their cats and their dog - all of whom are used to a lot more people around to pet them - and who are alternatively craving attention and basking in the peace [smile].
There's the presence of those who are no longer in their physical bodies - my former SO Brad - and today, R - dearest friend of one of my brothers of the heart. R died in his sleep last night after years of struggling with various serious health issues. He was younger than me. I saw him only occasionally - but heard about him often, since my bro talked about him quite a bit. It's hard to know that I will not see R with his pragmatic love and biting humor again. And yet I have *such* a sense that he and Brad both are now conspiring to help bro take care of himself better - and I have to grin at that image in spite of my sorrow.
And then - there are presents. The ones that will be offered tomorrow to the new graduate. The ones about which there is such media, commercial and social frenzy this time of year - such pressure and often it seems such insanity. This blog began germinating in my brain the weekend after Thanksgiving when I made an almost unheard of trip to a local chain fabric store - and got caught up the madness of sales and "stuff". [sigh] How much "stuff" can be sold? And at what point will we as a culture rebel against the brainwashing of ads and merchandising, etc? At what point are presents about PRESENCE?
Certainly there are times with Spirit flows abundantly through giving and gifting. There are many items that evoke wonderful connections, and are tangible expressions of love. There are also millions upon millions of people in the world who live on less a day than it takes to buy an item in Target's $1 bargain bin.
YES, We Can! Still echoes and resonates with so many of us. So - can we? Shift from conumptivitis? Can we turn to PRESENCE more than presents for answers? Can we be more present with each other and ourselves? And gift the world with deeper connection this holiday season?
As I struggle with these questions - the back of my car is full of food and beverages for tomorrow's after graduation get together. I don't have answers to what I've asked. I know I have patterns that need shifting - I have a sense that most people in the US do. I just yearn for ways for all of us to come together and BE more than buy.
blessings and love -
Sylvia
A humorous commentary from the multiverse on this blog - as I was searching for images - I found the picture of the sunset to represent the Divine Presence - but I had trouble copying it with my keypad. When I plugged in my mouse to use the right button - the image attached itself to the cursor and followed my mouse around the screen - no matter which tab I had clicked. It only went away after I unplugged the mouse, and used CTRL C over the image to place it in the blog [chuckling]. I also found proof of what I'm reflecting on that images of gifts like the one at the top are more than plentiful, while images of the Divine Presence are much harder to find and need just the right search terms.
Access: Public
Oh, Sylvia. This is just amazing… for me presence is something I struggle always, always, to embody, and sometimes it can be so difficult. I love how you’ve played with the idea as an essential part of this season. Thank you.
Hi, Siona - you’re welcome. You can imagine this has been simmering especially in the midst of economic news, etc. These questions are among the ones that drew me to Gaia most strongly last spring. Thank you for being part of facilitating this community.
loving blessings -
Sylvia
how was the graduation?
speakign of gifts, you may knwo soemone who may want this”
Hey, Mary - thanks for stopping in :-). I am familiar with the Hungersite and the related sites shops - I appreciate the list of suggestions - one of the big things for me is getting away from buying more stuff - and going toward just being with folks.
Graduation was fun :-). We had an uneventful trip down - found a parking space near the auditorium - had fun talking with the folks next to us whose daughter was the first in their family to ever graduate from college. Our sister walked the stage early, so we split back to her apartment and set up cookies and chairs for the after gathering. We had a good time there, an uneventful trip back - and one of my sisters helped me get my digital camera squared away - more pics hopefully coming up soon [big smile].
loving hugs -
Sylvia
Excellent blog, Sylvia…many great points and things to think about here. In the mad rush to get “presents,” people forget to be present. I’m glad you mentioned those people who are not physically here, as well as those who struggle to survive on a daily basis. It’s important not to forget them. Thank you for sharing this here.
Hi, Lisa - thank you :-). Those who are not physically here have become more present to me in the last 6 months - so I think of them particularly when I think of presence. And the contrast between what I think of as consumptivitis - consumerism as a disease or addiction - and those who struggle to survive minute by minute - haunts and taunts me.
peace and blessings -
Sylvia
I enjoyed the blog as a calm moment within the frenetic pace of an outward activity.
Perhaps that is where presence hides when we are thinking of presents? The depth of the ocean is always present as is the varying turmoil of the waves. And when we accept it all as having their own purpose, we bring presence into the present.
I really enjoy your presence wherever I encounter it, Sylvia. Thank you for that.
Hi, Meenakshi - thank you - I honor and enjoy your presence too - and especially the ways in which you are present in and through Gaia - and all you give here.
I’m especially glad this blog was a serene moment for you - I was hoping the writing would help other folk connect with PRESENCE as I was experiencing it.
peace and blessings -
Sylvia