Life here has been swirling with tasty transition, so much so that finding a dedicated time to write a sustained..well, anything, has been a challenge. So today I will just plunk down a few jottings and thinkings…
Awhile back I wrote about a practice where I sit quietly when I am in public and acknowledge the beauty and the deity in everyone I see for a time period. I think we magickal folks who place a lot of emphasis on self-improvement (which is not a bad thing) tend to focus more on what we will attain, instead of acknowledging that deity and enlightened state already within us. Part of the trick is to also extend that to others. When I get frustrated by others it will serve me well to also remember that they, too, are a deity right at this very moment.
Aphrodite is a Goddess of joy and laughter, but I, frankly, tend to hang around with an overly serious and earnest lot. But if we don’t cultivate levity, what the hell are we fighting for? This week my dear husband introduced me to this wonderful piece in the Village Voice from Andrew W.K. on the importance of Partying. I believe this essay has the Aphrodite seal of approval, and also that of several other deities. I urge you to read it and party.
Yesterday, my dearest mentor and adviser left her post to move onto even greater things. I am filled with joy for her and so grateful to be able to watch her walk in the world. I have been so privileged to watch this woman lead. One thing my colleagues and I agreed upon yesterday while issuing our toasts to her future is that one quality that makes her so great is that she has built a wonderful team around her by genuinely empowering people. This is true strength of character. She recognizes talent and then lifts up her staff into positions of responsibility that allow them to shine and achieve, and she will take our counsel well and graciously. We are all peers in that group. I have never seen someone as genuinely loved in a professional environment as this woman is. I am out in the workplace as a Pagan, and I work closely with my Christian colleagues. We are even collaborating on some pretty cool projects that I think will put a new spin on “interfaith” activities. Yesterday, at her going away party my mentor commented on the beautiful relationship and partnership we have. She noted that on the surface given our different backgrounds, perspectives and different approaches to spirituality that it might seem like a strange pairing. I told her “Not really. You and I, and everyone on this team, we are all openly and directly in the service of Love. It doesn’t matter what we call it.” She said “Yeah, that’s it!” When someone is in the true service of Love, you just know it.