SimplyNumbers

Book ideas: Poetry from Kevin Young

Previously, I've written about working with poetry for grief, healing and growth. The poetry collections of Kevin Young can help you to delve deeper into your own healing process and can be an important part of your collection. He is an established and published poet, who finds inspiration from seeming unlikely sources such as jazz and blues. He's written and edited several collections, and was a finalist for the National Book Aware for his collection "Jelly Roll" . His collection "Dear Darkness" was named one of the Best Books of 2008 by NPR's All Things Considered

NPR explains how Kevin sought out a collection of poems that might help him to handle the death of his own father. Unfortunately, he was unable to find a suitable collection, but this inspired him to write his own. 

His yearning for a collection of poetry that actually dealt with grief and regret is where the "Art of Losing: Poems of Grief and Healing" was born. The "Art of Losing" contains sections of poetry on various topics, including recovery, regret, remembrance and ritual. It also spans an ecclectic group of poets from contemporary to historical.

 

"I listen to the blues to feel better, not worse—it transforms us as listeners, takes our troubles away not by pretending they don't exist (like much other early pop music) but by naming them." ~ Kevin Young, interview with Bold Type

 

Resources:

Kevin reading poems from Jelly Roll
Kevin reading poems from The Art of Losing

Moving beyond limitations

What limits you? What help do you need? What help do you already have? What issues hold you back?  Many issues, such as jealousy, doubt, time, or money can creep up and cause trouble for us, but all can be handled if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to overcome them.

For many of us, the thing that holds us back is a desire for instant gratification. We want it now! We’re jealous of our friends with the fancy car or important sounding job. Somehow we get stuck in a belief that we can’t have what they have. We wallow in pity. We could find a way to shift our lives and try something different, but may be unwilling to do so.

Malcom Gladwell, in his book “Outliers: The Story of Success” relates to us that in order to truly excel at any particular craft or endeavor you need dedicate time to practice and learn. Gladwell, says that the time needed to become an expert is about 10,000 hours of experience. The book talks about various people, including Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, and also discusses how they were in “the right place and the right time” and were able to spend their time practicing and developing their craft. For instance, Bill Gates was able to get access, which was very hard to get at the time, to a mainframe as a teenager.

Gladwell discusses the ingredients for success, and notes that while IQ is certainly a contributor, it’s not necessarily the most important. Other things, some of which may be obvious, are important as well. Some of the contributors discussed are tenacity, culture, and time of birth. As an example of “timing”, Bill Gates was able to get critical access to a computer system that would have been impossible just a few years before, and unlike many other teens his own age, he was had the materials/equipment he needed and was able to dedicate the time to develop his computer skills.

What this means is that if you want to be great, is that on a very basic level you need to put in the time and effort. However, the process to becoming successful is more than just putting in the time. It’s also about passion and desire. It’s no use training to be a veterinarian if you are don’t like, or are afraid of animals. What are you passionate about? Share that with the world.

If you’re feeling stuck, one way to share your passion with others, and become better recognized, is by volunteering. Volunteering has many benefits, one of which is that you get to do what you love and help others at the same time! You can be a mentor to someone else and help get them started on their own path.

Book Review: The Sparrow

Mary Doria Russell's novel, “ The Sparrow ”, tells the story of  Emilio Sandoz, who is a Jesuit priest. He and is companions travel to explore a newly discovered planet. The planet was found because snippets of beautiful music were heard when radio telescopes were listening in on that part of the galaxy where the planet is located.

Although the novel is labeled as a science fiction, it can be viewed from a much larger perspective. Also, the book does have some strong religious undertones, but you don't have to be religious to read the book or think about the ideas that it raises. I enjoyed it because it was definitely a surprise, and it poses many valuable questions that would normally be found within in a self-help, philosophy or psychology manual.

The novel tells the story from three different time periods. It starts off with a brief introduction of the characters, and the discovery of the planet Rakhat. Then the story is told from the perspective of Emilio after he returns to Earth, and from the perspective of the travelers as they are getting to know the new planet. On the planet they meet the inhabitants, and the story revolves around the differences in the cultures.

Some of the questions that the author leaves unanswered for the reader are:

• Are we are all wounded in some way?
• What wounds have we inflicted on others?
• How have others helped us to mend fences?
• How have others helped us to grieve?
• How have others become our family?
• How do we fill our needs (our emptiness)?
• How do our wounds keep us stationary?
• How do our wounds focus our attention?

Finding a good therapist

Doctor and author, William J. Doherty, believes that good therapists should be clinically competent and sensitive to important moral issues.

According to him. a good therapist shows:

Caring - The therapist seems genuinely compassionate and values you as a person.

Courage - The therapist is willing to challenge you when you are off base, even if you get angry or defensive in response.

Prudence - The therapists feedback and suggestions about your life decisions seem realistic and reasonable, neither too timid nor too risky.

Willingness to use moral language - The therapist is willing to engage in moral discussion about what is fair, right, honest or responsible.

Respect for your interpersonal commitments and responsibilities - The therapist honors your inclinations to act responsibly toward people you are committed to in your life, even when he or she is sometimes pointing out the destructive elements in these relationships.

Respect for your community commitments and responsibilities - The therapist honors your efforts to contribute to your community, even those he or she may challenge you at times to achieve a better balance in your life.

Excerpt from: Soul Searching: Why Psychotherapy Must Promote Moral Responsibility

St. Patrick

We don’t really have much, if any, relevant information about St. Patrick. It is thought that two of his personal letters have been preserved through time, but even a valid a letter or two can only provide the briefest of glimpses into the life of anyone.

It is commonly believed that when he was a youth, he was captured and brought to Ireland as a slave. While he worked tending to sheep in the fields, he found that prayer was a great comfort to him, and through his prayer he was able to persist and eventually escape. It is thought that because of visions, he became involved with the church and returned to Ireland to preach and foster faith.

If you wish to get a deeper historical perspective you may want to read The Course of Irish History . On the lighter side, you might look to Thomas Cahill. He wrote about St. Patrick and his possible influence over Ireland, in the strangely titled book "How the Irish Saved Civilization ".

See also:

Slate: No snakes. No shamrocks. Just the facts.

Book Review : Numerology and the Divine Triangle

Numerology and the Divine Triangle - By Dusty Bunker & Faith Javane
This is usually the book that I refer people to when they ask about a good Numerology book to start off with. The authors are among my favored Numerology writers, and the book is easily one of my most utilized Numerology books. Unlike some books which try to cover too much territory, this book balances the basic topics with advanced topics.

The book starts off by explaining the basic meanings of the numbers, but I like that then it covers the introduction to the Core Numbers and Master Numbers as well.  It then provides an introduction into deeper exploration around work, relationships, and symbolism from the Bible. In the second section of the book it has a thorough discussion of the Tarot and correlation to your numbers and personal time periods.

A good portion of the book is devoted to learning about and understanding cycles and personal time periods, such as the Personal Year.  The addition of the Tarot reference in the second section allows the reader to look more in depth at a Personal Year or any time period.

Book review: The Mayan Factor

The Mayan Factor: Path Beyond Technology - By Jose Arguelles

This book is absolutely necessary for anyone studying the Mayan culture. Jose Arguelles presents a detailed but easy to understand explanation of the Mayan Calendar. The ideas that he presents are very interesting and thought provoking. You’ll have to put in a little effort to understand some of his terminology and depth, especially when it comes to mathematics.

If you're interested in a study of Mayan culture, then this book should be considered as a vital addition to your library. It shows that there can still be mystery and wonder in our history, and that there is more yet to understand about our growth and advancement to the culture that we have today. The views and ideas that the book provides may be unorthodoxed, but it gives the reader a new religious, spiritual and cultural perspective to take in.

"Though I write in this book of things that may seem culturally remote or transcendentally cosmic, it would be a mistake to think of the Maya as inaccessible. As I have found through my life, the Mayan experience with its wealth of artistic and scientific lore is not so much alien or different as it is strangely, hauntingly familiar, like the numerous coincidences of the word Maya and it cognates that are scatted across the civilized world. " ~ Jose Arguelles, Mayan Factor

The book was originally published in 1987. Arguelles was 47 at the time and had spent over 33 years learning about and researching the Mayan culture. As a young teen he had his first Mayan experience while visiting Mexico, which his family left when he was young. He says that being in the ancient city of Teotihucan, and in awe of it, he was compelled and inspired to uncover the mystery of what had happened there.

"If I had not called the Harmonic Convergence and written The Mayan Factor which focused unprecedented popular attention on the Tzolkin, Haab, and all other aspects of the Mayan Calendar, including many original mathematical analyses, outside of the Day Keepers in Mayab, there would be no Mayan Calendar movement anywhere in the world today." ~ Jose Arguelles, Jose Speaks Out

Ultimately, the book is a good read and can be an excellent addition to your library. It can be an invaluable asset for those who are interested in learning more about the Mayans and 2012, and may even be a surprise help for you with your own personal practice.