Monday, March 15, 2010

Spiritual malnourishment

The Huffington Post is concerned for the spiritual welfare of its readers. It offers them guidance from "Dr. Susan Corso, Omnifaith Spiritual Expert." Dr. (in what? Omnifaith Studies?) Corso shares her expertise with us in a posting called "Beware the Ides of March." Key words include:
Alice In Wonderland, Aquamarine, Ash Wednesday, Bloodstone, Crocus, Daffodil, Dr. Seuss, Easter, Equinox, Fath [sic], Tuesday, Ides Of March, Inernational [sic] Women's Day, John Philip Sousa, Julius Caesar, Lent, March, March Hare, March King, March Madness, Mardi Gras, Mars, Narcissus, National Reading Day, Pisces, Red Cross Month, Spring, St. Patrick's Day, The Inner Life, William Shakespeare, Women's History Month, Living News.
Impressive free association for a single blog post, Dr. Corso, but you left out The March of Time.

In case her spiritual welfare caseload doesn't get the reference in the title, she explains: "Today is the Ides of March, that infamous occasion marking the murder of Julius Caesar. The line of my title is from William Shakespeare's play of the same name, Julius Caesar." Thanks!
One of the ideas that struck me about the Ides is that it's two weeks, give or take, before the end of the first quarter of the year. For a lot of businesses and people, that's one-quarter way through the calendar year. Maybe we could use the Ides to preview our end-of-first-quarter progress? How about a middle day of reckoning?
I was going to have a little sport with her — "Actually, Dr. Corso, it's one-quarter of the way through the calendar year for for everyone" — but not according to the Chinese and, I believe, several other calendars. She's right. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, I am previewing my end-of-first-quarter progress and demanding a recount. My day of reckoning has already come and gone (unlike the Ides for Julius Caesar), multiple times.
March's birth flower is the Narcissus which signifies egotism in my little book. Perhaps a warning to that original Caesar to beware excessive self-contemplation. I could go on and on because the associations are endless.
I don't think Brutus and Co. stabbed Caesar because they were concerned about his excessive self-contemplation. But thanks for your restraint from going on and on, Dr. Corso.

The Huffington Post adds: "For spiritual nourishment, visit Dr. Susan Corso's website and blog, Seeds for Sanctuary." Seeking further spiritual menu items, I did, and learned from her that

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And it is what it is!

She offers a Not to Do list — get it? A Not to Do List! Don't:
Make war
Lose your temper
Snap at others
Despair
Whine or complain or criticize
Judge
Hit anyone
Discount the good
Neglect God/dess

And those are just off the top of my head! … And, because I, like you, know that humans don’t not do things very well, I have to add that every single one of these items would be easy to check off if we all just made a commitment to inner peace.

Yup, that's my trouble all right. I just can't commit. Nevertheless, in the spirit of not making war, not whining or complaining or criticizing, not judging, etc., I thank Dr. Corso for her insight. And let me leave you with this thought, from the heart: Have a nice day.

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4 comments:

butterfly said...

Oh my gosh! That is so funny.

I do think people are looking for some kind of spirituality in their lives. So many of us gave up on mainstream religions and then looked for science to give us the answers. The problem is that while the scientific method is useful, it isn't really being used all that well to address issues of consciousness or spirit.

I’d like to think it is possible to explore my own spiritual nature without being silly. But I suppose I could be wrong about that...

Rick Darby said...

Sandy,

Of course you can explore your own spiritual nature without being silly. You don't have to take your cues from people like Dr. Corso. Actually, you don't have to follow anyone, although many people on the spiritual path find inspiration in the great spiritual traditions of West and East, or in the teachings of particular individuals.

It is because I take the spiritual journey seriously that I make fun of New Age babble spouted by twinkies such as Dr. Corso.

Anonymous said...

Don't make war!

Gosh that was timely. If I hadnt read that, I would have started a world war, just for the fun of it.

Athropogenic Global War (AGW) for short.

Rick Darby said...

DP111,

That one had me laughing out loud. Thanks.