Understanding

 

The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.
— Frank Herbert

 

Innocence is often the price we pay for knowledge and often it is a worthwhile exchange. When we encounter something new we often try to connect it with something that we have known before. When we can do this, we often avoid delving deeper as there is no reason to. We feel we understand it already. It is only when we can’t make an automatic connection that we seek more knowledge in order to reach a level of understanding. However once we grasp something we can no longer claim innocence of it.
Blessings, G

 

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The Other Side of the GardenThe Other Side of the Garden by G A Rosenberg

 

Tossed in the Cosmic StormTossed in the Cosmic Storm by G A Rosenberg

 

Integrity

 

“Do actions agree with words? There’s your measure of reliability. Never confine yourself to the words.”
― Frank Herbert

 

“If you say you’re going to do something you have to do it.” Each day this point gets driven through to me. From work commitments to following though on stated consequences for teenagers. Our word starts to mean less each time we fail to follow through. In work or relationships especially family ones this can lead to disaster. What’s worse is that not keeping our word can all too easily become a habit. We break it in small things and then gradually the big things stop mattering as much. There is a reason why it is called integrity and that is because without it, it becomes a lot harder to keep things together. This is one of those lessons that far too often is learned the hard way.
Blessings, G

 

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Mandala of Partial ConnectionsMandala of Partial Connections by G A Rosenberg

 

Sigil of EmergenceSigil of Emergence by G A Rosenberg

 

Travelling in Books

 

“In books I have traveled, not only to other worlds, but into my own.”
— Anna Quindlen

 

All of my life I have been an avid reader. I’d be the kid always walking around with the book in his hand. In class, I’d have a novel hidden under my school books and trusted to my memory to fill in the blanks in the lessons. So much that other people did and said puzzled me that I looked to the characters in books and how the writers handled their interactions to clarify the relationships in my own life and it helped. I read a lot of non-fiction and from those I gain knowledge but it is from fiction that I tend to get the most insight. From Spider Robinson’s Callahan stories I learned about the importance of empathy and sharing both joy and pain. From Frank Herbert’s Dune novels I learned about the many layers that communication happens on and how to handle it when overwhelmed by emotions. The litany against fear (http://dune.wikia.com/wiki/Litany_Against_Fear) works with all emotions. From Charles DeLint’s stories I learned much about how to overcome past pain and the sheer wonder and magick that exists in our everyday life. From these and so many others I’ve learned so much that I’ve been able to apply and share with other people and I am grateful for the light that they have shone in my world.
Blessings, G

 

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TaurusTaurus by G A Rosenberg

 

Fractal Seeds In An Abstract GardenFractal Seeds in an Abstract Garden by G A Rosenberg

 

Experience Life Instead of Solving it

 

“The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.”
― Frank Herbert

 

We humans tend to be problem-solving animals. For many of us, set a puzzle in front of us and we will work at it, if not consciously then somewhere in the back of our minds. When we don’t have problems to solve, we create them. We hear something that a friend or loved one says and we ask “Now what did they mean by that?” “How did that get there?” “Where did I put my glasses / phone / wallet?” “Why do hot dogs come in packages of eight while hot dog buns are packaged in sixes?” We ask the larger questions and to ask implies that there is an answer “How did I come to be here?” “How did everything else come to be here?” “How do I do this?”.
I tend to obsess around problems. I love working logic puzzles and when someone comes to me for advice either as a friend or as a tarot reader, I do my best to give good answers. Yet I agree with Frank Herbert’s advice above. Sometimes we have to enjoy life, even the rougher parts as the wonderful thing it is. We can’t spend so much time worrying about the hows and whys and whether we can do something better that we forget to live. I find myself in need of this reminder often.
Blessings, G

 

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Dream ObservatoryDream Observatory by G A Rosenberg

 
The Answer's InsideThe Answer’s Inside by G A Rosenberg

 

Scattering to the WindsScattering to the Winds by G A Rosenberg

Quote of the Day – April 2 2011

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
– Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear  Frank Herbert

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For Aaron – Thank you

Improbable Brush Strokes  (For Aaron) by G A Rosenberg

Aaron told me a few times when I was starting out making art with photoshop that he’d like to see what happened when i started making my own brush strokes…i had questions about my drawing ability and wasnt sure that would happen and started focusing more on learning technique in photoshop (along the way picking up things like the clone brush and partial erasures to help blend (cut down on the opacity). Tonight I felt like seeing what i could do with a brush…May all my fears be so easy to face….GAR