DLM # 159 The Sovereign Psyche (Or Why Texting Sucks)

Here is a video that clearly shows why we are dying, psychologically. Why our souls are dying even as we make sure to take down all other living beings with us. If I waggle my finger in everyone’s face this week, it’s because our babyish ways are irresponsible, we need to grow up, stat.

For this week’s music, I’ve decided to start offering musical assignments. Please download Beethoven’s final symphony onto your phone, then go out into the woods with headphones, or or the desert, or the river, somewhere away from humans and the digital world. While you listen to the symphony, collect leaves, rocks, twigs, whatever winks at you, and then build a mandala on the ground. Make a square, then put a circle in the middle of it. Then embellish and decorate it in any way you like. Say a prayer for the soul of the world, the anima mundi. This process will take a bit over an hour. Then make a pact that you will do something beautiful and non-digital like this every week come hell or high water. Don’t take a picture of your mandala. Don’t upload it to social media or text it to anyone. Let it be a secret ritual of between you and the cosmos, mixed together in silent and loving solitude.

DLM # 158 Asleep At The Wheel 🌀

So excited to share this week’s sermon and music with you all. After a very long and cold winter, the weather is finally turning warm around here and it’s a glorious Sunday morning. No matter what is happening in your world, or in the world in general, there can be some joy in sitting in the sun and breathing deeply.

DLM # 150 Mindfullness or Singlemindedness?

It’s an important question we don’t ask ourselves enough. Should we be full of mind or should we be focused?

The external world is unreliable, it will not avail us, especially when we are using an untrained monkey mind to interact with it. Training is the only answer, the only pathway to liberation which begins within, inside our own minds, the scariest and most dogmatic place of all!

DLM # 148 Slowness and Consciousness

I hope you enjoy today’s sermon. In honor of its theme, we’re listening to Manuel Göttsching’s E2E4—an hour-long song that gives new meaning to slowing down.

DLM # 141 Where Is Our Volition Carrying Us?

I think it’s a pretty good sermon this week, but gentle friends, I am working on so many projects that I have no music mix again. Maria Popova speaks of the “Ode to Joy” today in her blog, so I’m inspired to listen to Beethoven’s ninth symphony in its entirety and am suggesting you do the same. When you do listen to it from beginning to end, keep in mind the lyrics that I’ve posted here for you. They will make you quake with ecstasy.

With love until next week (and scroll down for link to sermon!)

An die Freude

Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!
Deine Zauber binden wieder
Was die Mode streng geteilt*;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder*
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein;
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer's nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!

Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur;
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod;
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben
und der Cherub steht vor Gott.

Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt'gen Plan
Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn,
Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen.

Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über'm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muß er wohnen.

Ode: To Joy

Joy, beautiful spark of Divinity [or: of gods],
Daughter of Elysium,
We enter, drunk with fire,
Heavenly one, thy sanctuary!
Thy magic binds again
What custom strictly divided;*
All people become brothers,*
Where thy gentle wing abides.

Whoever has succeeded in the great attempt,
To be a friend's friend,
Whoever has won a lovely wife,
Add his to the jubilation!
Yes, and also whoever has just one soul
To call his own in this world!
And he who never managed it should slink
Weeping from this union!

All creatures drink of joy
At nature's breasts.
All the Just, all the Evil
Follow her trail of roses.
Kisses she gave us and grapevines,
A friend, proven in death.
Ecstasy was given to the worm
And the cherub stands before God.

Gladly, as His suns fly
through the heavens' grand plan
Journey, brothers, on your way,
Joyful, like a hero to victory.

Be embraced, Millions!
This kiss to all the world!
Brothers, above the starry canopy
There must dwell a loving Father.
Are you collapsing, millions?
Do you sense the creator, world?
Seek him above the starry canopy!
Above stars must He dwell.

DLM # 131 The Affirmative Hero 👑

As always, keen discernment is a golden key that can unlock many doors.

DLM # 130 Hail The Victorious Dead 🍺🦋

Three supplementary items here: a photo of where I was sitting when I wrote today’s sermon, a photo of the Bohemian cemetery mentioned, and a video by Sadhguru explaining the way the mind is a reality-creation-factory we must train so we can consciously and consistently manifest peace, joy, and love.

Vyšehrad Cemetery

Nice place to sit and write!

DLM # 129 A Coronation Event 👑

A halo of light encircling a radiant object.

DLM # 128 Goddess Reclamation Projects 🌚

Here is a photo of Prague according to the tram system (notice the mandala-esque design), and a cool Gothic tower. Plus, this week’s wisdom and musical libations. Enjoy!

Prague-Mandala.jpeg
IMG_8996.jpeg

DLM # 121 The Relgious Life

How can we rescue ourselves from indoctrinated ideas that limit our ability to be in direct communion with the divine?

DLM # 120 Growing Up Strong Like A tree

We’re often blown off course when we see the success and wealth of others and start to feel bad about ourselves. But for those seeking wisdom, the slow maturation process of a tree is a better image to emulate.

DLM # 118 Tom Brady, Archetype of Success

A little ditty on the kinds of psychological parameters that give rise to feelings of fulfillment and success in life. The word “success” has been hijacked by the greedy capitalist imagination but in my view, true success is about self-mastery.

****Also, the “Let’s f**cking go” sign-off on today’s sermon is referencing Tom Brady’s oft-repeated call to action.

A recycled music mix from the early days of my mixes, apologies, I’m juggling a lot right now but will have a new mix next week.

DLM # 117 Artemis, Apollo, and the Dance of Oracular Healing

The 2021 Fates & Graces Mythologium was held this weekend and I presented a new paper about the archetypal significance of the pair being twins, among other things.

Ever since Nietzsche wrote The Birth of Tragedy, people have been laying their grievances about the patriarchy and its over-emphasis on rational thought at Apollo’s feet. But to me, Apollo cannot be separated from the imaginal attributes surrounding his myth. In my view, it is really Aristotle we should be complaining about.

Anyway, I turned my conference presentation into a Youtube video which is now moonlighting as this week’s sermon. The work is certainly preachy at times so I think it qualifies as a religious sermon.

This week’s music mix is also recycled because I have been listening to it nonstop since last week. I realized that I’ve had Artemis and Apollo on the brain for a while now and last week’s mix is really about the two of them. See if you can identify which songs invoke Artemis and which Apollo. There’s an epic one that’s really about both of them.

DLM # 116 The Sacred Ecstatic

This week’s verbal sermon is short but packs a serious punch. I had to listen to it myself several times, and each time I was transported. The music, too, is powerful and there are many gods and goddesses in there, inviting us to leave silliness behind and enter into true profundity. There is nothing like mythopoetic language and powerful music to transport us directly into connection with the divine.