March,
2004
Welcome to the March issue of the Being
Human e-zine. Here in Oregon the sky is blue, the sun is warm, the
tulips, daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops are blooming, the dog is
shedding, the leaves and blossoms on the trees are budding, and the
feeling of spring and new life is in the air. With best wishes,
Alicia and Solihin
In this issue...
The
PassionThe
IconBeing Human Book
Update for MarchOudh
Has Arrived!!New
Additions to the Calendar of Events for 2004
The
Passion
Recently, we went to see Mel Gibson's
movie "The Passion of the Christ." Some of you may have already
seen it, others have yet to see it , and some of you may have no
intention of ever seeing it. No matter which group you fall into,
you have probably some response to the film, as it has certainly
aroused passion, which has been well documented in the media.
Solihin and I saw "The Passion" without many expectations, on the
spur of the moment when we unexpectedly had a free evening in
Seattle. We knew there was controversy about the film and wanted to
see it for ourselves. We had heard and read some of the debate, but
had less exposure than most, as we do not have television.
Last week I went to hear a panel of religious scholars of different
faiths discuss the cultural phenomenon of this film and the effect
that it is having in this country. It was very interesting to hear
each of the different viewpoints.
One man felt that Gibson interpreted the gospels too literally, as
if they were a historical account, with the primary responsibility
for Jesus' death assigned to Jews, and that this literalization
removed the layers of meaning and the mysticism that exists in the
story of the passion. He felt the film conveyed the widely-held
view that God willed Jesus' death to pay for the sins of the world,
which he sees as a slur against God, to suggest that God required
this. Other people had criticism for the lack of a context, history
or background for the story. One Jewish man related his experience
of watching the film while sitting behind a church group, and his
realization that he and they were seeing two "different" films,
they through Christianand he through Jewish lenses. In some
cases, the film has deeply moved and galvanized evangelical
Christians to create a religious revival. One person mentioned how
the experience of being "born again" is so powerful that many who
have had the experience are constantly seeking to recapture its
intensity.
I think what is most interesting about this film is what a great
example it is of how we see from our own position, history and
culture and how that shapes the experience that we have when we see
it. Someone suggested that if non-Jews would spend ten minutes
watching the film as if they were Jews, they would better
understand how this has affected them; another person felt that
"how you view Jesus (in the film) is shaped by what you think of
him before you see the film."
For me, the film was the telling of a story - powerful, moving and
difficult. As for the Jews being "responsible," I think we have to
widen our view and realize that every single culture that exists
has been responsible for the death and suffering of others, none of
us are blameless. Taking this out of an historical context makes it
very black and white, far too simplistic.
Just as each of us acts individually from whatever our state
happens to be at the time, so too, do we act culturally,
religiously or nationally (look at what is happening now in Iraq,
Israel etc.) from our state. If we are only able to see what we
know at that moment, and are unable to find a way to look beyond
our own experience, it is unlikely that we will see the potential
consequences of our actions, or realize that our fear of the
unknown or that which is different, or challenges or threatens our
own wellbeing becomes the enemy, the "other" or "them."
I see this film as an opportunity to examine our viewpoint and
where it originates from, to own it, and realize that may not be
the only way to see this, or anything else, to acknowledge that
others may see it differently, and to be willing to consider
widening our own view to understand why. When we allow our
differences to polarize us, it causes chasms that divide rather
than bridges that unite humanity. - Alicia
The real voyage of discovery consists
not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. - Marcel
Proust
A
Matter of Caring
This month Solihin and I attended a
Conference on Caring, held in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge
here in Portland. About sixty people from all walks of life
gathered to explore the idea of caring: what is it, how do we do
it, what does it mean?
Solihin and I presented our work in the context of personal
sustainability, examining the question of "How do we care for and
sustain ourselves at each level of the life forces?" To read a
synopsis of our presentation, please click here.
For me, an important realization was that how we receive care from
others is just as significant as how we give it. I recognize that I
sometimes have difficulty accepting or receiving from others.
Several months ago I was in hospital with a back injury, and,
unable to do anything for myself, had to really let go and allow
others care for me. I received so much grace through the loving
kindness of dear friends that I felt truly blessed. For me, caring
is about giving and receiving, and doing both from the right place,
through guidance and love.- Alicia
Being
Human Book Update
This month we received three wonderful
reviews - a write-up in ForeWord Magazine, "reviews of good books
published independently" and two on-line reviews whose links appear
below:
Bookideas.comthebooxreview.com review and author
interviews
This month, Alicia attended
the Public Library Association National Convention in Seattle,
garnering interest for the book among librarians. Don't forget to
ask for the book at your local library - patron requests are often
considered when librarians are placing book orders!
Solihin and Alicia also appeared on two Seattle-based radio shows,
Contact Radio and Global Voices Radio. In addition, Solihin was
interviewed on WVIA radio, a local NPR affiliate in Scranton, PA.
They will conduct a mini-workshop based on the book for
Portland-based Project Quest in early April, and will appear at
Portland's Twenty Third Ave. Books on Thursday, April 22.
Being Human is now available on Amazon.com, and in select
bookstores in the Pacific Northwest. You can still order the book
directly from us at www.beinghumanbook.com, or if you are not an
on-line shopper, your local bookstore can easily order a copy for
you!
In the next few months, Solihin and Alicia will conduct Being Human
1-day introductory workshops in New York, Oregon, and Washington.
Check out the complete schedule:
Upcoming Being Human talks and workshops
I am content to follow to its
sourceEvery event in
action or in thought;Measure the lot; forgive myself the
lot!When such as I
cast out remorseSo
great a sweetness flows into the breastWe must laugh and we must
sing,We are blest by
everything,Everything we look upon is
blest.- William
Butler Yeats
Oudh
Is Here!
The oudh has finally arrived! Our
extremely potent and high quality oudh is now available in a 2.5ml
bottle at a cost of $85 (double the amount we used to sell at the
same price, so it's a great deal!). It is pure, and not diluted
with any other oil. It's the perfect compliment to our full set of
Sacred Oils. You can order by calling Alexandra at 800 304-4464 or
you may email us.