Burmese Mermaid

Burmese Mermaid
Burmese Pearl by Gerald Kelly

Friday, July 20, 2012

Mermaid Dreams



















The Great Sirens, Paul DelVaux, 1947

























Perhaps due to my recent wanderings in lush tropical waters, my dreams have been very lively, practically jumping out of the waters of my unconscious mind into full consciousness.  I appreciate my time in the tropical waters for this reason, as the Burmese Mermaid has much to learn from her dreams.  A long life span doesn't guarantee wisdom, and I haven't gained what wisdom I have from books and learning tools valued by humans.  No, I must have my dreams.  Without dreams, my feeling heart would starve and eventually die from lack of inspiration.  These periods of learning for me are precious.  Would you believe that it once happened that eighty years passed during which I could be seen procrastinating, swimming indecisively in the same oceans, back and forth, without purpose or poetry?  Something about tropical waters stimulates my unconscious mind and kindles my growth as a mermaid desirous of greater wisdom.  And now I must dive deep and nap.  With a little luck, I'll soon be dreaming colorful mermaid dreams!

Open Hearts
























The poet and philosopher Rumi observed that you must keep breaking your heart in order for it to open.  It's an interesting way to look at suffering, don't you agree?  The poem in my previous post speaks of suffering in the same vein, alluding to suffering as a pathway or conduit leading ultimately to freedom from suffering.  I think the Buddhists, and philosophers of many stripes would agree with Rumi or, at the very least, appreciate the beautiful paradox.  "Freedom from suffering" I imagine as laying on a great, cosmic spectrum.  As the heart opens a little more with each crack, so too do we move toward greater understanding of our connection  to everyone and everything and the interconnectedness of all of it.  I will heed Rumi's words while immersed in the ocean blue, and not restrain, out of fear, my natural inclination to love, lest my heart get broken.  May I be brave, love deeply, and trust that healing will occur in proportion to any hurt that may arise. And now, if you will excuse me, I must continue my search for otherworldy treasures in the Aegean.  Oh, and last but not least, let's not romanticize suffering or elevate it to superstar status.  It's just that suffering is an undeniable part of our lives on this earth, so why not to utilize it for a lofty purpose?  The Burmese Mermaid is pragmatic.