When ever I'm tempted to "wax poetic" I try to resist the impulse because nobody really wants to read second rate prose. There is poetry in my heart, but I'm no poet. That said, I've had a few experiences of late that have increased the fullness and positivity in my life.
About a week ago I climbed down the steps of my motor home to walk Romeo before going to bed. It was probably a little after 2:00 AM. The east wind off the Atlantic was brisk and cool against my face and bare legs. The ghostly silhouettes of palm fronds guarding the driveway were clearly visible in contrast to the night sky. What struck me next was that the moon had not yet risen and that this late night was still so uncommonly bright. It was a special moment and I quickly became transfixed by the source of the light, the glorious view above. The Milky Way hung overhead as a soft glow emerging reluctantly from the light pollution of the southern horizon like a thin cloud of smoke escaping a smoldering fire. The glow on the southern horizon that is the megalopolis of SE Florida and Miami is inescapable. There is no comparison between Martin County and those high rise, over populated counties to the south. The orange glow stands like a warning to those who might be tempted to enter. Like too many lab rats in a small cage the over population of SE Florida creates a truly unwholesome environment where stress and hostility rein over calm, civility and our best nature. It's a kind of American cultural cliche'. The light pollution on the southern horizon reminded me of when I lived in my own cage that was Houston (22 years) and how glad I was to escape a decade ago. To the north is the fainter glow of Port Salerno, St. Lucie and Stuart. Looking east out over the ocean I see only the blackness of infinity illuminated by those stars bright enough to be visible to the horizon. Peering through the many more miles of atmosphere the stars lowest on the horizon are always fainter. The constellations of stars overhead are the brightest in the sky. I wish I had a star map to reference, but I could still clearly differentiate the planets from the stars. They are different colors and luminosity. I was happy to recognize a few star alignments learned from childhood when my brother had a telescope. Almost as a habit whenever I gaze at a night sky my eyes are automatically drawn to Orion's Belt, first. There isn't another group of three stars that come close to having the same proximity and brightness. The Big Dipper is also easy to find with it's ladle hanging so low. The Little Dipper is, I suspect, not visible from this latitude, but I know I've seen it before somewhere. I am quite limited in my astronomical knowledge. I will say, though, that I find the subject more interesting today than ever before. It could be fun to learn a little more about astronomy. One essential ingredient I'll need to include for my next viewing is bug spray. SE Florida mosquitoes can be intense. Craning my neck to look straight up I found the position more comfortable than expected and arching my back expanded my view even more. My posture would have looked most curious had someone spotted me; arched back, my belly stretched like a six month pregnancy and a neck craned way beyond normal limits. I now see a reclining lawn chair in my future. When I first arrived in Hobe Sound there was an unusual confluence of mars and venus and their orbits were, for a time, in a synchronicity seen only every hundred years or so. Like twins they marched across the April sky in unison soon to be parted for another century. On this night they were separated, but still marching lockstep within my visual range. One red and the other yellow they are easily distinguished from the stars the nearest of which is a mere 20 million light years from my motor home. The magnificence of a clear night sky can be humbling in the same way that standing next to a giant Sequoia is humbling. Mostly, the view filled me with a blissful happiness and gratitude for what my life has become. I can't wait to see the stars over the northern Rockies.
Truth is I've never attached much significance to the stars. I know others do and I suspect I probably should, but to me western astrology is more akin to fortune cookie predictions than anything really meaningful. But, what do I know? Maybe there is more to the stars than meets the logical Western eye. Maybe the ancient (eastern) Indian astrological tradition of Jotish is more valid. Just a few years ago I asked a Jotishi (a person who creates and interprets Jotish astrology) to do my astrological chart and I was willing to pay the $150 asked. I gave him the pertinent details of where I was born along with the date and time of day. I was hopeful for something significant to my life, but expected less. I'd never find out, though, because according to my Jotishi a chart isn't possible for me. I have seven planets all in the same house and without contrasting positions no reading would be possible. This is, apparently, a rare occurrence, but one without special significance. Maybe my Western cynicism of things mystical weighs heavily in my consciousness for a reason. I don't know. What I do know is I'm not proud of my knee jerk reactions to mysticism, but then I've seen behind the curtain and as it turns out I am the Great and Mighty Oz, Coo-Coo-Ca-Choo. That I was willing to pay for a chart took me to my limit, but to have a Jotishi turn down my money came as the biggest surprise. A carnival soothsayer would have taken the $150 without hesitation. Maybe there is some integrity left in this world, after all. Today, interaction between Mind and the Universe is a subject most dear to me. I now feel my life being played out in harmony with the Universe. There are even times when my individual Self gives way to selflessness and I feel one with everything. The night sky can be a special experience, indeed.
The longer I stay in Hobe Sound the more fortunate and happy I feel. So, why am I offering these insights? I figure knowing me better might help you justify reading more blog posts and for me to write what is to follow.
mb/jd
