Blog - Page 45 - Jean Raffa

A Study in Shadows: Four Principles

Regardless of how we handle our shadows, we’re all influenced by them and occasionally overwhelmed by them. When this happens we automatically know that the other person or outer circumstance has driven us to justifiable frustration. Caused us to act defensive, touchy, petulant or moody. Made us feel put-upon, embarrassed, hurt, misunderstood, angry, rebellious, anxious, vengeful, superior, disdainful, hopeless, and so on. Anyone in our situation would respond as I did, we think.

January 8, 2013 No Comments

An Integration of Opposites

As many of you know, my newest book, Healing the Sacred Divide, made its debut in August. I am happy to say that so far it has received excellent reviews. Following is one of my favorites written this fall by playwright, actor, author, and teacher of creative writing, Joey Madia. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to him and all of you who have so graciously supported my work.

January 4, 2013 No Comments

2012 in review

I’ve just received the following summary of the past year’s activity on Matrignosis. Occasionally, friends express interest in how it’s being received, so I thought I’d share this with you all.

January 1, 2013 No Comments

The 52nd Week

I love the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. For me it stands out from the other 51 weeks in a year like a peaceful Zen garden amidst chaos, a special oasis where I attend to soul needs that require annual closure.

December 28, 2012 No Comments

The Secret Meaning of Christmas

Amidst all the bustle I wonder how many of us actually experience the love, joy and peace that is the promise of Christmas or profoundly connect with its underlying psycho-spiritual meaning. And what is that meaning? To find it we need to use the symbolic language of mythos.

December 25, 2012 No Comments

The Death of Earth or the Birth of Love?

Although main-stream Mayan scholars do not believe the Mayans were predicting physical doom, others thought the world might end this day, perhaps due to an interaction with the black hole at the center of the galaxy, or Earth’s collision with a previously unknown planet. At the very least, some people prepared for wide-spread natural catastrophes that would dramatically alter our way of life.

December 21, 2012 No Comments

A Life Under Construction

Once I saw life as a well-marked road with a clear destination. Or an upward trek to a distant mountain peak. One day I’d arrive at that light-filled place and be finished. Or it was a spiral whose circles would get smaller as they rose higher until only a small, still point was left. I told myself I’d keep digging until a dazzling light illuminated everything I needed to know. I’d write a book that would answer all my questions and say everything I needed to say.

December 14, 2012 No Comments

Alchemy and the Journey of Transformation

Whether we know it or not, you and I are on a journey of transformation. The same is true of our species. From the moment of our conception, natural forces of growth and change we could not see or control were in operation, heating, intensifying, distilling, softening, dissolving and transforming fixed aspects of our cells, minds and bodies. They still are.

December 11, 2012 No Comments

Religion From the Head: A Good Christian

In my youth, many of my family’s elders still held strict religious views which forbade work, movies, dancing, or playing cards on Sundays, and they disapproved of people who did these things. Sundays were for church, home, family, praying, Bible study and resting. Although my parents loosened up a bit in their religious views, they, too, were good, responsible, well-meaning, church-going people. Right beliefs, good deeds, and behavior beyond reproach were what counted.

December 7, 2012 No Comments

A Good Christian

Well, somehow I messed up and published two copies of the same post at two different stages of writing and with two different titles! “A Good Christian” was the

December 7, 2012 No Comments

Jean
Benedict
Raffa

Matrignosis

A BLOG ABOUT INNER WISDOM