Here’s a teaser from my next book, to be released next month (April)! It’s called A Leopard Can’t Change its Spots, and Other Lies We’re Told. You can see more information about it by clicking here.
…And, as is customary for me, I refer to Holy Scripture. I do not cite bible references to prove my point, or to dissuade you from your own beliefs. Some say the Christian bible is the Book of Truth, and others say it is a pack of lies. For me it is a code, and a mystery to be unraveled. For within the ambiguous musings and creative expressions of the mind, put forth by humans through many ages of spiritual evolution, I find my questions. These mysteries have guided me through my spiritual journey since the age of six and continue to do so each day. You will see scripture sprinkled throughout these pages but let me present to you the very foundation of my intent in writing this book: the book of John speaks of truth in a profound and fascinating way.
“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:” (1 John 1:6 KJVA). Saint John’s verse says we “do not” the truth. It does not speak of telling the truth, it speaks of truth as an action–as something we do! This realization, for me, served as a catalyst to search for truth everywhere, and in everything I do.
Another interesting and unwitting contributor to this work is John Lyly (1553-1606), a contemporary of William Shakespeare. From within Lyly’s comedic and, obviously, quite enduring work we find the origins of many phrases commonly employed today. A few of them are cited within these pages, including Mr. Lyly’s reference which he presumably admired from the Holy Bible. Herein is the source (Mr. Lyly’s quote), from which I directly corroborate the comedy: “That euery thing will dispose it selfe according to Nature? Can the Aethiope change or alter his skinne? or the Leoparde his hewe?”
But how these teachings have changed! As years have rolled on, the satirical words of John Lyly have become pearls of wisdom! Perhaps this represents his grandest joke of all, and John Lyly is quite possibly looking down upon us in amusement and with immense satisfaction–mission accomplished! And it is quite notable to me that I was compelled to lean heavily upon the brilliant works of two men named John: Saint John of Patmos, and John Lyly. Coincidence?
As you continue your journey through this book, you will see sequences of words presented in bold type. Heads up! True, or not true? The presumed untruths are formatted differently than other text, but not dramatically so. You see–lies are sneaky. Thus, the formatting is subtle, to demonstrate the subtlety of the euphemism to which I refer. Deceptions are often so cleverly masked, we often discover that we have been completely blind to them. Additionally, the word strings in bold are meant to trigger moments of critical analysis for you, my dear reader. Once observed, the boldness of lies becomes clear. Only then, can one begin to wash clean and transmute the anxiety caused by deception.
A Leopard Can’t Change Its Spots is created with the spirit of all things blue–the symbolic color of the throat chakra. The power of this energy system communicates only Truth. What, then, is Truth? It is different for each of us. But Truth surrounds us, hidden in plain sight, as a single, breathtakingly beautiful rose among the many thorns. It must it be sought, discovered, uncovered, and learned. The shroud must be removed from our eyes–the veil lifted. Then, and only then, is Truth manifested. And, through alchemy, the sacred flame of our own gnosis transforms the lies, the dross falls away, and only Truth remains.
The spirit of the leopard has remained with me throughout this project. From my perspective, this animal represents speed, strength, endurance, beauty, and power. He does not question his worth. To me, the leopard became representative of the truth I seek, the notion of new perspective, and the freedom of change. He was present, by my side, from the beginning. And now, my dream is that we all realize the truth of who we are. Let the Inner Child merge with the Sage, as we each discern truth from illusion. My prayer is for peace, which can be achieved through this process. My vision is as that of Saint John of Revelation: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6 NIV).
With great love,
Robin
This original prayer of intention is found in Chapter 3 of Pray Without Ceasing, Essays and Godwinks, by Robin P. Currie.
“Heavenly Father, I am aware that I hold the gifts of restoration within myself. Help me to serve those who need these blessings. Inside my heart, You have filled a trove of divine treasures, which You have so graciously gifted to me. I will not withhold, I will not recoil from the calling to extend these holy, healing resources. Please guide me, as I remember to generously distribute this wealth of favors, always.
Amen.”
Click here to order your copy of one of Robin’s books. To have your book personally signed, contact the author using the Contact link on the home page. If you like the books, reviews are always appreciated. Enjoy!
With great love,
Robin
What are your gifts? Your gifts are your portal to abundance. They are the joys of your soul. They are your life, as the divinely created, sacred spirit that you are.
Tell me about your gifts. Speak them aloud, write them, embody them. They are the keys to your manifestation power.
In Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, the feisty young pilgrim describes his own gifts. He knows they are his, only his, and are all he needs for his journey to enlightenment through a human experience. On page 64, the would-be apprentice spontaneously realizes and communicates his powers.
Fasting
Patience
Thinking
These are not exactly my gifts, and they may not be yours. Or perhaps they are. But now ponder what are your three gifts? Do we not know, whether consciously or not, that these gifts are not objects or things, rather they are who we are? I am that I am–so describes the gifts. They are within us from the beginning, and we carry them to the end, and then into the next adventure.
Nobody can take these empowerments from us. We can secret them, we can wear them on our sleeves, or we can forget about them. But they are ever a part of us, waiting, patiently available.
What are your gifts? Tell me yours, and I will tell you mine.
(I welcome and appreciate interaction. Consider this post as an invitation!)
With great love,
Robin
Click here to order your copy of one of Robin’s books. To have your book personally signed, contact the author using the Contact link on the home page. If you like the books, reviews are always appreciated. Enjoy!
(This is a brief selection from A Leopard Can’t Change its Spots, and Other Lies We’re Told).
“Familiarity breeds contempt”. Where did THAT one come from?! As if getting to know someone makes you dislike them? Sure that can happen, but is that the norm? And is it powerful enough to become a teaching phrase? I don’t think it’s quite as profound as those who use it believe it to be. But where did it come from?
“Fish and visitors stink in three days” is found within the pages of Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack. But those who remember credit somebody else with the coining of this quip–16th century creative writer John Lyly. In his most famous work, Euphues – the Anatomy of Wit, Lyly joked that “fish and guests in three days are stale.” My question remains whether the title phrase of this section is a twisted version of Lyly’s wit, passed down and manipulated from one generation to the next. How has this teaching become so ingrained in our culture? And why?
Like many of the manipulations within this book, words have become tools of control. And words such as these warn us against one, two, or even all three of the following elements, which I call the Three Connections. If familiarity breeds contempt, then we believe it best to avoid getting to know others. We also worry that we shouldn’t ever let anyone get to know us. And, above all, never ever become too familiar with yourself. What a lonely and meaningless existence! Why, then, are we here?
2. Letting somebody get to know you. Don’t let your guard down. Trust needs to be earned. Think with your head and not with your heart. Aren’t those phrases each a part of this symphony of warnings against emotional intimacy? Yet it is most definitely a human yearning–to be known by another. Why then, do we continue to want something that is so bad for us? Or, instead, is the concept of self-isolation indeed harmful to our fragile human psyche? I believe so.
3. Knowing yourself. Here’s where we come full circle–what goes around comes around. Where do we draw the line? Have I gone too far? But bear with me for a few moments. Socrates and other Greek philosophers are renowned for the discovery that self awareness is critically important– “know thyself”. Hundreds of personal development professionals, life and career coaches, and therapists tout the premise of self awareness as the first step to any life improvement process. Self awareness is a journey into self, and all of the questions, discoveries, and synchronicities that go along with such a quest. My facetious question is whether we actually do begin to hold ourselves in contempt as we begin to know ourselves better. And the answer, in many cases, may actually be yes! Oh no! Then it’s true!? But wait! I ask you now to look deeper, beneath the surface of who each of us appears to be, and into the fascinating abyss of who we actually are! Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation“. Self actualization lies at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy. Great philosophers, including Socrates, encourage us to lift the veils between our physical selves and our spiritual selves.
Is there something there, within our souls, within the essence of our true selves? And is this something that is infinitely worthy of love and adoration–from our friends and family as well as from within? Thus the odyssey of familiarity with self then reveals to us the truth of why we exist. Some philosophers say that mystical experiences are real, and that we experience them because a part of our unconscious is seeking to comprehend our purposes, our true souls, and God. The deeper we go into who we are, the closer we get to this gnosis, which may very well be our truth in pure form.
Some say true love, and twin flame unions lead us to know and understand ourselves better. The partners we choose serve to be reflections of what we have not yet discovered about ourselves. Relationships in conflict are said to be mirrors of our own shadow material. These theories take us all the way into soul discovery–our own and those of others. As mentioned, discovery of our soul, remembrance of our purpose, and connection to a divine creator are all elements toward enlightenment. Learning what it truly means to be human is liberating and joyful. Separation is painful, and unnatural. “Familiarity breeds contempt” goes against all of my sensibilities, as the underlying message is isolationism. Upon examination, this lie can be categorized as evil. What else, then are we missing?
What greater irony exists than satire turned into a weapon? Humans, whether intentionally or not, seize upon a concept and mindlessly make it viral. In the age of fake news and internet sharing, I wonder: will this corrupt practice worsen, and continue its destructive course? Will harmful missives continue to negatively impact an entire world, for generations?
So, I have taken a silly little euphemism and turned it into a sinister and nefarious deceit, haven’t I? Some ask me: “where do you come up with this stuff”? You don’t want to know.
Here is an excerpt from my third book, Seachd. Without giving too much away, I will share this section because this year marks the 50th anniversay of the moon landing. The eagle is my animal guide for the writing of Seach, which will be available this Fall, so here’s a wee little teaser. Enjoy!
“The Eagle has landed”. In 1969, a spectacular event shook the world. Three men travelled to the Moon, and two of them walked the lunar surface. This was the mission of Apollo 11. This year marks the 50th anniversary of these triumphant moments in history. The spacecraft was constructed as three distinct parts, of which one, the Lunar Module, was designed specifically to detach and land on the surface of the Moon. This module was named Eagle. Eagle was designed with two critical functions–descension to the surface of the Moon, and ascension to return to lunar orbital stage. On its way to land on the Moon, Eagle separated from the Command Module, Columbia, and settled on what is referred to by scientists as the Sea of Tranquility, where Astronaut Buzz Aldrin flew the flag of the United States of America. During the trip from Columbia to the Moon’s surface, Astronaut Armstrong is recorded as having exclaimed “the Eagle has wings”.
After their work on the surface was complete, Eagle carried Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin back to the waiting command module, and their colleague Michael Collins, only to be later jettisoned off as Columbia returned to Earth: similar in name to the Sea of Tranquility, the destination was also a place named for peace . As the men had landed on one of the Moon’s seas, so they also returned home by sea. Columbia splashed down into the Pacific Ocean–mission accomplished.
Naturally, the insignia for the Apollo 11 mission, as seen on patches, coins, and other items, was that of the national bird of the United States, a bald eagle. This symbolic image shows the mighty eagle alighting on the surface of the moon, bearing an olive branch in its formidable talons.
This original prayer of intention is found in Chapter 2 of Pray Without Ceasing, Essays and Godwinks, by Robin P. Currie.
“God, I am afraid. I feel unsafe. I am vulnerable. At the foot of The Cross I lay these burdens and ask for Your great love to restore me. I need You to shield me, to protect me, and to cover me as You have promised. Dear Holy Father, empower me with confidence and courage. Keep me safe and secure. Teach me to feel Your strength, when I am frightened. Teach me to feel steady, when I am shaken. Teach me to see You in every person, to know that where You are, there is safety and security. Teach me, fill me, lead me as I walk the journey of learning to trust. We are one. Please help me to remember that truth, each moment of each new day.
Amen.”
Click here to order your copy of one of Robin’s books. To have your book personally signed, contact the author using the Contact link on the home page. If you like the books, reviews are always appreciated. Enjoy!
With great love,
Robin
Robin P. Currie Grimoire of Scripture 