Waking up

Greetings all, I am taking the blog back from the cats -- call it a guest column since they've been the ones posting over the past few years. I've struggled with finding things to say. Everyone duck. I found something after a dream I had last night. This is the dream: Some other people and I were giving a class or presentation to jail inmates, both men and women. Some of it had to do with Plato, whom I read way way back in college about forty years ago. The people were very interested in what we were there to do. We were in a cluster of small cities at a location about three hours' drive from where I live. The custody staff/supervisors were courteous but one of them, a tall stocky man with light hair, got right up to me and questioned me about the fact that I was staying in the area by putting my family's white tent up in the middle of a park. He said it was dangerous out there. I told him I was very comfortable and felt perfectly safe and knew it was a good place. I remember the face of one of the women. All the jailed people were interested in varying degrees in what we were doing. She stood out. She was slight, frazzled, and shaky, looking strung out, scars of struggles with addiction and being a victim, and needy. We were partly there to teach them life skills for when they got out, or to provide them somehow with a way to help themselves move on. The dream gets harder to recall here. We finished up, I went somewhere to eat, and then drove the three hours' drive home. When I got home I realized I'd left the tent and all my camping stuff behind in the park instead of going back to get it and pick it up and pack it back with me. I thought hard about what I should do: Go back right away and spend another six hours on the road? Wait till the next day? Or give it up and replace the items? That the gear might be stolen was simply not much of a worry; it still felt "safe". I work with incarcerated youth and some adults for a living, being a criminal defense lawyer. I have done this for 25 years. So it is not surprising that a dream took on this setting. What's different -- including being able to see through this clearly to a meaning -- is that elements from my recently intensified interest in Western Mystery Traditions and their schools came into play. It came to me that some involved in teaching traditions see their programs as liberating others who are imprisoned by their self limiting mindsets, who think they are stuck because of outer circumstances and their own screwups, and want to help free people and give them tools to open into a more joyous and full life with expanded abilities. That was the picture presented to me. Then I thought: People could easily see this as condescending. And I also thought: Perhaps that is a trap some teachers fall into; it would be easy to do. But also, assuming that's the only mindset of a teacher would be a trap a student could easily fall into. Both teacher and student need to work around these traps. And teaching and learning should never be a two way street. Plato's cave comes to mind, too. For brevity's sake I commit the offense of quoting Wikipedia: "Plato lets Socrates describe a group of people who have lived chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall. The people watch shadows projected on the wall by things passing in front of a fire behind them, and begin to ascribe forms to these shadows. According to Plato's Socrates, the shadows are as close as the prisoners get to viewing reality. He then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and comes to understand that the shadows on the wall do not make up reality at all, as he can perceive the true form of reality rather than the mere shadows seen by the prisoners." So what about the tent? I can only conclude that message is the oh-so-basic one that when you set up a safe place as a base (camp) -- such as in magical working within circle or astral temple -- duh! remember to take it down and take it with you after you get done. Ordinarily my dreams are not as clear. This one kept unfolding in layers. Eventually I will return the blog to the cats, who probably know all this already but wink and keep silent.

Cat Thoughts

Hello world from Elfstone Chestnut Pussycat, My human is at that clacky thing that gets in the way when I try to park on her, so I am spreading out at her side wondering if I can help her with it. There is no food in evidence, which is disappointing. I don't think I've been fed in all of...FIVE MINUTES. What on earth is a growing Giant Kitten to do?

Orange Fur Distribution Plan

Hello from Acorn Oakmist,
I've been working on keeping those wandering humans close by purring at them and hopping up right next to them and parking with one of my Cat Looks. No, I don't do laps. Unless you count Patrolling the Borders, that is. A cat's gotta mark what a cat's gotta mark, after all. Nasty humans keep changing things around. A new gate here, trimmed plants there. The nerve.

So yesterday I purred my sweetest brogue purr and snuggled up to The Other One, let her scritch my ears, and as a reward, I shed all over her leg. Just to keep her in line. It apparently worked. Haven't had that much fussing over in days.

Human intrusion

Hi world,
A quick interruption of the cats' musings.
They have noticed some changes in our household: a new pile of books, papers everywhere, and an exhausted but happy human they have not seen for most of the
past three days.
Yes, she has survived the Willamette Writers Conference. Now she is ready to zonk out.
Back to the cats...

Our Humans, Not Their Cats

Hello World from Acorn Oakmist,
"Our Humans" are falling down on the job. It's their job, after all, to make sure it isn't raining when we want to go out. We checked ALL the doors at five thirty this morning. What did I tell them last night? Hmpfh.

However.... the grass is calling to me with its high little voices. Soon I can be Big Ferocious Jungle Cat. Then they'll remember who's the boss in the household. Slink. Slink. Pounce.

Guest? Really?

Hello World,
I tiptoed in to Those Humans' nice place early one morning and scoped out what they were dreaming. I tried to make sure the Orange Terror was fast asleep. He really likes me, you know. And the other one, the great big one who's constantly eating, doesn't care if I'm here.

Anyway I'm sure I saw something in their dream thoughts about "Guest Blogger." So I decided to try it, and here I am. Hope they don't catch me till I'm gone. I do like a bit of invisibility practice now and then.

Here's one of my invisibility secrets: Act as if you own the place. I can sneak in quietly and park in one of Their Cats' accustomed spot and they might even think I belong here.

Well, the one human with the loud voice and the nasty water spray thing hasn't fallen for it yet. But the other one sometimes doesn't notice fast enough. She saw me taking a nice nap on top of Human One's truck a few nights back. True, I am not orange. But it took her a minute. The light was dim.

It was such a nice nap, too. I didn't want to leave and told her so with a few loud hisses. I kinda feel sorry about that now. But seriously?? It was cold Out There. My humans don't ever seem to notice I'm not home.

I stayed away last night. So I think it's time for a bit more exploring tonight, unless someone wises up and blocks their nice little door. Prrrrowl.

Hugs and Cat Hair (in hidey holes)
Rohan The Neighbor Cat

I can haz cookies?

..that's what my human is muttering. I think she's visited LOL CATS way too often. but she thinks that's what may fix the problems. By the way, the fox is really annoying. Can we banish him?