newsletterno1July2001

The world has changed since the last edition of the Roche Miette Newsletter (RMN). John Paul II has died, and so has David Huggett, a frequent contributor to the RMN. The great spirits of the Pope and the poet have left this earthly realm reminding us that nothing stays the same. Although both deaths affected me personally, leaving certain sense of void, I also know that life doesn't stop. This is in fact quite encouraging - life always takes over. The game of life continues. As Shri Babaji put it poetically - "the world is a place where people are always coming and going" (Teachings of Babaji, P.113). Question is what can we do with this time that was given us? What cause to advance or what enjoyment to take advantage of? In this issue I invite you all to try our Roche Miette Expedition - enormously pleasant hike to Roche Miette mountain. The beauty of the surrounding immediately brings awareness of God's Presence. The clear, mountain air is so pleasant to breathe, and soaking in Miette Hot Springs helps again to appreciate the gift of life. Come and join us!

Besides the pleasures of breathing I also appreciate the pleasure of good poetry. This issue of the RMN brings you a poem by Hania Mioduchowska. Hania is not a new kid on the block but she is new to the RMN. Her poetry was described by Bert Almen as having "a strong ecological consciousness" combined with "a deep affection for people in the present." These values are close to the ideals of the Roche Miette Rule and are surely reflected in the poem "Once the Sun," which drew my attention. I have to admit I liked the interplay of the letters R and M in this poem as they could stand for Roche and Miette.

The issue is complemented by encouragement toward some spring cleaning. You may try to clean your surroundings, using some of Feng Shui principles described by Stephanie Dempsie. Or you may clean yourself with the techniques of spiritual purification proposed by Leonard Orr, the Founder of Rebirthing-Breathwork. Have fun! (pr)

I met David about five years ago at a party. He impressed me right away as he knew who Henryk Sienkiewicz was (a prominent Polish writer who won Nobel Price for Literature in 1916 for his novel "Quo Vadis," which was later filmed a few times). It showed me that David was a person of great erudition. He was very natural in conversation, humorous and simple, without any traces of conceit or boastfulness. He was never taking advantage of his obvious linguistic superiority to control me, prove better or etc. Quite opposite - he was kind and supportive, frank and charming. It was a pleasant experience to discuss things with him over a glass of wine.

As I felt safe with David, I shared with him that I was working on a book. David kindly offered his assistance. Regardless being busy with his own writing David found time to review my manuscript. His comments were intelligent and to the point. He had enormous patience for the imperfections of my writing and was not making changes just for the sake of style. Thanks to his encouragement and support "Unity Beyond Division" was born.

While working with David on this book I had a chance to get to know him better. I was impressed by the simplicity of his life style and his overall disregard for things such as money, prestige. power, etc. He had a great love for the environment and was a socially and ecologically conscious. He was a truly advanced human being.

To express my gratitude for his help I asked my sister, Magdalena Rajska-Armata, one of the best known Polish portraitists, to draw David's likeness. She shared with me later how great experience it was for her to work on this project. They quickly established excellent chemistry. In this portrait (above) Magdalena caught what I believe are the unique and essential characteristics of David - his gentle spirit, benevolent nature, honesty, integrity, joy of life, transcendental depth. I know that David was very fond of this picture.

Over the course of those five years I have also read David's poetry. I have to admit that initially I didn't anticipate such a quality from a writer who was only known locally. Being a psychologist, and not a literary critic, I can't offer a professional analysis of his poetry - only my impressions. I find his poetry to be very modern yet beautiful, having what I would refer to as wonderful "architecture" - with many hidden doors from one poem to another, intriguing and keeping attention. In his poetry David uses vocabulary that I can't find anywhere else, vocabulary necessary to express beauties and mysteries of human life. Reading David's poetry is to encounter a human mind and heart that only happens one in a million. It is a great privilege! It is to entertain questions that can only be found at our deepest core. I was so happy when he let me used some excerpts from his poetry in this newsletter but I believe his poetry deserves much more. I thus call upon his friends and colleagues to present his poetry for highest national and international awards.

Being with David - the Poet, and David - the Artist, has also meant recently to be with a frail and dying human being. Again, David impressed me a lot with the courage and patience, with which he bore his affliction. I don't remember him ever complaining, despairing or seeking pity. He appeared somehow surprised and a bit ashamed over the loss of control over his body. He used humor to cover obvious discomfort and suffering. He tried to be creative to his last hours. He died like a soldier.

Now, Leonard Orr, the founder of the Rebirthing-Breathwork Movement in the United States, used to say that every person dies for us, that we can learn from every death. Is there a lesson to be learned from David's? A couple of thoughts come to mind.

Regardless many wonderful talents David, as all of us, also had some habits. He smoked cigarettes. We all know that smoking is harmful to our health, and yet millions of people persist with this habit in spite of continuous warnings against it. Psychologically it is sometimes interpreted as reflecting a certain wish to die. This is naturally a controversial concept. It was first introduced by Sigmund Freud to explain why some people, or most people at some time, behave in ways that are obviously harmful to them. It seems that many smokers deal with some inner conflict, underlying tension, and they use cigarettes to suppress feelings. I don't know if David suffered from such a conflict, or what was it, but I sensed some dynamic tension in him. To some extent this tension seemed to make him the person he was, and perhaps was a driving force behind his poetry and art work. Yet, there seems to be limits to how much of this tension a human body can withstand, or how much abuse (through nicotine, alcohol or other drugs) it can take. In David's case it was the habit of smoking that appeared to had taken toil on his body. It looks that our life is decided by the totality of us as persons - not only by our highest thoughts and aspirations but also by our daily habits and idiosyncrasies.

My second thought regards David's reaction to the diagnosis (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). To my surprise, being a rebellious, non-conformistic person himself, David opted for a conventional medical treatment, which happened to be insufficient. It looked he didn't have enough energy for a broader change of life style, including perhaps relocation, change of climate, etc. Whether this would change anything in the outcome we will never know, but this something I would try if I were in his place.

All of this doesn't matter anymore. He is gone. It was a great experience to walk with him these few miles. Through the eyes of poets like David God seems to gaze at us. They see us as we are and they love us as He does. My high school teacher, somehow bitter about his old age, used to quote a Latin proverb that "those loved by gods die young." It looks to me that David was one of this chosen kind - he abundantly shared with us God's given talents and energies. Perhaps that is why God spared him from the adventures of the old age. I already envision him chatting with Muses, arguing with Socrates, giving Hephaestus a heck over polluting the heavenly realms. And I will miss him.

On One God Site I have collected many interesting reflections on the subject of death. You will find them at http://www.onegodsite.com/death.html. Below is one of my favorite quotations from Shri Haidakhan Babaji:

Quoted from: Mioduchowska, A. (1998). In-Between Season. Edmonton, AB: Rowan Books. $12.95.

Hania Mioduchowska has lived in Edmonton since her childhood. She writes mostly in English, but occasionally also in her mother's tongue Polish. Her poetry, short stories, essays and book reviews have appeared in anthologies, literary journals, in newspapers, on buses, and have aired on the CBC Radio. In-Between Season, a poetry collection, was published by Rowan Books, and several poems translated from Polish, were included in When You Speak, a bilingual collection of poetry by Jan Twardowski published by Wydawnictwo Literackie. She can be contacted through the editor.

8 -10 p.m. - meeting at Queen's Bakery &Cafe, Hinton-Valley: 124 Market St, Tel: 780-865-5050. Technical matters, registrations, etc. Some snacks available from the cafe. Peter Bundscherer, a genuine baker of European descent, makes the best napoleons and pretzels in Western Canada. He is also a great lover of the mountains and decorated his cafe with many unique photographs taken by him during numerous hikes.

Accommodation is available in the basement of the Catholic Church in Hinton, 124 Tamarack Ave, 780-865-3045 ($10 per person). You will need your own mattress, sleeping bag, etc. The kitchen is available to prepare tea/coffee or a simple meal.

You may arrange your own accommodation and join the hiking group of your choice at the points of start. One inexpensive option is the Pocahontas Campground, only a few km from both Roche Miette Mountain and Miette Hot Springs. The cost is $17 per unit per night. Reservations can be made at Pocahontas campground: www.pccamping.ca or 1-877-737-3783. There is an $11 fee for advanced reservation in any Jasper Park campgrounds.

A moderate to difficult scramble via north-east face.
Elevation gain: 1425 m.
Ascent time: +/- 5 hours.
Descent time: +/- 3 hours.

"Miette was a legendary French Canadian voyager with enviable qualities for tolerating the hardships of travel, who was also known for his ability with the fiddle and as a teller of tall tales. When taunted by comrades about climbing the mountain now bearing his name, he responded to the dare by doing just that, dangling his legs over the precipe while contentedly puffing his pipe - or so the story goes. Roche is a French word meaning 'rock.'" Alan Kane, Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, p.203.

Easy hike.
Elevation gain: 700 m.
Distance: 4 km.
Ascent time: +/- 2 hours.
Descent time: +/- 1.5 hours.

"Beginning at the Miette Hot Springs pool complex, the trail climbs steadily to a low pass 2.2 km distant. Immediately upon cresting the pass, the Sulphur Skyline trail branches up and to the right, beginning an even stepper ascent into the alpine environs of this small mountain overlooking the hot springs area. The laboured breathing ends on the highest point of the ridge and expansive view spreads out below." Brian Patton, Bart Robinson, The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide, p.198.

While runners are usually enough for Sulphur Skyline, having solid hiking boots is a must on Roche Miette.

There is little water on Roche Miette, so every person needs to carry at least 2-3 liters of water or other liquid.

Weather in the mountains may change abruptly. You need to be prepared and carry a rain jacket or pelerine, and some warm clothes (sweater, polar fleece, etc.). Some people find it useful to have a pair of gloves for the upper part of the hike, where there is more contact with the rock and loose gravel.

To reach Roche Miette you need to be in good shape. It typically means that you participate in some sports or exercise activities through the year. If you are not quite sure you are this kind of person, Sulphur Skyline is a safer choice.

Rocky Mountains is the bear country. Although both Roche Miette and Sulphur Skyline have little known bear activity, you may want to carry a bear spray.

This fee does not include accommodation in the church ($10 per person). You are responsible for your transportation. Jasper National Park collects $14 per vehicle ($7 per person if traveling alone) at the entry point. Miette Hot Springs charged $6.25 per person ($18.75 per family) for entry to the pools last year.

To register/ reserve place, please, pay the organizational fee to Piotr (Edmonton) or Randy (Hinton) as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or comments about the 2005 Roche Miette Expedition, or you would like to contribute to the Roche Miette Newsletter, send Piotr an e-mail to rajski@telus.net. You may call Piotr at (780) 482-5353 (work) or Randy at (780) 865-7229. Feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who may want to attend.

Sponsored by: Roche Miette Psychological Services; Queen's Bakery and Cafe, Hinton.

Spring Cleaning With Feng Shui

by Stephanie Dempsie

Now that spring has officially sprung, it’s time to clear out the clutter and make way for a brand new season of growth. Here are 10 Feng Shui cures designed to bring renewed energy into your life. Feeling overwhelmed? Start with the cure that corresponds to the most compelling problem you are currently facing. Once that’s out of the way, it will be much easier to enact subsequent cures.

Love &Romance: Clear Out the Space Beneath Your Bed
If you'd like a happier, healthier love life, look under the bed. Relocate any items you use regularly, then discard or donate the rest. By keeping the space beneath your bed totally clear, you'll resolve any deceptions, hidden resentments and childhood traumas that have affected your romantic relationships.

Communication: Erase Old Messages
Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated? Then empty old messages from your e-mail account and answering machine. Letting messages accumulate can make it difficult to get your wants and needs across. If you want to hang on to messages for sentimental reasons, print them out or record them onto a cassette.

Family: Put Stray Photos into Scrapbooks
If you're struggling with family squabbles, put stray photos into albums. Frame ones that conjure up good memories, and display them in the gathering spaces of your home, like the living room and kitchen. Keep family photos out of the bedroom, especially if you want to maintain healthy boundaries with relatives.

Health &Wellness: Clear Out Your Kitchen Cabinets
Do you feel tired, unhealthy or depressed? Then clean out your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer. Throw away any items that are past their freshness. Donate any canned goods that you don't want to charity. If you are really determined to improve your health, purge your kitchen entirely of junk food.

Support: Donate Nine Items to Charity
Does life seem like a constant struggle for you? Do you feel like you're all alone? Collect nine serviceable items that you no longer want or use, then give them to charity. Of course, you don't have to limit yourself to just nine items – the more stuff you give away, the easier it will be to attract the support you need.

Esteem: Empty Out Your Medicine Cabinet
Suffering from low self-esteem? Clear out your medicine cabinet! Get rid of any outdated prescriptions, old cosmetics and unwanted grooming products. Be honest about what you use and what you don't. By streamlining your medicine cabinet and vanity area, you'll project a much more confident image.

Time to Enjoy Life: Scrub the Bathroom Until It Shines
Do you have time for the activities you love? If not, you need to scrub your bathroom from top to bottom. Bathrooms represent self-care. When yours are sparkling and clean, you'll find more time for the people and things that give you joy. Splurge on new towels, bath mats and shower curtains while you're at it.

Friendship: Stop Toting Garbage Around
If people accuse you of being overly judgmental, lighten your personal load. Clean out your purse, briefcase, book bag and pockets. Don't forget your wallet! Do this every evening for a week. The more streamlined your portable storage, the easier it will be for you to form new friendships and sustain old ones.

Inspiration: Wash Your Windows
If you feel uninspired or lack motivation, wash your windows. Windows represent your outlook on life. If yours are clean and sparkling, it will be easier to find your heart's desire. This is a great cure for people who are in dead-end jobs or suffer from depression. Hire a professional if you're not up to this labor-intensive task.

Energy: Empty Out A Single Drawer
If you're caught in a rut, do yourself a favor and empty out one drawer. It could be anywhere: your desk, your bureau, your kitchen. Throw away anything you don't need, and relocate the rest to other areas. Leave the drawer empty for an entire week. Soon, you'll find the energy to launch a full-fledged spring cleaning!

Submitted by Jeff Solomon.
http://www.whispersresort.com/

"The wise do spiritual practices"

Leonard Orr is the Father of Rebirthing / Conscious Energy Breathing. He has taught millions of people worldwide the value of excellent breathing techniques to increase the value of their lives. In some of Leonard's books he mentions the 3 basic causes of death. They are: 1) Ignorance, 2) Emotional Energy Pollution and 3) Poor Diet. If we want to heal the planet, we must heal ourselves first. Spiritual Purification can help us out of the three causes of death, healing ourselves and Mother Earth at the same timeAQ since we are not separate from Her.

Listed below are the first of 108 strategies or suggestions by Leonard for Spiritual Purification to get us going in that direction. All of these practices
are simple and easy. Leonard says that "Purification practices are either pleasurable or yield pleasurable results in our life. They work!" He suggests that you pick a few and integrate them into your life for 30 days.

1) Japa Yoga: Repeating the Name of God. Om Namaha Shivaya is the greatest mantra according to the Vedas and the Shiva Purana. (but feel free to use the name that is accepted in your spiritual tradition - P.R.)

2) Become aware of the mind's mechanical nature. Become aware of the mind as a machine; a mechanical device. Become aware of your perceptions or conclusions made in your earlier years. Notice how these perceptions affect your life. Be willing to let them go and lift yourself out of your own limiting perceptions and conclusions.

3) Take a bath twice a day. This will cleanse and balance your energy body.

4) Get in and out of water during your bath.

5) Exercise your body on a regular basis. Find an exercise system you enjoy.

6) Develop loving relationships with negative people.

7) Develop loving relationships with positive people.

8) Listen to or play drums.

9) Be a vegetarian. Abstain from eating meat; drop your attachment to meat.

10) Fast one day a week on healthy liquids only.

11) Fast on one item for a week or a month-a solid food or a liquid.

12) Change your mattress. When your mattress becomes uncomfortable to sleep on or absorbs too much negative energy, change it. This needs to be done on a regular basis.

13) Wash your mattress. This is easier if you have an air mattress.

14) Sit by an open fire.

15) Sleep by your fire all night. There are tremendous results from doing this.

16) Abstain from alcohol.

17) Abstain from smoking cigarettes.

18) Abstain from drugs.

19) Abstain from caffeine.

20) Take a shower when coming home from work, shopping or any social event.

21) Swim in large bodies of water: ocean, river or lake.

22) Stand by a waterfall.

23) Practice daily this hatha yoga technique for Rebirthers: During your bath, put your hands and feet on the sides of the bathtub and lift your body out of the tub. Do 20 Connected Breaths in this position. Complete this three times. This is a very valuable exercise for Rebirthers.

24) Wash your clothes often. Use biodegradable detergent.

25) Wear natural fabrics.

26) Discard leather.

27) Discard the use of belts.

28) Discard elastic from clothing.

29) Travel to India.

30) Create your own dhuni. A dhuni is a structure with a roof over a fire pit--an ideal place to practice fire purification.

31) Serve people.

32) Develop the habit of pleasing yourself.

33) Be alone in nature for a full day.

34) Observe silence in your daily life. Put aside time every day to be in silence.

35) Take long walks in the forest.

36) Set your priorities: put Spiritual Purification first.

You can reach Leonard at P.O. Box1026, Staunton, Va. 24402. Tel: 540-885-0551 www.RebirthingBreathwork.com
rebirth@rica.net

Quoted after: TOOLS FOR CONSCIOUS AWARENESS. Newsletter for A NEXT STEP. Light Center For Emotional Healing, Volume 56 MAY 2005.

"One God Notes" consist of quotations from spiritual writings of many religious traditions. The purpose is to inspire, to open hearts, so people perceive God's Presence in and around them. In this way I hope to create a sense of human and religious unity.

Roche Miette Association is an informal group of people who try to achieve the ideals of human unity as expressed in the Roche Miette Rule. One of the characteristics of this group of enthusiasts is love of Nature and willingness to love God through His Creation. In particular, we are drawn by the beauty of Roche Miette Mountain, near Hinton, Alberta, and organize once a year a non-denominational hike/pilgrimage to this mountain. People of all religious backgrounds are invited to participate with us in this auspicious event.

If these ideals appeal to you, you may want to support them through a financial donation. Please, send checks for "Roche Miette Association" to:

Piotr Rajski
Roche Miette Association
576, Lessard Drive
Edmonton, AB, T6M 1B2
Canada

Would you like to contribute to the Roche Miette Newsletter? Please, send your text in Microsoft Word or HTML format to rajski@shaw.ca. Of special interests are stories, reflections on the following subjects:

Human and religious unity.
Harmony between different religions, cooperation between religious groups.
Examples of interfaith dialogue, tolerance, forgiveness.
Love of Nature (especially mountains).
Spirituality.
Meditation, Contemplative Prayer.
Religious life, especially Practice of the Presence of God, pilgrimage.
Mysticism, especially in the context of the mountains.
Poetry, art, music, photographs related to the mountains.

Manuscripts to be considered should be original articles (not published elsewhere). Some previously published materials may
also be considered if submitted with the info and consent of the publisher. Some promotional materials, such excerpts from books, can also be considered if related to the above topics. Announcements of interest for wider audiences are also occasionally accepted.

The Roche Miette Newsletter has a circulation of approximately 400 recipients. Copies of the newsletter are sent to National Library of Canada for research purposes. To see the previous issues you can visit http://rochemiette.ca/newsletter.html