Happy Birthday!

Happy, happy birthday to my one of my very first LJ friends: the incomparable Priestess-Dr. queenofhalves!

May the coming year be full of blessings and adventures and satisfying, gainful post-doc employment!

Milestones

Back on September 29th I posted about my interaction with the Gate I've been working with for months. I thought at the time that I'd achieved what I was supposed to, but afterward I was told "You need to go back at least one more time."

So I went back, and this time I could see the gate itself even more clearly, and what lay beyond was entirely different than what I'd seen before. Later I was told "Now you can choose whether to go through or not." However, I'm still not sure what's really beyond, or what going through will mean, so I haven't made that decision yet. But it was clear that I'd done the work that was necessary to get me to the point where it was possible for me to make the decision.

Also last month a friend referred me to as a "business woman" in regard to my work in setting up my private spiritual direction practice. The term took me totally off-guard, and I realized that I had not adopted that sense of identity -- and that I probably should adopt it if I want to one day leave my day job (or at least scale back on hours) so I can devote more time to my vocation. All my life I've expected to work for an organization. I hadn't yet gotten my head around the idea of working for myself as a legitimate, responsible path.

Then there was my visit to the temple of Inanna a few days ago. Among the significant elements of that encounter was accepting the goddess's statement that one of the reasons I've been blocked for so long is that I came into this life not wanting to hold the degree of responsibility I have in the past, and acknowledging that I'm ready to start taking more responsibility again.

Yesterday I finally submitted feedback on a brochure for my practice and met with my own spiritual director about the business aspects of the vocation.

Last night I found a message from a friend I like very much and for whom I have the deepest respect, asking me if I would be her spiritual director. I said I would be honored. (I'm not going to be journaling any more about that publically because of confidentiality.)

I feel like very old obstacles are finally dropping away, like melting icebergs.

I feel like I'm starting to reach critical mass in the transformations I've been seeking for years.

Spiritual Director

Yesterday evening someone who I like very much, and for whom I have the deepest respect, asked if I would be willing to be her spiritual director.

I said yes.

I think her specific interests are a perfect match for my areas of strength, and she is wise and mature enough in her own spirituality to be able to compensate for my newness in taking on this role in a formal way.

I am not going to be writing much about this because of confidentiality -- but just to be asked is such a huge milestone, and I am deeply honored and grateful. I think it's going to be an exciting, enriching journey.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Unfortunately, the reviews I read over the past couple of days were right: Blanchett's costumes get more attention than just about anything else in this movie.

The first Elizabeth movie was -- and remains -- marvelous: a tense, exciting political and romantic drama with a stellar cast. This movie, on the other hand, while equally gorgeous in appearance, lacks the intensity and drive of the first one. There are endless cuts over to Philip of Spain who is moodily contemplating the end of the "bastard" Elizabeth. He obsesses on the word. We keep coming back to Mary, Queen of Scots writing letters. We see plotters meeting in a dyers shop who mutter about plans. There are nations at stake, and where is the juice of the film? In an awkward love triangle (if you can even call it that) between the queen, her favorite lady-in-waiting, and Walter Raleigh, which reduces to the great queen to a tempermental teenager.

When the script allows it, Blanchett shines, as always. She has tremendous charisma and intelligence, and she can be either ferocious or vulnerable. But she's not allowed to command this movie the way she did the first one. Geoffrey Rush is even more wasted.

The best moments belong to or directly involve Clive Owen. I'd be willing to watch the whole movie again just to listen to his speech about what it's like to be at sea.

If it were a different kind of movie, I might recommend waiting to see it on DVD, but this is a spectacle, and should be seen on the big screen if at all possible. Go with no expectations except to enjoy the eye candy and a few beautiful moments.

Gratuitous Icon Post: The Lion in Winter

iconsbycurtana just posted a bunch of icons from The Lion in Winter. I'm not going to be uploading them to my userpics, but grabbed a few for my personal gallery. Since I know there are some fellow fans on my flist, I thought I'd share them.

Preview I Saw Tonight: P.S. I Love You

What if the person you loved died, but still sent you letters. . .

"Why do I have to be the responsible grown-up who worries? Why can't I be the cute, carefree Irish guy who sings all the time?"