October Newsletter - New Book Cover Suggestion + A New Poem

Published: Fri, 10/27/17

Dear ,

I hope you are well. I’ve been enjoying being back at home after a busy summer period. I had trips abroad to the US, Spain, the Isle of Man, as well as a few trips within England, to give talks at conference and workshops. Travelling is great, but I feel like I need a period of retreat now, especially as I need to finish my new book.

My last trip was to Portugal - I came back just over two weeks ago. It was my first trip to that country, and I loved it. It seemed different to Spain, although it’s so close. The atmosphere was more relaxed, and the people were so friendly. Even in Lisbon, I didn’t sense any atmosphere of stress. I felt that there was a warm, open and harmonious feeling in the air.

I was in Portugal for the conference of the Portuguese (including Brazilian) transpersonal psychology conference, where I did two workshops and a keynote lecture. We were in a small town called Tomar, a very beautiful old town north of Lisbon which is famous for its association with the Knight Templars. I loved running into the hills and swimming in the outdoor swimming pool at the hotel, and I met some beautiful people - including some people I got to know at a transpersonal psychology conference in Brazil two years ago. I love Brazilian people! They’re so lively and friendly and walk and speak with a looseness and litheness that isn’t European at all. So Portugal is definitely a place I want to visit again..

It was also great to get to know some other transpersonal psychologists who were there. I especially enjoyed getting to know Rosemarie Anderson, who is well known for her work on transpersonal research methods.

I gave my lecture on ‘Evolution and Awakening’ - a topic I’ve never talked before, although I wrote about it in The Leap. As with last month, if you would like me to send you the slides of my lecture, let me know.

One great thing that came out of the conference for me is that I was talking about poetry and spirituality at the workshops, and people told me about a Portuguese poet called Fernando Pessoa. At dinner, a woman from the workshop showed me some English translations of his poems on her kindle, and as soon as I got home I ordered his selected poems in English. And I’m reading them at the moment with great pleasure. He was very influenced by one of my poetic heroes, Walt Whitman. It’s great when you discover a new author whom you feel a strong kinship with.

My New Book

Thanks for all your suggestions about the title of my new book. My publisher has now decided on ‘Beyond Materialism - Why science needs spirituality to make sense of the world.’ I’m a little ambivalent about it, because many people associate materialism with consumerism and aren’t aware of the concept of ‘materialist science’ - the idea that matter is the only reality and consciousness and the mind are just products of brain activity. I like the subtitle though - and I think it will explain the main title for anyone who doesn’t understand it.

I’ve now written 8 out of 12 chapters (55,000 words), so I’m on the homeward strait! I think I mentioned this in a previous newsletter, but it always amazes me that books take on a life of their own once I start writing them. There’s a certain point when I feel like I’m ‘in’ them, and I latch on to something which is bigger than me, and which is directing me, and somehow feeding me with the ideas and information I need. I don’t think it’s channeling as such - I’m probably making contact with some unconscious/superconscious creative energies within my mind.

Here’s the cover the publisher has suggested. It’s not really how I imagined it, but I’ll live with it for a while and see how I feel. Let me know what you think!

Talk In London In November

A reminder about my talk in London on November 14th. After that, I am ‘going to ground’ for a while, and becoming a recluse. It’s an evening event at the London College of Psychic Studies, called Making The Leap, and including some poetic reflections and meditative exercises.

Following that, have an evening event in Barcelona, Spain on January 23rd, and then an event in February in Dublin, Ireland. And that’s all I have planned for the time being - although I’ve learned that I might be returning to Los Angeles later next year, for a conference.

New Poem

Although I’m spending a lot of time writing my new book, I’m still occasionally writing poems. Here’s one I wrote a few days ago. I’m not quite sure what to make of it, as it’s a slightly different one to normal. Again, let me know what you think.

You Are Not The Process

It’s demeaning sometimes
to watch your thoughts pass by
and realise how judgemental and petty they can be
like being sober at a debauched drunken party
and cringing as your friends make fools of themselves.

“Can this really be me?” you ask yourself, ashamed.
“Is my mind really so full of nonsense?
Have I really stooped so low?”

But who ever said that these thoughts were yours?
They’re only a process taking place inside you
like digestion, or the circulation of your blood.
And you are not the process, any more than you are your digestion.

Pay as little attention to your thoughts
as you do to your circulating blood.
Take the content of your thoughts as seriously
as the contents of your intestines.

And then your thoughts will slow down, and fade away
until there’s only a background noise that doesn’t disturb you
like a tiny television set, turned down low
flickering from a far corner of your room.
Then you’ll find that there is nothing
- and no one - to be ashamed of.

Remember that you can read some more of my poems on my website.

All best wishes and blessings, Steve