It's all over the news: Robin Williams, aka "Mork," "Mrs. Doubtfire," "Patch Adams," and a host of other roles he was known for, has passed over to the Other Side.
Cause of death? Suicide, it seems. Not surprising since the man battled alcohol addiction most of his life. And that, my friends, is part of what makes the whole thing tearjerking.
Because Robin Williams was one of those truly unique people who do what it takes to not "sell out" and be a carbon copy of everyone else, just for the sake of money.
No, Robin made his living doing what he did best: just being himself. And he did a lot of good for the world. Despite his long inner struggle, his brilliant wit and charm touched a lot of hearts as well as gave us pains in our sides from laughing so. Damn. HARD!!!!
He's been the inspiration for a lot of people in show biz, to say nothing of his warmth and compassion endearing him to movie-and-TV-watchers the world over.
So to find out he ended his own life just tears at the collective inner being of everyone who's watched at least one of his movies or standup routines. And it makes me a little bit angry.
Why? Because I feel something should be done about things like this for ALL people, not just the actors and singers in the public eye. Sure, there's the suicide prevention hotline, and that's great. I am *not* dismissing that, at all. But what about improving our mental health system to where depressed folks aren't just medicated and enrolled in talk therapy? We need to get at the root of what brings on the depression, the addictions.
Some might say it's past life issues clouding things, and it is likely that that is a big part of the problem. Some say it's one's environment growing up, and that, too, plays a role in the way we think about ourselves and the world around us. To be truthful, there are so many strands of possibilities that it is very challenging, if not impossible, to nail down one single root cause for each individual. Psychology is still technically in toddlerhood-to-early-elementary-age. We still don't know enough about the brain, let alone the human SOUL to really get a good grip on why things like addictions manifest, let alone thoughts of suicide, or actions taken to end one's own life.
Which is why I am becoming a strong advocate for alternative healing modalities such as Reiki and Matrix Energetics (Google them both--they're amazing sources of healing that I personally have experienced--and they WORK!).
I strongly feel allopathic medicine and psychiatry and Big Pharma are very, very misguided in their thinking that medicating everyone for this or that mental or emotional problem is the cure-all for everyone's inner issues. Yes, some people respond well to things like SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and other medications that reduce depression and anxiety. But I do not think this should be the only answer. And yes, professional therapy should be part of all of this.
But I am also going to say that maybe, just maybe, people's issues are more deep-seated than what's going on in this lifetime. And I have this strong feeling that this was likely the case with Robin Williams, as it might be with a lot of people.
Of course, all this begs the question: Why are so many CREATIVE people beset by mental and emotional issues? Big Medicine says "Who cares? If they have problems, let's just medicate them." I'm sorry, but that's no real answer. Medicating creative people like that can dull the edge of otherwise very sharp, incisive wits and talent. We need to start doing some honest-to-God studies of brains that belong to the most creative people out there, just to see if we can find out any correlations we have not thought of in neuroscience and psychology. It's not enough to say "this world is too harsh for them." Granted, there are a LOT of cruel people and a LOT of crappy situations. And some folks, creative though they may be, just might not have the tools in their self-healing belt to cope with the cruelty or injustice. That's the key--learning to adapt, learning how to deal with the onslaught of negative vibes in the world. As an empath and creative person myself, that has been a big issue. But for the sake of my calling, learning to balance and adapt is an absolute necessity.
Indeed, many creative people are very emotionally sensitive. It's what makes an Oscar or Tony-winning actor worthy of the awards they get for dramatic roles. It's what makes a class-act musician reap serious glory and praise from their fans. They dig down deep, they let their emotions flow, they pour their heart and soul into their respective crafts, whatever their creative calling might be.
And if life deals them a harsh blow, or several, and they have no real tools to cope properly, that's when the implosion can happen, whether slowly or quickly.
Yet it is the creative, emotionally sensitive people who are likely called to bring light and healing to the world, just as Robin Williams did with his beautifully over-the-top, sidesplitting humor. They say laughing is good for you. Why, then, do people like Robin end up feeling such inner torment despite their ability to uplift and entertain?
Humanity needs answers. Humanity deserves answers that go beyond the next prescription of anti-anxiety or anti-depressant drugs. We need and deserve solutions that go beyond the suicide hotline, helpful as it obviously has been over the years. People like Robin Williams need deep healing--healing that can help balance, but not dim the emotionally sensitive, empathic lights that bring so much joy to this world that seems to get crazier by the minute.
Rest in Peace, Robin Williams. I, and the whole world, will miss you terribly. You are now in the angels' care, though...so, safe travels, Star-Brother.
Peace To All Beings,
Kat ^.^
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Saturday, August 9, 2014
WWFRD? Or What Would Fred Rogers Do?
"It's a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood!"...
Anyone who is older than perhaps 15 or so remembers Fred Rogers, aka "Mister Rogers," and remembers those immortal beginning words to the theme song of his world-renowned show. Well, known, at least, to the Western world. I don't know how well-known he is in Japan or China or anything, but one never knows. They know about Western artists, so why not a gentle, dapper Presbyterian minister from Pittsburgh?
Many of us watched him every morning before school or afternoon after school, depending on the local PBS station programming schedule.
Those of us who really needed his guiding, loving words feel this immeasurable poignant ache realizing over and over again he's no longer on this physical plane. He was the embodiment of the prayer of St. Francis: "Let me be the channel of Your peace."
It's been eleven years since his passing, still his memory reverberates because the spirit of Love reverberated through all the lives he touched. It is likely he became a surrogate father to those whose own biological fathers were either absent physically or so wounded themselves they could not be good fathers, emotionally. He was an ordained Presbyterian minister, yet he knew that Love goes beyond denominational dogma. He showed the love of God to all who came within his presence.
He was as close to being Christlike as any human can possibly manage while still having human foibles. Such an appellation he would shun, I am pretty sure, his humble nature disallowing him to be equated with such an Ascended Master as Jesus. Yet, when you've been embraced by such Love, even through a television screen, and then you grow up with that memory of Love in your heart, you begin to wonder about how Mr. Rogers would react, or what he would say in response to what's going on in your life...sort of a paraphrase of the 1990s phenomenon of "WWJD?," or What Would Jesus Do?"
Instead, because Fred Rogers is a little more recent figure, but no less loving, it seems, you could easily rephrase it as "What Would Fred Rogers Do?"
And honestly, such unconditional love coming from such a human source makes you wonder just how old his soul is...he is likely quite ancient, and he's off doing the work of Love in other regions of the Otherworld, perhaps being an avatar for Love on some other planet, in some other Universe. And such love as came forth from Mr. Rogers makes one wonder just how the cruel people in the world can possibly live with themselves.
Why am I writing all this? Well, I came across a book in Goodwill today called "I'm Proud of You: My Friendship With Fred Rogers." It was written by Fort Worth, TX newspaper columnist Tim Madigan, who began a very beautiful and healing friendship with Fred Rogers back in 1995, thanks to an interview he did with the children's program star.
It's not a large book by any means. It's one of those delightful two-hour reads you find under the Christmas tree because it's such a lovely, spiritual book that reflects the love shown at Christmas and other special times of one's life. I say spiritual because much of the message was about Love, rather than obeying this or that human idea that is often touted as "spiritual," but really isn't. Usually those human laws are more about draconian, fearful control, but Fred Rogers was NEVER like that. He talked about loving each other and respecting each other because everyone is worth loving and respecting, no matter the mistakes they make, no matter their wounds, no matter their flaws.
Knowing this about Mr. Rogers, I really wonder why there is this streak of perfectionism in so many people that seeks to judge so harshly. I wonder about it also because I have that streak myself. I see it and feel it, especially against myself, let alone other people. Am I proud of that judgmental streak? No. Not in the least. Do I experience exasperation when it comes to other people and their not-so-healthy ways of being, of treating others and the planet? Oh, heavens, yes! I experience it to the point of getting quite angry, I'm afraid.
And what makes me angrier is the feeling of not being heard, not being listened to. It makes me both angry and sad because I feel like there's stuff that people need to know--stuff that I feel is coming from deep in my God-self.
So here is where I come back to the question: What Would Fred Rogers Do?
The real, down-to-Earth answer is that I don't know. I never had the great fortune of meeting the guy. So I have to go within to think about my next best guess. And the only thing I can think of is the word "pray." Yeah, he would probably have prayed about what to say and how to say it so people will understand and hear with their hearts and not just their minds. How would he have dealt with any feelings of not being heard? Prayer.
In truth, I sense when people are listening intently and paying attention, because action is often taken on what's being said, no matter who is doing the speaking. Even if that action manifests a little at a time, they're still attempting to follow-up on what was said. If no action ensues, I either wonder if they're still trying to digest it, or they don't give a fig about anything other than themselves. Or they're so darn wounded that they don't have the confidence to take any action at all. And that's where one has to start from absolute square one--which is what Fred Rogers did a lot, I have a feeling. Sometimes absolute square one is the best place to start for a lot of healing things, emotionally speaking.
He would say things to that wounded person like, "I'm proud of you, and I like you, even if other people seem to do the opposite." To paraphrase the old Wild West movie phrase, "Them's healin' words!" Is it any wonder this man continues to be revered by so many, even eleven years after his passing?
There's an inner drive, an inner push to help people heal, that bubbles within every time I see someone upset. Of course, there are people just so far gone--they have no real will to help themselves get past their own "Furies," as Mr. Rogers would call them--that I cannot do much of anything. So all I can do is pray, pray and pray...give it all over to Great Spirit and the angels, because they have ways of handling things that one sole human cannot quite do on their own.
Because, yeah, that's what I think Fred Rogers would do.
Peace In The Neighborhood To You,
Kat ^.^
P.S....I just came up with a fab way to create a gratitude journal!
Anyone who is older than perhaps 15 or so remembers Fred Rogers, aka "Mister Rogers," and remembers those immortal beginning words to the theme song of his world-renowned show. Well, known, at least, to the Western world. I don't know how well-known he is in Japan or China or anything, but one never knows. They know about Western artists, so why not a gentle, dapper Presbyterian minister from Pittsburgh?
Many of us watched him every morning before school or afternoon after school, depending on the local PBS station programming schedule.
Those of us who really needed his guiding, loving words feel this immeasurable poignant ache realizing over and over again he's no longer on this physical plane. He was the embodiment of the prayer of St. Francis: "Let me be the channel of Your peace."
It's been eleven years since his passing, still his memory reverberates because the spirit of Love reverberated through all the lives he touched. It is likely he became a surrogate father to those whose own biological fathers were either absent physically or so wounded themselves they could not be good fathers, emotionally. He was an ordained Presbyterian minister, yet he knew that Love goes beyond denominational dogma. He showed the love of God to all who came within his presence.
He was as close to being Christlike as any human can possibly manage while still having human foibles. Such an appellation he would shun, I am pretty sure, his humble nature disallowing him to be equated with such an Ascended Master as Jesus. Yet, when you've been embraced by such Love, even through a television screen, and then you grow up with that memory of Love in your heart, you begin to wonder about how Mr. Rogers would react, or what he would say in response to what's going on in your life...sort of a paraphrase of the 1990s phenomenon of "WWJD?," or What Would Jesus Do?"
Instead, because Fred Rogers is a little more recent figure, but no less loving, it seems, you could easily rephrase it as "What Would Fred Rogers Do?"
And honestly, such unconditional love coming from such a human source makes you wonder just how old his soul is...he is likely quite ancient, and he's off doing the work of Love in other regions of the Otherworld, perhaps being an avatar for Love on some other planet, in some other Universe. And such love as came forth from Mr. Rogers makes one wonder just how the cruel people in the world can possibly live with themselves.
Why am I writing all this? Well, I came across a book in Goodwill today called "I'm Proud of You: My Friendship With Fred Rogers." It was written by Fort Worth, TX newspaper columnist Tim Madigan, who began a very beautiful and healing friendship with Fred Rogers back in 1995, thanks to an interview he did with the children's program star.
It's not a large book by any means. It's one of those delightful two-hour reads you find under the Christmas tree because it's such a lovely, spiritual book that reflects the love shown at Christmas and other special times of one's life. I say spiritual because much of the message was about Love, rather than obeying this or that human idea that is often touted as "spiritual," but really isn't. Usually those human laws are more about draconian, fearful control, but Fred Rogers was NEVER like that. He talked about loving each other and respecting each other because everyone is worth loving and respecting, no matter the mistakes they make, no matter their wounds, no matter their flaws.
Knowing this about Mr. Rogers, I really wonder why there is this streak of perfectionism in so many people that seeks to judge so harshly. I wonder about it also because I have that streak myself. I see it and feel it, especially against myself, let alone other people. Am I proud of that judgmental streak? No. Not in the least. Do I experience exasperation when it comes to other people and their not-so-healthy ways of being, of treating others and the planet? Oh, heavens, yes! I experience it to the point of getting quite angry, I'm afraid.
And what makes me angrier is the feeling of not being heard, not being listened to. It makes me both angry and sad because I feel like there's stuff that people need to know--stuff that I feel is coming from deep in my God-self.
So here is where I come back to the question: What Would Fred Rogers Do?
The real, down-to-Earth answer is that I don't know. I never had the great fortune of meeting the guy. So I have to go within to think about my next best guess. And the only thing I can think of is the word "pray." Yeah, he would probably have prayed about what to say and how to say it so people will understand and hear with their hearts and not just their minds. How would he have dealt with any feelings of not being heard? Prayer.
In truth, I sense when people are listening intently and paying attention, because action is often taken on what's being said, no matter who is doing the speaking. Even if that action manifests a little at a time, they're still attempting to follow-up on what was said. If no action ensues, I either wonder if they're still trying to digest it, or they don't give a fig about anything other than themselves. Or they're so darn wounded that they don't have the confidence to take any action at all. And that's where one has to start from absolute square one--which is what Fred Rogers did a lot, I have a feeling. Sometimes absolute square one is the best place to start for a lot of healing things, emotionally speaking.
He would say things to that wounded person like, "I'm proud of you, and I like you, even if other people seem to do the opposite." To paraphrase the old Wild West movie phrase, "Them's healin' words!" Is it any wonder this man continues to be revered by so many, even eleven years after his passing?
There's an inner drive, an inner push to help people heal, that bubbles within every time I see someone upset. Of course, there are people just so far gone--they have no real will to help themselves get past their own "Furies," as Mr. Rogers would call them--that I cannot do much of anything. So all I can do is pray, pray and pray...give it all over to Great Spirit and the angels, because they have ways of handling things that one sole human cannot quite do on their own.
Because, yeah, that's what I think Fred Rogers would do.
Peace In The Neighborhood To You,
Kat ^.^
P.S....I just came up with a fab way to create a gratitude journal!
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