Friday, October 14, 2011

Aleph...what?!

At any given point in time as I am taking my beautiful walk across City Hall Park I am full of anticipating of an Aleph opening up and me plunging into it with a beautiful stranger whose energies match mine. If you’re confused, it’s OK. You must not have had the chance to pick up the #6 NY Times Best Seller yet.

I only even know this word, Aleph, because I just finished reading Paulo Coehlo’s most recent book, Aleph. And I am still confused as to what exactly it is and how it all goes down.

As I quickly Google the word and refer to my ultimate primary source of knowledge Wikipedia.com, Aleph is essentially, a letter, number, term, etc. meaning different but similar things in various ancient and modern languages and sciences. No great, or at least helpful, insight there.

Very little of the official origin of the term was included in the book. The author chooses to maintain the term within spiritual lessons of the book. So the following may as well serve as a book review.

First, a little pompous are we? The author’s main character is THE AUTHOR! (Oh how we love thyselves!). Everything the main ‘character’ experiences is presumably and implied so, was experienced by the author about 5 years prior to when I purchased the book. This includes world renowned book distribution chains, publishers and editors in every country, readers eager to meet their beloved author and get invited to private suppers and requests for personal visits by Russian Presidents. Oh, and of course, a beautiful young Russian woman was just so madly in love with the author (about 30 years her senior). This was the kind of love in as much as a woman can love a man. And yet the man resisted because he loved her like the river. (NO COMMENT NECESSARY, INSERT SOUND HERE {_________})

Second, I am so jealous of the author's, main character's opportunity to take the seven time zone trip through Russia, from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Trans-Siberian railway. (NOTE TO ADD ON MY LIFE'S TO DO LIST!!)

Mostly, however, the focus of my curiosity is the aleph (Aleph?) business. In my own words, as I understand from the book, Aleph is a spiritual phenomenon (or what I have come to conclude, at least a delusion) that has comfortably settled with many followers and believers. Imagine you’re walking and then suddenly you think you’re crazy while feeling anxious, excited and afraid at the same time because you keep seeing images from your past many centuries ago. (I have to mention that there is no hitting on the head involved).

Although I am not sure how accurately it works since it does not seem like you’ll be randomly transported to the age of the cave men. More likely it will be the time when you do something really really really bad, and can’t forgive yourself and need the person who you hurt or didn’t save, or worse, to forgive you. (Remember the Witchhunts, or better yet, The Tudors?) You need their forgiveness desperately.

How is that different from the present problems, you say? I am not sure. This must have been somewhat prior to forgive and forget. Or is it forgive but not forget? I always confuse the two.

Anywho, the Aleph, gives you the ability to understand that there is no separate past, present and future. We are all a combined energy(?) of our past, our present and our future. I wonder what the Jetsons or the Flinstones have to say about that?

Point well taken, enjoy life, breath in the sounds of nature, stay in the moment; but the explanation did seem a bit too far out there. I still can’t get the image of falling into a black hole out of my mind, perhaps it’s the Alice (in Wonderland) in me.

There is certainly a pro-feminist/humanist undertone that underlines the history of oppression of women for no good reason. (The witchhunt.) There was also an example of the 'shaman' (just Google it) who were initially all women being the spiritual leaders due to their intuition. Neverthless, the men's tendency of seeking power has finally overtaken that role to the point that only men are allowed during certain ceremonies. The joke is on the men, however, since women just do the same ceremonies right across the lake. (Finish reading the book!)

But still, as I quote from above: "Oh, and of course, a beautiful young Russian woman was just so madly in love with the author (about 30 years her senior). This was the kind of love in as much as a woman can love a man. And yet the man resisted because he loved her like the river."

Finally, I realized that some Paulo Coehlo books are certainly more my cup of tea then the others. Unfortunately this one, the Aleph, was one of the others. I had very much enjoyed Eleven Minutes, however, which keeps persisting to stay on my favorite books list.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

To have and to hold…a husband.

It started with:

“It’s so weird to say ‘FiancĂ©e.’ I still don’t get what the big deal is. You’re either married or not married, everything else seems kind of pointless?!”

And so about four months after that we had the pleasure of letting me do what I was looking forward to in the first place – calling someone my husband.

It all happened with the officiality of the city clerk’s office, with closest friends and family. All it took were laughs, beautiful flowers, casual and chic dresses, memorable shoes, unforgettable photos, tourist excursions on the Brooklyn Bridge, French food, lounge music, heartwarming toasts and some wacky dancing.

Everyone, I am sure, feels and experiences the tradition of marriage in various individual ways. What stands out for me, as the newest member of the club, is this husband business. Voila, I am now married and possess a husband.

What a possessive witch, you say! Sounds like it, doesn’t it? But the idea of a husband ‘to have and to hold,’ as the saying goes, is basically what it comes down to, doesn’t it? You are now legally bound to share your happiness, your tears, your memories and your future, your wealth and your pauperness. When I am dancing, sitting, driving, reading, sleeping, eating, laughing, crying next to him, I think:

“Wow, I now have a whole other person who is mine to share whatever with.”


There is also the little fact of the almost universal support and announcement of marriage by a simple, molded piece of metal around one’s finger. Just imagine how these lightweight shiny him and hers circles hold all this power, message and symbolism of the eternal love.

As of September 30th, 2011, I have a husband and I am someone’s wife.