In my Reclaiming class tonight we were talking about passion. Not just sexual passion, but all kinds of passion. There are quite a few things in which I have a strong interest, but few about which I am passionate.
In America, as my friend Renee, aka the world's best cook, noted, it's ok to be passionate about, say, a diamond ring your lover buys you. Of course, someone profits from that. We allow men in our society, and, increasingly women, to be passionate about sports. Chomsky said some interesting things about that. And, of course, someone can profit off of that passion.
Is it possible in a capitalist society to have a passion that doesn't make anyone any money? What would that be? What is your passion? Is it any more than a way for someone to sell you something? Is passion a form of mania, of madness? For what are you willing to, literally, go mad? Do our passions help us to thrive? Do they tap into our fears? If so, what's the connection?
8 comments:
You posted this with one of my favorite works of art, and it fits so well with something I just read this morning about passion and the Iron Pentacle:
"The word "passion" comes from the Latin words "pati" and "passio," which mean "to suffer" or "to endure." Until the 16th century, the word meant "pain." Eventually, it came to mean "strength of feeling," emotional and sexual.
I like to think of the original meaning of the word "passion." Coming from our power puts us in a territory that we can't control. The full range of emotion is our reward, vivid and rich. The Goddess is a gifted surgeon, but not often much of an anesthesiologist. It's good to remember that pain is part of the territory.
from The Iron Pentacle: Sex, Pride, Self, Power, Passion by Seed.
I have always been fascinated by the visceral vision of the ecstatic's yearning to touch the face of Divine and the pain of either not being able to fully or of being consumed by the true nature of the Divine.
Passion burns -- but does it consume or transform?
You posted this with one of my favorite works of art,
Ditto here. Love that St. Teresa.
One night I howled at the moon just out of sheer passion. No one heard me. It was like a tree falling in the forest. But it made me feel really good.
Many bored gods encourage passion. But who listens to them?
Passion is so valuable. It's not inexhaustible, and all this politicking makes it harder to find my passions. But yes, I feel passionately about trees. And they return the feeling, I think. :)
Many times that I have heard the word 'passion' offered in an office meeting,, utterly devoid of tone and any semblance of feeling. In fact, it seems to be the word (cliche) of the year,, at least where I work.
I appreciate your writing which encapsulates the driving force of passion, its meaning and purpose in our lives and how our lives are illuminated by the Presence.
A good friend and circle sister uses the term 'living courageously' - I think that passion is both the fuel and home of such an act, which requires endurance and the divine spark.
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