Flight with a Mormon
Dear Dreamer,
There have been three distinct times I can recall in my life that a stranger has started talking to me about Jesus. Two of those times were while I was on an airplane. Each time has felt strange, but the second airplane encounter was outright hilarious, in my opinion.
I was flying home from Montana, where I had been on a deeply life-changing and intense retreat, of a spiritual sort. And as I was transitioning out of this experience back into the “real world,” I got seated next to a Mormon woman for the first leg of my travels. I think this was actually perfect timing.
She told me she had only ever flown once or twice before in her life, and it showed. Near the end of the flight I had to teach her how to pop her ears as we descended. I also had to explain to her that while the seatbelt sign was lit, she could not get up and start talking to anyone and everyone on the plane about Jesus. She tried multiple times to strike up a conversation with a Christian couple seated behind us, but they were politely having none of it.
Of course, this meant she was talking to me about Jesus for most of the flight. I listened and asked questions with genuine interest. I mean, I am genuinely interested in learning about all of the different stories we tell, including the mythology that is created from religion. Unfortunately, I was not taking any notes. She told me I could just read the King James version of the Bible (followed by the Book of Mormon), but I haven’t gotten to that. So I don’t actually remember any of the stories she told me.
But one was about how Jesus (or Joseph?) gave us water. And so when we drink water, we can remember that we can turn to Jesus in times when we need spiritual replenishment.
Ah! I asked her: “How do you know when you’re in need of spiritual replenishment?”
Her: “Whenever you’re seeking for something in your life. Like you, aren’t you looking for purpose in life?”
I answered No at the time. But lately I have been noticing myself seeking for other things in life. Like jewelry, funny enough. Something to make me feel elegant? In their own way, my dreams have been satiating that thirst.
I’ve been feeling something enlivening in my dreams lately at least. And the practice of dreamwork itself has also taught me to perceive my sudden random, material desire for shiny objects to adorn myself with, as an archetype or an energy communicating with me. Telling me about my desire, offering me ways of tending to it.
Anyway, that was my big takeaway from my flight with a Mormon. How can I offer spiritual replenishment to myself when I notice I’ve been clicking on too many jewelry ads?
Thinking of that story again, I like the idea of turning to water itself when we need spiritual replenishment. And what it would look like to worship water.
I think right now I am meeting Passionflower, and learning to worship her. Maybe I will study herbalism next. I learned that she is helpful for sleep and dreams, so I made a tea with one of her flowers, and I dreamt that my wedding was like a circus in the coolest way possible, and I met a fire-bird-dog, and that my outfit was already very sexy.
How have your dreams been lately? And what if your relationship with water got a little more spiritual?
Let this story and all of its figures serve as an incubation for your dreams tonight.
In other words, I’m sending some of my Passionflower Love Vibes your way.
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