The Imaginal Cell
So I was at my Group Spiritual Direction, and my Spiritual Director relayed this story to us. The Imaginal Cell is an actual cell that is found in Catepillars, and the gist of the story, which you can probably find if you google Imaginal cell, is this: The cell, at a certain point in the catepillars life, wakes up after being dormant. The cell has the DNA within it that forms the little bugger into a butterfly. When the imaginal cell wakes up, the catepillar reads its actions and activity in its body as sickness. As it reads it, the catepillar slows down, and eventually comes to a stop. Those catepillars that do not read its activity as sickness, or something similar and do not slow down, end up dying. Those that do slow down, stop and build a cocoon and then one day become a butterfly. An interesting story, I am sure I have missed some parts.
It is interesting to me on two fronts. The first is the seemingly enormous care that our Presiding Bishop Elect, Katharine Jefferts Schori takes when answering questions, I can just see the rest of the world shaking with impatience as they await her answer. It is good to slow down and absorb what is being asked of you in such situations.
The other is the necessary balance to go at things that are causing problems in one's life or in one's parish or in one's job, whatever the case may be. I have been taught the best way to deal with fear and anxiety in a system is to go at it, directly, and immediately. This seems to suggest something different, and because going at stuff has worked so well I am never going to give that, up, I recognize there must be some sort of balance between the slowing down and waiting for the challenge or the sickness to transform you or the world, and the need to go at people and problems when they present themselves in the world...
Interesting stuff to ponder, I really like that idea of the imaginal cell, it is a fascinating concept that could cause hours and hours of conversation.
Be well,
A+
It is interesting to me on two fronts. The first is the seemingly enormous care that our Presiding Bishop Elect, Katharine Jefferts Schori takes when answering questions, I can just see the rest of the world shaking with impatience as they await her answer. It is good to slow down and absorb what is being asked of you in such situations.
The other is the necessary balance to go at things that are causing problems in one's life or in one's parish or in one's job, whatever the case may be. I have been taught the best way to deal with fear and anxiety in a system is to go at it, directly, and immediately. This seems to suggest something different, and because going at stuff has worked so well I am never going to give that, up, I recognize there must be some sort of balance between the slowing down and waiting for the challenge or the sickness to transform you or the world, and the need to go at people and problems when they present themselves in the world...
Interesting stuff to ponder, I really like that idea of the imaginal cell, it is a fascinating concept that could cause hours and hours of conversation.
Be well,
A+
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