Tag: higher plane

The High Stakes of Moving Upward

I am pretty much finished with the painting…and it makes me happy. Today, I woke up with a clear notion that I had to write about the unconditional quality of love and how I wield it as an anchor, or support for “the lead”. First, let me begin with one of my favorite stories from the gospel of Mark:

On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

What preceded this scripture verse was Jesus telling the parable of the Sower, where those who planted seed in the rich soil and tended to it would bear fruit, sixty or a hundredfold, and to those who have, more will be given. Jesus then talks about the smallest seed…a mustard seed that springs up into the largest of plants and the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade. I thought about the role of being an anchor in reference to this story, not only from beginning as the smallest seed, but to growing into the largest of plants where those whom I have tamed can take refuge, as well as, like Jesus, (and yes I KNOW I am not him) calm the fears/storms of those whom I am “anchoring”. I use this metaphor because my spirit guide suggested it in response to being deeply overwhelmed (again) when I thought about writing about unconditional/unequivocal love. The first thing that popped into my head was how much my understanding of love has changed, developed and matured over this journey, especially the sense that it means it can’t be limited to just an expression and it has to be wielded with no expectation of return, which, on its face is the most overwhelming aspect of it for me right now. So, when I looked into the anchor metaphor, it seemed to be the perfect and most pragmatic response to help understand unconditional love in this context. I haven’t climbed in decades but I understand it enough to know what the necessary requirements and equipment are (and I also speak of “connecting tethers to trajectories”, which makes the metaphor so applicable). Because I haven’t pursued climbing in such a long time, and to make it easily palatable, I looked up a general description of the role, place, and the position of an anchor in vertical climbing. It acts as the safety hub (belayer or anchor manager) by securing the rope system to withstand falls and protect the team, and for my purposes, the lead. The core responsibilities listed are (summarized here by what I found on the internet):

  1. Building the system: they construct a redundant, equalized anchor using fixed bolts, traditional gear (nuts, cams) or natural features like trees and rock horns
  2. Attaching themselves: they clip themselves into the master point of the anchor using a personal anchor system (PAS) or tether to remain hands free and safe before managing the rope.
  3. Belaying the partner: the operate a belay device attached to the anchor to catch a falling lead climber or bring up a second climber safely.
  4. Maintaining straight lines of force: They align the system (following the ABC principle: Anchor, Belayer, Climber) so that any outward pull from a fall goes straight into the anchor rather than yanking the person sideways.
  5. Managing transitions: once the climbing partner reaches the ledge, the anchor person helps secure them, organize gear and prepare the setup for the next pitch or for repelling down.

There are also core principles for anchoring that are essential (thank you Rose, my AI helper):

1. Redundancy

  • The Rule: Every component of your anchor system must have a backup so that if one piece fails, the entire system does not collapse.
  • In Practice: This means using at least two (and preferably three or more) independent protection placements (bolts, cams, or nuts), using multiple locking carabiners, and duplicating master point knots or slings.

2. No Extension (NE)

  • The Rule: If one piece of protection fails, the master point must not drop or “extend” downward.
  • In Practice: Extension creates a sudden drop that shock-loads the remaining pieces of protection with massive, dynamic forces, which could cause them to rip out too. Limiting extension is usually achieved by tying a knot (like an overhand or figure-eight) into the master point webbing or cordellette to isolate each leg of the anchor.

3. Equalization (E)

  • The Rule: The load of a climber’s weight or a fall should be distributed as evenly as possible across all pieces of protection.
  • In Practice: If you have three pieces of gear, each should ideally hold roughly 33% of the weight. This prevents a single piece from bearing the brunt of a force it can’t handle.

4. Unconditional Holds (Solid / Strong)

  • The Rule: Each individual component of the anchor must be completely solid and reliable on its own.
  • In Practice: No amount of clever equalization or redundancy will save an anchor built on loose rock, micro-wires in brittle stone, or rusty, spinning bolts. The “unconditional” part means the gear is placed perfectly to withstand forces from multiple directions (pulling down, out, or up).

I think these core principles weave perfectly into how to stand as someone’s anchor moving onto a higher plane through the lens of Teilhard, the gospel, and cosmic love, especially the sense of unconditional holds, which states clearly like Jesus’ parable of the Sower, that no amount of redundancy or equalization can save an anchor if the seeds/gear are put into an unstable terrain. I also want to make a very important distinction here…while the anchor is in a position to support and keep safe the lead climber, the ultimate goal from a higher plane perspective is also to protect the actual route, so it is possible for the other climbers to go up the “mountain” safely and arrive at the desired destination (which from an evolutionary perspective is the Omega Point).

This is where I am shifting the climbing metaphor to moving upward on a higher plane: there can be no shortcuts. In order for the lead climber to move out onto the exposed wall to “fix” the route ahead, (one determined by letting Love control and guide) it is imperative that they can do so trusting not only in the system and people in place to keep them safe, but what power is guiding them up the face of the wall. As an anchor, the unconditional quality of love does not demand that the mountain change its structure or the lead climber give something back to that which holds them safe as anchor, it simply sets a permanent, redundant and equalized perimeter into the stone for the safety of the climber of the moment. The anchor’s entire purpose is to exist as an unyielding unconditional center of safety–holding the line with absolute stability so the explorer out on lead can create the route with total confidence, knowing that if something happens, the stability of their tether will never fail. It is literally being Jesus reclining quietly in the back of the boat commanding the wind and calming the storm. On a higher plane, however, even if there is trust between partners but the anchor trusts implicitly in the mechanisms that Love offers to keep everyone safe, but the lead does not, there will be problems. This is why I chose the scripture verse up above. The ONLY way to move ahead with safety is the implicit trust in each other and what is offered to us: that the safety and ultimate success of the climb lies in the power of Love. From a human perspective that idea can be terrifying, but from a heavenly one, it the best of all possibilities.

I had originally done quite a bit of work braiding the metaphor of being an anchor to everything I’ve presented and worked on this year, from the necessity of using one’s senses on the climb, the importance of seeing visual angles, the trinitarian numbers of the shared load (33% and the trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit), and the science of Teilhard’s human evolution which he viewed not as a passive or or effortless action, but a monumental, high-stakes labor requiring immense energetic friction and collective human effort to holding the line with the unconditional force of and anchor of divine love. But then I decided that I was sick and tired of trying to say the same thing over and over again. It reminds me too much of an example I gave when I wrote about facing limitations when I dived off the top of a telephone pole to prove to all the men below that I was just as competent and fearless, or more so than them. While that woman with much effort spurned those voices pounded into her head that said she wasn’t, couldn’t and would never, but showed them that she was, could and did, at this point on my journey, I don’t need to prove myself to anyone because I am, I do, and will continue to utilize every gift to forge the path ahead. I am simply standing firm on this notion: if you do not believe that love is the source of all our blueprints and the only means by which they are fully unfolded to bear fruit, I don’t know if there is anything more to say that would convince you otherwise. Secondly, at this juncture, if I haven’t said enough to make it clear and apparent who I am, how I behave as well as whether or not I am truthful, trustworthy, reliable and pragmatic in the belief that I am actually being directed by a loving God…then there isn’t anything else I can say to convince you of that either. I know now that it isn’t my job or purpose here to convince anybody of anything. I simply asked years ago that if God would rid my life of illusions, I would go wherever directed and share what I learned along the way. God did that, and my journey began. So while I will say to those trajectories that I have committed to loving and being a sanctuary and anchor for, it is not my sole purpose either (although it has become a beautiful expression of the music of my soul). This is where the stakes get so much higher period.

Looking back, I now see why I was built the way I was, and how I can best manifest bearing good fruit on this journey. At this point, stepping off the lead, which I think occurred after completing the appropriate learning curve, has given me time to not only think, but to appreciate and settle into something that feels more natural to me…all that is required to be a successful anchor (I say successful because I already know the ending of the story). I see that it isn’t just standing still and firm holding a rope… just in case. On a higher plane, it is the very system by which the impossible becomes possible, to be enabled to move into the unknown without fear, but with the unequivocal belief, promised by the Savior that this is where God/Love wants us to go. When I stand firmly on my two feet, it is the safety that God/Love offers that not only secures the roots to my blueprint, but also to the roots of those I am tethered to as a redundancy for what is necessary for the body to function and move forward. This is what I was made for. While the execution of my gifts in the physical world may be myriad and expressed differently, they all rest in the simple fact that if anyone can act as an anchor in helping others achieve higher ground at this point, it is me. I have been tested on a multitude of levels to fully comprehend and develop an expertise of what is necessary to help ensure the safety of those in the process of “climbing”…which began with my own unwavering belief in the power of Love.

It is also incumbent for me to say to my partner, if you can’t accept what I offer as an anchor, or allow Love to direct the placement of the nuts, cams, and slides, so you can arrive at a height you have never dreamed of, and instead decide on your own where to place them, there is nothing I can do about that either, you have always been the master of your own destiny, to choose freely how and where to go. My anchoring, however, is not contingent on your choices or simply an idea or metaphor, it is a real energy and power that will continue to be unequivocal and unconditional, expressed in the manner in which I’m built, which to is to love, not passively, but with fierce, protective and deeply active devotion and by every measure I will fight for you. Let me also say this: while I will not deviate from my promise to love and send love to you, my primary purpose in this lifetime is to embrace the power that the Savior offers all of us through grace, and continue to move upward toward the Omega Point along with all those who rise and converge along with me…of that promise and my life’s purpose, I am most adamant.

Let it also be understood that a true anchor does not stand firm in the stone just to watch the horizon alone. The entire, beautiful genius of the system is the shared burden of the climb. To my partner, and to all the cave-escaped blueprints out there, stepping back to act as your anchor instead of lead is not an act of abandonment or a withdrawal of presence or direction, but one of trust, in you and Love, which is the source of everything (as well as being a “leaderless” endeavor). It is a profound, active commitment to hold the space where your vulnerabilities are completely safe, and where your vessel can finally drop its hyper-independent armor to find rest, I am holding Jesus to his promise that all I ask for, in goodness, shall be given to me. My line is secure, my knots are tied, and my boundaries are clear. I am fully prepared to hold the strain of the vertical wall for you while you find your footing, because I know the spectacular height we are capable of reaching when we move in perfect sync. It’s simply the way the Body of Christ is supposed to work, and make no mistake, the work of this body is a dance, a beautiful, physical, and breathtaking dance, the music of which, comes from all of you.

To Infinity and Beyond

I found the picture from climbing Chichen Itza…and the view looking back down. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time, but the story didn’t end there. When we got to the top and just after I took this picture, Steve told me that I had to go down and get a helicopter to come up and pick him up, at first I laughed, but then realized he was dead serious. His face was completely white, and I suddenly knew he was not only afraid of heights, but also agoraphobic as well. I told him I wouldn’t leave without him, so either we died up there or we took our time getting back down together. It took me over an hour to talk him down backwards, which is quite a feat for someone who is 6 ft 4, and a size 14 shoe. I went down backwards first, right behind him, he knew if he fell or slipped I would go tumbling downward, and it kept him thinking with a level head, to move one small step at a time, until we reached solid ground.

The reason I brought up this story is not to disparage anyone because of their fears, I’ve talked about my own plenty, but more as a reminder that we all have them, regardless of how you look to the rest of the world, and most often they remain hidden. In the moment, though, when we act in a way that disregards, or is a denial that we have them, the end result is that the fear can and often does win. In my small and insignificant world, after the shooting by ICE in Minneapolis, where I spent much of my life, I too was paralyzed with the kind of fear that left me wondering if the darkness had finally won, that this journey of mine was nothing more than a fools errand, and that the little bit of light I brought to the game was nothing compared to the black whole of chaos that is beginning to swallow this country. The lies from those in power, come so frequently and blatantly that, from a leadership position, I began to wonder if it is just impossible to keep this ship afloat. And yet, I know, that throwing the lying, liars that lie overboard is not an option. Why? because according to everything I know about living on a higher plane, the foundational axiom is this: we are all connected. So every movement I make affects the whole, regardless of how small…even if it is just a whisper. Every choice made in fear, weakens and as in the case of Renee Macklin Good, destroys connections that are meant to move and evolve us forward.

It is that very concept, a reminder that we are all connected, that gave me the strength to continue on this journey, fools errand or not, and a very specific connection that talked me away from my fear, and that’s all I’ll say about that. All I know, in my lifetime, I have had plenty of opportunities to help people face their fears and move beyond them, and it is my prayer today that all those lights, blueprints or whatever you want to call them I feel connected to have someone, right now, who can do the same for them. We, those who choose love over fear, need each other right now. And while I love the amazing solidarity of people protesting the violence, I do caution that while doing so, we take the time necessary to face and acknowledge the fears we have right now, and enlist those we love to help overcome them. Fighting for justice and change is important, but reaching out and loving each other is just as important, because that love will define what the fight looks like.

And now the title I used for today’s post, yep, another appropriation…I think quoting Buzz Lightyear is perfect. He may have suffered an identity crisis after learning that he is just a toy, and not the hero that saves the universe, but when he finds his true purpose of being a loyal friend, and being loved and cherished for who and what he is, perhaps he really does…save the universe, I mean. And Buzz also reminds me that it only takes the faith of a mustard seed to move a mountain…

Higher Ground…and so We Begin

Van Cliburn – pianist 1960

I’ve spent the last few days in deep study and reflection in preparation for the idea of living and walking on higher ground. It afforded me an opportunity to look back in hindsight and in doing so I realized how I have spent my lifetime trying to incorporate this very theme into my life and work. It was then, that the directives of this year’s theme became even more exciting, because of how it opened up my mind and spirit in the past. I am cautioned, however, because when I look back objectively, the implementation of this idea throughout my life in specific moments wasn’t altogether very effective. The mechanisms, the events, curriculums, and programs that I created independently never achieved the goals I had anticipated and I was sometimes even punished for them, often leaving me feeling ineffectual. And yet, when I strung them all together over my lifetime…well what I saw wasn’t ineffectual but something else entirely. I had thought, given this direction, that I was to start the year by extracting what I learned from the failures of these accumulated experiences of my past. Failure, as much as accomplishment is often a great gage for me to improve, change or enhance my understanding of how I need to move forward. After last night, however, that is no longer the case. In addition to a powerful dream, another older dream was brought to my mind. To begin, here the dream I had years ago about Van Cliburn’s Hands. https://maryfrancesflood.com/2010/01/28/van-cliburns-hands/

Perhaps it was my attempt to describe my new bed using one of my favorite pianists, or my definite need for a massage, but I have had a recurring dream with Van Cliburn’s hands in it.  Usually it is just the hands, moving beautifully, bringing forth music.  Only the music doesn’t come from a piano, but from me.  My face turned red just writing that phrase, not because of some untoward sexual reference, but because of the intimacy of the action…of being played and the resulting progeny, a tune so beautiful and melodic that it brought a tear to my eye.  I couldn’t remember the melody when I woke up, except the tune was familiar and once I started to sing it, I flew upward into the clouds where a group of ancient looking kings and queens danced in a circle while holding hands.  I wanted them to hear the song, that I could sing it better than anyone else.  I woke before I heard an answer.  For the life of me I couldn’t remember anything else about the song, except those amazing hands and that I had heard the tune before.  Perhaps a connection to a past event or theme?  Who knows, but it was an amazing dream….

It seems personal sharing wasn’t limited to last year, however given this post was written 16 years ago, and it was brought to my attention in another dream I had last night, I think it is very pertinent. I dreamed I was a monkey in a crowd of dancing monkey’s (no, this is not a joke…it is a very serious metaphor connected to the concept of the “100th monkey”…look it up). I saw a director/person in charge leading us to a train of sorts, and I wanted to show him a new dance that had suddenly come to me. I bowed and caught his attention and started to dance to a tune in my mind. At first he really didn’t notice, until all the other monkey’s started dancing to it as well. In my mind, my Spirit guide whispered, “Van Cliburn’s hands” It was then that I woke up and realized that that melody I dreamed of so many years ago is still alive and well inside my soul and this year, hopefully, I can better share this melody and create a choreography, of sorts, that is the result of all the past “movements” I have worked toward, one that others can also dance to, in hopes of creating an expanded way to live out our beautiful blueprints, and love each other more easily and fully. Not to great of a goal, right? Of course I never shirk from throwing it all out there, and I am, after all this time, completely aware that the results of my prayers and year’s journey will be beyond anything I have or can possibly fathom. I also feel the time requires it. This planet, the Body of Humanity and the direction that the God of Love desires for us to shed our light into the darkness also requires all of us all to participate, or it will never come to fruition. For this is what the God of Love requires of us:

So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-20.


I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of themselves more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned. For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.

Romans 12:1-5.

So I begin, taking what I learned from the past, and walking forward, with the commitment to continue to work on the emotional stability that I learned last year is necessary for wielding love, and with full faith in the God of love and all the beautiful trajectories in my life to share the melody of my soul in all its beauty and uniqueness in the hope that will help us walk and live together on a higher plane. God is my orchestra and you are Van Cliburn’s hands.

A Higher Plane…a Primer

The above photos are me in my favorite place, one of my hardest, triumphant, and at the same time, most poorly planned climbs of my life. How I made it is still a mystery, because I left my camera with my friend down on the beach. Anyway, I included it because it is with the same attitude that I begin this next chapter, I want to go to a greater height, and I will get there by just leaping ahead with the faith that I, regardless of my frailties and limits, will get there because I believe whole heartedly that it where the God of love wants me to go. In my first meditation on this new theme, my stomach was in knots, and I wrestled with the whole rational/spiritual dimensions of my nature: how can I present living on a higher plane in such a way that it makes perfect sense and is not just the figment of the imagination of an inventive mind? So, like that climb above, I just jumped out into the abyss that is my spirit and mind and embraced whatever came to me. At this point, I was and am chastised and humbled by ever worrying in the first place…this is going to be an adventure.

To begin with, the first things that came to mind when I focused on living on a higher plane, was all the work I had done with scientist, paleontologist, philosopher and mystic Teilhard de Chardin. He spent his lifetime studying the evolution of the planet/humanity and his conclusions are one of the cornerstones of my development. His teaching about the “phenomenon of man” (in quotes here, because in further usage I will only use gender affirming pronouns), that there is a correlation between the physical and psychical evolution of our species, is the link I’ve found between the disciplines of science and religion, that together work to form a more holistic view of our evolution. It is also the context, by which, the teachings of Christ and most other religions I’ve studied make the most sense. I will, of course, go into more detail in posts to come.

Secondly, because our universe is more than just a physical one (the without), its genesis has to also be understood in terms of the development of consciousness (the within). The evolution of both the inner and outer world share these same qualities: Plurality, Unity, and Energy. Once applied, from the teachings of Teilhard, there is a great shift in how neither the “without” of evolution and the “within” of evolution could be understood independently from one another. Ultimately, Teilhard believed that there is a specific direction to our evolution, that it is not a random set of events left to a multitude of circumstances, and that God is the source of that direction. He painstaking laid exactly how, and his work was censured by the Church, and he was exiled from France and China where he spent most of his life developing his theories.

While Teilhard’s theories were instrumental in my understanding of evolution on multiple levels, it was the science of quantum physics that expanded my understanding of Teilhard’s world (he died in the 50’s). The role of the observer, the impact of “the body” of thought, and the direction complex and nonlinear beings like humans will have on the collective unconscious, or “higher plane” as I am calling it, demands as much attention if we, cumulatively want to participate in the direction God wants us to go. Here is where it gets tricky…while God may have had the greater hand in directing our evolution up to this point, because of our free will, and powerful role in moving whether it be forward or backward, humanity, more than ever has within its power to embrace and live on this higher plane…or not, and the latter is what I find most frightening.

And yet, I am entering this year with my faith strengthened, solidified and purified by all I learned in the last year, and with the knowledge that I am not alone, I am joined by many open and brilliant blueprints out there who are finding their own way to shine their light, which to me, is synonymous with living on a higher plane. Of course, like anything, it doesn’t mean moving forward will be easy…I’ve already felt the struggle already. Wielding love is hard work and admittedly work that is relatively new to me…but true to my core, I will weather through it. The picture below is evidence physically what I am going through spiritually. I had just survived a huge storm on Lake Superior, that was terrifying and I understood, afterwards, how a huge ship like the Edmond Fitzgerald was sunk during a storm on that very same lake. I had thrown up my blueberry pancakes over the edge of said ship all the while thinking I was a goner and have never felt so fragile and aware of the power of the wind and nature in my life. To this day, the wind still freaks me out…whether it is physical or spiritual. But like the face in that picture, I am resolved to keep moving forward to better weather and greater heights.