Enlivening clarity and coherence
[Soul Experiences] How learning a language trained me for my purpose
One more post on Soul led experiences leading to life purpose, this one spotlighting a reflection on the flow of information and of clear communication.
The Cosmos Plant Archetype and teachings on the flow of energy through the chakras point to clues for identifying deceptive, convoluted and unclear communication, versus the flow of clarity and coherence that gifts us with enlivening sanity.
The same person I met in Amsterdam, when called by the fabrics and colors in her store, who first gifted me with a brochure on flower essences (as shared in this post), told me about a teacher that she thought I needed to meet.
“Do not come to study with him here”, she said. Instead, “have him come teach in your country” so that the learning can happen as a community experience.
At that time, my yearning to understand other dimensions, the interconnection between visible and invisible realms and more… was really sparked. I was curious and wanting to learn, so I went along with her suggestions.
Personally, I had not yet had encounters with Eastern Spiritual teachings that would become so popular in the years that followed. While this had come earlier to North America and Europe, for Brazilians living in South America, access to this knowledge required an understanding of English and/or other languages. Both teachers and publications still needed to be thoroughly translated, and knowing at least one other language, preferably English, was the way to access this knowledge.
Early on, crossing the Atlantic for a year in the UK
When I was seven years old, a Brazilian advanced education institution awarded my father a one-year study grant to work in an engineering research lab in London.
He was an engineer, deeply engaged in researching ways of building that were integrated with local climate, using natural ways of cooling or heating homes by positioning them properly in relation to the sun and prevalent winds. He was also interested in studying the use of local materials, of appropriate window openings, insulation and more, as ways of smartly reducing energy costs. Tropical building technology was his main professional focus.
So off to England we went, traveling in a French transatlantic called Claude Bernard, first landing at Le Havre and then by train to London. In those days, when crossing the Equator line by ship, there were festivities aboard and we would be given a Certificate like this, that I saved and have on my wall.
My Certificate of Passage through the Line says in French:
“We, Neptune, King of the Line, King and Master of the Oceans, Winds and Storms, son of Chronos and Rhea, certifies that mademoiselle Ruth Toledo hereof named as “The Pink Shrimp”, is admitted by exceptional favor to transverse our kingdom, and he requests that the Tritons, Mermaids, Naiads and Nereids, and all authorities and attractions of our state, watch over her as she passes through, and offer a helping hand in case of need!”
As it turned out, I was first alphabetized in English
Right before leaving Brazil for England, I had just began learning to read my first written words. Now in London, I remember entering the classroom of my new school for the first time and seeing drawings hanging on the walls with strange words.
One that stayed in my mind, written in capital letters on children’s drawings depicting several human heads was: people. I clearly remember seeing this and asking myself, what does “people” mean?
A supportive teacher eased my entry into a new culture
Now looking back, I cannot be grateful enough for the dedication and support offered by this welcoming young teacher. She helped me feel well received, gave special attention to my learning process and encouraged other kids to include me.
In three months I was speaking English fluently, and soon I was able to read and write as well. Despite being such a shy girl, I adapted quickly, made friends and I loved the life we had there during this time, especially the parks and the flowers!
I loved learning English so much that I never wanted to lose what I had learnt.
With the support of my parents and recommended by my teacher (below), I continued studying, reading, and writing as a dedicated student of English for years after that.
One empathic and dedicated teacher changed my life forever!
Learning the basic principles of Perennial Philosophies
Following a brief encounter while revisiting the Netherlands in 1988, when back in Brazil, I gathered some friends who agreed to share the travel expenses and tuition for a first learning experience with this Dutch teacher.
We knew he had lived in India for decades, having actually studied Sanscrit to read the Vedas in their original form, and earned a degree in Philosophy while there. He told us that he later wandered around to Tibet and later to the forests where ancient Cambodian temples were still standing, and where he lived alone amidst the nature beings. He had been forced to leave when a war was about to begin, and when back in the Netherlands, developed his own curriculum on perennial philosophy principles based on his experience, which included the practice of simple meditations.
Serving the community as an interpreter
Beyond our first small group who could understand his simple English, during that same initial coming of this teacher a group of volunteers helped me improvise a translated cohort for a larger group.
Without having ever imagined I would do this, I became his interpreter. For days, I was consecutively converting the teachings that were being shared into Portuguese.
For me this was surprising and unexpected. As teachings were being articulated in English, the flowing conversion into clear Portuguese simply came through with sensitivity and feeling. I listened and conveyed what I heard, all of us as a group following the stories being shared, like of a flock of birds. Translating simply flowed through me, as if it was always meant to be, for decades to come.
One man in the audience, a friend of a friend who saw clairvoyantly, told me of a light presence he could see behind us, as I sat side by side to the teacher. As he looked at the teacher speaking and at me translating, he described this light presence overlighting and embracing us, as if holding space for the flow that went through us.
I guess this part of my calling came with a dedicated Angel: a Translation Angel 😊
Our multidimensionality revealed
Through a period of a few years, we had lessons that built a foundation for our understanding of ourselves as multidimensional beings, interconnected to multidimensional universes. For me, the favorite were always the ones about the Soul. On this, I look forward to sharing more in future posts.
Eventually, we learned about the chakras, and one thing stayed with me from his perspective that I feel is very relevant for us today.
What goes on when communication is manipulative?
He told us that there are those who become very proficient in developing a strong potent energy moving through their lower chakras. When motivated by a strong intent to use others for their goals, they succeed in directing the flow of energy from the solar plexus straight up to the third eye, magnetizing people through the force of their personality, while skipping the opening of the heart and the throat chakras. This describes the use of forceful magnetism to attract and convince people, with messaging that has no clarity and is devoid of love, warmth and compassion.
For me this resonated deeply and still does to this day. It has become easy to notice when a messenger or speaker warms my heart, and their message is clear.
When communicators are telling us lies, the message is confusing, ambiguous, lacks the sharp clarity that feels right and is definitely not heart warming.
I can say with my full being that clear communication requires an open heart!
Cosmos as a flower essence
My dear mentors and researchers of the Flower Essence Society and Flower Essence Services Richard Katz and Patricia Kaminski share with us what they gathered over the decades on the application of the Cosmos essence in this linked post.
Through their teachings and perspective, I came to understand that my translation experience is an example of the positive qualities of Cosmos, that as a flower essence, opens and enlivens our abilities of converting one language into another, conveying concepts with clarity, and embodied understanding shared with clarity and heart.
Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus Cav.
Botanical Family: (Traditional: Compositae), Sunflower/Aster/Daisy Family
Key patterns of imbalance/indications: Unfocused, disorganized communication; overexcited speech, overwhelmed by too many ideas
Positive qualities: Integration of ideas and speech; coherent thinking; mercurial expression
Bridging the transmission of knowledge
For many years, I translated most of the courses I organized with different flower essence teachers sharing their perspective and advanced insights. And even today, when asked, I am happy to continue doing this to help our communities.
Below, a. lecture delivered for a group of Flower Essence Therapy teachers with my translation of Julian Barnard talking about “The coming of the Light”