Back when I was blogging regularly—before I became too congested with studies and with my then husband suddenly dying of cancer and a failing heart, I flew to Santa Monica, CA to begin a two-year Master’s program in Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica in California. USM holds classes one weekend a month, with homework, papers, on one’s own. The fabulous Professors talked about some of our spiritual guides as “Stackers,” who lovingly collect and stack pressures, obstacles, issues, or situations for us.

The Stackers send us these, as we are progressing with our spiritual evolution, more or less as tests, flags, reminders to dig deep and employ the lessons, the tools, the growing we’ve been working towards and absorbing. What I never did learn is how/why they operate so…but I do know that my Stackers were very busy this particular month, sending my way an entire volley of happenings, among them, learning that my husband was quite sick.

Upon returning from LAX late, late Sunday night, I learned of my only sibling’s sudden death—from unknown causes. My brother was two years older. This alone was a huge challenge for me to accept. Except for my kids, I am the last, without close cousins. Only brother John’s wife—they had no children. That Saturday after yoga at the Y, my wallet and change purse (with way too much money left over from the LA trip) were stolen out of my bag. I won’t go on with the rest—less impacting occurrences, but each was distracting, draining, and time-consuming. My work was to keep reaching for balance, for regaining centeredness, for making “IT”—the month-long stream of Its—okay, for returning to presence, to now. Talk about challenging, experiential learning…

My reason in going into this saga is to help—you, perhaps, or someone you know. I think “the Stackers” is ingenious imagery. We all need, at times, aids to assist us in getting outside ourselves.

The following weekend, a friend and her dog rode with me and my dog up to Sedona for a group hike to enjoy the fall colors and the stream we crossed eleven times each way. What a gorgeous, inspirational boost to me in struggling for perspective on my “stuff”! New to the Phoenix area, never having been to Sedona or this popular hiking trail, I was coaching my friend, Donna, on finding a hill-top view of her daughter’s marital problems. Coming over a high point on the highway, a verdant vista below stretched out before us. “Just like we are admiring the valley in front of us, mountains far off, visualize your daughter’s situation from such a vantage point. You are too close to it all. It’s not your drama. This is an opportunity for you to re-explore your life, rather than living hers with her.” As we talked more, Donna relaxed, saying, “This bird’s-eye view really helps. I do need to find my own interests again.” My impulse to try to help Donna step away from her worries might just have been my Stackers opening me up as well to bask in Nature’s beauty, thus recapturing for the umpteenth time my own distance, my own Witness-Self.

Certainly, keeping the Stackers in mind has given me a whimsical handle to grab when yet another and another curve ball has come. While walking my dog one day, I did tell them that I’m not a great outfielder. I swear I could hear them laughing. Okay. Maybe it was the golfers nearby…

Take care and be happy,

Joyce