(Image : "Secret Garden", collage on cardboard, Shakti G.)


Shakti : (I´m writing - the pioneers (Mika & Adam) are preparing the garden for winter, lol)



THE BODY ARCHAIC
In one of the psychosynthesis marathon workshops I have been leading here in Spain, a lady once told me, in a down-her-nose sort of classy way : "What an archaic body you have!" Besides being slightly miffed by her remark, - Gee lady, what´s on your mind ? Are you saying that I look old ? Or - Goddess forbid! - fat? - I was quite intrigued by it, and later Googled the definition of "archaic", just to be sure I had understood.
Lots of fascinating stuff came up.


Like ... "Archaic" (definition --->): Archaic Of, relating to, or characteristic of a much earlier, often more primitive period, especially one that develops into a classical stage of civilization: an archaic bronze statuette; Archaic Greece. No longer current or applicable; antiquated: archaic laws. See Synonyms at "old". Of, relating to, or characteristic of words and language that were once in regular use but are now relatively rare and suggestive of an earlier style or period. [Greek arkhaikos, old-fashioned, from arkhaios, ancient, from arkhein, to begin.]


Ah so. Indeed ?
I deciphered then that a) she meant that I wasn´t a modern scarecrow Picasso type - and b) that being...err...round-shaped (with femenine curves, that is!) is considered by certain people (classy?) as "no longer current or applicable, antiquated", which miffed me even more! Mmm... So the next time I saw her (she was a regular of my workshops) I asked her what would be the CONTRARY for her of the word she had used describing me, in the context that she had used it. She looked at me again (down her nose!), and said"Why, CONTEMPORARY, of course!" Which sent me right back to Google! (Bear with me, this is fun!)


Contemporary (definition ---->): adjective 1 living, occurring, or originating at the same time. 2 belonging to or occurring in the present, EXISTING NOW (emphasis mine). 3 modern in style or design (contemporary art, contemporary litterature) • noun (pl. contemporaries) 1 a person or thing existing at the same time as another. 2 a person of roughly the same age as another. Mmmm...(again)


So I went right back to the group that day, asked for the Talking Stick, and said... Lady, first of all, I don´t "have" a body, I AM my body, which cannot be "archaic", it is CONTEMPORARY, because it exists with me HERE AND NOW, it is the temple of my soul right here under your classy nose, second - we are the same age, so we are CONTEMPORARIES. YOUR body, dear lady, is as "archaic" as mine, or, alternatively, as "contemporary" as mine! Which is it ?...
Then we all had a good laugh...and Pass the cookies if you please.


It took all my group leader´s discipline not to say what really came to my mind. You see, the funniest thing of all is that the lady in question had... a wooden leg.
And what I really wanted to ask her was...Oh ? Really ? Archaic ? Who? Me? And what is YOUR style? Pirate-of-the-Carribean?


... A bit late...but...DONE! ;-)