Thought for the Day
Thought for the Day
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
One of the first things to understand about the word olmelleon is that it is not to be judged by it’s absence from any known language or dictionary. It is not there at all. This is because the other is speaking a new language. This illustrates that the psyche (the “other” as I call it) is originating a new language, as it also originates new myths, new stories. I take this to be a word that applies in some way to the conflagration my dream referred to. When I experience a new word like this, the first thing I do is to close my eyes and repeat the word out loud until “something” happens. As I noted last week, “seeing with the eyes closed” is the literal meaning of the word “mystery.” Doing this (closing the eyes) is one way into the mystery the word presents. Repeating the word becomes a chant, a kind of mantra. Speaking this way with the eyes closed has all the qualities of a ritual and begins to excite the deeper psyche. One of my experiences in doing this brought an image of smoke on a distant horizon, billowing clouds of dark smoke, a major blaze to be sure. This image presented itself autonomously and without any conscious effort on my part. Another experience produced an image of smoke as well as flames—closer this time. A third time, the image was looking out over a fire ravaged area completely engulfed in flame and smoke over a vast area. When I was saying the word out loud, I would say it in “threes.” This reflects my habitual use of the “Rue of Three” Whenever I can when faced with the unknown, uncertainty, or doubt. It is one way into holding Keats’ negative capability. So, doing the experience with the eyes closed and saying the word olmelleon led to three images. My sense is that images were providing the “meaning” of the new and created word. It might be synonymous with the word “conflagration” that the dream referred to. But the important thing I feel is that this word means more than just the destruction of a conflagration. It’s pointing to something far more destructive, and I believe it is pointing to what is transpiring now on our way to the future. I take it now as the name of what is happening culturally, politically, economically and socially: utter destruction. Olmelleon is what it is. It is, I believe, one aspect of the sixth extinction manifesting on many levels. What is happening has never happened before. Hence, a new word, perhaps a new language is brewing.
This is the fourth such reference I’ve come into over the past couple months: the sixth extinction. And so it appears to be; profoundly painful. Deep sorrow .. with little hints of hope surfacing here and there .. culturally, politically, economically and socially. I could write a book in response to just this Thought for the Day.
In fact, recently attended a talk given by Brooke Williams, author of “Dragonfly: Notes on the Practice of Re-Enchantment.” The book was stimulated by a dream Brooke had some twentyish years ago. Throughout his talk, I felt like my physical brain was going to burst out of my skull … and raised my hand to make comment. The end of what I said is “I need to write a book!” I’ve been making notes … but how to write anything coherent about the extraordinary 86 years I’ve spent in this body … even if I were to begin the book with my first recalled dream in ~1976 “United Nations” a formidable task.
I note that you began this “Notebook just around the time I “retired” from DNJ stewardship. Remarkable and admirable job you and Paco continue to do. I love you both so, truly. Thank you for including me in your mailing list.
Roberta O.