Introduction: About This Blog and Why I Started It

     The word metanoia (Greek) has several meanings.   It is often translated as "repentance" in English, but the literal translation goes deeper than that.In terms of Orthodox Christian spirituality, it means the changing of the mind and heart as one is slowly converted within through the continuous cooperation with Divine Grace. 
     In the field of rhetoric, metanoia refers to a type of correction one uses in statements, in which a statement is first retracted and then re-stated with a different emphasis or in a better way.
     In the field of psychology, metanoia refers to a process of psychological healing after going through a type of break-down.  In some areas of psychological thought, it is referred to as the process of getting rid of a false self and presenting a true one.
     All of these are interesting definitions.  The one constant in these definitions is the idea of change on an inner level.  So, this begs the question: why would I use such a personal word as a blog title?
     The simple answer is that all of life, for the Christian, is a process of inner change as we go through our thuras (Irish word for "journey").  I have often used the word thuras in the past to refer to life's journey, which is spiritual, intellectual and physical.
     Simply put, this blog is for the purpose of sharing musings or reflections upon aspects of that journey as the natural change of the spirit takes place.  Some aspects are spiritual, and others are mundane.  Most of the time in life, the spiritual and the mundane are blended, often in ways we can't always recognise immediately.  I like to find and share those little ways in which the spiritual manifests itself in ordinary, daily life on earth. 
     Change also takes place all the time in artistic, creative people as we grow.  Being an artist--a musician, poet, composer and writer of various genres--I have the desire to share my art with others.  In fact, I have the need to share the art with others and thereby give them certain tools and things to think about as they go through their own metanoia on their own journeys.  That's just the way it is: it's the role of the artist.
     That being said, I will now become apophatic.  That is, I will define what this blog is about by telling you what it's not.
     This blog is NOT the following:

(1) an airing of dirty laundry: one of the skills I'm working on is the ability to understand and recognise, as an artist, what needs to be personal and what needs to be shared.  I have resolved not to let this blog become a whiny session on personal problems, or an airing of deep things in my soul that should really be shared only with a father confessor or my husband.  So, the articles here are meant to be reflective, and sharing things insofar as they relate to the point or subject of the essay, or the subject of the question raised.  Sometimes my posts might be questions, just to see what other people think about a given idea or phenomenon.

(2) political:  I pray constantly for the world and its ills, for our government and its leadership, and many other world problems.  I vote at elections and cast my vote in a way that is aligned with my conscience.  However, that vote is also private.  Aside from talking about concepts of sacred Orthodox monarchy and stuff like that, you will find that this blog is not about politics.  I'm not going to write articles about the government, the president, Republicans, Democrats and stuff like that.  To be very frank, I consider such things to be boring.  I personally think that what I do politically ultimately affects political processes and happenings very little, or not at all.  I have observed that there is a natural cycle that human history goes through as people repeat past mistakes, or actually learn from mistakes and do better the second or hundredth time around.  There have been the same things going on politically for the past 5000 years or so.  I look at things in the modern world and say, "Oh, that's just like Rome in the year 64 A.D.  Oh, well. Ho-hum.  I hope it turns out better this time around.  Lord, have mercy."   So, you generally won't find political posts on my blog.  I might post one very rarely, if a major bee gets in my bonnet, but overall, I strive to keep bees out of my bonnet, and go along on my journey as simply and calmly as possible.  Other people can keep their bees.  I'll just eat the honey.

(3) all one thing or another:  Some posts might be about faith or Orthodoxy.  Some posts might be about music.  Other posts might be about poems or books.  Some posts will be unabashed girl talk, and when a post is to be a girly post, I'll warn the male subscribers to my blog who might not want to read girl talk.  I'll refer to the post as "girl talk" or "pink ponderings."   That way, if guys who read my blog don't want to read about estrogen levels, female vitamin deficiencies or home decor, they can simply skip reading the article.  Some posts might be poems or short stories I've written or am writing.  Being an artist, I'll display lots of different works.
  
     So, I hope you enjoy this blog.  I invite you to come on this artistic/spiritual/esoteric/whatever adventure with me.  Cheerio until the next post!