Robert W. Oliver II

The Dark Half of the Year

The cycles of nature are more than a metaphor for our lives – they are at the heart of life itself.

Life basks in the glory of the light half of the year, but the journey doesn’t start there. A new life has its roots in the depths of winter, on the coldest of nights, being nurtured by the inner warmth of the earth under a blanket of snow. As the snow thaws, that once insurmountable barrier lifts and the seed sprouts forth, soaking in the sun and rain of spring. In summer the plant matures and brings forth new life.

Slowly, the days turn shorter, the nights cooler, and the plant ceases to grow. It turns inward, saving its strength for the darkness to come. Leaves fall, vines retreat, and bare branches remain. The tree waits for the light to return, and slumbers in the dark half of the year.

Humans are more complex than trees, but we are nevertheless an integral part of this constant cycle of death and rebirth. We retreat in our homes in the cold, damp, and dreary months and focus more on ourselves and our families. The holiday season marks this occasion as joyful abundance in the face of natural adversity.

At one time we were not so disconnected from the dark half of the year – we struggled to survive during these inhospitable months. We conserved energy. We lived off of our savings. And we endured, patiently waiting for the sun’s return.

And because the human spirit is eternal, we persevered.

One can see this cycle throughout the day: we feel compelled to work and thrive in the sunlight and to rest and relax in the moonlight. We plant our crops in the light half of the year and harvest in the fall for a long cold winter.

The wise human will do more than just note the time of day or the day of the year – they will see, not with their eyes, but with their very soul, how we are an inseparable part of this cycle. We may witness this cycle sixty, eighty, or even a hundred times before we return to darkness.

And then, in the depths of winter, when our grand tour of life seems over, we wait, patiently, under the snow, ready to be born anew.

Bad Things Happen to Good People

It’s a comforting thought that good people experience good things and bad people experience bad things. But, as anyone can observe, this is not always the case.

It can provide comfort to imagine a cosmic order of judgement. But nature doesn’t judge. It isn’t interested in our definition of good and evil.

So why do some good people endure hardships, and some bad people seem to have all the luck?

The point of this life is to grow, to learn, and to experience. Some come into this life with a more in-depth lesson plan than others.

We should not measure someone’s worth by how good they seem to have it in this life – rather we should measure their bravery by the challenges they endure.

The courageous soul is often the most unfortunate one. They have taken on many challenges. I admire them for the brave souls that they are.

Streamer FemYoga To Review Dragonfly

My dear friend Ruby Calypso arranged for popular Persciope, YouTube, and Twitch streamer FemYoga to read and review Dragonfly on her channel. She announced the review Thursday on her live stream and will be broadcasting excerpts soon.

Haven’t bought Dragonfly for yourself yet? Enjoyed it and want to grab a copy for a friend? Head on over to Amazon and put that Prime or Kindle Unlimited membership to use!

Something needs to be done about this!

I’m sure you’ve heard and said that many times.

Here’s a secret: No.. actually, it doesn’t.

By saying others need to do something to address a fear or concern of mine, I am, interestingly enough, giving up control.

I’ve gained tremendous insight about myself by examining my mindset when I make this statement. By asking: “What am I afraid of?” I learn just a bit more about my fears, and in doing so, I gain a valuable tool in overcoming them.

We don’t evolve by forcing others to accommodate us. We grow by facing our fears and taking responsibility for the enormously powerful free will we possess.

Authentic Living

One of my new years resolutions in 2018 is to live an authentic life. The immediate question that comes to mind is – Robert, were you not living authentically?

Yes and no.

For sure, I try to be a good person. I think most of the time I succeed in that endeavor. I do not deceive and try to harm none. But my moral compass is not the focus of this change.

I live a genuine life, but many do not know the real me. Of course, there’s no reason for me to put my entire life in the public view. I am not that kind of person. I do not seek to validate my life through social media or my blog.

That said, I have denied myself the opportunity to connect with my readers in a more genuine way. My books bare aspects of my soul, but my communications have suffered under two decades of trained corporate filtering.

It’s time to change that. It’s time to be authentic.

What does that mean for you, the reader? It means you’ll be hearing a lot more from me in 2018 and beyond. Rather than posts and messages sieved through a business-minded filter, I will be sharing details about my life, thoughts, and philosophy in a meaningful way that I hope you’ll be able to use in your life.

About 10 years ago, shortly before I started my first novel, I had a spiritual awakening. I emerged from years of post-Catholic atheistic malaise and dove head-first into exploring the world’s religions. I spent considerable time examining both popular and esoteric belief systems and philosophies and learned a lot. Some of that wisdom has seeped into the pages of my books.

Around the time of my second book, I discovered unknown fragments of my heritage. At least 85% of my ancestry comes from Irish and Native American lineages. I had always felt a connection to these traditions, but never knew why. When I embraced the cultures, I fell in love with the Celtic traditions of ages past.

My ancestors who lived and died in Ireland gave me the benefit of a wonderful rich mystical heritage that has invigorated me in my spiritual studies. My writing improved when I connected with these traditions, and I felt as though I was finally living authentically.

Despite this, my public connections via social media and my blog were still twinged with marketing fluff. Sure, you read the real me – I actually typed those things and mean every single word. But I kept so much back from you. My celebration of the seasons, my rejoice in the majestic elements of nature, and the utter joy I feel being part of this beautiful creation is something I intend on sharing with you, not keeping to myself.

This doesn’t mean things are going to be all happy-shiny-wonderful. I adore the light and seek its truth and wisdom, but I will not be afraid to dive into shadow. It is in destruction we see the seeds of creation, and no life can be lived with any modicum of truth and balance without addressing the darker sides of our nature.

In the embrace of shadow we vanquish our demons and welcome the soothing warmth of day.

So, now it’s time to introduce myself as the real me. Robert, the author, the writer, the mystical spiritualist, the historian, philosopher, and general goofball who is trying, just like you, to make sense of this world.

Pleased to meet you. Let’s restart this journey together.

The Little House of Cultural Expansion

I watched an episode of Little House on the Prairie named Injun Kid last night and was struck by a pivotal moment of cultural expansion. It was subtle, but well played, and analyzing it yields a fascinating look into human psychology and spirituality.

In the episode, a half-Native American boy and his mother arrive in Walnut Grove. His grandfather is embarrassed by his presence and insists that his daughter say she adopted him. When the boy refuses to stand for prayer at church, his grandfather yells at him and informs him he must comply or be punished. The child runs away to a nearby stream and prays for peace between with his grandfather.

Laura inadvertently interrupts his prayer. He explains that he was praying.

Instead of reacting in fear or hatred because he had a different religion, she reached for common ground.

“You mean you were saying a Sioux prayer?”

In that moment, Laura’s entire cultural perspective is changed. She had known nothing but Christianity all her life. In an instant, her mind expanded to see the layer above her faith – the fact that others have belief systems radically different from her own. The moment was well played by Melissa Gilbert. She caught the nuance of the exchange quite well.

Totally absorbing yourself in your culture and religion is an incredible experience – one that benefits the universe by allowing it to gain another unique perspective on the zeitgeist of your cultural paradigm. But when you step back and see other cultures, compare their similarities and differences, your mind expands.

Simply knowing other belief systems exist will invariably change yours, which is why many religions fight to keep outside influence from “corrupting” adherents. It’s a shame, because some of the deepest faith and spiritual wellness one can have is by practicing spirituality in full knowledge that yours is not the only valid approach.

We all bring a unique piece to the universal jigsaw puzzle. We are singularly qualified to offer our unique channeling of spirit to others and the world. When we do this in full knowledge of what others offer, our own experience is enhanced. Our mind is expanded, and we stand on the precipice of evolving to a higher plane of existence.

Star Trek: The Next Generation sums this idea up nicely in the next to last scene of All Good Things…

Faith and Responsibility

The universe rewards faith and responsibility in equal measure.

No matter your belief system, you probably would agree that if you have faith, at least in your own abilities, you are more likely to succeed. This has been shown time in time again both in studies and in most people’s personal lives.

Religious and spiritual people tend to have faith in a greater force than themselves. Some call it God, some refer to multiple gods, some call it the universe, the all, or some other unique but all-encompassing name. Whatever you choose to call it, or not, faith in something is important for success.

Responsibility is seemingly at odds with faith. If we are to believe things will work out as we desire, should we just wait for it to happen? If our lives have a plan and we are following them regardless, should we push anyway, or allow it to come to us?

To better answer this question, outside perspective is helpful. If you believed an injured person will heal regardless of what you do, would you still render them aid and help however you could? Of course – most people would.

Turning this back to ourselves – imagine you are faced with a difficult challenge. Since most of us are, this isn’t hard to imagine. We can have faith that we will overcome it, and this will increase our chance of success. But we still must put forth the effort in meeting that goal.

For a deeper perspective, I like to turn to nature. Animals have complete faith in the universe providing for them. Though some stockpile food for the winter, a sign of responsibility, they do not live in disbelief that the universe will work out the way it should. In nature, faith and responsibility go hand in hand in perfect balance. As always, we can take a page from the Earth’s equilibrium.

Having faith and personal responsibility are not mutually exclusive.