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George Polley's Page

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Laughter and humor are a core spiritual discipline that keeps us from becoming so serious about life that we forget to laugh. As serious as life sometimes is, there is always a funny side to most anything.
6 hours ago
This is a place for writers in the Creation Spirituality Communities to gather, share their work, collaborate, share their struggles with "the muse", develop projects, laugh, dance, and celebrate the written word. Welcome aboard!
yesterday
George Polley and bob sauerbrey are now friends
on Tuesday
Hey, George... I love your suggestions for my day... thanks for that... just what I like to do if I can get away with it! Sounds like you're quite a writer! I hope you two have a blessed week full of wonder and awe and pleasant surprises, & I'll c…
on Tuesday
Good morning, Sarah Aiko reads a monthly magazine from GLA (God Light Association), a group here in Japan that she belongs to. She also uses a prayer book. And she's been reading a new book by that group's leader, Keiko Takahashi which, since it's…
on Monday
This is one of the books by Matthew Fox that really resonates with me. I recall having conversations with my mother about this subject when I was a boy. It has always made sense to me that if there is a god -- a One who created the entire universe,…
on Monday
Hello again, George. I hope you and Aiko are having a good day. I"m about to turn in. I'd love to hear more about your writing and what Aiko is reading... and where you're walking... is it pretty? Are there woods or other pretty natural areas? I h…
on Monday
I write, Aiko relaxes, reads; we go for walks. Mostly, it is nice being retired. Aiko enjoys being back home in Japan after so many years, though the adjustment hasn't been all that easy. She's never been a typical Japanese; fits must more easily in…
on Sunday

Profile Information

How did you come to discover Creation Spirituality?
Reading a book by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. I think it was his "Jesus Against Christianity". Other influences have been: J. Philip Newell's work on Celtic Christianity, Dom Helder Camara, Desmond Tutu, Scottish poet Kenneth White (if you haven't read him, you should), Mary Oliver, Blue Mound, Minnesota, Thich Nhat Hanh, Meister Ekhart, Hafiz, Rumi and many, many others. The world is far too fecund for an arid, stern and forbidding Spirituality to have any appeal or meaning, which is something that I struggled with for far too long.

I'm a writer, blogger, and retired mental health professional. Before that I spent 4 years as an American Baptist minister. I consider myself a nontraditional Christian.

I'm from Seattle, WA, have lived in California, Illinois and Minnesota (Luverne, Marshall and Minneapolis, though not all at the same time). My wife and I moved to Sapporo, Japan at the end of March this year, to be closer to her family.

My blog is at www.tostadaspeaks.blogspot.com where I am known as Jorge Tostada and have the nickname "Toasty". Jorge Tostada is a nickname name I got at a Mexican restaurant near Seattle because I ordered tostadas (chicken with whole beans) more often than anything else on the menu. I liked it so well that I decided to use it as my blogger name.

The Disappearance of Pedro Gomez

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George Polley's Blog

George Polley

One of my profoundest joys

One of my profoundest joys
is listening
to my wife sing
as she cooks.

I am lifted.

Posted on July 22, 2009 at 1:12pm — 3 Comments

George Polley

"We evolve through relatioships."

This quote is from Lewis Mehl-Madrona, M.D., Ph.D., Oglalla-Cree psychiatrist whom I met several years ago at a seminar near Seattle, Washington. I use it as a title for this next quote from him, which speaks to my spirituality and my experience.

"Through my studies of people i various states of health, disease, and transformation between the two, I have realized that we are inextricably embedded in a world of interconnections. Solitary is an illusion, as is self-determination. I answer to ever… Continue

Posted on July 18, 2009 at 8:03am — 2 Comments

George Polley

Two new books by George Polley: The Old Man and The Monkey and Grandfather Stories

As a writer, I am always exited when something of mine is published, and I am especially excited about the recent publication of these two books, both set here on the island of Hokkaido, Japan where my wife and I live. The first, "The Old Man and The Monkey" is a book about friendship, specifically the friendship between an elderly man and a large "snow" monkey named Yukitaro, which is "snow monkey" in Japanese. Here is a description of the story, from the Introduction:

In a small park n… Continue

Posted on March 29, 2009 at 6:51am — 2 Comments

Comment Wall (42 comments)

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At 12:38pm on August 3, 2009, Yvette Tsiropoulos said…
Thank you for sharing your lovely memories of first listening to Greek music and I promise you and Netti I'll update / add from time to time. It feels great to share with those appreciative of the beautiful tunes (I often have gotten the "rolled up in the cranium" look when I start playing it.)

Your first name has a very special meaning for me, my significant other~ closest friend~mentor and brother figure was also named George (Jorge at home, he was Cuban born /American raised).
Jorge's pen name, for one of his blogs and other internet niches, was Jorge Trastamara. He passed away seven months ago; we spent 15 wonderful years together.

I'll look in my CD collection and see if I find "O Yiorgos o poniros", a folk song about a Yiorgos (George in Greek) who, according to the lyrics was a dandy and wise fellow.
Blessings to you and your family.
At 7:22pm on July 22, 2009, Stella said…
Dear George,
Thank you for your invitation and the lovely welcome.
I also think this is a good place for me to be and to learn from everyone. There is such a lot of information and I'm enjoying the reading as I learn how to use the website.

Namaste,
Stella
At 7:03am on July 17, 2009, Helen Shultz-Kamadulski said…
Thanks George, what an interesting coincidence. I'm originally from St. Louis, Mo. and have been happily calling the South King county area my home for going on 3 years now.
At 2:34pm on July 5, 2009, Helen Shultz-Kamadulski said…
George-

I really enjoyed reading your story of how you came to "Creation Spirituality". I especially like your statement:
"The world is far too fecund for an arid, stern and forbidding Spirituality to have any appeal or meaning, which is something that I struggled with for far too long."

I have struggled also with that image of a Creator. I think I am finally on the other side of that struggle and am thrilled to have found this community to celebrate and share with.

I've connected with your "voice" several times already since joining the community earlier today. I'm looking forward to "hearing" more of it.
At 12:32am on June 3, 2009, Mary Plaster, M.A. said…
Now I wish I had thought to get an autograph for you! Philip had a very wonderful centering presence, which is exactly what I needed before I went off to WY.
For WTR (JoannaMacy.net) I recommend her book, Coming Back to Life. For Sacred Activism (AndrewHarvey.net) I recommend ordering the book he is writing on the subject which will be coming out in mid-Sept. What I like about both of these "programs" is the emphasis on Transformativa (Matt Fox would say Justice means Sustainability.)
At 7:13pm on May 16, 2009, Stephen Wollaston said…
Dear George, I replied to your commence on the blog I put up. Don't know if you automatically get the reply or not. Blessings, Steve.
At 3:47pm on May 9, 2009, Mary Plaster, M.A. said…
Hey George,
FYI you can find more on the Council of All Beings at
www.joannamacy.net
That is the ritual I was working on in Duluth in March and I posted pictures of the animal masks we made. It is a fabulous exercise in empathy.
At 8:48am on May 8, 2009, wendy maclean said…
Hi George!
How are you doing?
My brother from Japan wanted to come home to celebrate our father's birthday buthe said the university wouldn't let him come to canada because of the H1N1 virus--unless he is willing to be quarantined.
Everything around us is bursting open in green and flower.
Joy!
Best wishes to you and Aiko,
Wendy
At 2:29am on April 21, 2009, wendy maclean said…
Today is the day, George--we are going out to the cottage shortly and I will take your books with me.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review of my book!
Whew--I like being on the shelf with Hafiz and Mary Oliver!!!
Blessings to you as you end your day.
Peace,
Wendy
At 12:10pm on April 18, 2009, wendy maclean said…
Hi George--
I am looking forward to reading your books. MIchel downloaded them for us. We are planning on reading them when we go to WInnipeg next week. Sorry I have not had a chance to read them yet. Easter and all the Holy Week activities took my time.
How is Japan right now> Are the blossoms finished? Michel put a nice video on hispage of bees in our crocuses, out at the cottage.l I was feeling sorry for myslef that I could see them on the internet but not in person, so we did make a wee trip out to the cottage tonight. We will be back out for Monday I hope.
Blesings to you and Aiko.
Wendy
 
 
 

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