Sunday 17 February 2013

Post No. 437 - A too-hot Sunday's miscellany

What a week. We've been having quite a heatwave, and it's likely to continue for some time, I've had to do some travelling and lecturing for work (i.e., my day job) and the heat didn't made it easy, one member of my extended family wound up in hospital (will be OK, fortunately), my partner's daughter's moving out continues, my workshop yesterday on "Non-physical Strength" (this time, with my partner co-facilitating for the first part) went well, and may lead to another set of workshops, North Korea let off another nuke, more tension around the growth of China, a kerfuffle over the death of an Australian (or should that be former Australian?) in Israel, and Pope Benedict resigned. Hmmmm. I'll come back to the Pope later.

Despite the heat, I'm looking forward to a good, if busy day today: we're catching up with friends I haven't seen for a while (and my partner hasn't met), we're of to the Spiritualist mob we help at, where I've got another stint as librarian (this week's "Book of the Week" will be Shirley Maclaine's [2] "Out on a Limb"), and maybe the lecture will be as good as last week's, which was on (not) judging others - which is something I will do later in this post :)

One of the things that I've judged to be good this week is a blog I came across this week: Bishop in the Grove, by Teo Bishop (formerly Matt Morris). Here's a few offerings from that blog:
T. Thorn Coyle has a few links which you may find worth checking out:
It was interesting to come across this website, as I've recently been considering changing hats again, partly as a result of reading Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Heartlight". Here's what I had been planning on posting before I came across Ms Coyle's website, which I consider helps to offset the problem of "pagan fundamentalism" discussed here:

Something I've realised is that, even during my "withdrawal" periods, I'm still in touch with what is happening in the world, lighting candles and doing rituals to help people, events and places.

That realisation has gone a little further, with me realising that I'm now a little tired of the selfish focus of many pagans, tired of those people who - despite professing an interest in spiritual growth - show so little inclination to be involved in helping others (help such as, for instance, social / human rights activism - which is where Christianity has it all over the pagan movement, in my opinion, based on my experience), and have decided it's time to cast myself adrift from my label "pagan" - up to a point :)

After having read and reread MZB's "HeartLight", I'm going to go with Servant of the Light. I'm avoiding the term "Lightworker", because so many commercial people have jumped on that term it's become a New Age wa- ... er, thing.

The big problem with the terms LightWorker and "Servant of the Light" is that they don't convey what I actually DO as well as saying pagan ...

Having now come across the aforementioned website, my entry for religion on the next census will be ... (drum roll) ) ... 8hku6(*{(*B:JG - sorry, just did a drum roll on the keyboard ... Pagan - Servant of Light. Ah ... certainty ... for a little while ... yet again (have I mentioned lately that I expect readers to keep their thinking cap on? :) )

Now, on keeping one's thinking cap on - which I claim as a right associated with having a mind: Benedict XVI - the departure of "God's Rottweiler".

It is often customary for reviews and commentary, when those who are leaders upon the world stage retire, to be kind to the departing person – particularly if the person has died. Whilst this can be a nice, human touch, one that acknowledges effort and sacrifice made by the person in their interpretation of public service (and this is almost always VASTLY underestimated by members of the public), there are those for whom such treatment risks validating aspects of the former world leader’s behaviour or regime that were unacceptable, and thus it is more appropriate that any commentary, whilst possibly wishing the departing leader well personally, makes clear that their tenure on the world stage has not been an unqualified benefit, and work needs to be done, remains to be done, or some of the departing leader's work needs to be undone. As an example of this, consider what comments should be made around, say, Hitler's demise ... or Stalin's ... or Mugabe's ... or Charlemagne, who had 4,000 Saxon pagans beheaded in one day for refusing to convert to Christianity.

The departure of the Roman Catholic Church’s former Pope Benedict XVI is another - FAR less extreme than any of the examples I just mentioned - case in point. This man had achieved the infamy of the nickname “God’s Rottweiler” when serving the former Pope, and sought to reimpose a more authoritarian, “traditional” view of Catholicism upon the world’s Catholics. This would normally only be an issue for those in the world who are Catholic, except that, in this case, those views led to harmful outcomes for a wide range of other people in the World who were not Catholic – people such as those who had been sexually abused by Catholic priests, same-sex attracted people, women in Third World countries where the Catholic Church’s discouragement of birth control has a history of having been a major problem, and pagans – interpreted by me in this section of this post in the sense of an umbrella term to include those who identify as witches. The outcomes for these people - my people, many of whom may have been subjected to social castigation imposed by Catholics, has been misery and worse - even death, in some cases.

It was strong religious leadership, but strong religious leadership is not automatically good. My view is that the Roman Catholic Church's misdeeds constitute evil - albeit evil that is partially balanced by the good that some of the Roman Catholic Church has done, such as philanthropy, charity, Liberation theology, and (arguably) keeping alive - albeit in a grossly distorted form - Christ's message of love.

Going back to former Pope Benedict XVI's tenure as Pope, he has lacked the inclusivity marked by John XXIII, or even the work by John Paul II against totalitarianism, which could be argue to partly offset his actions against LGBTIQ people. He has also failed to show an adequate understanding of the great evil of child abuse that has been happening. On that, legal actions, including court cases and Royal Commissions, had commenced for some of those affected by the divisiveness of the Pope-led Roman Catholic Church prior to the resignation for health reasons of former Pope Benedict XVI, but it could be construed that these actions do not go far enough – as perhaps exemplified by the testimony received by recent human rights enquiries in Australia. That all is not well within the Catholic arena is perhaps also illustrated by a move for teachers in Catholic churches in Australia to take strike action, and by the long standing punitive attitudes towards the so-called “Liberation” theology, which is a more socially progressive interpretation of Catholicism that is probably closer to the views of many who profess to that faith.

There were some positives - one of the articles I have provided links to includes the positives, notably a mea culpa - unheard of, in relation to a supposedly infallible Pope - but they do not seem, to me, to have been enough to outweigh the problems that the Papacy has caused the world's claimed 1.3 billion Catholics and, through them, the rest of the world.

The departure of former Pope Benedict XVI marks a double opportunity – firstly, for the Roman Catholic Church to elect a leader who is progressive, inclusive, and more practically in tune with Christ’s message “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another”, and secondly, for former Pope Benedict XVI to view the benefits of the progressiveness of his successor and perhaps come to reflect usefully – from the point of view of his own spiritual growth and development - on his divisive, exclusionary harshness while still alive, rather than after he passes over to the astral. This point is particularly important: if former Pope Benedict XVI can achieve a state of realisation now, while still incarnate, the learning his soul will make will be easier, more effective and more efficient than it would be should he have to undergo the same learning after he has passed over - that, after all is why this world was brought into existence: so we could learn "better". (This comment also applies to Hitler and Stalin, by the way ... their spiritual development would have been better had they stayed alive and faced the consequences of their actions AND the possibility of learning, even if no clear, distinct and "positive" learning had actually occurred.)

I will be lighting candles and doing other pagan rituals and Light Work towards acheiving exactly that - better choices by the Roman Catholic Church (there is more than one catholic church, by the way, which is why I have so assiduously used the "Roman") there is a need to respect free will, of course, but that does not preclude defending oneself against evil). This is a massive opportunity for people to seek to have an influence towards good, to overcome the flaws that have to be described, in my view, as evil.

As I do so, of course, I am mindful that, as has been pointed out to me, paganism has quite a few flaws itself - such as the homophobia of some early key figures in it, the transphobia of some of the current figures, the inertia/lack of caring of quite a few (I'm thinking, for instance, of some past incidents where I took the time to do work on fires and others did not, and other incidents where pagans I have known have struggled to get interest in philanthropic fund raising). Nevertheless, the scale of these errors, serious though they be, is significantly less, in my estimation, than those of the Roman Catholic Church ...

For a few other thoughts on this, try http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/ratzinger-was-behind-great-catholic-coverup-20130212-2e9jb.html, which is a critical view, and http://www.theage.com.au/world/pope-was-not-afraid-to-say-sorry-20130212-2e9ke.html, which is a more favourable view, and specifically credits former Pope Benedict XVI with making it possible for a more reformist Pope to be elected.

For a pagan view on the former Pope, see http://wildhunt.org/2013/02/pope-benedict-xvi-a-pagan-perspective-of-his-legacy.html.

Sinead's thoughts on these events are reported here http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/music/retirement-is-popes-greatest-achievement-says-outspoken-oconnor-20130213-2ebvr.html. This article in particular helped to crystallise a key issue around this event as being, in my view, that of forgiveness: we all have faults and "evil" of some sort in our past ... at what stage can others deem our remorse, change and apology genuine, and forgive us and welcome us back (something Christians tend to be better at that pagans, in my experience), and what stage can we overcome our embarrassment (a WAY underecognised factor, in my view!) and do the same for ourselves? Benedict XVI apologised to Irish Catholics - and others - for the wrongs of child abuse, and took actions to restrain (although not expose to legal action, which implies an organisation that considers itself still to be above the law) at least one priest on this issue. Did he truly understand the extent of this great evil that had been done? Some of the evidence in the first link I've provided suggests not ... Either way, we can light candles and send him love, Light and healing that he may become truly enlightened in his retirement.

PS - here are a few more links:
http://abcmail.net.au/t/1914255/1348781/40884/0/
http://abcmail.net.au/t/1914255/1348781/40883/0/
http://abcmail.net.au/t/1914255/1348781/40882/0/
http://www.peacenext.org/profiles/blogs/a-new-supreme-pontiff-and-what-it-means-for-interreligious

And now for something completely different. Vampies. And zombies.

It's been interesting watching the recrafting of the vampire and zombie image over the last few decades, going - in the case of the vampire - from a nasty, mindless, savage beast to a sensitive, tortured soul. I'm not quite sure what the zombie will wind up as ... what some people consider as humorous, based on the VERY little I've seen so far :) (Although I think there is at least one romantic version out there as well ... Enthusiastic, aren't I? )

More significantly, what about the spiritual significance of this? Now, I know that there are psychic vampires, and they can actually do a massive amount of harm, but could this retelling of the evil undead be part of an attempt by people - on some collective unconscious level - to come to terms with their own negativity, their shadow? After all, if people as "evil" as vampires and zombies can somehow be OK, perhaps each and every one of us, with all the nasty little secrets we bottle up inside ourselves, could actually, really, be OK?

If so, that could be good - especially if it leads people to not be so scared of anything negative, but just to face it objectively, with equanimity, and knowing that it can be transformed/overcome/managed/dealt with/ < insert your word of choice > .

Moving on from the undead to the dead ... my partner had an interesting idea recently: what about casting a horoscope for the time of death to see what a person will experience after they pass over? It would need some rethinking of how astrology is interpreted, but could be interesting. All I could find on this was one chart based on what happened in the physical world after Michael Jackson's death ... I wonder who = if anyone - will examine this?

Until we meet again, may you, your life and all in it or touched by it be blest.

[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings


Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")

My "blogiography" is here.  

I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...

May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.

A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. 

Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]. JOHN F. KENNEDY 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW


Tags: about me, activism, Christianity, discrimination, society,

First published: Sunnudagr, 17th February, 2013

Last edited: Sunday 17th February, 2013

Sunday 10 February 2013

Post No. 436 - An epiphany

I've had an epiphany.

Epiphany: from Wikipedia [2]: epiphany (from the ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, "manifestation, striking appearance") is an experience of sudden and striking realization

So, let me explain :)

Almost all my adult life, I've wanted to make a place to live - house or boat - that suited me and what I wanted, rather than these stupid boxes that don't suit the Australian climate that have been built over the last 100 years or so (the old "Queenslanders" were different - they suited the climate, although their wooden materials don't last well - decades, not the centuries that I want). As I've written in the draft of a poem I'm working on, wherein I compare modern suburban life to the experience of an animal in a trap:



Between teeth of triple fronted

brick veneer,

sprung with that

soul destroying torture

of the 9 to 5 grind,

the hinge this inner city

maze,


So I'm fairly clearly not impressed by "modern" houses. (I've been arguing since the 1980s with architects about relying on air conditioning instead of SENSIBLE design).

You'll notice I've inferred that I would like whatever I built to last: my first dreams for a home on land were of a bluestone dome, half-buried in the earth but with lots of skylights - a bit like a hobbit house, but different materials. To see a sketch of what I had in mind, except for the trees I wanted in the earthen cover over the roof, see here. My dreams of building a boat to live on also involved having something strong and durable - but I don't have any on-line sketches of those ideas ... yet.

The reason I haven't put the sketches of the boat on line is that I've been thinking I might actually be able to build that one day, whereas I know I am too old and don't have enough working life left to be able to afford the home I want ... in the physical.

And that's it: the epiphany. These aren't meant to exist in the physical, they're meant to exist in the astral.

I've created places for myself in the astral for meditation and recovery - that's a fairly standard technique, but they've all been fairly simple and for one person only. My original dream was for a place with lots of bedrooms so visitors could come, and that's what is meant to happen, I think: the place I want to create is almost like a group's astral temple, except it doesn't look like most temples. Most of those are like classical Ancient Greek or Roman structures (the Order of Scathach is a good exception to this), whereas I want something that is comfortable, and part of the Earth.(For more on astral temples, see here, here, and here.)

In my dreams, near to this is a labyrinth around a circular ritual area formed of stone arches and trees that have been trained to grow into furniture, all created with living plants and living crystals and stone.

This is all meant to exist - in the astral, where other people can access it, and where it will also last for the period of time I envisaged.

Similarly, I've worked out that there is a purpose for my boats - travel in other realms. 

So, I'll go back to my very clear daydreaming :) , but this time I'll do it with that extra level of intention to create this place in the astral. Maybe I'll see you there :)



[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings


Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here. I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...
May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.
The only prejudice should be against prejudice. 
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]." JOHN F. KENNEDY 
One size does NOT fit all ... and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as a result of knowing a little ... 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Tags: astral, astral travel, creation, energy work,

First published: Sunnudagr, 10th February, 2013

Last edited: Sunday 10th February, 2013

Saturday 9 February 2013

Post No. 435 - Weed control, and other weeds

So, moving on from my last post about astral weed control (in a sense!) to physical weed control - specifically, the ones that grow up through cracks in concrete that landlords seem to get all tetchy about :)

Once upon a time, I used to control those with sprays (and before that I used to pull them out physically, but I'm getting a bit old and, more significantly, I am too far out of condition, to do that now - although pulling them and their roots out is still what I do with weeds in nature strips, for instance), but there are too many pets and birds wandering around for me to be entirely comfortable with that, even though I've seen test results showing caffeine is apparently worse for warm blooded critters than the sprays I used to use. So ... I've been trying salt.

Just ordinary, everyday, "garden variety" (pardon the pun) table salt: put it in a container for ease of spreading, and then pour a big dob of it on the weed you want to control. It takes a lot longer - maybe even more than a month, as opposed to a week - and there is less die back, but I feel more comfortable about the level of environmental impact I'm having - partly because salt is generally a naturally harvested product (not always, though!). Next spring, in six months time, I'm going to get in early and pour salt in the cracks (they're actually joints in some cases, but most have been put in for crack control, ironically) BEFORE anything starts growing.

It's just one way to walk a little lighter on this planet: I'd prefer to not have to do this because the outside was set up properly in the first place, but we're renting, and, sadly, probably aren't likely to ever do anything else, so I'l just have to hope that owners start to get sensible with places they build to rent out ...

And moving on to other potential weeds and ways to control them, please consider the following - one of which is far worse than just being a "weed", and is responsible for most of the tags applied to this post:

[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings


Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here. I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...
May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.
The only prejudice should be against prejudice. 
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]." JOHN F. KENNEDY 
One size does NOT fit all ... and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as a result of knowing a little ... 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Tags: activism, discrimination, environment, prejudice,

First published: Laugardagr, 9th February, 2013

Last edited: Saturday 9th February, 2013

Post No. 434 - Retribution - aka, "counter-attacks"

Most of the time the few blocks around where I live are fairly innocuous: mixture of positive and negative energies, largely superficial, things like work stress, the stress of being crammed into insufficient space without any contact with nature, family stresses, and petty jealousies and spites being about the worst of it. A couple of weeks ago, though, something a little more sinister was building up on the etheric and lower astral - something willful, created with the intention of controlling others' free will and bending them towards the creating spirit's control. Negative psychic control - "evil", if you will.

It was all fairly early stages, someone's first attempt, and thus easy enough to prevent any effects manifesting - the sort of stuff I've actually been doing (i.e., the stopping of negative psychic acts) since I was a teenager (although not much until my formal training in the 1980s).

All good?

Not quite.

Such attempts can potentially draw the attention and interest of some very strong negative entities on the etheric or lower astral  and this attempt had. I've worked out that a couple of unpleasant things that have happened to me since then, have actually been that entity which was going to use the attempt by a nearby person to control others to create control over that person, exercising its spite at my stopping it gaining an "asset" (is it strange to you to think of someone doing what could be termed "evil" as being a victim? If it is, you don't know enough about this stuff).

A counter-attack.

OK, so now I clean up the negative entity responsible for the counter attack - and watch for its masters and make sure I protect me and my Significant Others from their negative responses ...


[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings



Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here. I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...
May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.
The only prejudice should be against prejudice. 
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]." JOHN F. KENNEDY 
One size does NOT fit all ... and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as a result of knowing a little ... 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Tags: energy work, evil, negative energy, uncooperative, protection,

First published: Laugardagr, 9th February, 2013

Last edited: Saturday 9th February, 2013

Saturday 2 February 2013

Post No. 433 - The ultimate test?

In what way are you a better person for the beliefs you have and live by - especially if they are religious?

In considering that question, in what way is the world a better place for you having been here?

Post No. 432 - Reading

I like the way the Wild Hunt blog uses the phrase "Unleash the Hounds" when they do their version of my reading posts ... might see if I can come up with a snazzy little catch phrase like that ... then again, might not - am too busy :)

So, getting on with it ...

I found that a prototype of the Rangers exists (which I found via either the Order of Scathach links, or links of Kerr Cuhulain's blog):
 -  Spiritual Warriorship - Spiritual Warrior Lodge of the Hyperborean Tradition Warriorship: Abode of the Lion
For an opposing viewpoint, you could consider looking at http://www.ghost-mountain.com/2009/03/astral-warriors-alter-ego-and-tin.html. Personally, I think the latter person is unwise, as they have an inappropriate spiritual perspective. It's a bit like saying "well, the bread will disappear when its eaten, so I won't bother making it". For a few more perspectives that might help you understand my view here, try:
and maybe also
Some other interesting links:


[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings


Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here. I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...
May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.
The only prejudice should be against prejudice. 
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]." JOHN F. KENNEDY 
One size does NOT fit all ... and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as a result of knowing a little ... 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Tags: environment, society, spirituality,

First published: Laugardagr, 2nd February, 2013

Last edited: Monday 4th February, 2013

Post No. 431 - Spirit rescue: some further thoughts

I'm not normally overwrought by many of the rescues I do (I've encountered a lot, experienced a lot [especially when I was a physical rescue medium, as discussed elsewhere on this blog, and have reached a point where not much gets to me), but I woke this morning emotional from a rescue of ... a baby animal.

Now, I am very well aware that my conscious mind may be rationalising, and the baby may actually have been human, but whatever it was, the experience was both moving, and unusual. The unusual element is related to technical aspects of the rescue, as there were three of us, and each one of us took an aspect of the baby over - breath (Önd, I think, in the Norse system), spirit and mind, where they were then brought back together. I think I took Önd ...

Hmmmm. Quite a bit to sort out there ...

One other thought that comes to mind on this is that of changing frequency. Most people seem to need elaborate, and very indirect visualisations to accomplish this. Tools used may include visualising light of different colours (thus triggering associations of changing frequency), or even things like stairs/ladders. Me, I just make an effort of will. ... maybe the ability I have to do so is something that goes with being a world walker, although who knows which came first.

It's worth thinking about, the fact that there may be easier and more direct ways of doing things (particularly psychic/spiritual things, of course), AND the fact that many of the things we use or work with are actually indirect tools - just as, for example, fiddling with the tuning knob on a radio (now buttons on most radios!) doesn't directly change the frequency that the radio is tuned to, it changes the electrical resistance of some of the circuitry that is connected to the knob/button, and it is the changed resistance that effects the change of tuning ... 

[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings


Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here. I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...
May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.
The only prejudice should be against prejudice. 
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]." JOHN F. KENNEDY 
One size does NOT fit all ... and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as a result of knowing a little ... 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Tags: frequencies, levels, planes of existence, rescue, visualisation,

First published: Laugardagr, 2nd February, 2013

Last edited: Saturday 2nd February, 2013

Post No. 430 - Why worship a creator?

One of the things I feel very strongly about is that parents should be respected, but NOT adulated, and that includes parents knowing when to let go. As Kahlil Gibran says "Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow". Furthermore, as I discussed when reviewing Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth", parenting is a role that we should move on, so that we can continue to grow and develop.

Now, IF there is a creator (or should that be "Creator"?) along the lines that the Christians propose (i.e. the potter that used clay to shape this world, and then sits separate to it, as opposed to the pagan view that Earth is the cloak that Deity puts on in order to become visible), then shouldn't the same apply?

Once we've reached adulthood (in terms of the "Creator", which may not be the same as what WE think :) ), shouldn't the Creator then but out of our lives and let us get on with making our own mistakes and falling on our faces?

Hmmm ... I know quite a few people - including Christians - who would say that is exactly what happens :)

The other side of that coin, of course, is that love of parents is nice, but if the parents jump up and down and make a big scene about not being involved by their adult children in their ongoing lives, then I consider the parent's claims of unconditional love are a lie: they are showing by the actions (words are cheap!) that they did the parenting for a reward, love from their children.

Now, in the case of human beings, we are all flawed, and this mistake is understandable - and more deserving of consideration than I tend to create the image of, but I am trying to balance out society here, on my own little lonesome :)

In the case of a god, that excuse doesn't stack up: threatening people with Hell if they don't worship that god, including bowing before the god's idols (such as crucifixes or crosses), is just not on.

More reason for me to be glad that I am pagan ... 

[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings


Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here. I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...
May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.
The only prejudice should be against prejudice. 
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]." JOHN F. KENNEDY 
One size does NOT fit all ... and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as a result of knowing a little ... 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Tags: religion, attitudes, family, children, parenting,

First published: Laugardagr, 2nd February, 2013

Last edited: Sunday 3rd February, 2013 (corrected typo in title)

Post No. 429 - Are "low magic" orders needed?

Before Wicca/paganism/heathenry [2], there was the "New Age" (which actually dates back to the early 20th/late 19th century) ... before the New Age, there was the "Western mystery tradition", which was heavily influence by non-Jewish interpretations of the Qaballah, and included groups such as the Rosicrucians, Golden Dawn, Theosophical Society, Ordo Templi Orientis, claims of secret societies (often referred to as "Orders", and usually claimed to have been around for millenia: I was asked to join one group claiming to be one of those, called "the Brotherhood of Light" [now, I think, the Church of Light], but declined when they wanted 10% of my income - although they unquestionably had access to good knowledge [later I was asked to join another such group, claiming to be a cult busting group - which was appealing, but I declined - I have a wariness of such groups - and it later turned out to be something else]), and teachers such as Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune. My limited, outsider perspective of such groups is that they are what pagans would refer to as "High Magicians", or "Ceremonialists" - lots of pomp and ceremony and formality in their working. They also make a strong effort to follow what they think is ethical, and much is, but some tends to be just ... prejudice and social mores of the times they were founded.

Never underestimate such groups, though: their workings do access power, they do have a certain amount of knowledge, but they are the same as all other groups - humanly flawed.I also have to admit they are appealing to some people, and that brings me to this post. In particular, if they can demonstrate acceptance of sexual and gender diversity, polyamory,  polytheism and other traditions all as being valid, we might get to have something quite worthwhile ...

The following was written before I did the preceding introductory blurb ...

   ***
To interrupt with a postscript ...

I've now read most of this book, and MZB does come across as more respectful of paganism/"the Old Religion" than I thought she was going to be, but is still quite patronising. As an example of the sort of power which could come through paganism, when the book's main protagonist, Colin MacLaren, does things like sketch a symbol in the air to break open negative defences, that can also be done using runes (such as Thurisaz, Ziu, or a bind rune of both). The information required to do such work is available now, for those who have eyes to see and ears to listen. (It can also be accessed intuitively, as I have taught students.)

The main theme in the book is the struggle between those seeking power for personal gain, and those seeking power (obviously including knowledge, but there is also a MASSIVE amount of power in peace) in order to serve others/spiritual growth/"the Light". In considering that, reflect for a moment on how well organised those seeking to serve and help others have become - for instance, pagan organisations, spiritualist churches, Wiccan covens, etc, some, at least, of which, are good, effective and deserving of respect.

Is anyone so arrogant as to think those who seek power for negative reasons are also incapable of being similarly organised?

They are, and thus it is that the sort of struggle that this novel is about can exist - although most of the time the struggle is more mundane, in hundreds of committee rooms around the planet, and mundane, everyday life, and things like the intense jealousies and petty hatreds some people feel and express (and thank the Goddess most do not know much, or anything, about psychic work). As I've written elsewhere on this blog, everyday life has many opportunities to be a "knight in shining armour" ... Rarely, VERY rarely, there are bigger struggles: I was part of several such struggles in the 80s, and I feel there is something in my neighbourhood that needs attention now, but there are also incidents such as a woman who recently approached me for help because she blamed "black magic" for a combination of guilt and the effects of aging that she was refusing to accept ... mind you, there are some physical effects which mean she may yet be correct - but I have come across similar "false alarms" many times in the past.

Nevertheless, there are more things in heaven and earth etc ... I'm going to have some physical space in a month or so: might have to see what I can get underway again ...

   ***

As I mentioned, I've been reading Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Heartlight", I've survived the brief foray into action, but the dismissiveness of paganism is grating (becomes less so further on), but at least I now understand why she started identifying as Christian: she seems to have become enamoured with the "High Magic" / Ceremonialist tradition of White Orders and Lodges.

Now, I need to make it clear that I KNOW there are groups working towards the betterment of the world, but my experience suggests they are less regimented about "High Magic" / Ceremonialist traditions than their adherents would suggest ... I think the Order of Scathach is an excellent example of the sort of flexibility that the BPF [1] have. I can understand people from a few centuries ago getting caught up in the Christian style of working, as Christianity was ubiquitous, and you had a good chance of getting literally burned at the stake if you were seen to be too different from it ...

That doesn't make following such paths "more correct", however: it makes them flawed.

I think those inherent flaws are why I've never gone ahead and joined groups such as the Rosicrucians etc, even though I, in many ways, share their aims of improving the world. Paganism, however, feels right with me, and enables a far broader approach to the topic of deity(ies) and spiritual influences, and the breadth is what enables as many people as possible to become actively involved in this work (referred to as "the Great Work" in MZB's book, and much other literature).

So ... in the same way that one of the original drivers for me trying to create the Rangers of Gyhldeptis (subsequently renamed the Rangers of the Inner Plane) was wanting to give people who liked a more disciplined approach to work to have a valid choice they can pursue, maybe what is needed these days for whoever wants to join into what is termed "the Great Work" (of improving this planet spiritually) needs to be able to access a "low magic" version of the "High Magic" / Ceremonialist tradition of White Orders and Lodges ...

Hmmm. Well, all I can say is ... it won't be me creating that :)

(Christopher  Penczak has probably made a good start on what I'm thinking about, actually, with a pagan version of much of the information, but I'd like to see more about service in what I've read so far ... )

[1] BPF = Balanced Positive (spiritual) Forces. See here and here for more on this.

[2] Please see my post "The Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. 

Love, light, hugs and blessings


Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here. I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue (see here and here), and it grew ...
May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master. Spiritual love is far more than just an emotion - it is a concept, thoughts, actions and a way of living.
The only prejudice should be against prejudice. 
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger [people]." JOHN F. KENNEDY 
One size does NOT fit all ... and don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as a result of knowing a little ... 

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. (based on writing by) EDMUND BURKE

Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN

We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW

Tags: groups, paths, spirituality, growth, order, ,

First published: Laugardagr, 2nd February, 2013

Last edited: Sunday 3rd February, 2013