At the last study group of the Coven I'm in, I had another one of my crazy ideas: a "song", or more properly a "melody", made from a sequence of symbols, rather than a sequence of notes. The following is an edited email I sent to a member who wasn't able to attend (in part so she could also have the joy of the homework we set ourselves :D ... ).
There is a book called "The Glass Bead Game", by a German author Herman Hesse (who was a pacifist, and left Germany in the 30s because of Germany's rising militarism), for which he won the Nobel Literature prize in 1946. To simplify a whole lot, many of Hesse's books have a spiritual theme, and this one is more or less about the contrast between living in the "commercial" world, or withdrawing to focus on - in this case, the literary device of - the "Glass Bead Game". This game is based on the use of glyphs or symbols (on glass beads) which can be used to represent various things like mathematical formulae or musical themes etc. The game is a progression of symbols, each of which is meditated on, which - in my
words - is a bit like a melody.
Each musical note has a particular, unique meaning on its own: but when combined with other notes, there something created which is greater than the whole: a melody, which can be uplifting, sad, rejuvenating, thought provoking, moody, etc.
So ... my crazy idea is: why not string together a whole sequence of things, symbols, crystal types, oils/incenses, etc, to create a "song of symbols", where, in addition to the meaning associated with each component, there is a greater meaning associated with the sequence of
symbols. I suspect there could be considerable potential benefit from seeing the use of symbols etc as something which is dynamic, rather than just applying them all at once, or at a single point of time.
I had made one example up when I first tried working with this idea, which is as follows (for ease of writing, I've used the words (names/descriptions) rather than the actual symbols (or actual crystals or incense: for a final version, perhaps a small chunk of crystal, and a dab of each oil, could be incorporated). I've also included a commentary.
Saturn - severity, sternness, discipline
Taurus - strength and solidity
Square (the astrological notation for a 90 degree angle) - testing
Geburah - strength
Opposition - lack of harmony, conflict, testing
Conjunction - the opposite of an opposition: harmonious joining
Taijitu (the "yin-yang symbol") - flow from one polarity to the other,
the essence of one polarity is held within the other, growing from the
tension between opposites
The rune Uruz - strength, an outcome from said growth
Isa - stillness, the steadiness of strength
so ... this "song" flows from severity to strength
During study group, we had a go at writing a couple more "songs of symbols". At this point, we discussed the potential value of using this to help with Coven study: basically, we could work with the various symbols/elements of the various pathways we are studying, and actually use them in a way that is meaningful to us - which, when we discussed them, helps develop the ability to know, understand and use these aspects. It also gives a purpose to researching symbols & aspects of paths other than "work".
My "songs" from the study group are:
Christian cross - sacrifice (this was the nominated starting point)
Amethyst - the spiritual perspective that can lead to one choosing to make a sacrifice for "the greater good"
The Zoroastrian sacred flame - the "light of divinity", which can inspire to sacrifice for others' good
The rune Kenaz - light, fire and communication
Mars - energy
Thoth - amongst other things, communication (through the means of writing)
Mercury - communication
Ka - the Soul, the part of oneself that is communicated with when being inspired (by amethyst, etc)
Myrrh - communication (amongst other things)
The Tarot card "The Lovers" - partnerships
Ka - the part of oneself one can form a partnership with
Slippery Elm Bark (I lost the association for this)
Ka
Gemini - the twins, the partnership between oneself and one's Soul
The rune Mannaz - community - the partnership, in a sense, between oneself and others more generally
Ace of Swords - new beginnings, which a great self sacrifice can lead to, partly through improved partnership with oneself and with community
New Moon (nominated starting point) - commonly considered the lowest energy point of lunar cycle (which is debatable)
Isa - stillness, which seems to be low energy to many
The rune Barkano - healing and growth, which can happen in the quiet, still parts of cycles
Lemongrass - for tiredness and exhaustion
Orange - penetrates depression, using focus
the third eye chakra - perception
The rune Stan - a sacred space
Yesod - foundation
Pink tourmaline
Isa - stillness
The earth sigil - seems steady or still, but very rich, fertile, and a
springboard for growth
Angles - in the sense of the watchers
Lauviah - angle that refreshes at night time, helps musicians & poets
Patchouli - balances & unwinds the mind
Cypress - meditation, balance & stability
Mindfulness - relaxed alertness & focus
The Ogham Muin - introspection
The Ogham Nion - developing rebirth & peace
I was less successful with this one: I wanted to develop a sense of being relaxed and watchful from a safe, secure place.
It was easier to discuss these verbally than to try to put the concept into words now, several days later.
As a late thought, perhaps the "song" which goes with the "melody line" of symbols above is the meditation and discussion we can have on each.
Hopefully someone can build something out of that: I know people have attempted to develop a Glass Bead Game: this idea is not so general. I am thinking of this as a device for exploring symbology, and learning new ways to work with these. It led to some interesting discussions on the night, and I am looking forward to the member who was away being present, as she knows far more than the rest of us on many paths, and could contribute quite a bit to this.
It would also be good to see people thinking about dynamic sequences generally, rather than just a single treatment/symbol/healing technique/meditation technique.
Well, I'll see what comes of this (I hope!).
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: cross-fertilisation (ideas), symbology, Herman Hesse,
First published: Monday 26th October, 2009
Last edited: Monday 26th october, 2009
Monday, 26 October 2009
Post No. 079 - Don't overrate me!
Although I have practised these techniques and ideas I post about, in some cases for a very long time, please do not consider me a perfect, or neceesarily even good, example of applying these ideas and concepts. I'm not perfect: in fact, in common with many people still alive on this planet (I like the test Don Shimoda gave Richard in the book "Illusions" for checking whether one had done all one is meant to in a life: if you're still alive, you haven't), I'm quite flawed.
Every time I finish one of these posts I think: "Hmmm ... I must remember to do more on that", or "Hmmm ... I think I have a serious lack of application of idea X in area of life Y".
I'm not a guru: don't ever take me as one. In fact, you might like to keep in mind the old adage "we teach best what we most need to learn" - for yourself, as well as when considering me :)
As a final point on this, I would seriously hope that anyone younger, or older and better, than me, can do a lot more with this than I have. I hope to be able to see improved applications, improved teaching methods, improved techniques with respect to ALL that I write about.
Go to it :)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: about me, evolution,
First published: Monday 26th October, 2009
Last edited: Monday 26th October, 2009
Every time I finish one of these posts I think: "Hmmm ... I must remember to do more on that", or "Hmmm ... I think I have a serious lack of application of idea X in area of life Y".
I'm not a guru: don't ever take me as one. In fact, you might like to keep in mind the old adage "we teach best what we most need to learn" - for yourself, as well as when considering me :)
As a final point on this, I would seriously hope that anyone younger, or older and better, than me, can do a lot more with this than I have. I hope to be able to see improved applications, improved teaching methods, improved techniques with respect to ALL that I write about.
Go to it :)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: about me, evolution,
First published: Monday 26th October, 2009
Last edited: Monday 26th October, 2009
Post No. 078 - Some thoughts towards a permanent crystal layout
This post will consist exclusively of scanned pages: double click on each image, and you should get the full size version (which is a file with size ~1Mb).
In addition to the above, I've added some photos of crystals and a clearing session using them below. I don't know where all the people in the photo are, so I have obscured all (a bit crudely, I admit). I've also posted a couple of photos of a cat I used to have, Hazel, interacting with crystals. Knowing what I know now, I would call her a familiar :) I think she may have come back as Willow ... who will be in a future photo. (I've posted another photo of Hazel elsewhere ...)
A clearing session
Some of the crystals
Hazel sleeping amongst the crystals
Hazel and wand
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is ... the pages posted :)
Tags: crystals, energy work, rescue, links, karma, past lives,
First published: Monday 26th October, 2009
Last edited: Monday 7th June, 2010
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Post No. 077 - Gender stereotypes
I'm reading Ursula Le Guin's "Earthsea" series. It's infinitely better than the dreadul TV adaptation, although I don't consider it anywhere near as good from a magical perspective as other series, such Katherine Kerr's Deverry series, J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" or even J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series.
However, what really gets up my goat is the gender stereotyping: one type of power only vests in one gender, one type of power vests in "the other" gender, and who the hell ever heard of trans, bigendered or intersex people?
I can understand the writing, to some extent, as being a product of its time, as the first writings in the series came from the 60s, when (to simplify!) gender stereotypes were being identified so that they could be broken down (partly) in the 70s, but more importantly than that, people live sequences of lives where they experience male, female and other gender options. (I am NOT talking about gay/lesbian/bisexuality/other sexual orientations here: they are variations within a gender role, and are NOT variations of gender identity*!).
* the idiots who try to determine "who is the male/female" is same sex relationships, or look for alleged failures of upbringing (by which they mean, "failure to inculcate then current gender stereotypes") are just that: idiots.
The crap where power is exclusively belonging to one gender and not another is as much crap when applied to the psychic and spiritual worlds as it is when applied to society!
If you have problems with that, consider this: a few decades ago cheerleading, that bastion of female sexuality and "womanliness", was an exclusively male domain, with heated "debates" about whether women could cope with being a cheerleader, and what effect their inclusion would have on (a) those handsome, "manly" (read: "sexy", in today talk) young men, and (b) the poor woman included, who would no doubt become sadly manly themselves.
Consider also the continued existence of the Anglican Church, with a functioning that rational, objective observors would consider the same, and the continued location of the sky above us, after the Anglican Church allowed - shock! horror! - women priests ...
Things change, and in the changing, show our assumptions and stereotypes for the absolute stupidity that they are! NO psychic/spiritual power/potential is the exclusive preserve of people, no matter WHAT group, whether ethnic, race, religion, gender, sexuality, or some other characteristic that we don't even recognise as a characteristic yet (in much the same way that ancient Romans would be bemused by our current differentiation of same and opposite sex attraction), they happen to be part of in this one, solitary, single incarnation out of a line of many.
Unfortunately, that concept doesn't sell books ... (which is a shame, as I have a multi-incarnation story line all worked out, too :D )
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: discrimination, gender, change, limitations, restrictions, restraints, society, sexism,
First published: Sunday 25th October, 2009
Last edited: Sunday 25th October, 2009
However, what really gets up my goat is the gender stereotyping: one type of power only vests in one gender, one type of power vests in "the other" gender, and who the hell ever heard of trans, bigendered or intersex people?
I can understand the writing, to some extent, as being a product of its time, as the first writings in the series came from the 60s, when (to simplify!) gender stereotypes were being identified so that they could be broken down (partly) in the 70s, but more importantly than that, people live sequences of lives where they experience male, female and other gender options. (I am NOT talking about gay/lesbian/bisexuality/other sexual orientations here: they are variations within a gender role, and are NOT variations of gender identity*!).
* the idiots who try to determine "who is the male/female" is same sex relationships, or look for alleged failures of upbringing (by which they mean, "failure to inculcate then current gender stereotypes") are just that: idiots.
The crap where power is exclusively belonging to one gender and not another is as much crap when applied to the psychic and spiritual worlds as it is when applied to society!
If you have problems with that, consider this: a few decades ago cheerleading, that bastion of female sexuality and "womanliness", was an exclusively male domain, with heated "debates" about whether women could cope with being a cheerleader, and what effect their inclusion would have on (a) those handsome, "manly" (read: "sexy", in today talk) young men, and (b) the poor woman included, who would no doubt become sadly manly themselves.
Consider also the continued existence of the Anglican Church, with a functioning that rational, objective observors would consider the same, and the continued location of the sky above us, after the Anglican Church allowed - shock! horror! - women priests ...
Things change, and in the changing, show our assumptions and stereotypes for the absolute stupidity that they are! NO psychic/spiritual power/potential is the exclusive preserve of people, no matter WHAT group, whether ethnic, race, religion, gender, sexuality, or some other characteristic that we don't even recognise as a characteristic yet (in much the same way that ancient Romans would be bemused by our current differentiation of same and opposite sex attraction), they happen to be part of in this one, solitary, single incarnation out of a line of many.
Unfortunately, that concept doesn't sell books ... (which is a shame, as I have a multi-incarnation story line all worked out, too :D )
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: discrimination, gender, change, limitations, restrictions, restraints, society, sexism,
First published: Sunday 25th October, 2009
Last edited: Sunday 25th October, 2009
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Post No. 076 - The trouble with change: your other yous
If there is something spiritual growth ain't, it's easy. Sure, you've got to learn new stuff, and change perspectives, and force bits of the psychic/spiritual anatomy to work - like learning to walk as a toddler, or forcing newly acquired bits of brain to work as a young adult, but sometimes it seems like ... you learn and know and do something, and all of a sudden its like you don't know that. What happened (to my grammar, if nothing else!)? :)
Well, my opinion is that ONE of the problems with change, apart from all the dealing with new ideas and learning new skills and so forth, lies in the realm of what is often termed "the unconscious".
Now, Lobsang Rampa is a writer with his good aspects (such as much of his knowledge) and his bad aspects (such as his sexism, verging on misogyny), but one of his, in my opinion, "good bits", is his explanation of the unconscious: parallels.
Rampa's take on this is:
- we have a Soul (or Higher Self, or Atman, or any of a number of other terms)
- that Soul experiences, learns and grows as we do
- that Soul is also responsible for sustaining our existence on various levels, and influences our behaviour through its own essential characteristics
- that Soul often does not limit itself to directing just one of us: there may be a number of other entities who are part of the same Soul
- these are termed parallels (or soul parts, or part of the same Soul Group, and so on and so forth)
At our level, our awareness of these other parts of our Soul is through our unconscious (by the way, I prefer to use "unconscious" rather than "subconscious", as the latter term implies some sort of inferiority).
Rampa goes further, and explains the apparently unused capacity of our brain as being those that are allocated to use by our Soul for the purpose of directing other parts of our Soul group. On that, I'm not so sure ...
Going back to parallels, our inherent connection with them means that we do share their attitudes and urges. That is a two way street: if they are having a bad day, we can be dragged down by that, or we can do something to lift them and relieve their angst.
In terms of change, it basically means that, for a change to be permanent, we have to change mot only ourselves, but also our other parts: our Soul, and our parallels. So, as I wrote in the title, (one of) the trouble(s) with change is your other yous - you other soul parts.
Then again, that can always be one of your strengths: they could actually be more evolved than you, and you could be the one dragging them back :)
It's worth thinking about: it puts a different perspective on the effort and repetition that is sometimes required to effect change, whether for the better or the worse.
You can also, if you wish, start to take some control of this process. I've emphasised a few times in this blog of the importance of self knowledge, of being honest about what one is feeling and thinking (even if only to yourself). Well, if, while doing this, you feel like your almost talking to another person, you could well be. To effect the change, you have to, basically, talk your Soul into believing in the change, and ALSO talk your other parts into believing in the change.
That might not seem fair, but remember that those other parts of you represent your experience in reality to date: to deny a reluctance that comes from that accumulated experience, perhaps because it is not convenient or "nice", is to deny who YOU really are, what you have been through, and what has made you who you are now - both good and bad. It is to take a superficial, selfish view of who you are, and what your responsibilities are.
It is far, far better to deal honestly with your urges, including those urges of yours that have their origin in another "person" who is really simply another part of yourself. Do so, and what you are seeking to do is more likely to become a genuine part of yourself. Fail to do so, and you will be spiritually trite, glib and facetious in all that you do or say.
It also throws a new aspect open with respect to the view that we are all connected ...
As a final point, by the way, parallels almost NEVER meet (although I've often wondered, given the similarities and connection which may be there, if twins are sometimes parallels?): if they do, it is generally for a major task.
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: growth, personal responsibility, selfishness, selflessness, Seth, parallels, Soul, soul parts, unconscious, subconscious
First published: Saturday 24th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 24th October, 2009
Well, my opinion is that ONE of the problems with change, apart from all the dealing with new ideas and learning new skills and so forth, lies in the realm of what is often termed "the unconscious".
Now, Lobsang Rampa is a writer with his good aspects (such as much of his knowledge) and his bad aspects (such as his sexism, verging on misogyny), but one of his, in my opinion, "good bits", is his explanation of the unconscious: parallels.
Rampa's take on this is:
- we have a Soul (or Higher Self, or Atman, or any of a number of other terms)
- that Soul experiences, learns and grows as we do
- that Soul is also responsible for sustaining our existence on various levels, and influences our behaviour through its own essential characteristics
- that Soul often does not limit itself to directing just one of us: there may be a number of other entities who are part of the same Soul
- these are termed parallels (or soul parts, or part of the same Soul Group, and so on and so forth)
At our level, our awareness of these other parts of our Soul is through our unconscious (by the way, I prefer to use "unconscious" rather than "subconscious", as the latter term implies some sort of inferiority).
Rampa goes further, and explains the apparently unused capacity of our brain as being those that are allocated to use by our Soul for the purpose of directing other parts of our Soul group. On that, I'm not so sure ...
Going back to parallels, our inherent connection with them means that we do share their attitudes and urges. That is a two way street: if they are having a bad day, we can be dragged down by that, or we can do something to lift them and relieve their angst.
In terms of change, it basically means that, for a change to be permanent, we have to change mot only ourselves, but also our other parts: our Soul, and our parallels. So, as I wrote in the title, (one of) the trouble(s) with change is your other yous - you other soul parts.
Then again, that can always be one of your strengths: they could actually be more evolved than you, and you could be the one dragging them back :)
It's worth thinking about: it puts a different perspective on the effort and repetition that is sometimes required to effect change, whether for the better or the worse.
You can also, if you wish, start to take some control of this process. I've emphasised a few times in this blog of the importance of self knowledge, of being honest about what one is feeling and thinking (even if only to yourself). Well, if, while doing this, you feel like your almost talking to another person, you could well be. To effect the change, you have to, basically, talk your Soul into believing in the change, and ALSO talk your other parts into believing in the change.
That might not seem fair, but remember that those other parts of you represent your experience in reality to date: to deny a reluctance that comes from that accumulated experience, perhaps because it is not convenient or "nice", is to deny who YOU really are, what you have been through, and what has made you who you are now - both good and bad. It is to take a superficial, selfish view of who you are, and what your responsibilities are.
It is far, far better to deal honestly with your urges, including those urges of yours that have their origin in another "person" who is really simply another part of yourself. Do so, and what you are seeking to do is more likely to become a genuine part of yourself. Fail to do so, and you will be spiritually trite, glib and facetious in all that you do or say.
It also throws a new aspect open with respect to the view that we are all connected ...
As a final point, by the way, parallels almost NEVER meet (although I've often wondered, given the similarities and connection which may be there, if twins are sometimes parallels?): if they do, it is generally for a major task.
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: growth, personal responsibility, selfishness, selflessness, Seth, parallels, Soul, soul parts, unconscious, subconscious
First published: Saturday 24th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 24th October, 2009
Post No. 075 - The trouble with guides: Unca Bert Masgorious and Great Auntie Edie G. Obelwyn
I have to say (write) ... I had fun with that title :)
OK, so having got the fun bit out of the way, the article itself, which I rather suspect will cause a few proboscii to suffer dislocations (i.e., in English: some people will get their noses out of joint after reading this post).
In many Spiritualist groups, and in other groups and with some people since then, there has been a great emphasis on receiving guidance from people who were related to you when they were alive as being a good thing. Now, sure, I can understand that they may have loved you, but then, they may also have put a facade on and been abusive in private. If you, as a medium, get a message from someone who claims to be related the person receiving a reading from you, keep in mind that, to them, they are in a public domain, and what you may see is the facade. If the person receiving the reading (who I will now call the readee) is closed to the message despite knowing the person, that may be due to grief (including the stage of anger at the person for having died - read Elisabeth KĂĽbler-Ross' books if that seems strange to you), discomfort with the public nature of the reading (even if only the two of you are present, you count as a stranger), a held over discomfort or anger from a misperception or misunderstanding of an interaction when the readee was a child, or the problem of private abuse. YOU have to work with your own guides to work which of these (or other) options is happening here.
It may well be that the discarnate person wants to apologise to the readee - they may have been healed of the flaw that caused them to be abusive, and genuinely been remorseful, but that still doesn't mean the readee has to accept their desire to apologise. If harm has been done, good must be credibly demonstrated and the victim healed until they feel they have had their own integrity and power restored before an apology would be considered. (As a persoal example of this, I am adopted: my birth family paternal grandparents had quite a bit to do with me being adopted, ad have indicated that they want my forgiveness. Well, the key to me being able to forgive them is them makig peace with my mother - THEN I will be able to forgive them.)
That, however, is a bit of a digression. My main concern over the apparent favouring of relatives as guides is the spiritual insularity it shows and the second rate choice approach it is.
I will choose a few analogies to try and illustrate this.
First, there is an assumption that the relatives love you. If they do, good, but what about the other relatives you have had from other lives who also love you? You may have known someone as a grandparent in this life, and had a wonderful relationship, but why does that count for more than someone who may have had, say, a dozen or more loving relationships with you, but chose not to come into incarnation with you this time so they could be a guide? ow, love ca be a powerful motivation to be protective, but it does not always lead to what is in the best interests of the recipient - I know people who won't let their seventeen year old daughter date, for instance, which I consider a case of love beig excessively overprotective. Similarly, the character played by Richard Dreyfuss, Pete Sandich, in the film "Always" is excessively "protective" of the character played by Holly Hunter, Dorinda Durston, (actually, read that as "possessive"). As the worst case imaginable, cosider the early suspicios that the terrible massacre of hudreds at the Beslan school was thought to possibly have been initiated by the actions of distraught parents with rifles outside the security perimeter, which seems to have been too close to the school. (The investigation has not clarified this, so, although plausible, I do not consider it definite.)
Next, there is the issue of skill and knowledge. Sure, when you die, and finish dealing with transition issues and the issues which come out of reviewing your past life you will have a broader perspective, and less psychic/spiritual clutter from the psychic sewer we have created in so many places on this planet (in fact, just the transition helps with that increased perspective and awareness), but that does not necessarily mean that person has enough knowledge/perspective to be able to effectively help you as you really need - which may not be what the deceased person thinks you need. Your BEST guides may be people you were not related to in this life at all - they may even be people still alive in other parts of the world.
If you have a child who is ill beyond your means to help, you get the best help you can. If you have a child who wishes to learn something beyond your capacity to teach, you get the best teacher you can. If you want to build a house, you don't go to Unca Bert Masgorious, who once built a tin shed in a corner of his back yard that blew down three years later, but he got a rep as a handyman: you get the best, most experienced, most competent builder you can. In the same way, if you want guidance, get the best guide you can (in fact, they're probably already there) - not Great Auntie Edie G. Obelwyn who thinks she is the bee's knees at anything to do with metaphysics but may not actually be.
It shows a sad insularity to be so focused on your comfort zone that you would accept only people you know as guides, or that you would rate them more highly than the guides who were trained and then allocated to you before birth. At the time of your transition (death here/rebirth in the Summerlands), you will probably be under considerable stress or trauma, or unwell, and so you may be sent people you are familiar with (and friends may rate more highly than family here) as a device to most effectively and easily get your attention: that is fine, that is OK - but that DOES NOT mean such people are the best people to guide you while you are incarnate.
There are problems with that approach also: the number of "Red Indian" etc guides probably far exceeds the number who ever lived, even allowing for parallels and guides maybe helping more than one person. Some of my guides are present images of normal, everyday, boring, mundane people. There is nothing wrong with that. If you crave the exotic, OK, then maybe go back to Great Auntie Edie G. Obelwyn who once spent a day at Frankston when the big smoke hadn't got that far. But don't ever claim to be genuine or serious about your spiritual growth.
Of course, your dead rellie could actually be the best person for you, so ... as you consider what I've written, keep your thinking cap on, and make your own decisions. After all, I could be wrong - at least in your case :)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: attitudes, awareness, daily life, discrimination, family, forgiveness, judging others, love, mediumship, spiritualism, growth, guidance, guides,
First published: Saturday 24th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 24th October, 2009
OK, so having got the fun bit out of the way, the article itself, which I rather suspect will cause a few proboscii to suffer dislocations (i.e., in English: some people will get their noses out of joint after reading this post).
In many Spiritualist groups, and in other groups and with some people since then, there has been a great emphasis on receiving guidance from people who were related to you when they were alive as being a good thing. Now, sure, I can understand that they may have loved you, but then, they may also have put a facade on and been abusive in private. If you, as a medium, get a message from someone who claims to be related the person receiving a reading from you, keep in mind that, to them, they are in a public domain, and what you may see is the facade. If the person receiving the reading (who I will now call the readee) is closed to the message despite knowing the person, that may be due to grief (including the stage of anger at the person for having died - read Elisabeth KĂĽbler-Ross' books if that seems strange to you), discomfort with the public nature of the reading (even if only the two of you are present, you count as a stranger), a held over discomfort or anger from a misperception or misunderstanding of an interaction when the readee was a child, or the problem of private abuse. YOU have to work with your own guides to work which of these (or other) options is happening here.
It may well be that the discarnate person wants to apologise to the readee - they may have been healed of the flaw that caused them to be abusive, and genuinely been remorseful, but that still doesn't mean the readee has to accept their desire to apologise. If harm has been done, good must be credibly demonstrated and the victim healed until they feel they have had their own integrity and power restored before an apology would be considered. (As a persoal example of this, I am adopted: my birth family paternal grandparents had quite a bit to do with me being adopted, ad have indicated that they want my forgiveness. Well, the key to me being able to forgive them is them makig peace with my mother - THEN I will be able to forgive them.)
That, however, is a bit of a digression. My main concern over the apparent favouring of relatives as guides is the spiritual insularity it shows and the second rate choice approach it is.
I will choose a few analogies to try and illustrate this.
First, there is an assumption that the relatives love you. If they do, good, but what about the other relatives you have had from other lives who also love you? You may have known someone as a grandparent in this life, and had a wonderful relationship, but why does that count for more than someone who may have had, say, a dozen or more loving relationships with you, but chose not to come into incarnation with you this time so they could be a guide? ow, love ca be a powerful motivation to be protective, but it does not always lead to what is in the best interests of the recipient - I know people who won't let their seventeen year old daughter date, for instance, which I consider a case of love beig excessively overprotective. Similarly, the character played by Richard Dreyfuss, Pete Sandich, in the film "Always" is excessively "protective" of the character played by Holly Hunter, Dorinda Durston, (actually, read that as "possessive"). As the worst case imaginable, cosider the early suspicios that the terrible massacre of hudreds at the Beslan school was thought to possibly have been initiated by the actions of distraught parents with rifles outside the security perimeter, which seems to have been too close to the school. (The investigation has not clarified this, so, although plausible, I do not consider it definite.)
Next, there is the issue of skill and knowledge. Sure, when you die, and finish dealing with transition issues and the issues which come out of reviewing your past life you will have a broader perspective, and less psychic/spiritual clutter from the psychic sewer we have created in so many places on this planet (in fact, just the transition helps with that increased perspective and awareness), but that does not necessarily mean that person has enough knowledge/perspective to be able to effectively help you as you really need - which may not be what the deceased person thinks you need. Your BEST guides may be people you were not related to in this life at all - they may even be people still alive in other parts of the world.
If you have a child who is ill beyond your means to help, you get the best help you can. If you have a child who wishes to learn something beyond your capacity to teach, you get the best teacher you can. If you want to build a house, you don't go to Unca Bert Masgorious, who once built a tin shed in a corner of his back yard that blew down three years later, but he got a rep as a handyman: you get the best, most experienced, most competent builder you can. In the same way, if you want guidance, get the best guide you can (in fact, they're probably already there) - not Great Auntie Edie G. Obelwyn who thinks she is the bee's knees at anything to do with metaphysics but may not actually be.
It shows a sad insularity to be so focused on your comfort zone that you would accept only people you know as guides, or that you would rate them more highly than the guides who were trained and then allocated to you before birth. At the time of your transition (death here/rebirth in the Summerlands), you will probably be under considerable stress or trauma, or unwell, and so you may be sent people you are familiar with (and friends may rate more highly than family here) as a device to most effectively and easily get your attention: that is fine, that is OK - but that DOES NOT mean such people are the best people to guide you while you are incarnate.
There are problems with that approach also: the number of "Red Indian" etc guides probably far exceeds the number who ever lived, even allowing for parallels and guides maybe helping more than one person. Some of my guides are present images of normal, everyday, boring, mundane people. There is nothing wrong with that. If you crave the exotic, OK, then maybe go back to Great Auntie Edie G. Obelwyn who once spent a day at Frankston when the big smoke hadn't got that far. But don't ever claim to be genuine or serious about your spiritual growth.
Of course, your dead rellie could actually be the best person for you, so ... as you consider what I've written, keep your thinking cap on, and make your own decisions. After all, I could be wrong - at least in your case :)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: attitudes, awareness, daily life, discrimination, family, forgiveness, judging others, love, mediumship, spiritualism, growth, guidance, guides,
First published: Saturday 24th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 24th October, 2009
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Post No. 074 - isa mawt tat: emotions I am not
Let me begin by explaining the heading. According to Rampa, one of the benefits of proper meditation is a realisation that we "are" really our soul, not the transitory specks we call incarnated bodies. That realisation is described in the phrase "Tat Twam Asi". Well, I am going to talk about something we are NOT: our emotions.
I'm going to begin this with an analogy.
Consider food. Right, done that? Shall we get on to the analogy then? :)
Well, it's a food analogy. Many of us tend to identify so strongly with particular emotions, or sets of emotions, or emotional reactions, that we forget we are NOT the emotions. It's a bit like saying, "I like icecream, therefore I am an icecream", or "I like chilli, so I am a chilli", or "I like fishfingers, so I am a fishfinger" (don't laugh too much at that one: both I and Jamie Oliver, the "Naked Chef", have a weakness for fishfingers!).
Many of us tend to say "I am an angry person", or "she/he is a calm person" - yes, folks, that right: we can make the mistake of overidentifying with emotions that we consider "good", or "desirable" in some way, JUST AS MUCH as we can with unhealthy emotions. It's like the simplification many people make when they say, upon meeting someone for the first time, "so, what do you do?", meaning "what employed/paying job do you have?", thinking that this somehow tells them what sort of person they have, when it is REALLY more about social status, and ignores (indeed, actively belittles the value of "unpaid" (in the sense of financially not adequately rewarded") jobs like child rearing, or home building, etc, etc, etc.)
Keep in mind that we NEED emotions: I've given a clue there when I mentioned "healthy" emotions. It's much the same as eating healthy food: as an ideal, we should be using "healthy " emotions, rather than "unhealthy" (there may be variations, where "unhealthy" emotions may need to be experienced/used for the purpose of causing or forcing growth of our soul, or for the purpose of paying off karma the hard way [as opposed to paying off karma an easier way]).
An issue to consider here is that we very, very rarely ever experience only ONE emotion. If we have done some personal growth/self awareness work, or have been counselled, we may know of , say ... half a dozen emotions that we use ("experience") in a particular situation, but the truth is that it is more likely to be dozens of emotions.
Let's chose an example of, oh ... say, a parent or grandparent expressing love for a child/grandchild. As a step grandparent, I know just how competitive this expression of love for a grandchild can be. If I was to put some numbers to it, the emotions involved could be, say: 70% love, 10% self gratification, 5% competition with someone they hate, 5% wanting to feel "holier than thou", 8% guilt/sense of duty and 2% boredom.
Wouldn't it be far better to get rid of the 30% crap emotions, and just leave the 100% love - a love which is OK with allowing other people to have a chance to show their love without feeling an urge to compete? The person in the example concerned might even find, in dealing with things like the 2% boredom, that they develop a far more rewarding life. The child may find that they don't have a series of successively larger, more expensive and spectacular presents, but that is probably a good thing for them.
When one has got rid of the crap emotions and been left with only healthy expressions of emotions, like healthy versions of self esteem, motivation and even competitiveness (yes, it DOES have a healthy expression), not to mention love, the basic point still remains: we are not those emotions: to continue my previous analogy, don't make the mistake of saying "I am only healthy foods". We are something beyond that, something which, at this level, needs those emotions just as much as food, water and oxygen, but they are not our essence. (This, by the way, can help with developing psychism: if one is trying to become more psychic when one has lots of unacknowledged/unknown/unresolved emotions, it is a bit like trying to tune into a radio station when there is lots of interference from other radio stations or static.)
The other issue here is that the 30% crap emotions exist: they have to be dealt with: the emotional energy has been created, it has to be recycled. The energy cannot be destroyed: it can be neutralised, but better still would be to recycle it - which directing it through Mother Earth can be quite good for. That lesson is one that Wicca, the identification I no longer use :), has been particularly good at teaching me. My past involvement with things like spiritualism/New Age suggested that the energy could be "dissolved", but I now tend to thing that is a bit of a simplification. I'll use that simplification for beginners, but it IS a simplification.
So, when it comes to emotions: they are necessary, they can be extremely beneficial, but keep in mind that we choose the emotions we wish to use (that is subject to a caution about habits, and levels of awareness, and core values, etc) and they are not all that there is to be about us. We might have to revise how we introduce ourselves to people, in that we may need to find more appropriate, meaningful questions to ask other than "what form of paid work do you have, and you're not meaningful if you don't have it?", or "what sort of emotions do you most commonly use?", with maybe something like "so tell me something about yourself", or better yet, say "my soul is ..., how 'bout yours?"
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: emotions, family, forgiveness, love, personal characteristics, personal responsibility, interpersonal interactions, judging others, psychic health, purpose, social status,
First published: Sunday 18th October, 2009
Last edited: Sunday 18th October, 2009
I'm going to begin this with an analogy.
Consider food. Right, done that? Shall we get on to the analogy then? :)
Well, it's a food analogy. Many of us tend to identify so strongly with particular emotions, or sets of emotions, or emotional reactions, that we forget we are NOT the emotions. It's a bit like saying, "I like icecream, therefore I am an icecream", or "I like chilli, so I am a chilli", or "I like fishfingers, so I am a fishfinger" (don't laugh too much at that one: both I and Jamie Oliver, the "Naked Chef", have a weakness for fishfingers!).
Many of us tend to say "I am an angry person", or "she/he is a calm person" - yes, folks, that right: we can make the mistake of overidentifying with emotions that we consider "good", or "desirable" in some way, JUST AS MUCH as we can with unhealthy emotions. It's like the simplification many people make when they say, upon meeting someone for the first time, "so, what do you do?", meaning "what employed/paying job do you have?", thinking that this somehow tells them what sort of person they have, when it is REALLY more about social status, and ignores (indeed, actively belittles the value of "unpaid" (in the sense of financially not adequately rewarded") jobs like child rearing, or home building, etc, etc, etc.)
Keep in mind that we NEED emotions: I've given a clue there when I mentioned "healthy" emotions. It's much the same as eating healthy food: as an ideal, we should be using "healthy " emotions, rather than "unhealthy" (there may be variations, where "unhealthy" emotions may need to be experienced/used for the purpose of causing or forcing growth of our soul, or for the purpose of paying off karma the hard way [as opposed to paying off karma an easier way]).
An issue to consider here is that we very, very rarely ever experience only ONE emotion. If we have done some personal growth/self awareness work, or have been counselled, we may know of , say ... half a dozen emotions that we use ("experience") in a particular situation, but the truth is that it is more likely to be dozens of emotions.
Let's chose an example of, oh ... say, a parent or grandparent expressing love for a child/grandchild. As a step grandparent, I know just how competitive this expression of love for a grandchild can be. If I was to put some numbers to it, the emotions involved could be, say: 70% love, 10% self gratification, 5% competition with someone they hate, 5% wanting to feel "holier than thou", 8% guilt/sense of duty and 2% boredom.
Wouldn't it be far better to get rid of the 30% crap emotions, and just leave the 100% love - a love which is OK with allowing other people to have a chance to show their love without feeling an urge to compete? The person in the example concerned might even find, in dealing with things like the 2% boredom, that they develop a far more rewarding life. The child may find that they don't have a series of successively larger, more expensive and spectacular presents, but that is probably a good thing for them.
When one has got rid of the crap emotions and been left with only healthy expressions of emotions, like healthy versions of self esteem, motivation and even competitiveness (yes, it DOES have a healthy expression), not to mention love, the basic point still remains: we are not those emotions: to continue my previous analogy, don't make the mistake of saying "I am only healthy foods". We are something beyond that, something which, at this level, needs those emotions just as much as food, water and oxygen, but they are not our essence. (This, by the way, can help with developing psychism: if one is trying to become more psychic when one has lots of unacknowledged/unknown/unresolved emotions, it is a bit like trying to tune into a radio station when there is lots of interference from other radio stations or static.)
The other issue here is that the 30% crap emotions exist: they have to be dealt with: the emotional energy has been created, it has to be recycled. The energy cannot be destroyed: it can be neutralised, but better still would be to recycle it - which directing it through Mother Earth can be quite good for. That lesson is one that Wicca, the identification I no longer use :), has been particularly good at teaching me. My past involvement with things like spiritualism/New Age suggested that the energy could be "dissolved", but I now tend to thing that is a bit of a simplification. I'll use that simplification for beginners, but it IS a simplification.
So, when it comes to emotions: they are necessary, they can be extremely beneficial, but keep in mind that we choose the emotions we wish to use (that is subject to a caution about habits, and levels of awareness, and core values, etc) and they are not all that there is to be about us. We might have to revise how we introduce ourselves to people, in that we may need to find more appropriate, meaningful questions to ask other than "what form of paid work do you have, and you're not meaningful if you don't have it?", or "what sort of emotions do you most commonly use?", with maybe something like "so tell me something about yourself", or better yet, say "my soul is ..., how 'bout yours?"
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: emotions, family, forgiveness, love, personal characteristics, personal responsibility, interpersonal interactions, judging others, psychic health, purpose, social status,
First published: Sunday 18th October, 2009
Last edited: Sunday 18th October, 2009
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Post No. 073 - A service to guide the souls of the Dead
As I was re-reading some of Rampa's books, I came across a description he gives of a service to guide the souls of the dead. That description is obviously based on a Buddhist ritual, so I thought I would have a go at writing a pagan version. That is below, and hopefully will be improved :) . I've left out the invocations (the ancestors would be particularly important) and casting of circle
To perform this ritual you will need:
- three sticks of Sandalwood, Sage, Dragon's Blood and Patchouli incense
- a purple candle inscribed with the rune Perthro
- a green candle inscribed with the rune Berkano
- a yellow candle inscribed with the rune Dagaz
- an amethyst, clear quartz and rose quartz crystal
I wrote the draft in Word, so I will copy it to note pad first to get a text version, then hope I can copy it into blogger without the problems I had earlier with copying (line breaks!).
SERVICE TO GUIDE THE SOULS OF THE DEAD
Hail Yinepu, Guardian of the Realms of the Dead, Guide to the Souls of the Dead and Protector of those who are lost!
Hail Gyhldeptis, Lady Hanging Hair, Goddess of Synthesis and working together!
Hail Kwan-Yin, Goddess of Compassion and Protector of Women and Children!
Hail White Tara, who guides the spirits who desire to leave this earthly realm!
Hail Hina, the Warrior Queen and Death Mother who misses nothing and guards against the oppression of those who have power!
Hail Freya, ruler of the Valkyries, controller of the Spirits of those who have died in battle!
Hail Durga, Goddess of Boundaries and Slayer of Demons!
Hail Selkhet, who guides the Souls of the Dead and instructs their behaviour!
Hail Inanna, Queen of Heaven who visited the Realms of the Dead in her search for wisdom!
Respectfully, we beseech you to
Listen to the Voices of our Souls.
The Purple Candle inscribed with the rune Perthro is lit, the First Stick of Patchouli Incense is lit, and the Amethyst Crystal is activated;
May you use it to unite and build a path
from this realm to the Summerlands
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who are confused, lost, seemingly rejected by your loved ones,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find peace, clarity and acknowledgement,
That ye may be connected to those who love you.
As the First Stick of Sandalwood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find Kwan-Yin, to find peace, clarity, acknowledgement and love
Listen to the Voices of Our Souls
All you who cling to your possessions, your life or the beauty of this world,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find the beauty of the Universe, the joy and rewarding activity of the Summerlands.
As the First Stick of Sage Incense is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find White Tara to find the joy and reward of the Universe and the Summerlands.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who cower in fear and hide from oppressors, or are enslaved by those with evil strength or skill
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find courage, freedom and peace.
As the First Stick of Dragon’s Blood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find the protection of Hina to find the courage to take freedom and peace.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who continue battles long past
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find peace.
As the Second Stick of Patchouli is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find Freya and the healing of peace.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who are faint with the weariness of Life
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find renewal in the beyond.
As the Second Stick of Sandalwood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upwards,
Let yourselves drawn near and find Durga, and the renewal of passing beyond the boundaries of this earthly plane.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who are stranded at the gulf of ignorance,
Who know not the way forward,
Nor what you are,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find Knowledge and move forward.
As the Second Stick of Sage Incense is lit and its smoke rises upwards,
Let yourselves draw near and find Selkhet, and in her instruction find Knowledge to let you move forward.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who scoff with disbelief,
All sceptics trapped in your blindness,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may open your minds and find Truth.
As the Second Stick of Dragon’s Blood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upwards,
Let yourselves draw near and find Inanna and in the Wisdom of her journeys to death and back find Truth.
Listen to the Voices of Our Souls!
The Green Candle inscribed with the Rune Berkano is lit, the Third Stick of Patchouli Incense is lit, and the rose quartz crystal activated
That all who are lost or in need of help may draw near
and find Lady Hanging Hair, Gyhldeptis,
and thus find and receive all healing, growth, balance, mental calm and clarity, and knowledge & wisdom.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls, and let yourselves draw, that ye may find healing, wholeness and happiness.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
The Yellow Candle inscribed with Dagaz is lit, the Third Sticks of Sage, Sandalwood and Dragon’s Blood Incense are lit, and the clear quartz crystal activated
That ye may all be guided from this realm to the Summerlands.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls, and let yourselves find and follow Yinepu, that ye may be guided, with the protection of Kwan-Yin, Hina and Durga, and the wisdom of White Tara, Selkhet and Inanna to that place of joy, peace and love known by many names, and may ye find there, with the help of Gyhldeptis and Freya, all that ye need or could possibly wish for.
Go in peace, and with the blessings of the Goddess upon you all.
Go with Yinepu, and Kwan-Yin, and Hina, and Durga, and White Tara, and Selkhet, and Inanna, and Gyhldeptis, and Freya.
Go forth, into the Light!
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: rescue, energy work, crystals, rituals, Buddhism, pagan,
First published: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
To perform this ritual you will need:
- three sticks of Sandalwood, Sage, Dragon's Blood and Patchouli incense
- a purple candle inscribed with the rune Perthro
- a green candle inscribed with the rune Berkano
- a yellow candle inscribed with the rune Dagaz
- an amethyst, clear quartz and rose quartz crystal
I wrote the draft in Word, so I will copy it to note pad first to get a text version, then hope I can copy it into blogger without the problems I had earlier with copying (line breaks!).
SERVICE TO GUIDE THE SOULS OF THE DEAD
Hail Yinepu, Guardian of the Realms of the Dead, Guide to the Souls of the Dead and Protector of those who are lost!
Hail Gyhldeptis, Lady Hanging Hair, Goddess of Synthesis and working together!
Hail Kwan-Yin, Goddess of Compassion and Protector of Women and Children!
Hail White Tara, who guides the spirits who desire to leave this earthly realm!
Hail Hina, the Warrior Queen and Death Mother who misses nothing and guards against the oppression of those who have power!
Hail Freya, ruler of the Valkyries, controller of the Spirits of those who have died in battle!
Hail Durga, Goddess of Boundaries and Slayer of Demons!
Hail Selkhet, who guides the Souls of the Dead and instructs their behaviour!
Hail Inanna, Queen of Heaven who visited the Realms of the Dead in her search for wisdom!
Respectfully, we beseech you to
Listen to the Voices of our Souls.
The Purple Candle inscribed with the rune Perthro is lit, the First Stick of Patchouli Incense is lit, and the Amethyst Crystal is activated;
May you use it to unite and build a path
from this realm to the Summerlands
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who are confused, lost, seemingly rejected by your loved ones,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find peace, clarity and acknowledgement,
That ye may be connected to those who love you.
As the First Stick of Sandalwood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find Kwan-Yin, to find peace, clarity, acknowledgement and love
Listen to the Voices of Our Souls
All you who cling to your possessions, your life or the beauty of this world,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find the beauty of the Universe, the joy and rewarding activity of the Summerlands.
As the First Stick of Sage Incense is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find White Tara to find the joy and reward of the Universe and the Summerlands.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who cower in fear and hide from oppressors, or are enslaved by those with evil strength or skill
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find courage, freedom and peace.
As the First Stick of Dragon’s Blood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find the protection of Hina to find the courage to take freedom and peace.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who continue battles long past
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find peace.
As the Second Stick of Patchouli is lit and its smoke rises upward,
Let yourselves draw near and find Freya and the healing of peace.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who are faint with the weariness of Life
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find renewal in the beyond.
As the Second Stick of Sandalwood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upwards,
Let yourselves drawn near and find Durga, and the renewal of passing beyond the boundaries of this earthly plane.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who are stranded at the gulf of ignorance,
Who know not the way forward,
Nor what you are,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may find Knowledge and move forward.
As the Second Stick of Sage Incense is lit and its smoke rises upwards,
Let yourselves draw near and find Selkhet, and in her instruction find Knowledge to let you move forward.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls
All you who scoff with disbelief,
All sceptics trapped in your blindness,
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
That ye may open your minds and find Truth.
As the Second Stick of Dragon’s Blood Incense is lit and its smoke rises upwards,
Let yourselves draw near and find Inanna and in the Wisdom of her journeys to death and back find Truth.
Listen to the Voices of Our Souls!
The Green Candle inscribed with the Rune Berkano is lit, the Third Stick of Patchouli Incense is lit, and the rose quartz crystal activated
That all who are lost or in need of help may draw near
and find Lady Hanging Hair, Gyhldeptis,
and thus find and receive all healing, growth, balance, mental calm and clarity, and knowledge & wisdom.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls, and let yourselves draw, that ye may find healing, wholeness and happiness.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls!
The Yellow Candle inscribed with Dagaz is lit, the Third Sticks of Sage, Sandalwood and Dragon’s Blood Incense are lit, and the clear quartz crystal activated
That ye may all be guided from this realm to the Summerlands.
Listen to the Voices of our Souls, and let yourselves find and follow Yinepu, that ye may be guided, with the protection of Kwan-Yin, Hina and Durga, and the wisdom of White Tara, Selkhet and Inanna to that place of joy, peace and love known by many names, and may ye find there, with the help of Gyhldeptis and Freya, all that ye need or could possibly wish for.
Go in peace, and with the blessings of the Goddess upon you all.
Go with Yinepu, and Kwan-Yin, and Hina, and Durga, and White Tara, and Selkhet, and Inanna, and Gyhldeptis, and Freya.
Go forth, into the Light!
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: rescue, energy work, crystals, rituals, Buddhism, pagan,
First published: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Post No. 072 - Definitions of spirituality: a postscript
After so many words by others, and by me, anything I write on the subject of a definition of spirituality can only be a post script :)
Anyway, here goes my post script: one of the key elements, it seems to me, of being more spiritual, is being more aware.
Young children tend to be aware only of themselves, to be focused on themselves. As one
grows (matures), that awareness becomes wider. When one starts to develop spiritually,
one is often learning new things, or developing new aspects of oneself. Some people may choose to "retire from the wrold" a bit - like the hermits in Eastern traditions. That may be valid for their stage of development, as it may enable them to focus on developing a skill or attribute of themselves.
However, in my opinion, one cannot be spiritual if one is choosing to ignore world problems, or envrionmental problems, if one is unaware of the magic of the bird chirping outside a window, the pleasure of green under grey skies, or the needs of those around one (their tiredness, or distress, perhaps), or the needs of oneself (perhaps for rest, perhaps for partying, perhaps for friends, perhaps for "solitude" amongst nature), or even the need to empty a rubbish bin. You might choose not to empty the bin if it is over-ful because someone else is neglecting their duties and needs to learn, but you should be aware of it.
Incidentally, some of the hermits, seemingly oblivious to the world, are probably more aware of what is happening, through psychic means, than some people in the West who choose not to read papers or watch TV news "because it is negative". It IS negative: find out what is happening, and do something about it.
I will now dismount from my soap box ... Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: growth, spirituality, awareness
First published: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Anyway, here goes my post script: one of the key elements, it seems to me, of being more spiritual, is being more aware.
Young children tend to be aware only of themselves, to be focused on themselves. As one
grows (matures), that awareness becomes wider. When one starts to develop spiritually,
one is often learning new things, or developing new aspects of oneself. Some people may choose to "retire from the wrold" a bit - like the hermits in Eastern traditions. That may be valid for their stage of development, as it may enable them to focus on developing a skill or attribute of themselves.
However, in my opinion, one cannot be spiritual if one is choosing to ignore world problems, or envrionmental problems, if one is unaware of the magic of the bird chirping outside a window, the pleasure of green under grey skies, or the needs of those around one (their tiredness, or distress, perhaps), or the needs of oneself (perhaps for rest, perhaps for partying, perhaps for friends, perhaps for "solitude" amongst nature), or even the need to empty a rubbish bin. You might choose not to empty the bin if it is over-ful because someone else is neglecting their duties and needs to learn, but you should be aware of it.
Incidentally, some of the hermits, seemingly oblivious to the world, are probably more aware of what is happening, through psychic means, than some people in the West who choose not to read papers or watch TV news "because it is negative". It IS negative: find out what is happening, and do something about it.
I will now dismount from my soap box ... Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: growth, spirituality, awareness
First published: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Post No. 071 - Disenchantment and labels
I've posted a few times about labels, and about the various changes of spiritual
path/identification that I have made in the journey I am on in this lifetime. Well, I'm about to do more of the same :)
In a nutshell, I've been thinking about what labels feel satisfying to me in terms of my path:
labels that are useful in terms of communicating my beliefs to others (which rules out
almost everything except a multiple paragraph list ...), and that I feel proud to use. The
stimulus to change identifications in the past has been, to some extent, because I was no
longer "proud" (pleased, "OK with" may be better phrases: they just don't roll off the
keyboard as nicely :D ) to identify as, for example ... oh, say ... Christian (because of the
Sunday Christians - people who went to church on Sunday and stabbed you in the back on
Monday: but I tend to think of them as mostly being neo-Christians now anyway).
Well I've realised what my main discomfort with the term "Wiccan" is: people whose sole
or main focus is celebrating Esbats and Sabbats, and do not think to apply their skills
(whether those skills are rituals or magic or both or other) to trying to make this world a
better place. We've recently had some major earthquakes and some tsunamis: how many
Wiccans did a ritual for the survivors, let alone a ritual for the planet herself?
Some will have - I'm lucky to know such Wiccans, both here in Australia and overseas,
who would in fact have done exactly that. Unfortunately, I know others who wouldn't have
thought to.
That lack of awareness and lack of caring was made very apparent to me during the tragic
bushfires earlier this year here in Victoria. I was moved to go and start performing rituals, while some others I happened to contact at those times were barely paying attention. (That certainly cannot be said to apply to all the Wiccan and pagan communities: others organised public rituals, relief fund raisers, etc.) It is, however, on reflecting on the reactions of people now, as the bushfire Royal Commission progresses its work, that has led me to decide I will no longer identify as Wiccan.
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: attitudes, change, commitment, daily life, energy work, evil, healing, judging others, love, morality, personal characteristics, personal responsibility, responsibility, respect, self knowledge,
First published: Satuerday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
path/identification that I have made in the journey I am on in this lifetime. Well, I'm about to do more of the same :)
In a nutshell, I've been thinking about what labels feel satisfying to me in terms of my path:
labels that are useful in terms of communicating my beliefs to others (which rules out
almost everything except a multiple paragraph list ...), and that I feel proud to use. The
stimulus to change identifications in the past has been, to some extent, because I was no
longer "proud" (pleased, "OK with" may be better phrases: they just don't roll off the
keyboard as nicely :D ) to identify as, for example ... oh, say ... Christian (because of the
Sunday Christians - people who went to church on Sunday and stabbed you in the back on
Monday: but I tend to think of them as mostly being neo-Christians now anyway).
Well I've realised what my main discomfort with the term "Wiccan" is: people whose sole
or main focus is celebrating Esbats and Sabbats, and do not think to apply their skills
(whether those skills are rituals or magic or both or other) to trying to make this world a
better place. We've recently had some major earthquakes and some tsunamis: how many
Wiccans did a ritual for the survivors, let alone a ritual for the planet herself?
Some will have - I'm lucky to know such Wiccans, both here in Australia and overseas,
who would in fact have done exactly that. Unfortunately, I know others who wouldn't have
thought to.
That lack of awareness and lack of caring was made very apparent to me during the tragic
bushfires earlier this year here in Victoria. I was moved to go and start performing rituals, while some others I happened to contact at those times were barely paying attention. (That certainly cannot be said to apply to all the Wiccan and pagan communities: others organised public rituals, relief fund raisers, etc.) It is, however, on reflecting on the reactions of people now, as the bushfire Royal Commission progresses its work, that has led me to decide I will no longer identify as Wiccan.
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: attitudes, change, commitment, daily life, energy work, evil, healing, judging others, love, morality, personal characteristics, personal responsibility, responsibility, respect, self knowledge,
First published: Satuerday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Post No. 070 - Practising or non-practising: how many full moon rituals can I miss before I lose my status as a witch?
When I was growing up, it was a perfectly acceptable response to answer the question
"What religion are you?" with something like "I'm a Methodist [or Anglican, or Christian, or
X], but I don't practise". That was generally interpreted as meaning one had been raised in
a family which said it was Methodist, maybe because they had got into the habit of saying
it, but no-one went to church, or did any of the things one was supposed to formally do.
Actually, maybe their practice of their faith was simply not based around the outer
dressings of their faith. As an example, when my (adoptive) mother died, I found out how
many church activities she had been involved in (day trips, fund raisers, social groups,
volunteer work), but she had never been strong on going to church. I don't think she liked
the sorts of sermons they dished out in those days.
Well, this is a topic that has been exercising my mind lately. I missed the last full moon
again, though illness, and started thinking: at what point should I say I'm a practising or
non-practising pagan/Wiccan/Druid? There are quite a few aspects of being
pagan/Wiccan/Druid that are about your attitudes and thinking processes, so the rituals
are, to some extent, merely the outer trappings that result from your inner thoughts and
attitudes - which is something Rampa wrote about.
On that, I've been rereading some Rampa books, and getting annoyed at the sexism and
misogyny as much as enjoying aspects of the books. I've also realised that one of the
problems I had with being Buddhist, back in the days when I was, was that when people
asked me about being Buddhist, they really meant "what are the outer manifestations of
your inner state of being that you do?" They didn't care that I was committed to being as
decent (compassionate) a human being as I could be: they wanted to know if I meditated
naked round the may pole under the full moon. OK, so I mixed my stereotypes then, but -
hey! I mix my paths as well :D
On questions about being Buddhist, that also applied to questions I had about what version
of Buddhism I followed - questions usually asked by people who knew a little about
Buddhism. Well, even that was problematic. For a start, when I "converted", people talked
about Mahayana and Hinayama, which is a split that I understand dates back to the fourth
Great Council, held in Kasmir in the first or second century CE under the patronage of the
Kushan Emperor Kanishka: suddenly there was all this talk about "Theravada": Theravada?
Where the hell had that come from? (I've also since discovered that "Hinayama" may be
seen as a pejorative (abusive) term for what is now more widely known as Theravada,
which is probably closest to the original teachings of Buddha. I guess all my early texts
had been written by Mahayana Buddhists!)
I've now realised that, effectively, what I was following was Vajrayana, sometimes called
Tantric Buddhism, which - to simplify it to the elements I practised - means "self
generation as the Deity". In other words, being the change you want to see. BEING
compassionate and caring and aware and responsible in your thoughts, attitudes,
emotions, actions and deeds. It didn't matter what rituals you did or didn't do, it mattered
how you lived your life. (I used to think this was a division of Mahayana Buddhism, en
Buddhism is a division of Mahayana Buddhism, but Vajrayana really is a third "version" of
Buddhism.)
I guess, in that sense, I was an actively practising Buddhist despite not being able to
answer with the appropriate label. My mother was an Anglican despite not having set foot
in a church since I'd dragged her in there when I was confirmed (yes, I had a Christian phase too!).
And I'm pagan now whether I do the rituals or not.
But I might just say I'm a non-practicising pagan occasionally, just to stimulate a bit of
thought :)
I'll also answer any question about "So what do you do as a 'X' [insert religion of choice]?"
with "I think like one."
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: attitudes, Buddhism, commitment, communication, daily life, interpersonal interactions, growth, life lessons, personal characteristics,
First published: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
"What religion are you?" with something like "I'm a Methodist [or Anglican, or Christian, or
X], but I don't practise". That was generally interpreted as meaning one had been raised in
a family which said it was Methodist, maybe because they had got into the habit of saying
it, but no-one went to church, or did any of the things one was supposed to formally do.
Actually, maybe their practice of their faith was simply not based around the outer
dressings of their faith. As an example, when my (adoptive) mother died, I found out how
many church activities she had been involved in (day trips, fund raisers, social groups,
volunteer work), but she had never been strong on going to church. I don't think she liked
the sorts of sermons they dished out in those days.
Well, this is a topic that has been exercising my mind lately. I missed the last full moon
again, though illness, and started thinking: at what point should I say I'm a practising or
non-practising pagan/Wiccan/Druid? There are quite a few aspects of being
pagan/Wiccan/Druid that are about your attitudes and thinking processes, so the rituals
are, to some extent, merely the outer trappings that result from your inner thoughts and
attitudes - which is something Rampa wrote about.
On that, I've been rereading some Rampa books, and getting annoyed at the sexism and
misogyny as much as enjoying aspects of the books. I've also realised that one of the
problems I had with being Buddhist, back in the days when I was, was that when people
asked me about being Buddhist, they really meant "what are the outer manifestations of
your inner state of being that you do?" They didn't care that I was committed to being as
decent (compassionate) a human being as I could be: they wanted to know if I meditated
naked round the may pole under the full moon. OK, so I mixed my stereotypes then, but -
hey! I mix my paths as well :D
On questions about being Buddhist, that also applied to questions I had about what version
of Buddhism I followed - questions usually asked by people who knew a little about
Buddhism. Well, even that was problematic. For a start, when I "converted", people talked
about Mahayana and Hinayama, which is a split that I understand dates back to the fourth
Great Council, held in Kasmir in the first or second century CE under the patronage of the
Kushan Emperor Kanishka: suddenly there was all this talk about "Theravada": Theravada?
Where the hell had that come from? (I've also since discovered that "Hinayama" may be
seen as a pejorative (abusive) term for what is now more widely known as Theravada,
which is probably closest to the original teachings of Buddha. I guess all my early texts
had been written by Mahayana Buddhists!)
I've now realised that, effectively, what I was following was Vajrayana, sometimes called
Tantric Buddhism, which - to simplify it to the elements I practised - means "self
generation as the Deity". In other words, being the change you want to see. BEING
compassionate and caring and aware and responsible in your thoughts, attitudes,
emotions, actions and deeds. It didn't matter what rituals you did or didn't do, it mattered
how you lived your life. (I used to think this was a division of Mahayana Buddhism, en
Buddhism is a division of Mahayana Buddhism, but Vajrayana really is a third "version" of
Buddhism.)
I guess, in that sense, I was an actively practising Buddhist despite not being able to
answer with the appropriate label. My mother was an Anglican despite not having set foot
in a church since I'd dragged her in there when I was confirmed (yes, I had a Christian phase too!).
And I'm pagan now whether I do the rituals or not.
But I might just say I'm a non-practicising pagan occasionally, just to stimulate a bit of
thought :)
I'll also answer any question about "So what do you do as a 'X' [insert religion of choice]?"
with "I think like one."
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
This post's photo is yet to be posted
Tags: attitudes, Buddhism, commitment, communication, daily life, interpersonal interactions, growth, life lessons, personal characteristics,
First published: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 17th October, 2009
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Post No. 069 - Boundaries: the shades of grey between peace and violence
I'm going to start this post with a few statements.
It is a major concern of mine that many spiritual/New Age/proselytisers for peace focus so much on physical violence. I've seen acts of extraordinary emotional violence committed in words by such people - and then had them have the temerity to claim their behaviour is somehow OK.
It is not. It is, in some ways, possibly worse than physical violence: with physical violence, the anger or hate is visible (if such is present), and one is aware of it, whereas with non-physical violence the hate, anger, fear, jealousy or whatever the motive is, is likely to be hidden, and the discovery of that later amplifies the trauma.
One of the "myths" I grew up with in a small country town in Queensland is that small boys and young men always have a few tiffs (fights) as they grow up, and that it doesn't do any harm. Well, firstly, it does do harm - if one loses, it is much akin to being on the receiving end of bullying, and I've seen such so-called "losers" then devote time & energy into becoming stronger, or more competent at fighting, or to compensate for the loss in some other way, rather than get on with having a life. (I've also seen this in girls and young women who are excluded - which could possibly be considered the female version of violence?) I've also seen the so-called "victor" then start to strut, and think they don't have to develop as a person, and develop a whole lot of fake "friendships" - it's not good for their development as a person. Looking at this situation of aggression: there are no winners, in my opinion. The second point I will make about the statement is that NOT all young boys/men wish to get into fisticuffs or other competitive behaviour to try and "prove" their masculinity, or because "it is what everyone does". That was never the case when I was growing up, nor when the generation before me, some of whom I've spoken to about this, were growing up.
I mentioned competitiveness. Competition is often a form of violence, and I know someone who had an alternative upbringing who cannot even say the word. However, it is not something that is automatically associated with aggression or violence. For instance, the limited contact I have had with wrestling suggests that that is an area where competitiveness is fairly genuinely based on wanting to see what one is capable of - there is quite a bit of concern for how one's opponent is. Oddly enough, that is something which seems to have been the case also with SOME boxers in my father's generation (he used to do some amateur boxing) - that obviously does not apply to all boxers (and the serious risks of brain injury are such that I don't endorse boxing), but I've seen some genuine sportsmanship even in professional bouts, and there seem to have been genuine bonds of respect formed between some boxers. In any case, this physical violence is not always based on hate or anger.
It's not just a case of all violent physical contact is bad.
(Going back to competitive sport for a moment, I used to be a regionally successful competitive dinghy sailor [which is not a contact sport, but some people can be extremely aggressive, and shout a lot while competing: they're usually the poorer sailors] when I was younger. The success helped me, as it gave me some self esteem to get through some of life's challenges at that time [and since], it started me in teaching [I have been teaching sailing since I was 14, and was pleased to get the people who others found difficult to teach], it developed some wonderful teamwork [I had comments about the joy of watching the crewwork between myself and my main crew] and it gave me a wonderful source of connection to nature]. However, many people in the sailing club could never work out why sometimes I would do well in the results of race and not be happy, and other times I could do badly in the results and yet be happy. The reason was I was judging myself by how well I had sailed, how well I had used the skills of sailing - I may have done well because others did badly, and I had also done badly: that wasn't good, in my opinion. But if I had done well, and simply been beaten because someone was better than me at the application of sailing skills,that was OK because I felt good about having sailed at or above the standard I set myself.)
If we go back to the schoolyard where young boys are supposedly "having a few tiffs", and young girls are supposedly "sugar and spice and all things nice", things have improved, in my opinion, today compared to when I was growing up. In particular, there are anti-bullying policies in many of the better schools - they may be flawed (I would never tell a bully what the effect has been on me of their bullying: my experience of such people was that they were sadists, and would have enjoyed hearing that; also, not all children are inherently good - they may be, at the soul level, as all people are, but their incarnation may be evil - I mean the word - from a very young age*), and it is a situation which is difficult to find all the truth one needs to have and to come up with a "perfect" solution, but it is still a commendable step. In a sense, those bullying policies work basically because there is a third party who has more authority/moral strength: that is not, unfortunately, yet the case between nations.
* That doesn't mean one necessarily behaves differently towards such children: love is still the cure for most problems, including evil :)
Some nations do respect the role of the United Nations, and the UN does play a major role in improving the circumstances of people, but it is a flawed organisation. Those flaws can be traced back to the evil that Senator Joseph McCarthy committed against it in the 50s, but it is also partly a weakness that is inherent in it's nature. I consider examples of this to be the anti-gay statements of people associated with the UN (some recent), and the failure to manage the complexity of the situation around Israel and Palestine.
To cut a long argument short, there are going to be situations where wars occur that one side is right and the other wrong. Apart from anything else, the Second World War is an example of a war against evil, the evil of Hitler's regime. In that situation, should people have refused to fight? Should they have allowed evil to flourish?
That's a trick question.
Apart from the issue that people such as conscientious objectors are seeking to change the very energy that is inherent in this world, some people who actively oppose war do so because of karmic necessity: they may have had a past life as, oh ... say, Genghis Khan. Whoever had that past life is unlikely to be doing anything violent for many lifetimes if they are seeking to fix their karmic balance.
But also, there are ways of fighting against evil without using violence. These days sanctions are a well developed tool, and - arguably - played a role in the overthrow of the evil apartheid regime in South Africa. The thing to be balanced up there is the harm that is done while one is waiting for sanctions to take effect, vs. the harm that is done by perpetuating the habit in this world of using violence to "solve" problems (the comments I've mad above, alluding to resentment when losing a schoolyard fight, apply here: there are some who consider the Second World War was caused by the unfairness of the Versailles Treaty at the end of the First World War.
As another example, I think it was Muktananada who claimed to have strengthened to resolve of the Russian forces at the Battle of Stalingrad, which was a major turning point in the war against Nazism, through meditation. This theme of using meditation to promote peace (in the more "traditional" sense) is also a key theme in the events described in Stuart Holroyd's book "Briefing for the Landing on Planet Earth".
I've alluded to something significant there: that there are more than one way of using "peaceful" skills such as meditation to achieve peace. Using such skills to cause a deep, abiding peace in oneself, or to inspire growth and a non-violent way of resolving problems in others is one thing, but there are also battles and conflicts going on everyday in this lawless world that need active intervention so the world can get those over and done with, and then get on to moving to being a better world. Those battles re the emotional, mental and psychic battles that happen everyday over things like control - in the sense of controlling others.
There is a great evil in this world: it is the evil of pulling the wool over one's eyes and thinking that violence is something that happens only physically, or in wars, or domestic violence. The laws around domestic violence are starting to acknowledge that, with the inclusion of changes to address financial control. However, we still have a long way to go.
I've posted previously on the topic The Middle Ages and Today's Psychic Sewers: it would be worth briefly having a look at that. In this world we have many people, including people who are otherwise committed to peace and growth, who seek to control or manipulate others, which is an act of extreme spiritual violence and aggression. It is fairly obvious that the person who tailgates another driver is impatient, and is using their closeness to attempt to intimidate the victim of their violence into speeding up. It is less obvious that the person who whines, wheedles and cajoles others into favours, rather than simply asking openly and honestly (while being genuinely prepared for a no) is also committing what could be considered an act of evil.
Does motivation play a role in this?
Yes - but not in the way you are possibly thinking! The person who is doing the manipulating IS aware that they are trying to get someone else to do something that the other doesn't want. That is why they're doing it - it's not a simple case of "oh but they're only ..." - that argument is the one used around schoolyard bullying and violence when I was growing up.
This problem also goes further, with attempts at psychic control. In many cases, THIS type of behaviour is even less conscious than the former: it is also no less damaging, just as the schoolyard bullying is no less damaging because it hasn't led to obvious physical wounds (perhaps!).
In my opinion, this issue of verbal, emotional, mental, spiritual and psychic violence, including control and psychic attack, is a major problem in the world. So what does one do about it?
Well, the first thing is to seek to make make sure you are respecting other people and their boundaries. re you aren't doing it yourself. Get counselling or do some personal growth work to make sure you have no resolved or unknown issues that could be causing or contributing to resentment. Deal with frustrations in your life as best you can: for instance, you may be in a job that you hate because you need the money (perhaps to support a chronically or critically ill child/partner/parent): acknowledge that to yourself, and plan ways of coping with that energy - realistic ways. Those realistic ways may be, for you, reminding yourself that you are doing this out of love. Or, you may find that a load of codswallop, and cope by things like a "three minute holiday" (visualising yourself somewhere you enjoy while doing something you like, such as possibly listening to favourite song). Or you may cope by acknowledging that all things pass, and this phase of your life will end (to be flippant for a moment, even the worst teenager eventually moves out of home :) ). Read up on the skills and principles used in polyamoury: you may not be poly yourself, but poly people have developed good skills for managing jealousy, and respecting boundaries, and NOT controlling people in relationships.
For the next point, lets start looking at another shade of grey. I've read of people who wouldn't try to save someone who was drowning (whether literally or metaphorically) because they didn't want to "take on that person's karma". Well, that view is also a load of codswallop: what IS relevant is that, if you have the capacity and opportunity to help another, and you CHOOSE not to, you earn just as much negative karma as someone who possibly pushed the drowning victim into the river.
So ... let's say you have the capacity and opportunity to intervene in an act of violence: if you don't, are you earning negative karma?
Well, that depends on the situation. If you're a police officer with the training and social sanction to stop an attempted murder, you should definitely in my opinion - act. If you're a soldier defending your land against an aggressor who has invaded for no good reason, my inclination is that you should probably act. If you're a committed pacifist, with a lifelong passion for advocating non-violent ways of responding to situations (I am aware of what's called "civil defence" [e.g. taking down street signs so an invader doesn't know where they are - to use a pre-GPS example!], but consider that of limited usefulness - particularly with an invader who is committing acts of evil such as massacres and torture), you should also continue to act by your pacifist role (pacifist does not mean inactive, actually - Gandhi's concept of Satyagraha has a few subtleties that may not be comprehended by those who first come across the concept). If you're a "saint", albeit possible a flawed "saint", with the ability to help others who are actively fighting, whether physically or non-physically, against evil, you should probably act. If you have some skills around psychic attack, you should probably act. I've posted before on how to defend yourself against psychic attack, but there are other skills, which can be considered to be akin to being the psychic equivalent stopping a rampaging gunman** - would you stop a gunman who was injuring or killing people if you could? Would you do the same to someone who was doing the psychic equivalent of that?
Finally, if you're an everyday person, with the normal everyday skills of speech, thought and inherent psychic ability (don't take those for granted! Some people are not blessed with such abilities, possibly through being diferently abled), you should also act.
You may need to develop some of those abilities, and you will probably have to do a lot of looking at shades of grey, but if you do not, you may well be guilty of the "sin" of failing to act. If you fail to address your own shortcomings, and the characteristics in yourself that put you at risk of psychic violence such as psychic attack (and that is most often caused by strong emotions - and limited only by the lack of psychic skill applied to the emotion), you may well be guilty of the "sin" of failing to act. If you are aware of others who are committing acts of psychic evil, such as control or psychic attack, and you fail to act, you may well be guilty of the "sin" of failing to act.
So ... what are you going to do now? (DO be realistic about existing commitments to family, friends and work when assessing whether or not you have the time & energy for an extensive involvement in doing anything!)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
** Such skills are based around clearing the negative energy that person is using: for example, is the person being controlled by an earthbound entity (which happens quite a bit, particularly around alcoholics and drug addicts). If so, clear the earthbound entity (or at least their influence). You may also be able to clear what I term indirect karma: remove a negative association between yourself and a third party, and that may lighten the third party's aura enough that their guides/Higher Self/Deity can inspire them to help the rampager be healed. You may also be able to help create things like walls of light between the rampager and her/hir/his victims, or heal or teach the victims about psychic self defence (or heal the aggressor - they do, after all, need healing). If nothing else, you can pray to Deity for some help with the whole situation (just keep in mind the old saying "I used to wonder why someone didn't do something, then I realised I was someone.") This post is about taking responsible action: you WILL be held accounatble for all your deeds and inaction, so be very thoughtful whatever you do or don't do. And in making your decisions, keep in mind people's right to free will: if they are not harming someone else (and someone else's reaction may be an attempt at control on the part of that person, or a flaw in the other person), then they have the right to do stuff that is harmful to themselves.
Importantly, do not let yourself get cocky if you do do something constructive or good. Have a read of the following:
"Researchers found that buying green can lead people into less
altruistic behaviour, and even make them more likely to steal and lie
than after buying conventional products. Buying products that claim to
be made with low environmental impact can set up 'moral credentials' in
people's minds that give license to selfish or questionable behavior."
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_
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Tags: attitudes, bullying, change, communication, control, emotions, evil, growth, interpersonal interactions, judging others, karma, love, peace, personal characteristics, respect, responsibility, violence
First published: Saturday 10th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 10th October, 2009
- I believe in peace. Why? Because I consider it to be generally the most constructive, respectful way of resolving problems and achieving spiritual growth & a rewarding life. I know that peace is a process, and requires a commitment to things like assertiveness, action, honesty and communication.
- There are times when, if one is in one of the few places/times where it has genuinely been achieved, it needs to be defended.
- I ALSO know that words can be as violent and aggressive (including "passive aggressive") as any physical act of aggression, intimidation or other violence. I have buried people I've known who have been driven to commit suicide because of discrimination; I've talked to people who have been scarred for years because of bullying at schools, and I've helped countless friends who have been seriously emotionally traumatised or hurt by other's words. (This was a thought that came to when watching the film "Revolutionary Road", when Leo DiCaprio's character threatens to strike Kate Winslet's character: both were in the wrong in the lead up to that moment. I'm thinking of posting on this, and similar aspects of the film "Crash" at some future time.) I've also been on the receiving end of offensive, passive-aggressive and other violent/aggressive words, including from women, and have personal experience of what that does.
- Finally, there are times when people have to go through unpleasant experiences to force them to learn & grow, or perhaps to force them to pay off karma that they are pretending they don't have. This happens after the Universe has presented many opportunities to do so "the easy way".
It is a major concern of mine that many spiritual/New Age/proselytisers for peace focus so much on physical violence. I've seen acts of extraordinary emotional violence committed in words by such people - and then had them have the temerity to claim their behaviour is somehow OK.
It is not. It is, in some ways, possibly worse than physical violence: with physical violence, the anger or hate is visible (if such is present), and one is aware of it, whereas with non-physical violence the hate, anger, fear, jealousy or whatever the motive is, is likely to be hidden, and the discovery of that later amplifies the trauma.
One of the "myths" I grew up with in a small country town in Queensland is that small boys and young men always have a few tiffs (fights) as they grow up, and that it doesn't do any harm. Well, firstly, it does do harm - if one loses, it is much akin to being on the receiving end of bullying, and I've seen such so-called "losers" then devote time & energy into becoming stronger, or more competent at fighting, or to compensate for the loss in some other way, rather than get on with having a life. (I've also seen this in girls and young women who are excluded - which could possibly be considered the female version of violence?) I've also seen the so-called "victor" then start to strut, and think they don't have to develop as a person, and develop a whole lot of fake "friendships" - it's not good for their development as a person. Looking at this situation of aggression: there are no winners, in my opinion. The second point I will make about the statement is that NOT all young boys/men wish to get into fisticuffs or other competitive behaviour to try and "prove" their masculinity, or because "it is what everyone does". That was never the case when I was growing up, nor when the generation before me, some of whom I've spoken to about this, were growing up.
I mentioned competitiveness. Competition is often a form of violence, and I know someone who had an alternative upbringing who cannot even say the word. However, it is not something that is automatically associated with aggression or violence. For instance, the limited contact I have had with wrestling suggests that that is an area where competitiveness is fairly genuinely based on wanting to see what one is capable of - there is quite a bit of concern for how one's opponent is. Oddly enough, that is something which seems to have been the case also with SOME boxers in my father's generation (he used to do some amateur boxing) - that obviously does not apply to all boxers (and the serious risks of brain injury are such that I don't endorse boxing), but I've seen some genuine sportsmanship even in professional bouts, and there seem to have been genuine bonds of respect formed between some boxers. In any case, this physical violence is not always based on hate or anger.
It's not just a case of all violent physical contact is bad.
(Going back to competitive sport for a moment, I used to be a regionally successful competitive dinghy sailor [which is not a contact sport, but some people can be extremely aggressive, and shout a lot while competing: they're usually the poorer sailors] when I was younger. The success helped me, as it gave me some self esteem to get through some of life's challenges at that time [and since], it started me in teaching [I have been teaching sailing since I was 14, and was pleased to get the people who others found difficult to teach], it developed some wonderful teamwork [I had comments about the joy of watching the crewwork between myself and my main crew] and it gave me a wonderful source of connection to nature]. However, many people in the sailing club could never work out why sometimes I would do well in the results of race and not be happy, and other times I could do badly in the results and yet be happy. The reason was I was judging myself by how well I had sailed, how well I had used the skills of sailing - I may have done well because others did badly, and I had also done badly: that wasn't good, in my opinion. But if I had done well, and simply been beaten because someone was better than me at the application of sailing skills,that was OK because I felt good about having sailed at or above the standard I set myself.)
If we go back to the schoolyard where young boys are supposedly "having a few tiffs", and young girls are supposedly "sugar and spice and all things nice", things have improved, in my opinion, today compared to when I was growing up. In particular, there are anti-bullying policies in many of the better schools - they may be flawed (I would never tell a bully what the effect has been on me of their bullying: my experience of such people was that they were sadists, and would have enjoyed hearing that; also, not all children are inherently good - they may be, at the soul level, as all people are, but their incarnation may be evil - I mean the word - from a very young age*), and it is a situation which is difficult to find all the truth one needs to have and to come up with a "perfect" solution, but it is still a commendable step. In a sense, those bullying policies work basically because there is a third party who has more authority/moral strength: that is not, unfortunately, yet the case between nations.
* That doesn't mean one necessarily behaves differently towards such children: love is still the cure for most problems, including evil :)
Some nations do respect the role of the United Nations, and the UN does play a major role in improving the circumstances of people, but it is a flawed organisation. Those flaws can be traced back to the evil that Senator Joseph McCarthy committed against it in the 50s, but it is also partly a weakness that is inherent in it's nature. I consider examples of this to be the anti-gay statements of people associated with the UN (some recent), and the failure to manage the complexity of the situation around Israel and Palestine.
To cut a long argument short, there are going to be situations where wars occur that one side is right and the other wrong. Apart from anything else, the Second World War is an example of a war against evil, the evil of Hitler's regime. In that situation, should people have refused to fight? Should they have allowed evil to flourish?
That's a trick question.
Apart from the issue that people such as conscientious objectors are seeking to change the very energy that is inherent in this world, some people who actively oppose war do so because of karmic necessity: they may have had a past life as, oh ... say, Genghis Khan. Whoever had that past life is unlikely to be doing anything violent for many lifetimes if they are seeking to fix their karmic balance.
But also, there are ways of fighting against evil without using violence. These days sanctions are a well developed tool, and - arguably - played a role in the overthrow of the evil apartheid regime in South Africa. The thing to be balanced up there is the harm that is done while one is waiting for sanctions to take effect, vs. the harm that is done by perpetuating the habit in this world of using violence to "solve" problems (the comments I've mad above, alluding to resentment when losing a schoolyard fight, apply here: there are some who consider the Second World War was caused by the unfairness of the Versailles Treaty at the end of the First World War.
As another example, I think it was Muktananada who claimed to have strengthened to resolve of the Russian forces at the Battle of Stalingrad, which was a major turning point in the war against Nazism, through meditation. This theme of using meditation to promote peace (in the more "traditional" sense) is also a key theme in the events described in Stuart Holroyd's book "Briefing for the Landing on Planet Earth".
I've alluded to something significant there: that there are more than one way of using "peaceful" skills such as meditation to achieve peace. Using such skills to cause a deep, abiding peace in oneself, or to inspire growth and a non-violent way of resolving problems in others is one thing, but there are also battles and conflicts going on everyday in this lawless world that need active intervention so the world can get those over and done with, and then get on to moving to being a better world. Those battles re the emotional, mental and psychic battles that happen everyday over things like control - in the sense of controlling others.
There is a great evil in this world: it is the evil of pulling the wool over one's eyes and thinking that violence is something that happens only physically, or in wars, or domestic violence. The laws around domestic violence are starting to acknowledge that, with the inclusion of changes to address financial control. However, we still have a long way to go.
I've posted previously on the topic The Middle Ages and Today's Psychic Sewers: it would be worth briefly having a look at that. In this world we have many people, including people who are otherwise committed to peace and growth, who seek to control or manipulate others, which is an act of extreme spiritual violence and aggression. It is fairly obvious that the person who tailgates another driver is impatient, and is using their closeness to attempt to intimidate the victim of their violence into speeding up. It is less obvious that the person who whines, wheedles and cajoles others into favours, rather than simply asking openly and honestly (while being genuinely prepared for a no) is also committing what could be considered an act of evil.
Does motivation play a role in this?
Yes - but not in the way you are possibly thinking! The person who is doing the manipulating IS aware that they are trying to get someone else to do something that the other doesn't want. That is why they're doing it - it's not a simple case of "oh but they're only ..." - that argument is the one used around schoolyard bullying and violence when I was growing up.
This problem also goes further, with attempts at psychic control. In many cases, THIS type of behaviour is even less conscious than the former: it is also no less damaging, just as the schoolyard bullying is no less damaging because it hasn't led to obvious physical wounds (perhaps!).
In my opinion, this issue of verbal, emotional, mental, spiritual and psychic violence, including control and psychic attack, is a major problem in the world. So what does one do about it?
Well, the first thing is to seek to make make sure you are respecting other people and their boundaries. re you aren't doing it yourself. Get counselling or do some personal growth work to make sure you have no resolved or unknown issues that could be causing or contributing to resentment. Deal with frustrations in your life as best you can: for instance, you may be in a job that you hate because you need the money (perhaps to support a chronically or critically ill child/partner/parent): acknowledge that to yourself, and plan ways of coping with that energy - realistic ways. Those realistic ways may be, for you, reminding yourself that you are doing this out of love. Or, you may find that a load of codswallop, and cope by things like a "three minute holiday" (visualising yourself somewhere you enjoy while doing something you like, such as possibly listening to favourite song). Or you may cope by acknowledging that all things pass, and this phase of your life will end (to be flippant for a moment, even the worst teenager eventually moves out of home :) ). Read up on the skills and principles used in polyamoury: you may not be poly yourself, but poly people have developed good skills for managing jealousy, and respecting boundaries, and NOT controlling people in relationships.
For the next point, lets start looking at another shade of grey. I've read of people who wouldn't try to save someone who was drowning (whether literally or metaphorically) because they didn't want to "take on that person's karma". Well, that view is also a load of codswallop: what IS relevant is that, if you have the capacity and opportunity to help another, and you CHOOSE not to, you earn just as much negative karma as someone who possibly pushed the drowning victim into the river.
So ... let's say you have the capacity and opportunity to intervene in an act of violence: if you don't, are you earning negative karma?
Well, that depends on the situation. If you're a police officer with the training and social sanction to stop an attempted murder, you should definitely in my opinion - act. If you're a soldier defending your land against an aggressor who has invaded for no good reason, my inclination is that you should probably act. If you're a committed pacifist, with a lifelong passion for advocating non-violent ways of responding to situations (I am aware of what's called "civil defence" [e.g. taking down street signs so an invader doesn't know where they are - to use a pre-GPS example!], but consider that of limited usefulness - particularly with an invader who is committing acts of evil such as massacres and torture), you should also continue to act by your pacifist role (pacifist does not mean inactive, actually - Gandhi's concept of Satyagraha has a few subtleties that may not be comprehended by those who first come across the concept). If you're a "saint", albeit possible a flawed "saint", with the ability to help others who are actively fighting, whether physically or non-physically, against evil, you should probably act. If you have some skills around psychic attack, you should probably act. I've posted before on how to defend yourself against psychic attack, but there are other skills, which can be considered to be akin to being the psychic equivalent stopping a rampaging gunman** - would you stop a gunman who was injuring or killing people if you could? Would you do the same to someone who was doing the psychic equivalent of that?
Finally, if you're an everyday person, with the normal everyday skills of speech, thought and inherent psychic ability (don't take those for granted! Some people are not blessed with such abilities, possibly through being diferently abled), you should also act.
You may need to develop some of those abilities, and you will probably have to do a lot of looking at shades of grey, but if you do not, you may well be guilty of the "sin" of failing to act. If you fail to address your own shortcomings, and the characteristics in yourself that put you at risk of psychic violence such as psychic attack (and that is most often caused by strong emotions - and limited only by the lack of psychic skill applied to the emotion), you may well be guilty of the "sin" of failing to act. If you are aware of others who are committing acts of psychic evil, such as control or psychic attack, and you fail to act, you may well be guilty of the "sin" of failing to act.
So ... what are you going to do now? (DO be realistic about existing commitments to family, friends and work when assessing whether or not you have the time & energy for an extensive involvement in doing anything!)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
** Such skills are based around clearing the negative energy that person is using: for example, is the person being controlled by an earthbound entity (which happens quite a bit, particularly around alcoholics and drug addicts). If so, clear the earthbound entity (or at least their influence). You may also be able to clear what I term indirect karma: remove a negative association between yourself and a third party, and that may lighten the third party's aura enough that their guides/Higher Self/Deity can inspire them to help the rampager be healed. You may also be able to help create things like walls of light between the rampager and her/hir/his victims, or heal or teach the victims about psychic self defence (or heal the aggressor - they do, after all, need healing). If nothing else, you can pray to Deity for some help with the whole situation (just keep in mind the old saying "I used to wonder why someone didn't do something, then I realised I was someone.") This post is about taking responsible action: you WILL be held accounatble for all your deeds and inaction, so be very thoughtful whatever you do or don't do. And in making your decisions, keep in mind people's right to free will: if they are not harming someone else (and someone else's reaction may be an attempt at control on the part of that person, or a flaw in the other person), then they have the right to do stuff that is harmful to themselves.
Importantly, do not let yourself get cocky if you do do something constructive or good. Have a read of the following:
"Researchers found that buying green can lead people into less
altruistic behaviour, and even make them more likely to steal and lie
than after buying conventional products. Buying products that claim to
be made with low environmental impact can set up 'moral credentials' in
people's minds that give license to selfish or questionable behavior."
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_
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Tags: attitudes, bullying, change, communication, control, emotions, evil, growth, interpersonal interactions, judging others, karma, love, peace, personal characteristics, respect, responsibility, violence
First published: Saturday 10th October, 2009
Last edited: Saturday 10th October, 2009
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