Post No. 139 - Stay at home kids

I am blessed by the partner I have [1] in a number of ways: one is that we both agree it is important for children to leave the family home so they can experience independent life and finish their growth into maturity.

Can I put my tongue firmly in my cheek and say (write) that I think any parent who allows their kid to stay at home past 26 without good reason [2] could be committing a form of child abuse?

I'm not serious, but it is worth thinking about the view that your kids are serving an apprenticeship to become adults - normal, mature, independent adults, particularly given the trend for kids to stay at home for a long period, which seems to be happening more and more in recent decades.

See here and here for some of my other posts which are (sort of) related to this.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. I should probably write "primary" partner here to help emphasise the message of polyamory, but I don't actually have more than one partner, at the moment (that's NOT an invitation, BTW)
2. There can be good reasons for this, such as illness on the part of the parents (i.e., they may need to be looked after) or disability on the part of the child. Helping the kid save for a house is NOT a good reason - if they can't save the deposit without help, they may well be being encouraged to take on a debt they cannot service.

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: immaturity, maturity, family, parenting, children,

First published: Tuesday 27th July, 2010

Last edited: Tuesday 27th July, 2010

Post No. 138 - Training

As I was driving home this evening, I was listening to the BBC's World Update being transmitted by the ABC's News Radio; in particular, a segment on the coming 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London. What struck me, as it has before when considering elite athletes, is the hard work and dedication which goes into their sports - you can argue about the ethics of their decision (as I have - and as I personally contemplated when I was younger, given my relative local successes in sailing [1]), but you cannot argue that they put a massive amount of intelligently directed effort into bettering their performances.

Now, in many circles I move in, it is fairly fashionable to "bash" (that's a bit harsher than the reality: "be dismissive of" is more accurate) sports people, who - in, some cases, by their own admission - are not much for spirituality or political pursuits. (There are exceptions: for instance, the former Richmond player Brendan Gale has a good reputation on inclusion; the former Melbourne player Jim Stynes has done quite a bit for kids wellbeing [although the organisation he is associated with [the "Reach Foundation"] seem to be reluctant to acknowledge LGBTIQ issues - based on the lack of response to correspondence I've sent to them], and former cricketer Steve Waugh has worked to improve situations in India [e.g. a leper children's colony, "Udayan", in Calcutta.)

Probably worst of all is the macho culture around race car drivers - but you do have to (in my opinion) give credit where it is due, and acknowledge that many of these drivers do have courage. They may not have courage when they start, being, perhaps, blinded by the view of some youth that they are invincible, but after a few prangs, they know what they're in for, and yet they still give it their all - and that includes physical training as well as practising, in many cases.

I started writing this post a long time ago, when I read about the work that football player Nathan Buckley did (before he retired) when training. My reaction was, at that time, if psychic/spiritual people showed 10% of his dedication, they would do exceptionally well - as, in fact, those I know who do make such an effort do, in fact, do :)

As an example of this, consider Charmaine Wilson, who I wrote about in my post Reading and registers.

By being open minded, it is possible to find inspiration and ideas in a wide range of places.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. I chose not to pursue competitive sports because of the time, energy and commitment required, but I do value and advocate for exercise, team pursuits and getting out into the natural world - which are things that some sports can help with. I am also VERY aware of the potential mental-emotional benefits which potentially can come from being physically active. In my case, sailing kept me alive in my teenage years - it gave me a way to cope with the travails of being trans. If, however, I had not been successful at sailing, that may not have been as rewarding - which leads me to the downside of some sports, particularly for younger people, who may be, for instance, given a hard time by peers or parents.

Tags: commitment, cross-fertilisation (ideas), courage, training, dedication

First published: Tuesday 27th July, 2010

Last edited: Tuesday 27th July, 2010

Hotel Rwanda - part 2 (the other tags)

The additional tages for my post "Hotel Rwanda".

Post No. 137 - Hotel Rwanda

Last weekend, after watching my favourite action movie (Gandhi [1]), my partner and I watched the film Hotel Rwanda.

Wow.

I actually have trouble watching the movie because it depicts such horrendous events, but the actions of the lead character, Paul Rusesabagina, are, to me, as inspiring as those of "Mahatma" Gandhi [2].

Interestingly enough, in the special features section of the DVD, there was an interview with Don Cheadle, who plays the role of Paul Rusesabagina, where Mr. Cheadle comments that Paul felt his actions were quite selfish, as he (Mr. Rusesabagina) wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't try to do something. Reminds me a little of one my past posts.

Also interestingly, there is quite a bit about the past history leading up to the Rwandan Genocide, including past massacres of Hutus, at Wikipedia.

Things are so rarely black and white: there are almost always shades of grey ...

In fact, one of the aspects of seeking world peace that I consider most important is that, to do something effective about the psychic atmosphere of negative energy that saturates too much of this planet, is the importance of people on and around this planet finding personal peace - there are seven billion of us on this planet: if, say, five billion are desperate because of poverty or hunger, that desperation can lead to emotions, such as jealousy and resentment, which not only can directly lead to violence (i.e. through terrorism), but will also contribute to aggression and defensiveness in other people as well - it is like the old idea of people having two wolves inside them: which wolf are you feeding? [3] That not only dictates who you are physically, it also dictates what psychic influence you have on the world.

We are ALL capable of great evil, and great good: we may establish a habit of being one or the other, but those habits are just that - habit, and we can be shaken out of those my great events or trauma, such as, perhaps, having a child or some other loved one taken or harmed or threatened. [4] Gandhi, I understand, felt he was always struggling (striving?) to do what was "right" (morally and ethically); I've never felt that I can take things easy in terms of my spiritual growth (see here).

For the achievement of an end to violence (and I consider world poverty and world hunger and world thirst also to be forms of violence), yes, we need to address injustices and specific issues: but we also need to address the psychic sewers we are all living in, in our daily lives, or we will find these problems continue to recur - just as we need to address the underlying separation of "us" and "them" in our hearts, or otherwise the bigotry those attitudes lead to will simply keep finding another way to manifest itself as.

(See here, here, here and here for some of my past posts.)

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. There actually is quite a bit of "action" in this movie: most of it is spiritual action, but there is also some quite violent events depicted in the film (although, perhaps, not as graphically as in most "action" movies) - basically, it's a bit of a running family joke we have, that I class Gandhi as an "action" movie :)
2. The word "Mahatma" means "Great Soul": Gandhi's name was actually Mohandas K. Gandhi. Oh, and, according to the Wikipedia post on "Hotel Rwanda" (link given above), the film was listed by someone or other as one of the 100 most inspiring films of all time.
3. I think this is a Cherokee story - see here, for instance.
4. It is worth thinking on that. One of the things hostages in Iraq found was, I understand, that they would not be directly threatened: often, they were tearful and upset in videos being released because people close to them were being threatened - i.e., "cry on camera or I will kill or torture your innocent driver". What sort of provocation would cause you to want to retaliate violently against someone? What would you do if you were in a situation where you thought - rightly or wrongly - that being threatening or doing something like torture could save or protect someone - or something - you cared greatly about? If you can do this sort of exercise GENUINELY, you are far better placed to do something constructive about preventing abuses of power than people who argue only from the position of principle, although that is also vital.
   
   You are also better placed to be a Paul Rusesabagina, or a Mohandas K Gandhi, if ever you find yourself in a situation where that is needed.

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: about me, attitudes, daily life, discrimination, earthbound, group dynamics, hate, hunger, love, materialism, media, obsession, peace, perceptions, personal characteristics, poverty, rescue, responsibility, self knowledge, selfishness, selflessness, socialisation, world thirst, violence, war,

First published: Monday 26th July, 2010

Last edited: Monday 26th July, 2010

Post No. 136 - Premonitions and precognitive dreams

We recently watched the film "Premonitions", starring Sandra Bullock and (Australian) Julian McMahon. The film itself was interesting, but the documentary on the DVD about premonition was particularly good (well, for me, at any rate :) ), and has inspired me to follow up from a past post on the topic of precognitive dreams.

Now, as I mentioned in my earlier post, I have precognitive dreams (well, more a case of used to, actually - I haven't had any for a while [that I know of]). After "9/11", I, along with many others, wandered about whether or not it was possible to do something about these dreams. I even joined a Yahoo group which had been founded (I feel like writing "allegedly", but that would be uncharitable, unreasonable and probably wrong) to try and share information and get some value out of the dreams so many seem to have had. The problem, unfortunately, was that the group had degenerated (my view/assessment/word) into a conventional "dream interpretation" group.

Now, there's nothing wrong with dream interpretation - UNLESS you are trying to assess dreams for precognition ...

IF a group is to be both founded AND effective in terms of using dreams for precognition, in my opinion it's focus MUST be solely, rigidly and determinedly on precognition - NOT dream interpretation.

The other problem to be addressed here is one of unreasonable expectations of accuracy.

We aren't all Allison DuBois - but we don't NEED to be.

There is a project, called the Global Consciousness (EGG) Project, which is looking for effects from world events on random number generators. In effect, these are predicting that global consciousness can have a measurable effect on something. Well, I consider something similar to that applies also to dreams.

Let's say there is a baseline of 1,500 dreams per week about jet plane crashes in a particular country - actually, no, let's say that the baseline is that around 12% of those signed up to this project in a particular country have dreams about jet plane crashes (in a typical week - i.e., no reports about plane crashes, no movies about plane crashes, etc - nothing out of the ordinary).

If that suddenly jumps to, say, 60%, then something may be about to happen, and the influence of that something may be manifesting as increased dreams about plane crashes. It may not be a plane crash that is causing this increased number of dreams, but experience over time would possibly give an indication of how events play out in the dreams of populations.

Perhaps it may be that a corresponding increase in the occurrence of dreams about plane crashes in another country would suggest that the crash (if that is what is going to occur) is of a flight between the two countries.

Of course, some of those in the group may have better accuracy than most, so you may wind up assigning rankings to some people, so, say person X has a dream about plane crashes, that is worth twice as much (statistically speaking) as person Y.

Getting something like this set up would take a good website (i.e., one compatible with non-Windows systems and features such as "No Scripts", one that is SECURE and well-managed, etc), and people with the time to make it happen. Those people who are prepared to contribute their dreams would have to be patient, and prepared to accept that they may not receive any results for some time, so as to avoid the risk of their dreams being biased.

It is hard to see that happening, unfortunately ... maybe in a few decades.

Of course, this may all also be about good events, as well as bad :)

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: Global Consciousness (EGG) Project, statistics, about me, divination, dreams, learning from mistakes,

First published: Sunday 25th July, 2010

Last edited: Sunday 25th July, 2010

Post No. 135 - The benefits of combining witchcraft and (spirit) rescue

I recently was walking to work after dropping my car off to be serviced (and have an annoying fan belt squeal when I start in the morning attended to [1]), and contemplating various matters [2], when I noticed quite a few earthbound spirits around me, clamouring for me to open a gateway or door for them. At that moment, I realised that my speciality within the world of spirit rescue is opening doorways or portals - which is possibly connected to having Yinepu as one of my Patron Deities; I opened the doorway, and quite a few people passed through to the Summerlands.

I can't leave the doorway open for too long: there is a certain amount of protection I can provide, as well as a certain amount if inherent protection coming from the higher energy state of the astral the connection is to, but I cannot keep this safe for an unlimited time. Still, it is an easy, efficient way of performing rescue that was never mentioned in my days in Spiritualist/New Age groups.

The other thing I realised, is that some entities evidently do realise that their body has died, and they just simply don't know what to do, or that there is an afterlife. Maybe this is an outcome of the increase in atheism, or perhaps agnosticism? Certainly the last century's of terrible, terrible wars and atrocities has increased the number of people who died in fear and pain, and thus (arguably) may be more likely to not notice that their body had died, but maybe our (as a planetary whole) belief systems have contributed to the problems.

In any case, I have found that a quick establishment of protection and then opening a portal is a remarkably efficient way to help some people pass over.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. Think it sounds like I know about cars? Nope: I don't have much more than basic car knowledge - and have no interest in gaining any more :)
2. Such as having one of my sisters diagnosed with throat cancer, and told she needs a glossectomy ...

This post's photo is yet to be posted

Tags: about me, astral, attitudes, awareness, earthbound, energy work, emotions, evil, inventiveness, planes of existence, rescue, spiritualism, New Age,

First published: Sunday 25th July, 2010

Last edited: Sunday 25th July, 2010

Post No. 134 - Reading and registers [Content Warning: discrimination, domestic violence, death, loss, murder, grief]

I've had an interesting week from the point of view of reading. Going backwards through the week, I had to go to the bank yesterday and, since it wasn't crack of dawn, and was a Saturday, and I couldn't do this at the counter, I knew I would have a bit of a wait: so ... I bought a book. I also then managed to leave the book in the car, so I had a long wait without being able to do any reading, but that's another story :)

Anyway, the book is "Spirit Whispers", by Charmaine Wilson (pub. Fontaine Press, Fremantle, 2006, ISBN 9780980417098), which is the autobiography of the Australian medium who won the TV series "The One". This was interesting for a few reasons:

• she had quite a rough life, losing several people close to her - and, in fact, her struggle with grief seems to be what motivates her to do this work;


• she was taught largely by her guides, directly, psychically, which is a situation I have wondered about at times (i.e., if there were no other groups or people one could learn from, would one's guides teach one directly? The answer is, of course, yes :) );


• the author talks about "expanding her aura", which is similar (not identical!) to what I feel I do when I am remote sensing;


• through this book, I came across an organisation called the Australian Psychics Association (which voted the author "Australian Psychic of the Year" in 2005), which has a Code of Ethics for members, and obliges prospective members to provide both a Statutory Declaration that they are who they say they are (i.e., an accurate psychic), AND three Statutory Declarations from satisfied past clients.

I think the idea behind the Australian Psychics Association is interesting, but my Wiccan background leaves me wary of the prohibition they have against misuse of spells in their Code of Ethics: it is well intentioned, and I can't specifically fault it, but I consider recommending that any use of witchcraft/spells be in accordance with the Wiccan Rede would be more appropriate.

There are other matters I would include also: directly mentioning respect for free will, acknowledging that all this is subject to the law (it is, you now - you can no more deliberately commit an act of fraud as a medium than as any other person), and specific coverage of avoidance of discrimination. In fact, I think this (a register of mediums/psychics/alternative healers who are ethical) is something that can go over to the Order of Hermes, with appropriate checks on prospective listees around their knowledge of and attitude to LGBTIQ people, different races, different religions, etc. (A comment should also be included for anyone who uses the website to find someone, that customers are ALSO obliged to obey the law, and are as ethically/morally bound to be honourable as the psychic/medium - so no lies, abuse, etc.)

It was also interesting to compare this book with Debbie Malone's "Never Alone" (pub. Random House, 2009, ISBN 978-1-74166-675-5). This second author had a probably more conventional introduction to mediumship (including training in a Spiritualist circle, which led to some Chistian biases [which I have found Spiritualism tends to have] against witchcraft), but wound up working somewhat more in the area of crime investigation (her book cover describes her as "Australia's own Allison DuBois" ... )

Of these two, I would say that Charmaine Wilson actually had the better training: one of the chapters in her book is called "Psychic Boot Camp", and she talks about having to practise and perfect skills to the satisfaction of her Guides, which parallels the intense training I had to go through when I was learning seriously back in the 80s.

The "training" in character of both (probably more so Charmaine) brings to mind the experiences of Ingrid Poulson, who wrote the book "Rise" (pub. Pan Macmillan Australia, Sydney, 2008, ISBN 978-1-4050-3863-8) after her ex-husband killed her children and her father while she was reporting his rape of her the previous night to the police, about how she came to live a life of resilience after these terrible events.

Going back to Charmaine Wilson and Debbie Malone, Debbie Malone has had some success at mechanical techniques such as psychic photography, whereas Charmaine Wilson has not apparently been successful at such matters (although a friend had reportedly got a photo of Charmaine Wilson's spirit guide while she was giving "proof of survival" [1] readings at an RSL).

It was also very interesting that the turning point for Charmaine Wilson was seeing John Edwards on TV, after which she was able to find and read books by quite a few mediums, including Doris Stokes.

So ... moving on to other reading.

I found the description of developing non-visual senses (physical and psychic), and then using non-visual preferences (of scents, textures, etc) as ways of inferring what colour one's aura is in "Auras and how to read them", by Sarah Bartlett (Collins & Brown, London, 2000, ISBN 978-185585-746-4), quite interesting.

Some web links that were interesting (to me) this week were:

• http://www.seidh.org/books/trance-portation/ (about a book by Diana L. Paxson about trance work, based on Norse and other Northern Traditions; this site includes links to the Introduction and Chapter One as samples)


• The Return of the Völva: Recovering the Practice of Seidh


• The Oracle


• Sex, Status, and Seidh: Homosexuality and Germanic Religion


• http://us.macmillan.com/emotionalawareness, about a book "Emotional Awareness co-written by the Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman, the scientific advisor to the TV series "Lie to Me", who's website includes commentary on what they got wrong in the TV series (see also here) - I am looking forward to getting and reading a copy of this book :)


• http://www.lblaustralia.com.au/, about a different approach to past life regression to that I use ("Life Between Lives Hypnotherapy" - and, I point out, I am not qualified to use hypnotherapy or hypnosis, and no interest in either doing so or becoming qualified to do so :) )


• http://www.animaldreaming.com/ [2]


• http://transformations.cqu.edu.au/journal/issue_13/article_05.shtml, which included the following: "In Aboriginal culture Badlands don’t exist. The earth/landscape is regarded as a sentient being to be nurtured and cherished. In the case of unacceptable cultural practices, atonement must be made in the form of appropriate healing rituals to re-enchant and restore the land. Dudley Flats will undergo an epiphany when it is eventually incorporated into the mainstream, after more than 150 years as the receptacle for all that Melbournians [sic] found valueless or undesirable. This space has played the role of our collective burial ground where we dumped unwanted goods and people. When the bulldozers move in what will be excavated and brought to the surface and what interred? The luxury flats to be erected here will bury a heritage which is already partially interred, already an absence which will surely come back to haunt us." (about "Dudley Flats", in West Melbourne)


• http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~jkoch/southern.html


• http://www.dsv.org.au/index.shtml, about the "Dowsing Society of Victoria", which I am contemplating attending so I can learn more about "Hartmann and Curry Grids and New Energy Lines" (see also here, which is from the Spheres of Light's Axis Mundi on-line magazine)

Next, a few rune links, some of which are a bit commercial (sorry!):

• http://www.sunnyway.com/runes/galdr.html


• http://www.amazon.com/Runes-Transformation-Ancient-Symbols-Change/dp/1578634253?tag=dogpile-20


• http://www.runemagick.com/rune_magic08.html


• http://amongtherunes.wordpress.com/

Finally, I have just found the TV series "Afterlife". Wow.

Enjoy :)

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. See here and here; I particularly found this, this and this interesting.


2. From the website: "People confuse the concept of Animal Dreaming with the new wave of interest directed toward Animal Communication, or the intuitive ability to talk to the animals. Although I appreciate and respect the concept, I am not a 'horse whisperer'. I do not talk to people's pets. I can talk to animals. We all can. But its not my strength. It's not my medicine. Instead, I observe and interpret their tangible wisdom, demonstrated by how they relate to their kind, other species and their environment, and then integrate what they have 'to say' into my life. We are all animals - mammals in fact, and the understanding that we can communicate with the animals comes from the fact that we are all one. We all, ultimately, share the same thoughts. What I do looks at the wisdom of the animals from a medicine point of view. The animals understand their sacred purpose and they honour it, not to enhance their place in the world, but rather to demonstrate how we can enhance ours. The animals are tangible. They are real. Their wisdom is ancient and all embracing. When we begin to look to the animals for guidance, we begin to remember Spirit. Incorporating the wisdom of the animals into our life is as easy and as natural as breathing."


3. The list of tags is longer than the "official" labels: the tags list is what I wanted to have, but there is a character limit: I decided to keep it for my own purposes, and I'll see if I can work out a way to add them (perhaps to a second, "dummy" post ... [see ... ]). TEMPORARILY REMOVED

This post's photo is of two of our cats "helping" me do some reading (actually, preparing for a book review I am yet to post).

Tags: emotions, grief, resilience, depression, hate, forgiveness, cross-training, mediumship, psychism, trance, past life regression, Ingrid Poulson, Charmaine Wilson, Debbie Malone, John Edwards, Doris Stokes, Diana L Paxson,

First published: Sunday 18th July, 2010

Last edited: Sunday 18th July, 2010 

Post No. 133 - Another lazy Sat'diy marnin'

I did a rescue this morning (which is nothing unusual - I even did one yesterday while I was having a shower :D ), but I was struck by the experiences of some of the entities rescued: they were emergency workers who had died a few decades ago, and, when they saw "the Light", thought they must be about to go to (the Christian) "Heaven", BUT ... they didn't want to spend the rest of eternity sitting on a cloud, playing a harp and singing the praises of "the Lord". They wanted to keep working, to keep being of service - which is, in my humble estimation, a motivation that is far too underplayed by society (especially the media).

The other interesting issue is the problems that can occur when one is limited by a particular religion's beliefs ("reality map"), Christianity in this case (maybe they thought they were in purgatory?).

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: Christianity, earthbound, rescue, emotions, myths, daily life, attitudes,

First published: Sat'diy 17th July, 2010

Last edited: Saturday 17th July, 2010

Post No. 132 - Ethics

In today's online edition of "The Age" was a story about a car accident where a four year old boy was injured. The article points out that children under seven can sit in the front seat of cars if all available back seats are occupied by children under seven, but it SEEMS that, in such circumstances, all the children must still be wearing approved booster seats/child restraints. Furthermore, the article states that police are not prepared to speculate about the accident as they are still investigating.

I read this story just a few minutes after reflecting on some letter writing I did when Melbourne's Crown Casino was being contemplated. One of my concerns at that time was the one sidedness of the legislation being proposed: a person could potentially lose everything they had, or enough to find themselves in financial trouble, but the Casino could tell people to leave if they were winning too much money!

That is one-sided, and unfair. The Casino has, in my opinion, a far greater financial capacity to withstand losses than the vast majority of individuals who go there, and this one-sidedness was morally repugnant.

At the time, the replies I had were to the effect that the jobs of people working at the Casino were more important than the potential for people to put their families out on the street. I consider that subsequent work to address problem gambling has verified that I was right to raise the concerns, and it was a shame that I and others weren't listened to.

I've become a lot more hard-line on these sorts of issues now, particularly with more recent concerns about jobs that are damagibng the environment. So, now, I would probably respond to the issue about jobs along the lines of those people need to find work that is ethical.

You've probably noticed that I'm not a fan of gambling? Small flutters can be entertaining for many people - in fact, I've put a few dollars through pokies myself.

I've also had an ex- put her whole pay cheque through the pokies before she had even got home ... and someone else I knew lost her home from a gambling addiction.

And then there is ethical behaviour around looking after children. I fully support the recent Victorian Government's legislation on child restraints [1] and better health environments for children in cars (i.e. no smoking), and, sad to say, I've often found it is simple laziness that leads many people to not consider getting appropriate booster seats or restriants. Less commonly, financial issues may be issues, and that is most likely a problem for larger families.

Now, if someone has multiple births through natural conception, that is one matter; choosing deliberately to have more than two children is environmentally questionable in my view, and, if it also includes a failure to plan for things like an appropriate car/child seats etc, then it becomes, in my opniion, morally reprehensible.

I have no idea whether the children in the car mentioned in today's article were the woman's or others that she had agreed (or been coperced into agreeing) to transport, or whether the seats were appropriate, but it certainly brought to mind a few thoughts on ethics based on people I used to know.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. See here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: ethics, family, personal responsibility, laziness, finances,

First published: Friday 16th July, 2010

Last edited: Friday 16th July, 2010

Post No. 131 - Forest Bathing

I came across a new term recently: "forest bathing". This describes what I need to do from time to time (especially for the last few weeks, when I have been unable to get out of the city!) brilliantly, and is a nice, new dimension to the joys of going bush ...

Apart from the Wikpedia entry, one link has the following on this:

"Hugh Pickens writes "The NY Times reports that although allergies and the promise of air-conditioning tend to drive people indoors at this time of year, when people spend time in more natural surroundings — forests, parks, and other places with plenty of trees — they experience increased immune function. A study of 280 healthy people in Japan, where visiting nature parks for therapeutic effect has become a popular practice called 'Shinrin-yoku,' or 'forest bathing,' found that being among plants produced 'lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, and lower blood pressure,' among other things. Another study in 2007 showed that men who took two-hour walks in a forest over two days had a 50-percent spike in levels of natural killer cells, and a third study found an increase in white blood cells that lasted for a week in women exposed to phytoncides in forest air."
Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: health, envitronment, trees, emotions, rejuvenation, relaxation, de-stressing, daily life,

First published: Thursday 14th July, 2010 (Bastille Day)

Last edited: Thursday 14th July, 2010

Post No. 130 - Cats and labels

A few days ago I went out late at night to look at the stars on a rare clear, winter's night [1], and flippantly said to my partner "I'm off to look for UFOs". When I got outside, I thought, it would be interesting to know where some UFOs are, I wonder where they are? I could have tried sensing for them myself, but the thought came to ask the cats of Melbourne (I relate very well to cats, and often have them come up to say "hello" when I'm out and about). So ... I sent a telepathic question out to "the cats of Melbourne" [2], and got an answer back that there were a couple of UFOs about, but out to the east and south east, beyond my physical viewing.

Last night we went to a discussion group on polyamory. It was an interesting group (although exhausting, as I was clearing some problem energies [3] ), which was marked, for me, by an interesting comment by one person, who said (words to the effect of):
"I'm a human who follows the ethical principles of veganism."

It was an interesting way of getting round the problem of being put in boxes, which happens to almost any label you choose to use. Of course, the (humorous) comment "human is a box" followed this comment (not from me :) ).

The other interesting comment was along the lines of there being so many forms of polyamory that maybe it should be called "polyamories". I can relate to this because I found many years ago that the trans community is really the trans communities (transsexual [M2F and F2M], transgender, transsexuals who prefer transgender, transsexuals who reject being identified as transgender, bigendered, operatives, non-operatives, etc, etc, etc). [3]

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. we have almost reached the point where Sagittarius is rising just after the sun sets, which, according to the Kulin people, marks the coolest time of the year. (See also here.)
2. When I was younger (well, OK, muuuuuch younger) and staying at (adoptive) parents to place to look after their home while they were away on holidays during a uni holiday, I once called the family cat (the regal, imperious and majestic "Tiddles) to come in at night telepathically. I thought, at the time, "hey, it works!" (But, again, I was close to cats at that time in my life - in fact, all my life that I can remember.)
3. For more on terminology, see here.

Update:
I've just found there was a report of a possible UFO not far away from where I live, but the next night ... see here. Maybe not the most spectacular and convincing report, but still ...

This post's photo is yet to be posted. 

 

 

 

 

Tags: about me, ET/UFO/UAP, cats, communication, labels, UFOs

First published: Wednesday 14th July, 2010 (Bastille Day)

Last edited: Friday 31st December, 2010

Post No. 129 - Less salubrious parenting

Today the Australian media has reports on a woman who wants to be able to choose the sex of her children through IVF. This woman cannot do that in Australia (thank the Goddess!), and is going overseas to do this, despite already having three children.

How irresponsible - in fact, I consider this woman pathetic and dangerously bordering on incompetent as a parent.

Firstly, she can NOT guarantee the sex of her children even if she gets a birth which appears to be what she wants: what if they are trans - or bigendered or intersexed? (see here if you are unsure of these terms.) If her child is trans, she will have no forewarning, and what will she do then? Stop loving the child because the child has mucked up with her carefully calculated gender mix? What if one of her existing or the new child doesn't meet her definition of what a particular child should be - perhaps the child would be same sex attracted or bisexual - is she going to continue loving the child? My experience of such people is that she won't, but this one COULD, of course, be different ... maybe ... then again, she thinks sex is significant enough to try to determine from before birth, which is not a good sign.

Secondly, there are VERY good reasons for banning this: the simple fact is, in some cultures being able to do so may open the door to a variation of the appalling practice of sex-selective abortion or infanticide.

Finally, having more than replacement numbers of children in a developed nation is, in my opinion, environmentally irresponsible: we in the "first world" need to slow our population growth rate down, so we stop consuming resources at an ever increasing rate!

In my opinion, this woman is not be pitied for not being able to dictate to nature what type of family she should have: she is pitiable for thinking she should be able to do so, and it is outrageous that she should try to reinforce existing gender stereotypes in society.

I am quite sure she is telling the truth that she has a deep urge to have a female child: I consider she should either have counselling to find a way to come to terms with this, or consider adopting a female child. I'm adopted, and consider that there is NOTHING lesser about that type of family situation.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo is yet to be posted

Tags: science, sexism, family,

First published: Friday 9th July, 2010

Last edited: Friday 9th July, 2010

Post No. 128 - Vanity vs. environment

As I was driving in to work recently, I heard two stories on the ABC Radio National's "Lifematters" programme which summed up much of what I consider to be problematic with the world.

Firstly, on a segment called "Lifeboat Cities", urban planner Professor Brendan Gleeson,Director, Urban Research Program Griffith University , discussed his views on our response to climate change. From the blurb for this programme "Climate change will cause economic and social disruption but it also gives us the opportunity to embrace new lifestyles and values. Urban planner Brendan Gleeson believes we need radical change and strong government to point us in the right direction. He also looks forward to a society which greatly values caring for families and communities".

I agree with Professor Gleeson: I don't consider we're taking climate change seriously enough - especially the need to be less materialistic and consumeristic. In fact, I strongly urge anyone who is in a job that depends on materialism or consumerism to seriously consider changing to something that is not: do it now, while you have a choice and the ability to be in some control of your destiny, rather than later, when you may be panicked.

Of course, I also urge people to be as environmentally responsible as they can - to the extent of, say, having a nice bath (subject to water restrictions!) rather than a shopping spree to cheer yourself up - or maybe receiving a nice massage inctead of buying a new outfit. (If you feel you do need a new outfit, maybe make it, or get a recycled [second hand] option.)

There have been years of people in spiritual circles warning against materialism/consumerism and related problems (e.g. Alice Bailey warned against what she called "glamour"). For most of my liofe, I took this as being a spiritual imperative: it's now clear that it also is environmentally responsible ...

As an illustration of some of the problem attitudes which come with this, immediately followingthe story I've just written about was one which illustrated the problem of vanity or ego: adult acne.

Does it really matter that a woman getting up to give a presentation has a spot on her face? No! - and it reflects very badly on any jer... person who thought less of her message because she has a spot, badly on them that they allowed their sexist prejudice to fasten on to such a trivial and irrelevant issue, and badly that they have - in effect - decided to actively promulgate the socialisation that causes women to think they "must" be pretty, or conform with certain images for ANY reason and causes any person to think that superficial appearance matters more than content in ANY context (which is a major problem in my day job as a professional engineer - for all genders, not just women).

This sort of attitude always leads me to think about people who "spend to feel happy", or "have" to have the latest gimmick, or regularly change their car because it isn't the latest/MIGHT start costing them some maintenance/looks older (all of which causes massive environmental damage - sure, the materials get recycled, but at the cost of massive power consumption [i.e., GHG generation]). better to make do until NECESSITY says you REALLY need something - we ARE going to have to make these sorts of changes at some stage: better to do it now, when you have some personal choice, than later, when the governments of the world finally realise what was cost at Coppenfloppen (apparently largely due to the Chinese position, which is understandable given the problems of poverty there) and impose a last second, panicked "solution" on everyone.

*takes a breath and chants "calm, calm, calm"*
...
*takes another breath and continues chanting "calm, calm, calm"*

OK, normal service will now resume :D

I also get annoyed when people start salivating about the value of their house: if I ever find myself in the fortunate position of being able to buy my own house, I want to do so for the sake of having somewhere to live, NOT because I want to pretend I am one of the rich! (Incidentally, I'm writing this in between watching the 1984 and 1946 film versions of Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge", which was a book I read many years ago and quite enjoyed.)

*takes a breath and chants "calm, calm, calm"*

We need to have less materialism/consumerism.

Also, the world of business/commerce needs to remember it's place: it is NOT the be-all and end-all! Sure, a healthy economy is very, very important, but only in the context of whether or not it is contributing constructively to all people's quality of life. For instance, if measures are introduced to cut welfare to promote business achieving it's targets, that is usually a net LOSS. (Also, have a look here.) However, if a new (environmentally responsible) industry comes in to an area and gives the people living there a chance of a decent income and of funding (through taxes, usually) education, health care, aged care, etc, that is wonderful.

There has been research that improved income leads to happiness up to the point probably slightly above where it ensures meeting survival needs (i.e. lower end of middle class, if i recall correctly): beyond that, money doesn't buy happiness. We don't NEED to be rich, and have lots of "stuff". In fact, one of the happiest times of my life was when I got rid of a lot of stuff so I could move onto a small boat.

So ... let's all start thinking about how we can fit onto this small planet. OK?

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

PS - this post, my third today, has been finished in a hurry, so don't be surprised f I edit this a little in the next few days

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Tags: attitudes, environmental, personal responsibility, perspective, consumerism, materialism, emotions,

First published: Saturday 3rd July, 2010

Last edited: Saturday 3rd July, 2010

Post No. 127 - Other views of "the northern traditions" and other stuff

I've posted before on various "interesting reading" links. This is another such post.

To begin with, in the interests of being as fair and objectively informative as I can, some less happy posts about the "Northern Traditions" that I have come across follow, along with others that call for inclusiveness:

• Sexual Pervertions in the Northern Tradition
• Troth to the Aesir

Some of those links are relevant for a book review I am working on.

Also, I found these interesting:

• The Millenium Report, from The Archdruid Report blog
• Combat Magic, found on a page on Freya Awynn's site, with the author's page here
• another page on Freya Aswynn's site leads here
  
• and this was an interesting book review on a Freya Aswynn page

Here are a few more links which might be of interest:

• mediumship (Wikipedia)
• New Age (Wikipedia)
• spirit guide (Wikipedia)
• the Avalon series of books
• the Hrafnar (associated with Diana L. Paxson, co-author with Marion Zimmer Bradley in a number of cases, including some of the Darkover series, and later continued the Avalon series)
• Living in Tower Time Author: Diotima Mantineia http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usnc&c=words&id=14041
• The Village Witch Post details: We Call It "Tower Time" http://blogs.citizen-times.com/blogs/index.php?blog=18&p=10975&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
• The First Direction Of Divine Creation Author: Erik Stearns http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=ustx&c=words&id=14010 (this relates somewhat to my "downside of mythology post", but goes beyond that: is EXCELLENT post
• http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usnj&c=words&id=13895
• Tea-leaf reader looks into iFuture, July 9, 2010 - 3:00AM; URL: http://www.theage.com.au/national/tealeaf-reader-looks-into-ifuture-20100708-102ak.html
• Monkeys catapult to freedom over fence, July 9, 2010 - 3:00AM; URL: http://www.theage.com.au/world/monkeys-catapult-to-freedom-over-fence-20100708-102bc.html
• http://wildhunt.org/blog/tag/ley-lines which includes the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Michell_(writer) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fort, which in turn includes the following:
  
  Some skeptics and critics have frequently called Fort credulous and naïve, a charge his supporters deny strongly. Over and over again in his writing, Fort rams home a few basic points that were decades ahead of mainstream scientific acceptance, and that are frequently forgotten in discussions of the history and philosophy of science:
  Fort often notes that the boundaries between science and pseudoscience are "fuzzy": the boundary lines are not very well defined, and they might change over time.
  
  Fort also points out that whereas facts are objective, how facts are interpreted depends on who is doing the interpreting and in what context.
  
  Fort insisted that there is a strong sociological influence on what is considered "acceptable" or "damned" (see strong program in the sociology of scientific knowledge).
  
  Though he never used the term "magical thinking", Fort offered many arguments and observations that are similar to the concept: he argued that most (if not all) people (including scientists) are at least occasionally guilty of irrational and "non scientific" thinking.
  
  Fort points out the problem of underdetermination: that the same data can sometimes be explained by more than one theory.
  
  Similarly, writer John Michell notes that "Fort gave several humorous instances of the same experiment yielding two different results, each one gratifying the experimenter."[8] Fort noted that if controlled experiments – a pillar of the scientific method – could produce such widely varying results depending on who conducted them, then the scientific method itself might be open to doubt, or at least to a degree of scrutiny rarely brought to bear. Since Fort's death, scientists have recognized the "experimenter effect", the tendency for experiments to tend to validate given preconceptions. Robert Rosenthal has conducted pioneering research on this and related subjects.

(I'm particularly glad to have found the first three links, as I can use them whenever I refer to these concepts - which I do a fair bit :) .)

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

This post's photo is yet to be posted

Tags: Northern Tradition, demons, discrimination, attitudes, runes, Freya Aswynn, sexuality,

First published: Saturday 3rd July, 2010

Last edited: Friday 9th July, 2010

Post No. 126 - Transformation and change

I've mentioned elsewhere that I have an idea for an organisation to be called the "Rangers of the Inner Plane" (formerly "Rangers of Gyhldeptis" - mentioned previously in posts of mine here, here and here, for instance [1]). ONE of the many reasons or motivations for this is that I would like to accomplish a transformation, in somewhat a reverse version of the way that Hitler's Germany transformed the associations with the swastika, which was originally a symbol of luck or good fortune, into something negative. Specifically, I would like to transform (well, to start, in a small way, to transform :) ) the associations with military/paramilitary organisation/discipline from destructiveness (i.e. aggressive warfare, or a mindset that insists on order, hierarchy, chains of command and conservatism [2]) to something that is more constructive: i.e., protection of those who cannot protect themselves in a a non-physical sense (i.e., psychic and/or spiritual).

Of course, the best way for such people to be "protected" is to learn how to protect themselves from things which are disharmonious [3] ... that will come, but, for now, some people have other priorities in their lives which are more important or more compelling, or other responsibilities (e.g., caring for small children or infirm family members or friends) and so do not have the opportunity to learn how to do so (or may not have the contacts in the physical world to do so). Hence, I consider that there is a valid need for protection of some to be provided by others.

In seeking to accomplish this, I am very much aware that change is inevitable - it is one of the best lessons I learned from being Buddhist. It probably helps that I've seen so much change in my life. As a few of the smaller examples:

• As a kid, from before I was old enough to go to school and for my first years of school, we lived in a place called Syndal (it is now part of Glen Waverley). In those days, it was on the outskirts of Melbourne, and we used to walk to a State forest at the bottom of the hill, and find all sorts of fascinating things like discarded snake skins. Now, it is not too far from the geographic centre of the population distribution of Melbourne. I went back there when I came back to Melbourne, many years later, and could not even recognise where our house used to be - all the houses had been developed, rebuilt, and retaining walls put in. The magnificent forest was, sadly, long gone ... I did buy a set of tuning forks, though, at a music shop, which I used for many years while meditating on sound and vibration.
• After Syndal, we moved to Parkdale (I still support the Parkdale Seagulls [I signed the petition not to change the name of the women's team from the Seagulls to the vultures when the mens Parkdales Seagulls and Mentone Vultures combined to form the Parkdale Vultures, so I'm stickin' to that :) ] in the VWFL), where I had my first "first day" at high school [4]. I also went back there when I returned, as an adult, and was struck by the fact that the streets were half the size I recalled. (I was also struck by the fact that somone who had subsequently owned the house we had lived in had concreted over the front lawn and painted it green! Uuughh! Vandal - ENVIRONMENTAL vandal!)
• After we moved back to Queensland (I was actually born in Brisbane, but was adopted at three weeks and then flown to Melbourne shortly after, in the back of a DC3; the next few years were, I found out later, a lonely time for my [adoptive] Mum), we wound up involved with the now defunct Mackay Sailing Club because of my interest in sailing (I've mentioned sailing and my love of the sea in passing elsewhere: it kept me going through some personally very challenging times as a teenager, as I came to terms with myself). One of the highlights of the year for me, both sailing and personally, was out two week stint during the August school holidays at Kurrimine Beach [5]. In the few years I went there, I witnessed the coral reef just off the beach being desecrated by tourists taking bits of coral (this was long before anyone had even started talking about Marine Parks), and I also witnessed the change of character of the regatta as it became better known, and we had more skilled but more aggressive sailors come up from down south for a warm winter's holiday. In fact, I have witnessed the changes in a few groups that happens when the groups becomes larger: this was no exception. I haven't been back there for ages, but was still sad to hear of the devastation caused to the area by Cyclone Larry (I am very pleased, though [proud, even], one of my nephews helped with the clean-up effort).
• I have seen lots of changes happen since my return to Melbourne, not all for the better, but dome definite improvements to the physical environment and, above all else, to the psyche of the place and the people. Discrimination against LGBTIQ people is now largely prohibited (see here for a history of the changes, and here for the current legal situation in Victoria), and there are active changes to improve inclusion of a wide range of people - for instance, see here and here.

So, change is inevitable. What we can do, is seek to make the change constructive, rather than destructive. What we can also do is avoid the mistake of "throwing the baby out with the bath water", and see the elements of good that may exist in something that is, overall bad - for example, the teamwork that can be developed within military organisations, and seek to find a way to use that in a constructive way.

Love, light, hugs and blessings

Gnwmythr

Notes:

1. I'm still working on training materials - in-between having a life and meeting my commitments :) Hope to get this ready to start before I finish this incarnation ... :D Or maybe someone else will be able to do so ... :) (hopefully in time for it to be useful in coming world changes ... otherwise, I might have to find another world in a similar bind and do all this all over again. I should point out, to, that I do NOT know of any impending calamities: my understanding is that the improvements over the next few centuries on this planet is going to be by the efforts of those on it.)
2. I am adult enough to know that not all who join the military do so, these days, as one younger person I know thinks, "so they can kill people" (although that unquestionably has been a motivation, perhaps more so in the past). Many do in fact join the military out of a sense of community service or nationalistic fervour. You can argue all you like around the world view - and the world situation - which makes it necessary to have a military (and won't get disagreement from me over the need for this world situation to change), but the fact remains that NOT all who join are crazed people out to kill other human beings. In Australia, there was a period when many (including a relative of mine and several friends) joined so they would learn a trade (some joined the Navy so they could experience going to sea). Of course, that they subsequently found themselves in conflict zones (some in the Vietnam War, others in more recent conflicts, was a shock to some, and I understand the military has altered its recruitment to make sure that surprise is less likely to happen. Of course, given our currently destructive inclined world situation, some wars have actually been against quite evil forces - for instance, the Second World War fight against Hitler's mob and the Imperial Japanese Forces. Unfortunately, such conflicts, and the desperation that goes with them, means the conduct and attitudes of those involved is not crystal clear and blameless. In fact, I consider one of the biggest problems (and there are a few others, not only war crimes [by both sides in many conflicts - see here, for instance; also, I grew up with rumours that Australians didn't always bring back prisoners during the Second World War in PNG [my beloved Uncle Clive, who I've mentioned before, was one of the "chocos"; also, see here, here, here and here for some basic info about the Second World War, and here, here and here for some effects of the two World Wars], or other crimes against humanity [which I consider includes world hunger and world poverty) remaining with military forces is their homophobic prejudices. Similarly, I have VERY grave concerns about the conservative elements of police forces ... (Interestingly enough, these days there seems to be good training by the Australian military forces on what a lawful order is: I know of at least one case [from a media report a few years ago! I have no special "insider" information] where Australian pilots would not undertake an air strike ordered during one of the Iraqi invasions by their US commanders, as the target was too close to a school. [I also know of a case where Australians shot someone walking into a school, in summer in a desert town, who they found had explosives under his very much out of place overcoat ... he had been going to kill as many of the kids in the school as he could. Given that evil does already exist, it can be good to have some competent defence against it ...]. The emphasis on mindless obeying of orders which was so necessary to the military during the mass slaughters of the US Civil War and the First World War [and, to some extent, every armed conflict], may be being replaced by a more balanced approach to developing combat effectiveness ... oh, but then there's violent computer and sidewalk games, and the flaws in dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and adjusting all ex-soldiers back to civvie life. Darn - the world seems to be taking two steps forward, one back ...)
3. Something I have observed that is "interesting" is that people often assume that, as soon as one mentions "protection", one is talking about "evil". Wrong. In my experience, most often what one is protecting oneself against is merely incompatible ("disharmonious") energies. It's a bit like the psychic or spiritual equivalent of making sure you aren't eating food that hasn't been stored or handled properly, or - perhaps a better analogy - that you aren't eating something you are allergic to. After all, does anyone say peanuts are evil because a few people are allergic to them? Or that penicillin, which has saved many lives, is evil because some people are allergic to it? And, of course, what is disharmonious today may not be disharmonious tomorrow ...
4. When we moved to Queensland, at that time the system was 7 years at primary school, and 5 at high school, as opposed to Victoria's 6 years at each. As I had just started high school in Victoria, I was given the choice of going to high school or primary school, and chose the latter: it would give me more chance to adjust to the different system, the kids were a bit friendlier and I actually considered the Queensland primary school more advanced than the Victorian, and wanted to get some of that knowledge. After that year, of course, I started high school under the Queensland system, so I had - as I think of it :) - my second "first day" at high school ...
5. Kurrimine Beach is near South Mission Beach, and there is a National Park nearby. Now, the type of boat I was competing in was a Heron sailing dinghy (an 11' 3" long dinghy that we used to take out - without getting into trouble - in 20'+ waves off Mackay; the Wikipedia entry includes the following: "The stability of Herons was demonstrated in South Australia on January 26th 1995. Forty-four yachts competing in a state title heat being held at the Largs Bay Sailing Club were struck by a violent thunder squall that lashed and wreaked widespread destruction across the city of Adelaide and surrounding districts. Winds speeds were reported in excess of sixty knots[3]. Although almost all yachts capsized immediately, two of the fleet remained upright and were surfed into shore, having had their masts broken before capsize could occur. 'Hot Eclipse' (sail no. 9299, skipper Gareth Eastwood) was at a point adjacent the windward jibe buoy around two kilometers offshore when the gale struck. It was manhandled to shore atop waves around four meters high, with the forward crew leaning across the front deck holding the sails down. The wild ride to safety lasted about an hour. Few small sailing dinghy designs could have managed this".The Australian Heron Association website is here). For the regatta (over two days of the holiday period) that we competed in, there was a trophy: the Harold Holt Memorial Trophy (for which I understand permission had been obtained). This is only slightly less ironic than naming a swimming pool after this former Prime Minister, who disappeared while swimming (although that would be a good selling point to encourage people to learn to swim, perhaps - which I think every child should do), and is (officially - and by me) believed to have drowned, but we had the connection of Holt's widow, Dame Zara Bate, occasionally being at her holiday house (well, I think it was hers; it may not have been) in South Mission Beach. Once she actually presented the trophy, and on a couple of occasions we sailed over to have morning tea on her lawn (didn't go inside the house, of course :) - well, we were dripping wet, I suppose), which a bit surreal when she commented on how peaceful it all looked to see us sailing, and then reconciling it with the noise and shouting that happens in competitive sailing :) Ah ... such a small claim to fame :D

This post's photo is yet to be posted.

Tags: about me, change, discrimination, peace, personal characteristics, personal responsibility, protection, violence, society, war, military,

First published: Saturday 3rd July, 2010

Last edited: Saturday 3rd July, 2010