Bother.
Well, the discrimination and vitriol towards followers of the Old Religion (i.e. witchcraft, which underlies much of what is now termed paganism [I refuse to use the term "Neo-Pagan until Christians accept that they are as equally Neo-Christians], or - to some extent - Wicca) that led to the Burning Times (note: the Wikipedia article is, in my view, slightly wrong - in particular, the term applies to earlier periods than the article claims ... Wikipedia has, sadly, been going slightly "off" of late ... ) is all there, and SOME of what happened in the Crusades is there (the film actually waters that down a bit: I think "The Kingdom of Heaven" does better on that count, but it is worth looking up Wikipedia [and I have a few thoughts here, here, here and here ... and maybe also look up here and here] ... I'm just incredibly thankful that the lifetimes we [meaning, I and my parallels or soul parts] had seemed to have all missed out on the insanity that was the Crusades).
One thing the film did get right is the possibility of negative influence from various forms of spirits or discarnate entities. Of course, it is mostly earthbound entities, and much is not intended maliciously - but harmful for all that. I've forgotten which source I've read that is good on the draining influence of earthbound entities - I'll look that up.
More significantly, there is, at times, what I consider a dangerous naiveté that the absence of malice means things will be alright. That isn't necessarily so - energies can be, quite simply, incompatible. Disharmonious, if you prefer that word - which is where I think what we term all sorts of things right up to and including "evil" originally came from. Well, more accurately, it came from a failure to have a constructive, or at the very least tolerant, attitude towards difference.
There are entities that are discarnate and can have a negative influence, just as there are entities who are incarnate who can have a negative influence, and entities who are incarnate and discarnate who can have a positive influence - I've written about this previously (here, for instance).
What do you do about that?
Develop your nonphysical strength - which is where some of the New Age notions, much of the pagan notions and possibly my workshop material can be of use (see here). More seriously, what you find helpful is what is helpful - just be as flexible as you can in considering all this.
Going back to the film, it does fall into the trap of thinking that there are special formulae - and hence this special book - which must be said exactly correctly to work. Well, my training is that it is INTENT which matters, not the actual words. Mind you, I do practice the words so I can focus on the intent as I say the words, without having to put mental energy into the words rather than my intent.
Of course, I do believe - no, I KNOW that books can be invaluable as a source of knowledge, and that is more likely to be the significance of such a book in those times ... especially if people could actually read, which most couldn't in those days.
Still, overall, the film was reasonably well made (in my non-expert opinion), and entertaining - a suitable diversion for a cold Sunday morning :)
Basic/Underlying Concepts for this Topic:
- history is not necessarily as it has been written down;
- social mores and norms are taught, and can pass on discriminatory prejudices and biases that become ubiquitous;
- there is more to reality than just the physical: there is a nonphysical component as well;
- the physical and non-physical can interact, and this can be brought under conscious awareness/control;
- just as we have a physical health, strength and wellbeing, so too do we have a non-physical health, strength and wellbeing,and we can work on improving the non-physical as well as the physical;
- cats do not want me to write posts on Sundays, or any other day they want pats or cuddles - sorry, that was a litle bit of physical world influence :)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
My "blogiography" is here.
May the world of commerce & business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
A home is for living in, not feeling, becoming or being rich or a “better” class than others.
The International Labour Organisation's definition of "full employment" is wrong, useless and misleading.
Armageddon is alive and well and happening right now: it is a battle between the indolence of "I only ..." and/or "I just ..." on one side, and perspicacity on the other.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing. EDMUND BURKE
Your children are not your children. ... They come through you but ... they belong not to you ... for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KAHLIL GIBRAN
We didn't inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
Those whom we cannot stand are usually those who we cannot understand P.K.SHAW
Tags: attitudes, discrimination, misconceptions, paganism, society, Wicca,
First published: Sunnudagr, 15th July, 2012
Last edited: Sunday, 15th July, 2012
