I’d like to begin this post by offering a metaphorical bouquet to the
power company workers who helped my father a couple of weeks ago. Dad is
elderly, in his high 80s, and has Parkinsons: one of the problems he has is the
occasional fall. Recently, some power company workers (I don’t know which one –
Dad couldn’t recall) were doing some work on Dad’s home, and other houses in
the street. Some time after they had finished working on Dad’s place, he went
out the front to get the paper, and fell (the
driveway is quite steep). When he falls, getting back up is quite difficult,
but within what seemed like moments, these power company workers had arrived to
help Dad back up, check that he was OK and settled and also, having noticed an
Anglicare car in the driveway earlier that morning, ring Anglicare and make
sure someone knew what had happened.
It was very reassuring of the best of human nature.
On the other hand, at a recent wedding at the British Consulate, a taxi
driver taking some of the wedding party
(including me) back to a hotel that the brides were staying at, took off
without allowing us to get some belongings out of the boot. In view of what
happened subsequently, it would be easy to wonder if that was deliberate, but I
am inclined more towards ordinary, everyday, human carelessness on the part of
the taxi driver (as for the situation on
our part, see this post). Be that as it may, one part of the bundle in the car was an
Apple iPhone – and yes, this is a plug for it: the phone was able to be
switched remotely into a ‘lost’ mode, triggered to make a sound, and a message
displayed getting the driver to ring a certain number.
Even more importantly, we could track where it was. That made it
extremely useful later when the taxi driver returned, claimed he had been to
the airport (he hadn’t – he’d been
driving around the city and inner suburbs, clearly with paying passengers) and demanded
payment of a full fare. Now, whilst I am prepared to concede the matter around
him driving off may have been innocent, the attempted extortion wasn’t.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t down there to confront him over that: one of
the younger members of our party had offered to do that, rather than us
‘oldies’. She wound up being sworn at by the taxi driver, stood her ground and
confronted him, but swore back. If she hadn’t, the taxi driver could have been
charged under Section 17 of Summary Offences Act, but so could she, once she
had sworn back in return. Ideally, she would have ‘kept her cool’, as my
generation would say, and calmly confronted him with the evidence we had, etc.
To do that, however, effectively requires what I and others refer to as
‘authentic presence’ – which is a combination of commitment to spiritual
values, strength of character, and knowledge of assertiveness, rights, etc. (I first came across the concept in Lobsang Rampa‘s writings, but also in Chögyam Trungpa's "Sacred Path of the
Warrior”.) See here for a more
formal definition of the term from those who appear to have originated – or
currently be most active with – the term view it.
What happens if you don’t have that? Well, you resort to the tools you
have available – things like pugnacity.
I once posted that I would write about ‘my escape from pugnacity’, I am
sure, but I cannot find that reference. In any case, I am finding that emotions
are a bit like chakras: the ideal is to be able to access and express them
constructively, rather than necessarily be ‘free’ of them. Hence, I will use
the energy of pugnacity when it is appropriate, and as constructively as
possibly – for instance, when I need to be more persistent in the face of
opposition. I will use anger to drive my activism, and so on.
Of course, I do need to be very sure that the expression is, as I would
term it, BPLF [1], or, as others would
term it, ‘spiritual’.
I recently came across an example of such an application which I don’t
consider appropriate, in Cyril Scott’s book "The Initiate and His Pupil", where Scott’s teacher puts on a façade
of being coarse as an attempt to reinforce cisgender stereotypes with someone
who was, after a long series of lives as a female, an effeminate male. There
is, in my view, nothing wrong with being an effeminate male, or anything else
that doesn’t fit neatly into a stereotype.
Now, how does one develop authentic presence? Well, in the way that
works best for you. This blog covers a whole range of possible techniques (refer to the “this blog as a course”
section of my blogiography, for which a link has been provided in my signature
block below), but it is things like alternate
nostril breathing that are particularly effective for me. What works best
for you. Dear Reader, is for you to determine.
OK, so before getting in to the reading links, I’d like to cover two
more points.
Firstly, hospitality, which was a significant part of this
post of mine. Why is hospitality a two sided street, with obligations on
both guest and host? Well, the ‘rules’ of hospitality started as way of helping
the human species survive, and, in their ideal form, have grown and extended to
promoting the overall betterment of society. If has a guest has an adverse
impact on their host, the outcome is not beneficial; if a potential host turns
away traveller, they could have died in days gone by, but nowadays such an act would
possibly reduce what is referred to as social capital. If either commits an act
of actual or attempted control (most commonly by refusing to make
reasonable accommodation for different values – and accepting when those values
cannot be compromised), the situation is nonBPLF – i.e., spiritually
harmful. In fact, I view it as evil. Also,
on this topic, see http://wildhunt.org/2014/02/the-future-of-hospitality.html.
(Incidentally, on control, I know
someone who has a history of trying to be provocative. This, and a façade of
being supportive of violence [she personally has a physical disability which
precludes that] are largely a defence to cover her fear of failing at normal
human interaction [fears of inadequacy/incompetence, not being liked, not
finding a partner, and so on]. I heard someone else say she refuses to give that
particular person any sort of reaction these days: well, in my view, to have to
do so is unacceptable, and is another example of the evil of attempted control.
In my experience, the overwhelming majority of people who try to get a rise out
of others are not only not spiritual, they are actively anti-spiritual [it has
been three decades since I knew anyone who could actually claim to be trying to
get a reaction for spiritual reasons, and that was predominantly in the context
of rescue], and I consider having to restrain oneself because of those flaws to
be utterly wrong. With regards to any actual violence [and violence can be
verbal, emotional, mental, etc – and women are equally capable of the
non-physical forms as well as men], such is subject legally and spiritually to
a test of reasonableness. As far as the person concerned goes, my view is that
they would be better served by facing their fear, and decide if they want to
reinforce their fear by continuing with these actions, or defeat it)
Next, my favourite source of exasperation, stupidity :)
As usual, this gets my goat most commonly when viewing people’s actions
on the road. This current round of ranting on this topic has been triggered by
seeing two cyclists nearly collide at a pedestrian crossing (one was travelling along the road, the other hadn’t looked, and was
crossing against a ‘don’t walk’ sign). Also, there is this,
which refers to an elderly pedestrian killed a few years ago by that same notorious
pack. (As a kid, we were told to avoid
riding on footpaths for fear of injuring the elderly.)
More tragically, as far as many people are probably concerned, was a
recent death of a pedestrian who was late for work, ran across a road, slipped,
and was run over by a turning truck driver who didn’t see her because she had
fallen. A lot of the reaction has been along the lines of “she was nice – and cute – and didn’t deserve to die”. That’s
irrelevant – even the ugly, grumpy old among us (like me :) ) don’t ‘deserve’ to die that way (putting any karmic issues aside for the moment – which I am happy to
do, as in this context they are not appropriate). Furthermore, I was taught
not to run across the road that as a kid for EXACTLY THAT REASON: I could fall,
and be run over. I assume kids are still taught that – if not, they should be!
Now, I know drivers do stupid things
(for example, see here),
and sometimes just simply make mistakes while they happen to be in charge of a lethal
weapon: a car. Many people know this nowadays, and there have been a range of
measures to address this:
- better roads (implementation generally subject to availability of government funding);
- better cars (implementation subject to (a) legislation, and (b) how wealthy those who buy cars are); and
- education campaigns (graphic campaigns tend to work for a while, but then then people go back to carelessness – and some nations have stupid attitudes that prevent such campaigns. Sadly, many people locally appear to have forgotten about the death of a pedestrian as a result of a driver using a mobile phone to text which led to local laws banning that – or even make the mistake of thinking that drivers can use a Melways while driving).
Do these sort of actions need to be extended to bicycles and
pedestrians?
Well, probably. The local train authority introduced a “dumb ways to die”
campaign, which is a bit like the so-called ‘Darwin Awards’, and may
not have worked. Notwithstanding that apparent lack of success, my reaction
is at times that maybe we need something similar for pedestrians and bike
riders … but perhaps being brave enough to call stupid actions stupid may be a first step.
Ultimately, the best thing is probably for the experts to consider the
evidence on what works and what doesn’t – for instance, see here.
However, as a human being, I have a few thoughts on the matter.
Those thoughts amount to: arrogance and thoughtlessness.
Thoughtlessness: drivers who ‘forget’ that they are in charge of a
lethal weapon (cure? Better attention to
the character of children during rearing, perhaps? Holding adults accountable for
such flaws [not all good attempts to improve children’s character works, so one cannot simply blame parents for what may be beyond their control]),
pedestrians who walk out near cars, not thinking about the fright that can give
drivers, bike riders who don’t think about the fact that other road users also
include other bikes (as per the example that started this little diatribe) and
pedestrians.
Arrogance: drivers who allow themselves to be distracted by mobile
phones or think they are so much better than everyone else on the road that
they will never have accidents (I have known several such people: that’s not a
joke or irony), pedestrians who think they are invulnerable and drivers will
avoid them (again, I have known several such people).
Now, some reading links.
- this is very appropriate and fitting. Our trees are starting to get some colour, and the days are finally getting cooler. We’ve had one of those moves at work, from one floor to another, that often seem to be just for the ego building of managers – something that consumes what could have been productive time for no great outcome … but, in this case, I personally have wound up much better off: I have, after years of walls behind my computer, not only one, but TWO windows :) I have been joking about being able to look at buildings one way or the other, but, in truth, I can see trees in both directions (and a small glimpse of ‘the Bay’ in one direction), and am looking forward to watching autumn’s passage: http://www.qicrystals.com.au/autumn-arrives-nadia-woods;
- I came across this via the good ol’ Wild Hunt: http://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-culture-blogs/another-witches-blogg/the-autumnal-equinox.html;
- a coming celebration of Samhain, for those who will be in or near Sydney: https://theotherside.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/samhain-weekend-1st-3rd-may-2015-day-of-the-dead/;
- and for those thinking about winter solstice in the Melbourne area: http://www.paganawareness.net.au/PAN/events-mainmenu-85/victoria-mainmenu-80/1070-melbourne-goddess-festival-weekend;
- all I can say about the (very) young person and workshop this article is about is … Wow! I’ll have to add this to my series on anger: http://wildhunt.org/2015/03/child-helps-conference-attendees-calm-their-inner-dragons.html;
- worth thinking about, but so too is the fact that one can do magick entirely using mental imagery, without tools, movement or spoken word – but it does take a LOT more effort, and it DOES still need to be genuine: http://polytheist.com/kemet-today/2015/03/10/reconstruction-revival-and-styrofoam-cake-syndrome/;
- some good points in this: http://zenhabits.net/anti-bucket/;
- an article on not living life according to others dictates: http://www.vanpraagh.com/blog/living-your-true-life?inf_contact_key=48e6f9ec7ea6a1e21e35b40c36d679b88c502803601d56fbb6c99daa60bd46c3;
- YES! YES!! YES!!! http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/switching-back-from-smartphones-to-dumb-phones-20150327-1m3q0y.html;
- www.theage.com.au/world/delhi-man-starts-school-under-train-line-for-disadvantaged-children-20150330-1masxt.html;
- this is good, and similar to what I’ve heard and read about participatory democracy elsewhere: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/melbourne-peoples-panel-makes-bold-decisions-where-politicians-fear-to-tread-20150401-1mchjp.html;
- one of the characteristics that can apply to some reincarnations is recognisable traits (hence my recognition by a former pilot colleague from my last life), sometimes even recognisable physical traits. So, if I consider a possible reincarnation of Sinatra, given the misogyny and nastiness I perceived in his behaviour (he may have been different – I didn’t know him personally, but his verbal abuse of women journalists and alleged connections to criminals isn’t a good sign), this would be a very appropriate reincarnation for that entity – and the characteristic of Sinatra’s voice has come through. There could be other explanations, of course – Sinatra as a guide, ‘chance’, etc: http://viralvideosgallery.com/talent/seven-year-old-girl-wows-the-audience-with-fly-me-to-the-moon/;
- some of this is rubbish (e.g., around the microwaves), but other parts are worth thinking about: https://theotherside.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/auric-bleeding-and-maintenance-by-mohsen-paul-sarfarazi-ph-d/;
- having already lived for most of a decade (in the last millennium) on a small boat, I can only say “yes” to the hypothetical question this article starts with: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbournes-housing-crisis-would-you-live-in-a-floating-apartment-20150323-1m0flc.html;
- from the very promising: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/extreme-gardening-on-the-92nd-floor-of-the-eureka-tower-20150322-1m45sm.html, to the very concerning http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/what-melbourne-will-look-like-in-2043-20150320-1m4380.html;
- more encouragingly, there is this story, about Costa Rica (see also the New Economics Foundation’s Happy Planet Index - but don’t confuse that with Gross National Happiness, the World Happiness Report, or even the Satisfaction with Life Index): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/costarica/11489426/Costa-Rica-has-only-used-renewable-energy-this-year.html;
- and this one in Viêt Nám: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-31991940;
- this is also good: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-24/australias-biggest-national-park-to-be-created-in-wa/6344732;
- interesting: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-26/apples-orchards-organic-kalangadoo-decline-price-supermarkets/6348600;
- “the girl who gets gifts from birds”: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31604026;
- this is why our cats are indoor cats: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-30/scientists-catch-a-feral-cat-killing-a-large-mammal-on-camera-f/6357868;
- I am working on a book on runes which uses aspects of ‘space’ (stars, flares, planets, magnetic shielding of earth, the cold of space, etc) to illustrate the characteristics of the runes, so I quite enjoyed this post: http://alisonleighlilly.com/blog/2015/qa-what-will-druidry-look-like-on-mars/;
On environmental matters, it has been good to see, in recent months, some
consideration of the integration of surface and groundwater resources in
Australia. I argued with my Uni lecturer on groundwater back in the 70s when he
taught that the ‘capacity’ of a groundwater source was the hydraulic extraction
capacity - the rate that it was possible to pump water out of it. I said it
needed to consider the rate of recharge …
Continuing :)
- this is a good explanation of why well meaning and ultimately wrong comments that made which are in effect, victim blaming, are that, thus are wrong, and thus need to be refuted. I personally would have added some understanding and sympathy for the person who made the comments, because they came out of the horrors he had seen – and indicate the problem of society shutting away things like this by delegating the dealing with them to “specialists”, which is a problem that applies to society’s wilful blindness in relation to all emergency services, armed forces, essential service and provision of food (especially meat): http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-20/rosewarne-the-park-as-a-bogeyman/6334176. Responses like this are not helpful (nor is the comment of a work colleague – someone who is quite a social troll - that “the death penalty should be reintroduced”). See also http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/john-laws-please-stop-bullying-sexual-assault-victims-20150320-1m3qqv.html, http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/masas-school-warned-students-about-walking-alone-12-days-before-she-was-killed-20150322-1m4yz9.html, http://www.theage.com.au/world/indian-student-drags-drunk-attacker-to-police-by-his-hair-20150322-1m57tk.html, http://blog.dilbert.com/post/114055529676 and http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/shes-overreacting-why-men-find-it-so-hard-to-trust-women-20150322-1m4tlf.html;
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-24/holmes-pocock-exposes-rugbys-lip-service-to-equality/6342978;
- I don’t entirely agree with this, in that I am aware of the potential for obsession / possession, but I do agree that being drunk is taken as an excuse: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/blame-macho-aussie-culture-for-violence-not-booze-20150324-1m5cbg.html;
- the sort of ‘discussion’ in this article also cropped up around Keith Hamilton, who destroyed/developed Hamilton Island, depending on your viewpoint. If anything, such discussions show that people are complex creatures with many faces. Does one face sum up all of the person, or do we need to be mindful of that complexity? http://www.theage.com.au/national/teacher-stood-down-over-facebook-rant-about-boy-who-killed-himself-20140326-35hdj.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/the-brutal-truth-there-is-no-outlaw-code-bikie-gangs-are-all-for-money-power-and-fear-20150320-1m2pi4.html;
- this depends on the individuals concerned and the circumstances, I consider, but if there is a system which appears to be better, it deserves genuine consideration: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/24/anthony-kennedy-solitary-confinement_n_6934550.html;
- well done JK: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/jk-rowling-responds-to-fan-who-cant-see-dumbledore-as-gay-20150325-1m761j.html, and … what does one do about this problem? Educate? Deal with the broader social context? How do these rates compare with adults? http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-31/homophobia-harming-mental-health-of-young-gay-people-study/6361070. Also, there is this: http://www.watoday.com.au/comment/derek-rielly-why-americans-think-australia-is-racist-20150326-1m88hb.html;
- and on the other hand, what utter hypocrisy: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/catholic-crusader-peter-westmore-blesses-daughters-gay-marriage-in-new-zealand-20150325-1m7jue.html;
- I need to spend some time thinking about this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Values_Survey;
- some useful truths about socially conditioned attitudes in this: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-23/taryn-brumfitt-challenging-our-ideals-about-the-perfect-body/6335174;
- www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/david-campbell-my-familys-alcoholism-stops-with-me-20150402-1mdezd.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/jesinta-campbell-the-shocking-things-women-do-to-lure-a-footballer-20150402-1md9wv.html;
- http://www.thorncoyle.com/blog/2015/03/19/quitting-is-beginning/, http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/ten-thousand-pagan-voices-confronting.html, http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/pagan-consensus-and-tyranny-of-minority.html http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/covenant-of-goddess-in-defence-of-local.html, and http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daughtersofeve/2015/03/paganism-in-full-color/, which has a lot of points I particularly relate to (especially the caution about removing labels), and this http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daughtersofeve/2015/03/not-so-nice-on-the-subject-of-tone-policing/, in which I particularly relate to the comment about wanting people to read a book: in my case, that is based on LGBTIQ matters, for which there are plenty of books and thus no need for anyone to try invading my privacy;
- https://shaiferaro.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/a-fascinating-turn-of-events-in-my-research-on-the-women-of-the-golden-dawn/;
- http://www.patheos.com/blogs/oathbound/2015/04/life-after-teen-witch-an-introduction/;
- http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/no-guide-book-for-pagan-elders.html, and http://paganinparadise.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/rejecting-culture-of-respectability-new.html;
- this is entertaining, but I am taking all of the claims – especially those relating to history – with a grain of salt: Elrick the Apothecary - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L43akIRToGk;
On other
matters:
- this is quite possible, and it may also apply to the Labor party: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/liberal-party-can-rejuvenate-by-returning-to-progressive-policies-of-malcolm-fraser-20150325-1m74l0.html;
- if only … : http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/malcolm-frasers-unrealised-manifesto--an-australian-republic-with-green-credentials-20150327-1m8hyt.html;
- this proposed agreement is of major concern to me, and many other Australians: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-18/tpp-could-force-government-to-spend-millions-subsiding-medicines/6328132;
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-26/tianhaara-these-tpp-safeguards-wont-protect-us-from-isds/6350358;
- http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/the-pharmacy-guild-the-most-powerful-lobby-group-youve-never-heard-of-20150401-1mckxl.html;
- good! http://www.theage.com.au/nsw/human-rights-lawyer-george-newhouse-wins-defamation-case-against-news-corps-andrew-bolt-20150402-1mdkpc.html;
- what this article needs to make clearer, is that the problems are due to harassment: http://www.theage.com.au/national/transgender-people-face-the-highest-level-of-harassment-20150401-1mc4xf.html;
- surprisingly good news from a Catholic nation: http://www.hrw.org/news/2015/04/01/dispatches-malta-s-inspiring-gender-recognition-law;
- this is why I do not travel on PT in Melbourne: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/commuters-waive-rights-when-faced-with-aggressive-psos-report-claims-20150331-1mcbg8.html;
- this could also be about the failure to stimulate children’s immune system: http://www.theage.com.au/national/health/cleaning-with-bleach-linked-to-more-childhood-infections-20150403-1me5xj.html;
- http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/reducetarian--the-middle-ground-between-vego-and-paleo-20150322-1m2x33.html;
- this is very true: http://www.abc.net.au/environment/articles/2015/03/23/4199365.htm;
- good: http://www.theage.com.au/world/france-to-outlaw-ads-with-anorexic-models-20150316-1m0ovd.html;
- interesting couple of posts: http://www.solotopia.com/toxic-love/, and http://www.solotopia.com/selfish-love/;
Finally, I like the last panel on this cartoon, and may use it myself,
from time to time: http://dilbert.com/strip/2015-03-27
:)
[2] Please
see here, here and my post "The
Death of Wikipedia" for the reasons
I now recommend caution when using Wikipedia. I'm also exploring use of h2g2,
although that doesn't appear to be as extensive (h2g2 is intended - rather
engagingly - to be the Earth edition of
"The
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy").
[3] I apologise for the formatting: it seems Blogger is
no longer as WYSIWYG as it used to be, and there are a lot of unwanted changes
to layout made upon publishing.
Love, light, hugs and blessings
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear"; ... aka Bellatrix
Lux … aka Morinehtar … would-be drýicgan or maga
... )
My "blogiography" (list of all posts and guide as to how to best use this
site) is here, and my glossary/index is here.
I started this blog to cover karmic regression-rescue
(see here and here), and it grew ... See here for my group mind project, here and here for my "Pagans for Peace" project (and join me
for a few minutes at some time between 8 and 11 PM on Sunday, wherever you are,
to meditate-clear for peace), and here
for my bindrune kit-bag. I also strongly recommend
learning how to flame, ground
and shield, do alternate
nostril breathing, work
with colour, and see also here and be
flexible.
- Neither eloquence nor inarticulateness inherently indicates correctness, but, as words can kill, the right to freedom of speech comes with a DUTY to be as well-informed, objective and balanced as you can be.
- Gnwmythr's Stropping Strap: Occam's Razor only works if the simplest solution is actually recognised as being the simplest, rather than the one that best fits one's bigotries being labelled 'simplest'.
- I mourn the desecration of the term 'Light Worker' by commercial interests, and the warping of the word 'Light' away from 'Clear Light' by the "(Fluffy) White Lighters".
- Presuming that everyone has, or wants, a smartphone is discriminatory, unspiritual, and downright stupid.
- Obsessive love may be a cover up of guilt.
- Proxy embarrassment is both a form of control, and an internal barrier to truth, honesty and perspicacity.
- Our entire life experience, with all the many wondrous and varied people, places and events in it, is too small a sample for statistical reliability about Life.
- May the world of commerce and business be recognised to be a servant, not a master, of the lives of people.
- Life is not a struggle for status.
- Being accustomed to interacting via certain rules makes those rules neither right nor universal.
- Like fire to the physical, emotions to the soul make a good servant, and a bad master.
- The means shape the end.
- My favourite action movie of all time is "Gandhi", although I've recently come across "Invictus" and might put that one in to that category. However, I loathe the stereotypical action movie - and, for similar reasons, I loathe many dramas, which are often emotionally violent, more so in some cases than many war films.
- All of the above - and this blog - could be wrong, or subject to context, perspective, or state of spiritual evolution ...
Human dignity is
the inherently cumulative holistic
combination of human rights, wellbeing and potential, and all actions or
interaction which promote, realise or facilitate same. The converse also
applies: whatever degrades, diminishes or robs humans of dignity, is inherently
undignified.
Gnwmythr
The “purpose” of spiritual evolution is not
the attainment of “spiritual perfection” - not in the sense of not having to
evolve further, at any rate, since there is no such thing. We need to evolve in
order to grow - but we can take rest breaks (hopefully well earned :) ) along the way. No, the “purpose” of evolution is,
rather, to perfect our ability to learn, and thus grow.
Gnwmythr
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Females, get over 'cute'. Get competent.
Get trained. Get capable. Get over 'cute'. And those of you who are called
Patty and Debby and Suzy, get over that. Because we use those names to
infantalise females – we keep females in their 'little girl' state by the names
we use for them. Get over it. If you want to be taken seriously, get serious.
Jane Elliott
The only thing necessary for the triumph of
evil is for good [people] to do nothing.
(based on
writing by) Edmund Burke
We didn't inherit the Earth from our
ancestors, we only borrowed it from our children
Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
There are risks and costs to a program of
action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of
comfortable inaction.
John F. Kennedy
Tags:about me, assertiveness, attitudes, authentic presence, discrimination, emotions, family, gratitude, paganism, safety, seasons, society, theft, travel,
First published: Manadagr, 7th April, 2015
Last edited (excluding fixing typo's
and other minor matters): Monday, 7th April, 2015
