tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25154069136611416372023-11-16T02:28:44.783-08:00Chapel PerilousSpeedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-87903986443317569152012-01-29T18:40:00.000-08:002012-01-29T18:40:23.714-08:00Antiquated Religions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi297o0B9N9IMmhiVZlI1WqD9kTP9dM9xmO5ZBoqZReH8sTSaMkypDIEzn_lJxWR8Zm1UpYosVBZdz876_SQRXC4etVuhfPmqSWUABpcdu1UocBnSjTQFfNteM3nOy0-vdMUXplB-R-aO8/s1600/World-Religions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi297o0B9N9IMmhiVZlI1WqD9kTP9dM9xmO5ZBoqZReH8sTSaMkypDIEzn_lJxWR8Zm1UpYosVBZdz876_SQRXC4etVuhfPmqSWUABpcdu1UocBnSjTQFfNteM3nOy0-vdMUXplB-R-aO8/s320/World-Religions.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think about this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
the choices we have in life were already in existence before you were
born.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, at the time of your
birth, all the nations of the world were mapped out, all the definitions of
ethnicities were already decided, the different genres of music styles were
created, political party lines were drawn, and careers paths, all the world
languages, and your choices of religious practice had all been
established.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You did not have a say in
how you would have liked the world to be at the time you arrived on this
planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, as creative as you
might think you are, all the ingenious ideas you had were based on the choices
you were presented with from the time of your birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is the worst part; we all still act as
if we have infinite free will, yet still perpetuate the choices and
superstitions of thousands of years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Soon after your birth, your parents taught you to
communicate with sounds we call speech and they chose the language and dialect
you would use initially, if not for the rest of your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a child, you were not in a position to
refuse and then pick the method of communication you felt might suit you
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a certain amount of time,
you could make a conscious choice to learn another language or method of
communication, but you still started with that first language and had to use it
as the basis for learning the next one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What if you grew up with no influence on how you learned to
communicate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one taught you to use
voice, hand signals, or body language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How would you communicate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
would you express yourself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would it be
more natural? Would your perceptions, concepts, and ideas about life and the
world be different?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, think about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If there were no people around to influence you, what would your
perception of the ‘divine’ be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would
know nothing about the concept of ‘religion’ and would have never heard the
word ‘god.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you be missing anything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you ‘feel or sense’ the divine
presence?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or would you just be you in
this world?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you feel compelled to
create your own religion?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would
that be like with no point of reference?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You wouldn’t know anything about angels, demons, spirits, Heaven, Hell,
purgatory, god, goddess, polytheism, churches, temples, or the afterlife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor would you have ever heard of these words
and concepts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When did we learn
these superstitious ideas?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I to
understand that primitive humans witnessed natural events and imagined an
unknowable entity as the cause?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And not
one primitive ever actually witnessed one of these gods, angels, devils,
spirits, to verify this overly creative idea?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They all just went with it because they were too stupid to understand or
see the cause and effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s say the
primitives rationalized certain events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why did the loud light from the sky touch my friend and now he no longer
lives?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was he struck down as I choose an animal to
strike down for food?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, what decided
he was to be struck and not me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Predators choose the young and the weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was not young so he must have been weak and lacking in some way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was he not worthy in some way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One could continue this line of thought to
the determination of aspects and perceptions of why certain individuals met an
unfortunate end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may lead to ‘sins’
and then rules to avoid these sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stories
and anecdotes would be told about all the terrible things that happened to
people and tribes and some morality lesson would be extrapolated from each
event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, we might understand
that individuals would have to be selected as rule keepers and the ‘law’ would
be written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The personality and
character of this divine entity would soon be developed and the primitives would
endow this unknowable entity with very human nature; anger, vengeance,
jealousy, judgment, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s fast forward to today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although we cannot predict where and when it will discharge, we know
what creates lightning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know what
causes earthquakes, tornados, floods, hurricanes and all other natural
geological events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even understand
the plagues of illnesses, diseases, and pandemics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can go beyond the clouds to see into
space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have detected solar systems
neighboring ours in this vast galaxy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
may not know how or why we all came into being, but we do know that every time
we ask a question, we find the answer – eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So why do we still cling to superstitious religions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aren’t we smarter that our primitive
ancestors?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not saying that there is
no divine presence or greater source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t know either way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am just
wondering why we haunt our world and cultures with primitive ‘gods.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it not time to embrace our knowledge and
stop being afraid of what primitives feared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have come to accept that religion may be a necessary step for some
people to understand their place in this universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I don’t understand why our religions
have not evolved with the rest of the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These dark shadows of fear lurk in the corner of our collective
minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We feel we are constantly being
judged by a being who is unknowable, unfathomable, unappeasable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t knock on wood, throw salt over my
shoulder, or avoid black cats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
cringe at the sight of the number 13, don’t worry about ‘speaking too soon,’ nor
do I circumnavigate step ladders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless,
I am expected to go to a special building, participate in rituals, listen to
spells, and sit at the feast of cannibals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We even select our world leaders on how superstitious they are and with what
superstition they delude themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Maybe I am too optimistic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe we are not as evolved of a culture as I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do think there are an elite portion of
this world population that has grown past those primitives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be up to them to set the example and
lead the primitives out of the dark ages and into the enlightened world of the
present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t know what the answer is, but I am willing to learn
and move forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who is with me? </span></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-27324543602845760542012-01-20T20:57:00.000-08:002012-01-20T20:57:56.420-08:00Eight Year-Old Rocker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/uU6U-8LP1DY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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This is so awesome I just had to share it! Enjoy!Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-51454915085762532362012-01-16T12:34:00.000-08:002012-01-16T12:34:15.248-08:00The Holy Grail (Book Review)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrIFq3Hsd4CaijZyqOXxt2PzrkJBz_r6JX-CnzUFsPsg8gehd-yDa82WrO9j6GOQtjFGZkMlqtgy6uiIVmzpeiRgdrfnS9bzD4uH7N0fT96IpwtS3x4BBZ-OlBHmtLoszQX96q-wc_9g/s1600/1415893.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrIFq3Hsd4CaijZyqOXxt2PzrkJBz_r6JX-CnzUFsPsg8gehd-yDa82WrO9j6GOQtjFGZkMlqtgy6uiIVmzpeiRgdrfnS9bzD4uH7N0fT96IpwtS3x4BBZ-OlBHmtLoszQX96q-wc_9g/s1600/1415893.gif" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have just finished reading <u>The Holy Grail, Its Origins,
Secrets, & Meaning Revealed</u>, by Malcolm Godwin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The version that I have was published in
1994.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How I have not come across this
book sooner is a mystery to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I was
a teenager, I have read and researched the Arthurian legends, the Knights Templar,
mysticism, and the early origins of the three ‘major’ religions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess some things happen when the time is
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Godwin explains the legend of the
Grail by separating its mythical origins into three “Branches;” the Celtic
Branch, the Christian Branch, and the Chymical (Alchemical) Branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldEdig5RI7jq4tys-yJwIKBW0isHrukrgoreGsuQ0x8c-rPqRQUbDf4C4cQZoDiY9qfDTxTss7wzIiM_E5e-oLxdfNKvN5rQQtcqIjkZhowQrvs-14P1WVI8ZeS1FsLnyxZmVBOFHkkQ/s1600/Girl+Enthroned+by+Thomas+Gotch+1894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldEdig5RI7jq4tys-yJwIKBW0isHrukrgoreGsuQ0x8c-rPqRQUbDf4C4cQZoDiY9qfDTxTss7wzIiM_E5e-oLxdfNKvN5rQQtcqIjkZhowQrvs-14P1WVI8ZeS1FsLnyxZmVBOFHkkQ/s320/Girl+Enthroned+by+Thomas+Gotch+1894.jpg" width="198" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Godwin starts with the Celtic Branch, which he explains as
the origin of the myth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Godwin sets the
original stories from Irish <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">echtrai</i>,
or adventures, and the Welsh <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mabinogion</i>
legends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He takes the story back to a
mythical time when the peoples of the earth lived in harmony with the
land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maidens lived by sacred groves and
springs and were the connection for humans to the ‘other world.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These Maidens of the Sacred Wells provided
food and drink to travelers with golden vessels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These magical women represented the Goddess
of the Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Goddess would appear
throughout the land as either a maiden, a nymph, of a crone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sovranty</i> [sic] <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of the Land</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No man could rule the land without a sacred
bond with this Goddess through the Maiden of the Well that sourced his land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As these stories go, the greed and treachery
of an evil king severs the connection between the other world and this world
resulting in a wasteland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the
point of the quest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The questing knight
must find the sacred vessel and heal the bond between both worlds bringing
prosperity and peace to the land again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Godwin walks us through the tale of this legend through the adventure of
the questing knight Peredur from the Welsh romance <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Peredur</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story follows
the pagan elements of myths of its time such as the Four Hallow from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mabinogion</i> that later become the Four
Hallows of the Grail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second part of the book focuses on the new Christian Church’s
struggle to Christianize the overly popular legend and draw parallels to
Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the Christian
Branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here the connection between the
heretical Knights Templar and the Cathari are made to the Celtic Pagan
mythology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mythical Caldron and
Hallows get redesigned as Jesus’ cup at the last supper and other Christian relics;
the Spear of Longinus, the Disk or Paten, and finally, the Sword (Excalibur/Sword
of David).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Church attempted the use
of sacred symbology to change the pagan story to that of a christian one:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the life long quest for redemption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hero of this story is Perceval from the
Didot-Perceval.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story ends with
Perceval, Galahad, and Bors retrieving the Grail.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The final branch is Chymical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This version weaves the symbolism of the
pagan sacred feminine with the near-east mysticism which would eventually
become Alchemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story is a vehicle for
relating the concept of cycles; a concept which was contrary to the linear
history of the Church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Church leaders
did not want lay-peoples to think that it was possible to fix their own
mistakes or that their relationship to the divine was in their own hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost every aspect of the story was a signpost
for the seeker on his/her fool’s journey to learn about themselves and their
relation to God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Godwin also illustrates
a connection with the Chymical Branch of the Grail story to the Tarot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He brings us full circle with the sacred feminine
and the Earth Goddess, but this time not just the Celtic pagan Goddess but the
Gnostic Goddess of Wisdom: Sophia; the sister of Christ: Achmoth; Mary
Magdalene; Helen, consort of Simon Magus, etc…</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The last few pages of the book, Godwin explains his
interpretation of the story and how it is still relevant to us in this modern
age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His warning is that we have not yet
found the balance that humans once lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are still living in that proverbial wasteland and we, as a people,
need to seek that bridge with the other world to find our sacred feminine nature.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way to find the other world is
to allow our inner nature to take the lead and for us to stop trying to force
the result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Godwin puts it, “The
legend of the Grail is a myth of Paradise Regained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the message behind the legend shows that
the paradise was never really lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was only forgotten.”</span></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-91611558069742363762012-01-15T19:43:00.000-08:002012-01-15T19:43:27.546-08:00New Year Gym<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1gUY0TNddXR_3QBIMnmJQxguUCumNWMKjwVaVY7x5ROAbFnhNG3CgaCfK47VmPe0iV0nduhI0ZUJgYtzWSW99HEGafPKyoA5sK0SckZLZTYUKLrA8SAvCY9FzlGTm5G0ng3aOmRdET4/s1600/article-1389749-0C347DC700000578-101_634x604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1gUY0TNddXR_3QBIMnmJQxguUCumNWMKjwVaVY7x5ROAbFnhNG3CgaCfK47VmPe0iV0nduhI0ZUJgYtzWSW99HEGafPKyoA5sK0SckZLZTYUKLrA8SAvCY9FzlGTm5G0ng3aOmRdET4/s320/article-1389749-0C347DC700000578-101_634x604.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have to thank all the people who made New Year’s
Resolutions this year to get in shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Normally, the first month and a half of the New Year brings with it an
over-crowding of the gyms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone has
saved their fitness goals for the New Year (can’t have a happy holiday without
gorging on seasonal foods).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This desire
results in an influx of inexperienced, half-hearted workout neophytes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wander around the fitness floor like
lost children in an enchanted forest; wide-eyed and confused by the mysterious
machines and chunks of steel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does
this machine do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much weight should I
be using?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Yeah, that is probably too
heavy for you…)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much longer should I
‘work-out’?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These zombies shuffle around
from machine to mat to bench.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sit
on the machines or with weights at their feet while they talk to their partners
or search their iPod for that elusive track which is going to motivate them.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But not this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do
not know if they all realized that this yearly cycle of hope always leads to
physical discomfort and have decided to not participate in this year’s
pantomime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, maybe they are joining
the latest fitness fad, P90X, Zumba, jazzercise…or whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, Thanks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am still able to walk into my gym and nail
my flesh to an anvil! </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Good luck, fitness novices!</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the way, check this out:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389749/Mini-mighty-Meet-Britains-strongest-schoolgirl-11-going-weightlifting-gold.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389749/Mini-mighty-Meet-Britains-strongest-schoolgirl-11-going-weightlifting-gold.html</span></a></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-5568510924873108712009-06-13T21:54:00.000-07:002009-06-13T21:57:29.139-07:00The Wedding of Sophia (Review & Commentary)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2Gli9jtFarxDZYtJPQC_RvS2dPWpoeFvxJ8gW93nwL5mTS4ZFKzc2qeVEhzRr62eeF1jUVLzwQILI9O8veWATRls_awrnHL37fbfYhykKncb2xDeO3Xrx5UAmrgm0P1Ph1iVPf3S0Fw/s1600-h/Splendor+Solis.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347042428450435138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2Gli9jtFarxDZYtJPQC_RvS2dPWpoeFvxJ8gW93nwL5mTS4ZFKzc2qeVEhzRr62eeF1jUVLzwQILI9O8veWATRls_awrnHL37fbfYhykKncb2xDeO3Xrx5UAmrgm0P1Ph1iVPf3S0Fw/s320/Splendor+Solis.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I am back with another review and, this time, with more commentary. </div><div><br />Today’s book is The Wedding of Sophia: The Divine Feminine in Psychoidal Alchemy, by Jeffrey Raff, PhD, Nicolas-Hays, Inc, 2003. In this book, Raff attempts to demonstrate the alchemical work of combining opposites to achieve the Great Work and his theory of the Psychoidal Realm and Psychoidal Beings. The Psychoidal Beings are beyond the Jungian definition of Archetypes, which exist in humanity’s psyche and are only symbolic representations of mythic themes which humans gravitate towards. On the other hand, Raff attempts to explain that Psychoidal beings are real entities which can be compared to emissaries from a higher spiritual plane or from God. For me, the most interesting parts of Raff’s book was his description of the alchemists’ goals and their efforts in attempting to realize the Great Work – the union of two opposites to create a new, transformed and complete being; the Rebis. For those with a desire to learn more about alchemy, I would recommend this book. Raff gives insights into the symbology of alchemy and even alchemical references within the Bible. I chose not to dwell too much on the Psychoidal theory he put forth (Sorry Dr. Raff). </div><div><br />The two opposites the alchemists are attempting to join are God (masculine/Power – sometimes referred to as the King) and Sophia (feminine/Wisdom – sometimes referred to as the Queen). Sophia as a consort or feminine aspect of God is an ancient tradition found in Gnostic teachings, the Kabala (as the divine Shikenah) and in the Bible (as Asherah). The division of the God into a masculine entity representing Power and a feminine entity representing Wisdom is also found in Freemasonry. The goal of the alchemist is to work to bring the two entities together properly so as to combine and balance the aspects of each into a stronger, more complete being – and in the process increase the power and knowledge of the alchemist by virtue of his/her work. The alchemist is also transformed with God and Sophia and receives the gift of everlasting spiritual life. This is the Great/Divine Work also referred to as the Alchemical Wedding. </div><div><br />Why is this important? Alchemy (and other philosophies) does not view God as a perfect and omnipotent being. It is felt that God “is in the process of becoming.” Raff goes on to say, “The marriage sets the stage for the on-going evolution of God. This is possible because Sophia is the personification of divine knowing [knowledge].” Now this is where I start my pontification…<br />Given that God is continuously evolving/growing, or, as in the case of this book, transforming, why would God need man in order to evolve? God’s interaction with man may teach it something about itself. Interacting with your creation teaches you something about your creation (limits, growth, care, requirements…). But also may teach you about yourself (perspective, limits, self-reflection…). </div><div><br />Also given that god created man to learn who God is (this Gnostic theory is from another book…), interaction with man may be necessary to access that knowledge. What if the connection between God and man is weak? We are not angels or spiritual creatures, so interface may be difficult. As a collective race, we are just now thinking that we understand something about ourselves, so how could we understand enough to interact with God on its level? All the data acquired through our learned experiences would trickle “up” to God; learning is slow and much of the info/data would be with the individual. Think of a computer. This computer’s function would be to learn information. And with this computer the info/data would stay until it is full or the computer gets to old to function properly, and eventually it crashes. The hard drive (with all the experiences/data) can then be removed from the CPU/Body and sent to a great repository to be “up-loaded”. Now, what if this computer was able to make a connection with the repository/server? All the data learned by the computer could be immediately transferred to the server/network. Additionally, data/knowledge could also be “down-loaded” to the computer from the network (updates, patches, virus protection…). The computer would have knowledge from the whole collective network. Each component is learning, sharing, growing, evolving and transforming. (Now go back and replace “computer” with “person”, “hard drive” with “soul”, and “repository/server/network” with “God”.) </div><div><br />Man has done the same thing when he created computers and then the internet; only he created the “individual” first. Why? Because man never (collectively) understood his connection with “God”. So when he created, he created a thing in his own image – a “stand-alone” system. </div><div><br />So how do we upgrade? According to Raff, alchemy is one tool to use to work on ourselves and understand the materials given to us. We must understand our tools and the components with which we have to work. We must understand that if we want the world to be better, we must start with ourselves. We must work on our connection to the divine and realize the divine within our individual selves and how that divine is connected to every other individual. We must work to make “God” better, so the feedback is better. </div><div><br />If you could, what would you fix about God? Good. Now go fix that in yourself. We are all responsible!</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-140144613547398062009-03-29T19:13:00.000-07:002009-03-29T19:21:07.970-07:00A Tree Falls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32cHmKLjnuUe5Ru1uRmku2jlJXJK0a7BYbT8QmNg9B32qoW1fmaspbgmkTU60WC5YkX9d6ZSV57S17Fa6DEoAeM8pGlDsXYWIdQf8-aO6xTAHmiA4TQs-2hSTNrdAiBKqZ5VJi2rIsfc/s1600-h/Fallen+tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318800003887990626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32cHmKLjnuUe5Ru1uRmku2jlJXJK0a7BYbT8QmNg9B32qoW1fmaspbgmkTU60WC5YkX9d6ZSV57S17Fa6DEoAeM8pGlDsXYWIdQf8-aO6xTAHmiA4TQs-2hSTNrdAiBKqZ5VJi2rIsfc/s320/Fallen+tree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Everybody has probably heard the Koan: If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one to hear it, does it still make a sound?<br /><div><br />Lately, I have seen a lot of altered versions of that question. This version is on t-shirts, bumper stickers, posters, greeting cards, billboards, television ads, blah, blah, blah…. The version goes this way: If a man speaks, and there is no woman around to hear him, is he still wrong? </div><br /><div><br />I find this as further proof that there truly is a “Shadow Matriarchy” conspiracy at work in the world. What is the Shadow Matriarchy? Maybe one day I will tell you…. But the reason this is proof is because this cute little jab at men has gone unanswered for many years. Well, people, here is the answer I am going to spread around (and if you have any testosterone in your body, you will spread it around also):</div><br /><div><br />IF A WOMAN IS NOT IN THE KITCHEN, REGARDLESS OF HER MARITAL STATUS, IS SHE STILL WRONG?</div><br /><div><br />Boo-Yah! Yeah! I said it! Make me a samich!!!</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-6969348243543899782009-03-29T18:48:00.000-07:002009-03-29T18:52:00.300-07:00Ed, Edd, & Eddy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid66kdaW402vx1I82xN_9dBC83QYyWp8CE4C4hsYBTOWxrGseBL4yt0pRk68rHC2y8Nr73M4YnllfxjaX51KyWQqDncYMmxe2qWH52GJpT5IctvQ9jj5EVIcCPaZtEk5j6zDc8xr8xzzA/s1600-h/eds.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318792529572948082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 312px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid66kdaW402vx1I82xN_9dBC83QYyWp8CE4C4hsYBTOWxrGseBL4yt0pRk68rHC2y8Nr73M4YnllfxjaX51KyWQqDncYMmxe2qWH52GJpT5IctvQ9jj5EVIcCPaZtEk5j6zDc8xr8xzzA/s320/eds.png" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />I am only going to write a short (quick) blog in response to a challenge by Dan. </div><br /><div><br />I actually started thinking about this cartoon a while back. My son loves to watch the seemingly brainless antics of these three buffoons. After watching them a few time, I started thinking that there has to be something other than inane stupidity (I still do think that is all that was intended by the creator). But, I noticed that each character was locked into a simple attribute. Ed is a simple and strong oaf. Edd (AKA Double D) is the brainy and non-athletic type. Eddy is the schemer who is always maneuvering the other two to try to make money – with the goal of buying jaw-breakers. (This is so simple you are probably already anticipating the result…)</div><br /><div><br />Given the near identical nature of each boy’s name, they apparently are each aspects of the same person. Ed represents innocence and the single minded strength in that innocence. Ed sees beauty and fun in everything. He is usually depicted with a vacant stare as if his mind is in a constant state of Samadhi. (He would be the Chakras four and five)</div><br /><div><br />Edd (Double D) is the analytical one who explores, examines, and dissects everything. He is the higher intellect and reason. He is usually the first to identify the flaws in Eddy’s scams but he still goes along with it. (Chakras six and sometimes seven)</div><br /><div><br />Eddy represents the Will and the desire for status. He worries what others think of him. He wants to be older because he thinks it will make his life easier. He is always thinking of ways to make money. Ironically, his schemes require more work than doing honest work for honest pay. Eddy is the driving force which drives the other two. Without Eddy, Ed’s strength would have no direction and Double D would have no focus. (The bottom three Chakras with a strong emphasis on the third)</div><br /><div><br />Obviously, money is the ‘ticket’ with which they purchase ‘happiness’….</div><br /><div><br />The Canker sisters represent the confusion and perplexing anxiety a prepubescent male has about ‘icky’ girls.</div><br /><div><br />I bet you all can figure out the rest of the characters, as they are all rather one-dimensional.</div><br /><div><br />Back to you, Dan.</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-69135219757419627812009-03-22T16:06:00.000-07:002009-03-22T16:13:25.877-07:002012 - The Return of Quetzalcoatl (Review)<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8P1Leshvr9_fWS0lb_dgvVyl0mJsRcYhe41JPXn464dCFJL6MnDJA4OibH7i_ejI4MLKes5X8AUVnqXThTwZWkOe7X256jA2MtYcJMvC3RoWV0yGQRp0dwvoNVii9IS2gxmOSrghn5s/s1600-h/quetzalcoatl.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316153432312705842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 230px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8P1Leshvr9_fWS0lb_dgvVyl0mJsRcYhe41JPXn464dCFJL6MnDJA4OibH7i_ejI4MLKes5X8AUVnqXThTwZWkOe7X256jA2MtYcJMvC3RoWV0yGQRp0dwvoNVii9IS2gxmOSrghn5s/s320/quetzalcoatl.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div>I just finished reading 2012 – The Return of Quetzalcoatl, by Daniel Pinchbeck (Penguin Press © 2006). For the longest time I have been sensitive to the eminent arrival of this marker in time. I have discussed its meaning with people and attempted to decipher exactly what might happen to the world and human existence on the Winter Solstice of 21 December 2012 (21122012) – just looking at the numerical version of this date calls to mind some kind of higher ‘binary’ system where the ON/OFF code is replaced with a third alternative = NEITHER-ON-NOR-OFF…. </div><br /><div><br />Daniel Pinchbeck has compiled a vast amount of knowledge on the myth, fear, and spirituality of the apocalyptic year 2012. His book identifies this event as an archetype of the collective consciousness for all man. He searches the possible purpose for why various cultures and religions have prophesied of the inevitable destruction of mankind (including whether 2012 will be the time when extraterrestrial intelligences overtly reveal themselves to the population of Earth).</div><br /><div><br />Many sects within the Christian religious Belief Systems (B.S.) warn of an Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation. During this prophesied time many terrible things will come to pass; earth quakes, famine, war, etc. These are all signs leading to the great conflict between Heaven and Hell known as Armageddon. At the end of this conflict Satan will be defeated and banished and the earth will be transformed into a utopian world as Heaven descends to earth.</div><br /><div><br />Islam has its own prophesy of the end of times. Muslims also subscribe to the B.S. that Jesus will return (Didn’t know that, did you)? There will come a time marked by bizarre signs, some as disastrous as famine and some as strange as women dressing as men and men dressing as women (girlfriend, we are here already!). Prior to the Day of Judgment, around the Second Coming of Jesus, the ad-Dajjal ("The Impostor Messiah"), an evil figure who is blind in his right eye, shall gather an army of those he has deceived and will lead them in a war against Jesus, who shall be accompanied by an army of the righteous. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dajjal">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dajjal</a>)</div><br /><div><br />Daniel Pinchbeck, in his book, states that the Hindus consider the age we currently live in as Kali Yuga. This age is named for the destroyer goddess Kali. This period of time is considered the dark age of man and the end of this age will mark a total renovation of the world and mankind.</div><br /><div><br />The Hopi nation of North America feels that we are all in the Fourth World or the fourth incarnation of this Earth. Their legends tell that there were three Earths before this one and that we are soon coming to the end of this world. </div><br /><div><br />The Aztecs believed that the entire universe dissolved and regenerated itself from time to time. This current world was known to them as the Fifth Sun. </div><br /><div><br />All of these prophesies seem to indicate that the end of the world is near. Only the Mayan culture gave a precise date in time. “According to their calculations, the Earth is approaching a cosmic conjunction that represented the conclusion of a vast evolutionary cycle, and the potential gateway to a higher manifestation … [which] also marks a rare astronomical event: the alignment of the Earth and the Sun with the “dark rift” at the center of the Milky Way on the winter solstice of December 21, 2012.” [page 12]</div><br /><div><br />What will happen at that precise time? No one knows. Yet, the media is playing its usual role of over dramatizing the concept and preying on the fears of those who will believe anything anyone tells them. Go to a bookstore, search the internet, watch television and the movies. Everywhere you will find books on 2012, conspiracy theories, new age theories, religious ranting, and science fiction stories all based on this new gimmick. </div><br /><div><br />Is there hope for mankind? I agree with Daniel Pinchbeck; the marker in time 2012 is not an end of the world but an end to our history, instead. 2012 is a marker for a new beginning; a process of new creation and a new integration of the mind, body and the spirit – mankind’s next step in evolution!</div><br /><p align="right"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5o3QxGt81TyOPgwTi6h9vEBnP1zQvTKguOx0rbbMho3ruifpA6nl0iCRX0Sd5EDEFzqx_ohdIQQ7n6vxqWeteDnXKkgdOKw-EWuSmZYceYRXlQKWpicSIufreXhBlNoYI98vFYgbY7Q/s1600-h/cosmicbutterfly.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316153596351284834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5o3QxGt81TyOPgwTi6h9vEBnP1zQvTKguOx0rbbMho3ruifpA6nl0iCRX0Sd5EDEFzqx_ohdIQQ7n6vxqWeteDnXKkgdOKw-EWuSmZYceYRXlQKWpicSIufreXhBlNoYI98vFYgbY7Q/s320/cosmicbutterfly.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E8qnruJiOrP6QAr1h10AWM_v0KJ3Faaj8z6hB_G5gfDIIDHoCJM3QcsFMgZiH0aIy-o6mfmdeCZpx82byBdDYSd17Nlznk_TFN6Qj4MjKJxfTkrlbb1G1IGiAYigvtc9vjkfMMBziVs/s1600-h/cosmicbutterfly.jpg"></a></p></div></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-86728078962983519352009-01-24T21:04:00.000-08:002009-01-24T21:16:25.593-08:00Cartoon Spirituality<div><div><div><div><div>So – I am on the treadmill in my living room this morning running and my youngest son is watching a cartoon; Courage the Cowardly Dog on the Cartoon Network. For those of you who do not have kids or watch cartoons on a regular basis (Dan) you might not be able to follow most of this blog. (Look it up, watch an episode or two…) As I am watching this cartoon, I came to a realization that there may be a spiritual interpretation to the main theme of the cartoon. So, here we go!</div><br /><div><br />The premise of the cartoon is that of an old couple (Muriel and Eustis) and their dog (Courage) living in the middle of a desolate area called Nowhere, USA. In every episode this group <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMlfv25isBXapD3vKBLivSAA5z14tWyCHw4FetJwT1cXX_cXf3d1k-q0pQzpqs0B3H-SSBe_XMascgOgk1ZNIFlTH1pyh70VPba9YKK4gCyVMhCh14eaz8jPLA8qQwMLViHjBX7doPB8/s1600-h/CourageTheCowardlyDog.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295095543742565922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 246px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMlfv25isBXapD3vKBLivSAA5z14tWyCHw4FetJwT1cXX_cXf3d1k-q0pQzpqs0B3H-SSBe_XMascgOgk1ZNIFlTH1pyh70VPba9YKK4gCyVMhCh14eaz8jPLA8qQwMLViHjBX7doPB8/s320/CourageTheCowardlyDog.png" border="0" /></a>experiences a life threatening challenge presented by some supernatural or mythological being or force. Also in every episode, Courage the dog comes out the hero thus saving the day and living up to his name.</div><br /><br /><div><br />Eustis is a grumpy, grouchy, greedy old man. He is portrayed as having no teeth and always complaining about something; especially the dog. If he can blame his poor judgment or the resulting predicament he got the group into on Courage, he will do it in a heart beat. Sometimes, when Courage does something right, Eustis grumbles, “Stupid dog”. Eustis is primarily motivated by his greed. And when he is in danger he will do anything to save his own skin, including selling out his wife, Muriel. Eustis represents our baser selves, only interested in wealth, success and comfort.</div><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGe0jjAZSh7Py8HWKnx6Um7ErLZaCfVf_sEmTN8bfwmHtNxIg9ruM6IgNMWjPpEqnbSKdKFfKWf1U1Iml0pjRydw2G-MiSPD8whc7np-GR0gAoO1eFlsTo9mdn3-qnEsKdbnIT_qpX5M/s1600-h/muriel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295094065627086706" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 118px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGe0jjAZSh7Py8HWKnx6Um7ErLZaCfVf_sEmTN8bfwmHtNxIg9ruM6IgNMWjPpEqnbSKdKFfKWf1U1Iml0pjRydw2G-MiSPD8whc7np-GR0gAoO1eFlsTo9mdn3-qnEsKdbnIT_qpX5M/s320/muriel.jpg" border="0" /></a>Muriel is the kind, patient partner of Eustis. She loves both Eustis and Courage unconditionally, but she does recognize Eustis’ shortcomings. Muriel always seems to see the bright side and is welcoming of some of the bizarre creatures that end up on their doorstep. Muriel and Courage are a pair and where Muriel is, Courage can be found right beside her. Muriel represents our better selves. She is open-heartedness, optimism, and kindness. She understands that the true value of life is life itself and not what you try to squeeze out of it.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br />Courage is the main character of the group. He is afraid of everything. Overly cautious of the strange and unknown, but at the same time sympathetic to beings who are in need of help or friends. And no matter what beastly situation threatens Muriel (and even Eustis), Courage always finds a way to resolve the problem – sometimes to the benefit of the group and<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWp65Z9OZlJTr6OVJjfPMwkbL2Cnqevv_gtXVeYWtysbUXNnlGoX6ANSiV0VLYSKiU40UQydBt5geaopPeli2cc1XC1Pv2JjODlPIhcu0UP0Lh5RRiAZ16aXiObR7VOfCxpUXsvr2CWi0/s1600-h/couragethecowardlydog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295094287274779202" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWp65Z9OZlJTr6OVJjfPMwkbL2Cnqevv_gtXVeYWtysbUXNnlGoX6ANSiV0VLYSKiU40UQydBt5geaopPeli2cc1XC1Pv2JjODlPIhcu0UP0Lh5RRiAZ16aXiObR7VOfCxpUXsvr2CWi0/s320/couragethecowardlydog.jpg" border="0" /></a> the creatures mutually. It is interesting to note that where there are times that Courage does not know what steps to take in order to save Muriel, he consults a sarcastic computer which is in the attic. More on this later….</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br />The setting for these dramas is the rickety farm house in the middle of “Nowhere”. Without getting into too much detail about the symbology, a house represents a person. Whenever you dream of being in a house which you are familiar with, it is a sub-conscious symbol for your Self. The basement is your sub-conscious, the attic is your higher consciousness, and the rooms in between are different aspects of you. The two human dwellers of the house are also representations of the person; Eustis is the baser Mind-centric aspect and Muriel is the higher Heart-conscious aspect. Courage is the spirit guide of the person. In many esoteric stories and symbols, animals (especially small dogs – see the Fool card of a traditional <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZxRq7cTGCYPMBjf60BGz2KlHYyN8tKdnlyKQ5BAUlNZZ8CKKFG0b02ckytxzj5U8Mq_N8L35REO3QOS2vhjedPuc5xD1wFvYqHy0F5JyenrMY_lVCC2x88dRXErpgXf8N2_O_5_h54k/s1600-h/farm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295094644422079474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZxRq7cTGCYPMBjf60BGz2KlHYyN8tKdnlyKQ5BAUlNZZ8CKKFG0b02ckytxzj5U8Mq_N8L35REO3QOS2vhjedPuc5xD1wFvYqHy0F5JyenrMY_lVCC2x88dRXErpgXf8N2_O_5_h54k/s320/farm.jpg" border="0" /></a>Tarot deck) are the spirit guides of humans. They are the connection between us and the hidden world of spirits and intuition/instinct. This is why he is bound to Muriel, the Heart. The Heart sees things that the Mind cannot perceive. Muriel is the gut-instinct while Eustis is the opportunist who asks himself, “how can this person/situation/being benefit me materially?” When Muriel is in trouble due to being too trusting of strangers or because Eustis’ greed drags her into danger, her spirit guide kicks in. Many of the episodes show Courage attempting to warn Muriel, but he cannot talk. He usually tries to communicate by changing his shape and/or pantomiming the threat. Like many of our guides, Courage attempts to reach Muriel and Eustis through symbols and abstract methods. Eustis fails to recognize what Courage is trying to say because he doesn’t want to ‘hear’ the message or because his greed blinds him. Muriel (the Heart) is the only one open to ‘listen’ to her guide. Although Muriel trusts her guide, there are times when she feels Courage is being overly cautious and she extends her friendship to a scammer and a fraud.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div>As I stated previously, there is a computer (PC) in the attic of the farm house. In the cartoon, it is extremely rare to see either Muriel or Eustis ‘accessing’ the computer in the attic (the higher consciousness). It is the spirit guide who does the ‘accessing’. So what does the computer represent? Among esoteric thought and new age philosophy there is a theory of a kind of storehouse or well of all knowledge commonly known as the Cosmic Consciousness or the Akashic Records (ala Mr. Edger Cayce). Usually only psychics and those initiated into the esoteric mysteries are said to be able to access this vast knowledge which contains all information from the past, present, future, and possibly the realm of the Spirits. Obviously, any spiritual guide would have access to it and this could explain some of our epiphanies throughout our lives; knowledge or inspiration from seemingly nowhere.</div><br /><br /><div><br />As all of this is going on in the ‘house’, each episode has an X-File style story-line. The house has been established to be a person, any person. The name of the local is Nowhere – in other words: no where in particular. The location does not matter and could be anywhere we happen to be. And the weird happenings are representative of those things in our life which we have no control over and may appear to happen with no reason. How many times things in our own lives have given us the feeling that there must be some supernatural force (god, satan, karma, fate, luck, cosmic will…) behind the incident? </div><br /><br /><div><br />I find this theory of mine interesting because the more I thought about all this (give me a break – I was on my treadmill for 38 minutes) I wondered if the creator or authors of the cartoon purposely embedded all this in a child’s show in order to imprint a spiritual “map” through the children’s psyches. A sub-conscious seed telling them to trust their Heart and Instincts in times of distress. </div><br /><br /><div><br />Maybe I am reading too much into this cartoon - - Maybe not….</div></div></div></div></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-31366385630743422002009-01-19T20:58:00.000-08:002009-01-19T21:00:51.719-08:00The Secret History of the World (Review)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gopLvy1cclhoOrG5Vzlm7JaoIk902Y_W76bkRQ7M1-VhG4mu_Obppnu6i4GKiL0eTLbhvdlAWRevyGqD-2F3L9T9o9_Bdc9MqIuChXK9BKeT9kRDqfKuvG9qfmm8WJId3gPlE3wyyf0/s1600-h/Esoteric_trees.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293236410527032162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 191px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gopLvy1cclhoOrG5Vzlm7JaoIk902Y_W76bkRQ7M1-VhG4mu_Obppnu6i4GKiL0eTLbhvdlAWRevyGqD-2F3L9T9o9_Bdc9MqIuChXK9BKeT9kRDqfKuvG9qfmm8WJId3gPlE3wyyf0/s320/Esoteric_trees.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I just finished reading The Secret History of the World (As Laid Down by the Secret Societies), by Mark Booth (Overlook Press © 2008). For me, this book offered a great insight into the possible consciousness of early mankind and answered some obvious (and not-so-obvious) questions floating around my brain. </div><br /><div><br />Some of the Secret Societies Booth references are alchemists & Freemasons, The Illuminati, The Knights Templar, Gnostics, and The Rosacrucians. Some of the topics he discusses are the Garden of Eden, Alice in Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz, the Sphinx, Lucifer, Mohammed and Gabriel, Zarathustra, Francis Bacon, and the Seven Seals.</div><br /><div><br />One of the premises set forth by the author is the secret societies long held the theory that the evolution of human consciousness had an impact on the ‘realities’ of the world in which man dwelled. As our perception of the realness of the material objects in our world increased, our perceptions of the spirit world decreased. In essence, what we thought (think) may have had (have) a direct bearing on what actually was. In today’s language, we are co-creators in our universe.</div><br /><div><br />Now it is easy to nod one’s head and think, this is an interesting theory or allegory for the ancient’s explanation for their lack of understanding of the mysteries of the universe. But we are learned people in a technological age. That kind of psycho-babble would never fly today. But then I read an article in the June 2002 Discover Magazine written by Tim Folger (I have a lot of catch-up reading) titled “Does the Universe Exist if We’re Not Looking?” In this article the scientist <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=John+Archibald+Wheeler">John Wheeler</a> researches whether the universe exists if there is no one to see it. Based on the strange reality of quantum physics, Wheeler feels that the universe will remain in a kind of quantum uncertainty until the act of observing it collapses all the probable states of the universe to 'create' a ‘reality’. An experiment is explained where light/photons collapses into a particle or a wave long after it has been emitted from a distant galaxy. It appears the photon can remain in an uncertain state for the billions of years of inter-galactic travel until an experimental observation makes it collapse into a wave or a photon. This would mean that our observation today created a probability outcome billions of years in the past.</div><br /><div><br />Now back to the book - - Are we influencing the evolution of the universe? If so, what is the ultimate outcome? Booth has an answer for that as well. As good as I thought this book to be, I do not lightly recommend it to everyone. I have been a consumer of books on esoteric knowledge about religion, philosophy, and history for quite a long time. So as I read the Secret History many previous concepts and theories came to my mind – ‘co-experience’ to use a term learned from Robert Anton Wilson’s writings (<a href="http://rawilson.com/main.shtml">http://rawilson.com/main.shtml</a>). If you are into this kind of information, then rush out and get the book! If you are more dogmatic about history and religion (especially the religious Belief System – aka B.S.), then you may want to go out and buy another Chicken Soup for the Soul book. (Bon Apetite) </div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-1995451212326597232008-12-29T19:50:00.000-08:002008-12-29T19:53:19.744-08:00What is Religion Coming to?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaRcAa4Dhv-N1Ic95lrbohgdERhv3DZE_2F8BRuNoSnTzdoSx_H6ceHmsfEpXS5WZ_XWCEmFYrupbDf8ZRHuWHdWEwlTFTrUeWZA65cx73H8Fs8q4bWoHioYV1fnJnZRtpt7Qb8a7EZ0/s1600-h/Durer_Revelation_Four_Riders.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285426196560167842" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 231px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaRcAa4Dhv-N1Ic95lrbohgdERhv3DZE_2F8BRuNoSnTzdoSx_H6ceHmsfEpXS5WZ_XWCEmFYrupbDf8ZRHuWHdWEwlTFTrUeWZA65cx73H8Fs8q4bWoHioYV1fnJnZRtpt7Qb8a7EZ0/s320/Durer_Revelation_Four_Riders.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Over the weekend I was enthralled by another teasingly brief National Geographic show entitled “Secrets of the Revelation.” It started out telling the story of the author of the Book of Revelation, John. It first summarized the main points of the book literally – ten headed beast, the anti-Christ, the whore of Babylon, etc. Then the episode turned to the widely accepted interpretation of the symbolic meaning to the nightmare-like visions of John. It was all very ‘common’. What did get my attention were the following items.</div><br /><div><br />One of the individuals commentating on the Book of Revelation was Pastor Carlton Pearson of the New Dimensions Church. I thought it was interesting since he was not one of the ‘usual’ authorities on theology (for example Professor Elaine Pagels, Princeton University). As I continued to watch it became evident why Pastor Pearson’s opinion was sought by National Geographic. He recently changed his views on the existence of Hell. In essence, he stated on the program that he could not believe that the loving god of Christianity would allow all of his children to suffer for eternity in a place like Hell. Because of this epiphany, the bishops of the Pentecostal Church have branded him a heretic. Pastor Pearson is no light-weight in the Christian Evangelical community. Eight years ago, Pearson headed a congregation of about 6,000 members and pulled an average of $60,000 a week to the church coffers. He had a national audience as guest host on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. He was on the Oral Roberts University Board of Trustees. He was among a handful of national black religious leaders advising then-President-elect George W. Bush. Pastor Pearson is still preaching with the All Souls Unitarian Church, although his congregation is considerably smaller. [<a href="http://thepopeofpentecost.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/carlton-pearson-closes-his-church-tulsa-ministry-closed-by-pastor/">http://thepopeofpentecost.wordpress.com/2008/09/28/carlton-pearson-closes-his-church-tulsa-ministry-closed-by-pastor/</a>] </div><br /><div><br />Wow! Christian thought is coming around to ‘there may not be a Hell – at all….’</div><br /><div><br />The National Geographic episode also made mention that there has been theologists kicking around the idea that maybe the whole Book of Revelation should be removed from the Holy Bible! Removing a book from the Bible?! The Vatican would never allow it! Yet….</div><br /><div><br />Towards the end of the program Mr. John L. Allen, Jr., of the National Catholic Reporter, stated:<br />“The International Theological Commission, which is the chief advisory body to the Vatican on doctrinal questions, is today working on a document – it will for the first time, in official form, say this: that Christians can hope that hell will be empty.”</div><br /><div><br />The narrator responds, “The belief is that even the worst sinners may be redeemed and sent to Heaven.” [<a href="http://www.opensourcetheology.net/node/1340">http://www.opensourcetheology.net/node/1340</a>] </div><br /><div><br />!!! </div><br /><div><br />What is Religion coming to? Could we be witnessing the beginning of the end of cults who blindly follow the “Great-God-of-Thou-Shalt-Not”? Are we evolving a new concept of ‘god’?</div><br /><div><br />Now Pastor Pearson’s opinion is just that – a theory. (Good for him for thinking – using the brain his god gave him!) And I could find no evidence to back up the ramblings of removing Revelation. And if the Vatican (the black hole for any esoteric knowledge which falls in reach of its claws) is working on a document proposing salvation through Grace alone, I guess we will have to wait and trust that it gets completed and PUBLISHED. But I have recently read something interesting.</div><br /><div><br />In about 1135 C.E., a prophet by the name of Joachim devised a Theory of Three. He identified the Old Testament as the Age of the Father which was the time of fear and obedience. The New Testament was equated with the Age of the Son and ushered a time of the Church and faith. But he also predicted the coming of the Age of the Spirit which he stated will be a time when the Church will no longer be necessary and freedom and love would prevail. This is also known to many of us as the Age of Aquarius. [The Secret History of the World, Mark Booth]</div><br /><div><br />Look around. Things are changing in the world at a phenomenal rate. We are no longer isolated groups of people stuck in our beliefs and thoughts. We are quickly becoming a united, global community sharing information and ideas at the speed of light. How long can ‘Religion’ be kept on life support?</div><br /><div><br />2012 C.E. - - - ? </div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-75757860190346104182008-12-25T12:21:00.001-08:002008-12-25T12:22:49.444-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkrOxfTxkvPqpjdH4bCD0qKuRgnqFZclElxYBY5u6Sob2po1AjlJStt8YJxhqY8bIazxeotXJxR3fAZTtN0lHwT64Gwz5PlHvBT3qE1TNvl-D2ByTnlPF9O5g8sSuEhefirfXPbJNB6Q/s1600-h/Yoda_Bottles_Barrels_Live_Bait.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283825699466459186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkrOxfTxkvPqpjdH4bCD0qKuRgnqFZclElxYBY5u6Sob2po1AjlJStt8YJxhqY8bIazxeotXJxR3fAZTtN0lHwT64Gwz5PlHvBT3qE1TNvl-D2ByTnlPF9O5g8sSuEhefirfXPbJNB6Q/s320/Yoda_Bottles_Barrels_Live_Bait.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Merry Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanza/Festivus/Yule/Holidays/Winter Solstice!!! It is Christmas Day here in sunny Arizona (it is actually a little cloudy and rainy...). My household was a frantic buzz as Santa delivered a generous haul of loot to our Charlie Brown Christmas tree over the chilly Christmas Eve. One particular young one was very excited! He went around knocking on all the gifts declaring that he could tell which ones were toys and which were "non-toys" just by the sound - like thumping watermelons, I guess. And, in case you were wondering, there are really only two types of gifts - toys and non-toys. The older you get the more non-toy gifts are delivered by Santa. But if you are particularly naughty, Mrs. Santa will deliver adult toys! ;) Finally, Star was ready to begin the gift opening ritual with her big digital camera with CIA issued telephoto lens, laser target acquire enabled aperture, and internal organ revealing concentrated UV X-ray multi flash. We took three photos. Everyone with exposed skin will be using Aloe Vera lotion for the flash burns.<br /><br />We have to give Santa some credit once again. All presents were personalized to the recipients’ particular interests. The older boys got 'cool' gifts. The younger one got 'awesome' toys (no underwear or socks). And Mom and dad argued that each spent too much on the other.<br /><br />I did notice something in regards to the gifts I received. Of the five presents from various Santas, two were Star Wars items and two were Jack Daniels products. One Yoda dressed as Santa bobble head (cool), one Darth Vader bobble head (sweet!), a Jack Daniels baseball cap (Dude!!) that the official Jack Daniels website does not sell anymore (lame), and a 1.75 liter bottle of Jack Daniels (auzum!!!). Star Wars and Jack Daniels. This has been a very good Christmas! I hope everyone else's has been at least as Groovy!</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-63017377048469270582008-12-11T21:34:00.001-08:002008-12-11T21:36:06.839-08:00PAGE AND DEATH<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8trcMn2nXDgNvOKEMumK0xL-XDBiwXvOE8FvqNPKtCEU6pvJwEuQUiNQJciIYrD58fCagWcCSw1DfhT599iaNE14vbxlf3QIZkr1HNaaHd08T5Xoi-ydz9PLWqWig9ECYM_NEgy0TmM/s1600-h/BP1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278773170283528034" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 193px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8trcMn2nXDgNvOKEMumK0xL-XDBiwXvOE8FvqNPKtCEU6pvJwEuQUiNQJciIYrD58fCagWcCSw1DfhT599iaNE14vbxlf3QIZkr1HNaaHd08T5Xoi-ydz9PLWqWig9ECYM_NEgy0TmM/s320/BP1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />“LOS ANGELES - Bettie Page, the 1950s secretary-turned-model whose controversial photographs in skimpy attire or none at all helped set the stage for the 1960s sexual revolution, died Thursday. She was 85.<br />Page suffered a heart attack last week in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness, her agent Mark Roesler said. Before the heart attack, Page had been hospitalized for three weeks with pneumonia.” - - Associated Press (<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28185814/">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28185814/</a> )<br />This story got me thinking about something that itched at the back of my mind for a while. I remember a time when people and news reports would simply state that a person died of “old age”; or that the person “passed away.” I think it has been decades since I can remember either of those two terms being used in relation to the death of someone. Now, when I hear that someone has died, the immediate follow up question is “what did they die of?” And modern medicine always has an accurate answer to that question: Pneumonia, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, respiratory failure, or ‘heart complications’. No one dies of old age anymore. It appears as if the medical community (and the media) is saying “DEATH IS CURABLE!” And, I am sure money is somehow involved with that cure. Maybe this campaign is spreading a subliminal fear of death throughout the nation – if not the world. Now, please don’t get me wrong; dying of cancers, diseases, tumors, etc may not be the natural thing, but when I am finally too old I would imagine that I might have ‘heart complications’ or respiratory failure….</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-63529170336606342892008-12-08T18:41:00.000-08:002008-12-08T18:46:15.826-08:00FAITH<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6qhRnxqQOYY0n0n58XNetbcX_WizTXkZUIJBfq1kOIfj6zKGg2vUbE7fnJ6cg0bTVH7v_gDMAlqi7Xsq12ZbnxjoWABmj3uw5zOpfxl72Phe8uSJh0MZkZeO0dRX7vBDQmrw5WSprjA/s1600-h/titian1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277616159068824514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 264px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6qhRnxqQOYY0n0n58XNetbcX_WizTXkZUIJBfq1kOIfj6zKGg2vUbE7fnJ6cg0bTVH7v_gDMAlqi7Xsq12ZbnxjoWABmj3uw5zOpfxl72Phe8uSJh0MZkZeO0dRX7vBDQmrw5WSprjA/s320/titian1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />I know that not too many people who read my blogs understand them let alone agree with any one of them to any quantifiable degree. I don’t have a problem with that. I would be greatly surprised to find anyone (other than Star) who might agree 100% with any one of the concepts I have put forth. And I think that this one is going to possibly be unpopular with a lot of readers….<br />But lately I have been thinking a lot about the word “faith” and what it means – both as defined by the dictionary and what people may perceive it to mean. I mostly hear people mention the word in two contexts: i. in terms of religious belief and ii. in terms of hopefulness. I have heard statements such as “I practice my religious faith earnestly…”, “I have faith things will work out…”, and “I have faith in that person…” It seems people hold that word in very high regard. “To hold true faith and allegiance …”, as part of a military oath goes. But once that word is uttered, should we all get a warm and fuzzy feeling in our gut, or should we take caution? I think that most people like hearing that word. I think that most people think they know exactly what the word means and what the underlying intent is of its usage. Well, that is the tricky part; ‘knowing’ exactly what other people think. But I can pick up a dictionary and read the ‘official’ definition based on collective agreement.<br />According to the Webster’s II New Riverside University Dictionary (1994): faith – n. (origin from Latin fides meaning to trust) 1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. 2. Belief not based on logical proof or material evidence. 3. Loyalty to a person or thing. 4 a. Belief in God. b. Religious conviction. 5. A system of religious beliefs. 6. A set of principles or beliefs.<br />The word that I see as defining faith is “belief” and therefore interchangeable. “I have faith/belief in that person, thing, idea.” To me that is interesting, because I have tried really hard to eliminate the word ‘belief’ from my vocabulary (in reference to my thoughts and feelings on people, things and theories). In my opinion, one should either know something or have a feeling about it. If one does not have an opinion/feeling/theory that is theirs, then that is alright. You don’t have to think one way or the other about everything. But to say that you believe in something (have faith) is to say that you don’t know one way or the other and that you are deferring to an already established system of theology that was developed without your input –or- an intangible force to cause things to work out in your favor (Luck). Faith is the same way. One is hoping, wishing, desiring, with no action on ones own part to know for sure or create the desired out come.<br />Bottom line: you either know something, or you don’t. If you don’t, find out. That may be easier done when dealing with people and things, but what about religion? Drive downtown and count how many churches there are. Go to a bookstore and count how many ‘holy scriptures’ are for sale (not just the ‘Christian’ ones) and in how many different versions or interpretations. If you’re brave and have plenty of time on your hands, do a search on the internet. So who truly knows? Which is ‘right’? Why? How do they know? How can you be sure?<br />Only you can answer that because only you know what you think and feel. Don’t ask yourself “What do I believe?” or “What do I have faith in?” Just pay attention to how you feel. Do you feel god/gods/goddess/goddesses in or around you? Do you feel that he/she/they are a part of you? Do you feel that this Universal Force is going to punish you if you don’t go to a church/temple/synagogue/mosque? Do you really need someone telling you what is the right thing to do and what is harmful to yourself or others?<br />You can take control over your life by taking back what you are responsible for – you. Your thoughts, your knowledge of your feelings for your relationship with your god(s)/goddess(es)/Universal Force, your place in this world. Don’t have ‘faith’ in something. Don’t ‘believe’ in something. Know it. Feel it. How? Know yourself. Learn who you truly are and be honest with yourself. If you can’t be honest with yourself, then no one will ever be honest with you. And whatever your thoughts and feelings are right now about deity(ies), the more you discover about yourself, your understanding of deity(ies) will evolve with you. No one can define god to you in one Sunday, one Saturday, or one Friday – it takes a life time – your life time.</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-35711011781164068102008-12-07T18:05:00.000-08:002008-12-07T18:11:32.161-08:00ADAM AND EVE AS A DIVINE REFLECTION<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh6_MLaolxOtcUl5oOGU1SQb03_H4Nkn53JvCUkKu6OMgItiv9auwfFTWvZHm6hdra0QCI_QE3bjtVSfOGopceGE1f9uReEUkxov0KJ62R9faznJrlRzSziKJCexYPzfAw5VYu3JdByg/s1600-h/Adam_Eve.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277236086227163602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 204px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh6_MLaolxOtcUl5oOGU1SQb03_H4Nkn53JvCUkKu6OMgItiv9auwfFTWvZHm6hdra0QCI_QE3bjtVSfOGopceGE1f9uReEUkxov0KJ62R9faznJrlRzSziKJCexYPzfAw5VYu3JdByg/s320/Adam_Eve.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />There is a common saying that “God created man and man created religion.” Many people have viewed this as the theme for why religions are so tangled and often times non-sensical. The theory being that 1) there is a God; 2) god created man; 3) man was not given any direct guidance to the proper worship of God; therefore 4) man created rules; 5) man is fallible and the rules are stupid. There was a Gnostic Christian who lived around 140 C.E. who was follower of Valentinus who believed that humans ‘fell’ into error of projecting their own divinity into external objects or being, thereby creating gods and religion. He also took the above concept a little further. This writer stated:<br /><br />In the beginning, God created humanity. But now humanity creates God. This is the way it is in the world – human beings invent gods and worship their creation. It would be more fitting for the gods to worship human beings!<br /><br />[The above extracted from “Adam, Eve and the Serpent”, by Elaine Pagels; Random House, 1988; pages 65-66]<br /><br />I am willing to go even further. If man created god(s) and then raised religions in which to worship these invented god(s), then it would be normal for man to have created these gods in mans own image. If you review any and all gods that you can think of, you may see certain human characteristics in these so called all-powerful, all-knowing, incomprehensible super beings. But they are all fallible in some way. Even the Christian god is often depicted with human emotions. The Christian god even wonders whether he made a mistake creating man to begin with (Genesis). This does not sound like a divine being, powerful and eternal as to baffle the human mind. That is because we, as humans, have created and defined a god we can comprehend. If all of that make some sort of sense, then, please, continue my mental trip…:<br /><br />In the Christian Bible, Book of Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 26 states: “Then God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness….” Then god set rules (see my previous entry “Did God Create Sin?”), thereby establishing a condition for abeyance - - or ‘religion’. If this is ‘true’ and it is also ‘true’ that man created god and religion in his own image, then could the following also be ‘true’. Man, full of inherent Divinity projected this divinity to external objects and created gods in his own image. Man established rules based on his own understanding of the known world and his own intentions. Could god have externalized his/her own inherent Divinity into external beings created in his/her own image and then established rules/religion? Whether you choose to perceive this information as possibly ‘biblical’ or allegorically, Adam and Eve would represent the Divine Reflection of God. God’s externalization of Divinity has imbued us with the ‘Divine Spark’ effectively connecting each and everyone spiritually to god. Our goal then is the realization of this through self knowledge…. But that is a completely different discussion. At hand is what I currently understand as a new theory of the Adam and Eve story (to toss on the mountain of other theories…) where god is not the perfect being most fear or find comfort in. Read, digest, tell me what you think.<br /></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-49668278048153162342008-12-06T09:35:00.000-08:002008-12-06T09:39:52.739-08:00Book Review: "The Templars and the Ark of the Covenant"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO1Ab7hyV2vPjH2lVpTxWqg99MAcWHrI3soRiXVG1q-UMQS3PTHW6JeFcPsqW_fBtv5HtQBcYKiHp7Iu__6c58ZRyrxEoquujy1TKUjjtzYmEP7Dw6zOKlMOQFrloguxtpDDdjTuoBUQ/s1600-h/templarseal.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276733090925458098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 191px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifO1Ab7hyV2vPjH2lVpTxWqg99MAcWHrI3soRiXVG1q-UMQS3PTHW6JeFcPsqW_fBtv5HtQBcYKiHp7Iu__6c58ZRyrxEoquujy1TKUjjtzYmEP7Dw6zOKlMOQFrloguxtpDDdjTuoBUQ/s320/templarseal.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The Templars and the Ark of the Covenant<br />By Graham Phillips; 2004<br /><br />I recently completed reading this book. For those of you who know me well enough, I am an avid seeker of any ancient and secret knowledge. So anything about the Ark of the Covenant and the Knights Templar is an instant draw for me. Luckily for me Star got this book for me as a gift! Thanks, Star! This book was an easy read at only 212 text pages and a set of color photographs at the center section. I have read one other book by the author (Merlin and the Discovery of the New World – interesting…) and I was already familiar with the type of work he does. Graham Phillips is a researcher of historical mysteries and myths. He is very good at what he does, but there are times that I feel that he makes some leaps in deduction. One example is an introduction into his research of a person as a source of information for which no one can confirm this person’s existence. This person “appears” out of nowhere and provides Phillips some key information twice in the book and then “disappears”. Phillips attempts to identify this benefactor of information, but, alas, no one in the town knows anyone who looks like this person. Coming from an investigative background, it is hard to take that kind of source of information as viable. But that aside, Phillips provides some possible alternatives to some biblical mysteries; such as the true location of Mount Sinai, what the Ark of the Covenant might have been and how it worked. Compared to some far fetched theories I have heard in the past (extraterrestrial intervention… etc), the theories Phillips puts forth are plausible. I will not reveal those theories in this blog – if your curiosity is piqued, buy the book…</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-54150603639569424162008-12-05T18:59:00.000-08:002008-12-05T19:04:10.512-08:00DID GOD CREATE SIN?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSBarKC0Y5vPPYFd166da0f9H59E_v4-TGOSKVSGJReUyJb45BxrCGRBTwqEMu4meL4LNtpKAzKGqzFaaRUHfsWuCkMAzm8I5rc6SP8gbmh7G9U1aMvjWUpq8DyygSbOKL-_OBczvSxk/s1600-h/adam_eve-jesus.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276507488873825250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSBarKC0Y5vPPYFd166da0f9H59E_v4-TGOSKVSGJReUyJb45BxrCGRBTwqEMu4meL4LNtpKAzKGqzFaaRUHfsWuCkMAzm8I5rc6SP8gbmh7G9U1aMvjWUpq8DyygSbOKL-_OBczvSxk/s320/adam_eve-jesus.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />Did God create the first sin by creating a setting for sin? If God had placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden without any boundaries, how would the story have played out? “Be fruitful and multiply…” is a permissive/encouraging statement. “Do not eat…” is a restrictive statement creating a ‘this or that’ scenario. Now a decision making process must occur. One of two choices is available; not eat – carrying on without fear of the ‘threat’ (‘or else…’); or eat – and be in violation of the restrictive statement. Without the restriction (with out the tree…) there would not have been an opportunity to commit an error. God created sin through the establishment of ‘rules’ and restriction. God brought/introduced ‘evil’ into the world… The question is “Why?” and to what ends?</div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-32313043153018423062008-12-03T19:37:00.000-08:002008-12-03T19:42:42.834-08:00The Zero Point...!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh-Q7EWRgfnremCDBNwyyJRes0IwfmoO0GqFKPTka_of5BXaGBeegaC-fz9jTS7FEolCS6VRI8aEYwvnZshynrhVeyDnWFUM22QCpiBo6adwU_704pBq8WHDS2T2ttjiP9U9FSwTcDHo/s1600-h/Zero_Point_Energy.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275775222278862754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 128px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh-Q7EWRgfnremCDBNwyyJRes0IwfmoO0GqFKPTka_of5BXaGBeegaC-fz9jTS7FEolCS6VRI8aEYwvnZshynrhVeyDnWFUM22QCpiBo6adwU_704pBq8WHDS2T2ttjiP9U9FSwTcDHo/s320/Zero_Point_Energy.png" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Review<br />Awakening to Zero Point<br />By Gregg Braden<br /><br />This book is for everyone who feels that something is about to happen. For those who have that feeling of being on a speeding train that is quickly coming up on its NEXT stop and they wonder “will I remain on board for the second part of the journey?”<br /><br />The basis for this book is the concept that the earth goes through cycles just like anything else. These cycles are not only restricted to “ice ages”, continental plate drifts, tides, etc. These changes are expected to be the shifting of the magnetic poles resulting in what the author calls the “zero point”. Magnetics are interrelated to all humans as physical and spiritual beings. We are all connected to everything and we are all a direct reflection of the magnetic / energetic harmonics of the earth. As the earth changes its magnetic poles it will also change its vibratory harmonics. There will also be a reduction in the magnetic field, theoretically freeing our minds to greater thought and opening us to new perceptions of other realities coexisting with us now. Those of us who are “ready” will reflect that change and be given the opportunity to “ascend” to the next level of understanding and being. Those who are not may find life more and more confusing and difficult. The lead up to the zero point is a time of innovative thought and openness to more unified concepts. But along with this new thinking, come greater conflict among the humans due to those not ready for the shift. Confusion and friction will make the world a tortured place. But the end state will be a world of compassion and understanding to rival anything that humans have ever witnessed before.<br /><br />Braden offers a guide in the way of explaining what is happening, when it may happen, and what signs you should look for to better put you in touch with the approaching zero point. There are parts of the book that have been shown to not be relevant to metaphysics or mysterious occurrences. But at the time that he wrote the book, many people were hopeful that the new activity was a message from higher beings, mystical or other worldly.<br /><br />This book was last printed in 1997. I don’t know if this book is still available, but if you are interested look for it. It is an easy read and definitely has good info to make you think about where you are today and where you are heading…</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2515406913661141637.post-36461715368799089992008-12-01T20:11:00.000-08:002008-12-01T20:23:40.815-08:00In the Beginning...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWlrvS78Lh269c2FXyhydb6aRO1Q_lP3zPdH2hxOT4OG3j27m_r_10sZrbLT2dArztw9ILX7PQFnK1VPkeS4k62_hzCjgDPp6Y952qE2m9NBOppTUEv9H_3OlcAsUPyWQaz9qT696eaE/s1600-h/lucifer+and+serpents.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275043535554365490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWlrvS78Lh269c2FXyhydb6aRO1Q_lP3zPdH2hxOT4OG3j27m_r_10sZrbLT2dArztw9ILX7PQFnK1VPkeS4k62_hzCjgDPp6Y952qE2m9NBOppTUEv9H_3OlcAsUPyWQaz9qT696eaE/s320/lucifer+and+serpents.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>"When Light no longer rose to kiss me,</div><br /><div>I swore to tear Heaven asunder,</div><br /><div>As flights of fallen angels wished me,</div><br /><div>God's speed on the Devil's Thunder!"</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>"it is better to reign in Hell,</div><br /><div>then serve in Heaven"</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>"And there was war in Heaven,</div><br /><div>Michael and his angels fought against the dragon,</div><br /><div>and his angels fought and prevailed not.</div><br /><div>Neither was their place found anymore in Heaven.</div><br /><div>That old serpent called the devil and satan,</div><br /><div>which deceiveth the whole world,</div><br /><div>he was cast out into the earth and </div><br /><div>his angels were cast out with him!"</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And here it begins....</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Speedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08258463090255594146noreply@blogger.com0