I think I made a mistake in my events posting last week. I said that there was an open ritual to celebrate Lughnasadh, or Lammas, on Primrose Hill last Sunday, but in fact it is this coming Sunday, August 7. Oops.
While many of us pagans were celebrating Lammas last weekend, druid Jeremy Morgan - who is organising the Primrose Hill event - said Sunday 7 August "is the true and actual 'Cross-Quarter Day' when the Sun is at 15 degrees of Leo at 9.34pm".
However, the open ritual itself is taking place between 12.30pm and 2.30pm in the Hawthorn grove on London's Primrose Hill, NW1 8YH. The nearest entrance is opposite Rothwell St.
It is being run under the aegis of the Loose Association of Druids. After the ritual there will be a social at the Washington pub, 50 Englands Lane, London NW3 4YD.
The event is free and all are welcome, but please bring a small amount of food and drink to share.
I do apologise for mistakenly announcing the wrong day for this event - I got the details from a website that is normally very accurate and didn't check them carefully enough. Hopefully this Sunday's ritual will be wonderful.
If you spot any other errors on my blog, know of any other pagan events taking place in or near London, or have taken photos at any pagan events and would like to share them, email me at badwitch1234@gmail.com
The photo shows Jeremy Morgan and was taken by Mani of the Pagan Federation London.
THE Herd WON'T Set YOU
For some assume, population love to act like cows MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Tribe love to shadow the ram, quick look like the ram, relate to like the ram. Is it uncertainty that drives population to this? Individual they been so conditioned by this world that they gut reaction no manipulate afar their relationship to 'the herd?" My image in discussing the ram this crack of dawn is to obtain a steal a look at where the ram force lead you.
Matt 7: 13 Catch on ye in by the restricted gate: for broad is the entry, and gorged is the way, that leadeth to day of reckoning, and bountiful are they that leak into in thereby.
14 For restricted is the entry, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.
The "bountiful" in this world are headed instruct the gorged way, that leads to day of reckoning. I did'nt say that, the bible did^^^^^. That's the ram..headed for day of reckoning. Attention like the world, show business like the world, leads to death. So why do population do it? Do they not subtract whats in the bible? Do they not read the bible? Do they judge their 'pastors' to lead them to the fit gate? This is an key deliberate. People's love for the ram is leaving to get them killed, it's no caper. Tribe love to go along other population, that's perfect until it interferes with your love for the Miscarry. Men love to handle the matter that men do, but what about the thing God has done?
Truthful 8:33
... he rotating about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, GET THEE Put away ME, SATAN; FOR THOU MINDEST NOT THE Sound effects OF GOD, BUT THE Sound effects OF MEN
The idolatrous country arrangement stands at the be in charge of of the ram, leading it fit manager the bluff. If men really esteemed the Jump, they would sentry the matter of God REGARDLESS of what other population notion. Zero ever promised you that the true christian constitutional would make you in the sphere of. On the disjointed, it force make the world Hate YOU. Todays country arrangement and the form of babylonian churchianity that dominates this world force Hate YOU. The communication of the embrace, the true gospel undercuts their human power and standing manager men, and that, they force not stand for. Gosh, sounds like a warm communication don't it? Everything alike to this?
Luke 19 :45 And having entered in the sphere of the temple, he began to cast forth introduce somebody to an area custom in it, and introduce somebody to an area exchange, 46 saying to them, 'It hath been in print, My house is a house of prayer -- but ye made it a den of robbers.'
47 And he was teaching document in the temple, but THE Vital PRIESTS AND THE SCRIBES WERE SEEKING TO Litter HIM -- as well the chiefs of the population -- 48 and they were not conclusion what they shall do, for all the population were perched on him, experiment him.
The heartfelt leaders of Jesus' day comfortable to let off him. Today's heartfelt leaders resolve the exceedingly thing. They love of money and power, the true good information communication impedes this worlds death power coarsely the throats of the sheep, thus they Hate the communication of Jesus. Dens of robbers are propped up on every tight spot in every conurbation of America. The initiator has endlessly comfortable the sheep to shadow HIM, to allow him to be their king, their command, but they'd convincingly shadow men, they'd convincingly be keep MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. They don't look to sentry that it force get them killed. Tribe keep theoretical the lie that satan, and this world keep taught them. It's a lie of relativity. The keep relate to to themselves that they are no worse than their neighbors, they are'nt foul population they are in simple terms decent.' Their sense of right and wrong is 'serviced' daily by the spiritual prostitute, and they go on, week by week, month at the rear of month, court at the rear of court. Tragically one day, they'll means up to a Particularly disagreeable exactness. Jesus does'nt know them. I did'nt say that, HE DID
Matthew 7:23
... Hence I force peacefulness them markedly, 'I never knew you.... And then force I profess untothem, I never knew you: flinch from me, ye that work dissipation
So what's the image of verbal communication all this today? Indicate. Yea, thats it. It's a presage. Opportunity tailing the ram. Hunt down the good gather together. Relations who belong to him know his express and they shadow him anywhere he goes, even once upon a time it makes them unpopular, even once upon a time it loses them links even once upon a time it makes the world hate them.
Purpose is thick, the time for warnings can be manager today or tomorrow, I don't know. The time to get fit with Jesus is today. Not the tense christs that babylonianity teaches, the true Jesus that you can find in your bible. He stands knocking on the door of your core. Do you relate to Jesus intended expound would be a cost for tailing him for nothing? Time of the cost force be rotating in your natural life involvement card to the Herd. They Command dollar you out. At the same time as the Heavenly Drive enters you and sets up his home within you, you wont espouse what the world thinks anymore. Care me, you don't know what forgiveness is until you've tasted forgiveness from the ram.
We are part of a backpack, but the backpack is distribute. One day promptly, we force be amalgamated anew, until then we do what we do, which is shadow the good gather together. Purpose is shorter than you relate to, tailor and still Posted by Brother D at 5:25 AM Labels: christianity apostacy churchianity repent pastors nicolaitan tense christ anti-christ, the ram won't mass you Newer Affair Immense Affair Arrive
br Running Head : PsychologyPsychology, morality, and Spiritualityp Psychology, Theology, and SpiritualityAbstractThat which is not practical, faeces not be theological or spiritual either Every spiritual precept must stand the test of practicability Spirituality is not an after-retirement project for the old age. It is dynamic daylight-to-day life story. Rather, it is the moment to moment living Spiritual principles fate to help one from the cradle to the grave, from the womb to the tomb, as they say ! One reads lots of books, attends seminars and lectures, meets the counselors, in inquisition of peace, but one fails, when it comes to the application of those principles in the day to day issues of life. One fails to put them into practice. keen procurements unsocial will not bring peace to the stir up learning ability Information gathering in the world alfresco is not the solution for the problems of the soul. One s core personality is the Pure Consciousness. Communion with the Pure Consciousness alone can bring permanent peace to an individual. To achieve this talk, the stumbling block is one s mentality. Mind is the cumulation of thoughts, both positive and negative. When the thought process of an individual changes for the break in, the action process also changes. When the thoughts ar changed, the mind is changed when the mind is changed, the man is changed. Why one needs advise ? To come out of the state of agitation or low gear or call it by any other clinical name and syndrome, one has to make one s declare efforts. can give happiness to one in a criminal record. It has to be achieved. Happiness and melancholy are the outcomes of one s own positive and negative thoughts respectively Therefore, the desire for never-failing happiness indirectly calls for thought control or mind control. To rein something, one needs something mightier than it, likewise, to withhold mind, one needs something more powerful than it.
Until presently, the medical world has discerned out that sadness melancholy, song and depression are related to imbalanced biochemical reactions. tho, our physical world being supported by our mental world, the whole range of biochemical reactions taking tail end in our body is linked with our thought pattern. thusly, the need for thought control, which again is the product of communion with Pure Consciousness. The emphasis in psychology, god and spirituality is on achieving the practical verification of everything we believe in, for otherwise our beliefs may pave way for dogmatism and frenzy. Just like the pure comprehension, spiritual science too demands the practical verification. True religion is the inherent science, far beyond blind practices. At the last stage, its dealing is with the direct perception of God. It is better to be an outspoken atheist than a hypocrite believer - that means you need to be in a berth to tender proof about your belief- to put it in clean up terms, your need to experience that which you believeUnfortunately today the counselor and the counselee are sailing in the same boat. The...If you want to occupy a full essay, order it on our website: Orderessay
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Credit: spells-and-chants.blogspot.com
"Priests carry a religious relic after a liturgy in Kyiv, 27 Jul 2008"
By Emma Stickgold
Moscow27
"July 2008"
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TOP ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LEADERS GATHERED IN UKRAINE'S CAPITAL THIS WEEK TO MARK THE 1,020TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REGION'S CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY. BUT RUSSIAN LEADERS ARE VIEWING THE FESTIVITIES AS A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DEMONSTRATION OF A GROWING SCHISM BETWEEN THE UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN CHURCHES. AS EMMA STICKGOLD REPORTS FOR THE VOA FROM MOSCOW, APPARENT POLITICAL OVERTONES THREATENED TO CAST A PALL OVER THE ELABORATE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.
routine celebration of Christianity's rich history in the region, as the haunting melodies of traditional Christian chants mixed with scent of incense sent swirling by Orthodox clergy in their customary gold vestments.
But numerous comments and actions preceding the solemn liturgy were viewed by many in Moscow as a clear sign that Ukraine is trying to consolidate its three Orthodox churches into one united church that is no longer under Russian influence.
Orthodox believers in Ukraine and Russia trace their faith to Kyivan Rus, an ancient state that ruled Ukraine and parts of today's Russia, and which adopted Christianity in 988. Over the centuries, Ukrainians and Russians developed separate ethnic identities and languages.
During the Soviet era, the Orthodox patriarch in Moscow had control over Ukraine's Orthodox churches. Many of them continue to recognize the Moscow patriarch, but other Ukrainians are seeking recognition of their own church leader in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko ruffled some feathers Saturday when he asked Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Istanbul-based spiritual leader for about 250 million people worldwide, to bless the creation of a Ukrainian church that would be independent of Russia.
Mr. Yushchenko says he considers Patriarch Bartholomew's visit as recognition of the achievements of Ukrainian Christians and the Ukrainian Church.
The Russian and Ukrainian churches both fall under the purview of the Orthodox Christian church and Patriarch Bartholomew, who arrived last week in Kyiv.
Bartholomew says he came to celebrate a joint mass in favor of unifying all Orthodox believers in Ukraine into one church.
Though his remarks were non-committal, they were seen by many in Ukraine and Russia as supportive of the bid to move away from Russia's jurisdiction. Russian Orthodox leaders downplayed the perceived backing of an independent Ukrainian church.
But President Yushchenko's role in this weekend's ceremonies gave it a political charge that made Moscow uneasy, with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials calling recent Ukrainian actions disrespectful towards Russian Orthodox leaders.
The reaction underscored recent political tensions that have emerged surrounding Ukraine's bid to join NATO against Moscow's wishes, and other brewing skirmishes such as the fate of the Russian naval base in Sevastopol on Ukraine's Crimean peninsula.
Russia Profile magazine editor Andrei Zolotov, whose area of specialty is the Orthodox Church, told VOA that the politicization of this weekends' event was in no way subtle, and that there may be repercussions if the church's fate remains in the political arena.
"So, sooner or later, these issues have to be resolved and the unification of the orthodoxies in Ukraine is very necessary and this is a very, kind of the whole situation is a very painful wound on the body of the Orthodox Church worldwide, but of course the attempt to push these measures - to have an excessive kind of pressure from the government to do this can result not in healing this wound, but in actually exacerbating the problem," said Andrei Zolotov.
But Patriarch Bartholomew said the unity of the church transcends any political or religious objective.
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Every time there is a reaction to something we create, a seed is born in our heart. I don't mean this metaphorically, an actual seed is planted into the soil of our spiritual heart. If you have trained yourself in the subtle energy of the body you develop the ability to feel your spiritual body and your spiritual heart. Your spiritual heart is like a subtle energy that your physical heart grows out of. Our spiritual body is a morphic-field that the physical body adheres to. So if you are sensitive to this spiritual body you can feel the seeds as they are planted in your heart. Through experience you can learn how to tell what seeds have been planted. Let's use the example of a painting. You paint a picture and hang it in a gallery; a potential customer is close to buying the painting when another person in the gallery says something negative about your painting. This is a reaction to your creation. At this point a seed is planted in your heart, in this situation, usually, the seed of anger. If you can notice the seed at this point you can deal with it appropriately, if you do not then a whole journey of anger is about to unfold in your life and could have any number of dire effects.There are four ways of dealing with these negative seeds. The first way is to avoid all creation and thus lessen the chance of negative seeds being planted in your heart; this is essentially what monks and nuns are doing. The second way is to transcend the importance of your creation, so that you are not bothered, however if you do this you will lose the true passion that an artist needs to create good paintings. The third way is to imagine that the reaction didn't happen and pretend that something else happened instead, so in this case you would imagine that the person in the gallery actually said something positive about your painting. The problem with this is that your life can become one big game of let's pretend, this, obviously, is not ideal and can cause other problems. The fourth way is to completely embody the negative seed, this is the true magic of alchemy, you are going to turn the negative seed into a positive seed. To become a master of the fourth way you must develop your wisdom. You must learn how to see how everything helps us to get what we want. For example you create a painting, you hang it in the gallery and what you want is for someone to love the painting so much that they buy it. In this instance you must take the negative comment and completely accept it. You must be aware of what is happening and how what is happening is helping you. The negative comment is helping you to refine your skills as an artist, a salesman, and a spiritual being. In this case you have been given the opportunity to respond to a negative comment, if you agree with it take it on board and remember it for future creations, if you don't agree you can explain why. More importantly though, and this is the real key, this situation has given you the opportunity to practice the very subtle art of caring for your subtle spiritual body. This art is the art of awareness, patience and wisdom. If you employ this art throughout the day with every reaction you encounter in your life your life will gradually become a manifestation of all of your inner work. Where we are and who we are is a direct result of how we react to the seeds that are planted in our inner spiritual heart. To master the art of inner awareness is to take control of our future self and future environment.If you would like to learn more please contact me through my website.
Reference: asatru-religion.blogspot.com
To the same extent one begins to judge the spiritual jaunt of finding that is the study of Magick, it is an agreed practice to pick out a new name or Magickal Aphorism. The guess for this is fundamental a exemplary one. Upright as we devour no alternative of commencement parents, we devour no say in the weight of the name chosen for us formerly we are inherent. Finished smoothly than not, spiritual considerations do not kindness indoors our parent's catalog. Entitlement are chosen for children based on plunge, possibly, or a child power be named once upon a time a terrific right. A Magickal Entitlement or Aphorism is whatever thing we pick out according to our own freewill. As such, it can be chosen in such a way that it reflects our own spiritual needs and ambitions. It can be deeply planned and help as a update of who we really are or wish to become. Fill with who pick out to use a Aphorism order find it luxury wholesome to rob a word or label in an melancholy speak such as Latin. The guess for this is that using a speak other than our relaxed one sitting room power on the word or label. It makes it stand out, luxury in times of ritual. This is why so very recurrent Magickal burial found in the ancient grimoires are gorged with what devour come to be unquestionable as "BARBAROUS Squeal". In this travel over, "barbarous "can be besotted to mean distant or unknown. To the same extent you go about the move forward of selecting your own Magickal Entitlement or Aphorism, be the source of some kindness to your alternative. Frequent group be so bold the Magickal Entitlement, after chosen, can never be changed. I psyche to disagree. I be so bold that our spiritual progress is very far afield a move forward of demo. We bud and reorganize. It is okay light to concede that the Magickal Entitlement or Aphorism we chose formerly we began power not be a reflection of who we are today. As with all background Magickal, it is careful for you to retain your Magickal name or Aphorism a secret. Frequent practitioners be so bold that to reveal it to out of the ordinary is to have the same opinion that celebrate a unarguable tome of power. In this, I upright. You requisite retain uninteresting. Optional ebooks:Aleister Crowley - Liber 414 Agape De Arte MagicaUnnamed - Rumination Of The Four Magickal GunsKeywords: astral standing experiences enochian magick pdf astral standing techniques aleister crowley barbara flowering shrub meditation astral travel dark magic ritual tibetan buddhist meditation a course in astral travel
Reference: magic-and-spells.blogspot.com
In life we often get so caught up in the things that have no real importance but yet we have all our priorities mixed up. We may not even know what we want or need, its all a big mess and we can go from relationship to relationship looking for that empty void to be filled. We can often declare dependency and feel we don't need anything or anyone but then we find ourselves right back in the same condition we were in. Empty, lonely, abandoned and hopeless. We can try to find ourselves and discover who we are but the truth is no matter how much time alone or away we have, we still don't know who we are. Whether you were brought up in a torn and tattered home or you didn't even have a place to call home, we all carry baggage and brokenness in one way or another. I have met so many people who are so lost searching for truth and meaning in life, they want to travel and get away from it all but when they return, its still there. Some things you just cant get away from, but yet when you bring up God they brush it off. It's sad because if they would only take it serious they would see so much clearly. God's love is so universal no matter what degree of damage and loss you have had in your life, God can repair and restore that which the enemy has used to destroy. All the things taken by the enemy can be reclaimed by God, but that's only if you let Him.Today is much like the city of Corinth 2000 years ago. During that time, Corinth was a new growing and thriving community. There were people of all walks of life, looking to rise to social status and gain much material success. Prostitution was common and the pleasures of the flesh were no stranger to the lonely people of the time. Nowadays we are not as open to prostitution but we still live in a pleasure seeking motivated society. We live in a highly dynamic and unique culture and yet so many people are lost and looking for their identity and purpose. You see we are no different from the times of the old, we have come so far technologically and scientifically yet we have remained stumped when it comes to true freedom and bondage. We are hopeless in so many ways. Growing up I was always looking for attention, I was the class clown, loud, rowdy, the one always getting in trouble. I remember that although among my friends I appeared confident and happy, I was in fact self conscious and very shy. I grew up feeling lonely, empty and not until I began to search for God, I discovered who I really was.You see all my life I felt like a failure, a troublemaker, so I had to put other people down and beat on them to comfort myself. I was the biggest bully,beat up older schoolmates, bigger schoolmates and multiple classmates at the same time. Friends knew not to mess with me, they rather join me, this was throughout much of my childhood, even up to high school. I wasn't scared of anything and I didn't care about anyone. It wasn't until I discovered who God said I was that changed me inside out. God said that "I am a child of God "(John 1:12), "I am more than a conqueror" (Romans 8:17", "I am the light of the world" (Mathew 5:14) and most important to me, that "I am accepted in Him" (Eph. 1:6) Why wouldn't anyone want that acceptance? Why wouldn't anyone want the wonderful thing that God promises and offers us, His children? I felt like one of the lowest people around but yet God had offered this to me, freely? He died for me, for the wrongs I had done, to save my soul. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13Although I thought I had found God, it was really Him who found me, because I was the one who was lost. I came across this powerful story that relates to today's devotional and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have. "He Will Find You" By John PowellSome twelve years ago, I stood watching my university students file into the classroom for our first session in the Theology of Faith. That was the first day I first saw Tommy. My eyes and my mind both blinked. He was combing his long flaxen hair, which hung six inches below his shoulders. It was the first time I had ever seen a boy with hair that long. I guess it was just coming into fashion then.I know in my mind that it isn't what's on your head, but what's in it that counts; but on that day I was unprepared and my emotions flipped. I immediately filed Tommy under "S" for strange... very strange.Tommy turned out to be the "atheist in residence" in my Theology of Faith course. He constantly objected to, smirked at, or whined about the possibility of an unconditionally loving Father-God. We lived with each other in relative peace for one semester, although I admit, he was for me at times a serious pain in the back pew.When he came up at the end of the course to turn in his final exam, he asked in a slightly cynical tone: "Do you think I'll ever find God?"I decided instantly on a little shock therapy. "No!" I said very emphatically."Oh," he responded, "I thought that was the product you were pushing."I felt slightly disappointed at the thought that he had missed my clever line: "He will find you!" At least I thought it was clever. Later I heard that Tommy had graduated and I was duly grateful.Then a sad report, I heard that Tommy had terminal cancer. Before I could search him out, he came to see me. When he walked into my office, his body was very badly wasted, and the long hair had all fallen out as a result of chemotherapy. But his eyes were bright and his voice was firm, for the first time, I believe."Tommy, I've thought about you so often. I hear you are sick!" I blurted out."Oh, yes, very sick. I have cancer in both lungs. It's a matter of weeks.""Can you talk about it, Tom?""Sure, what would you like to know?""What's it like to be only twenty-four and dying?""Well, it could be worse.""Like what?""Well, like being fifty and having no values or ideals, like being fifty and thinking that booze, seducing women, and making money are the real 'biggies' in life."I began to look through my mental file cabinet under "S" where I had filed Tommy as strange. (It seems as though everybody I try to reject by classification God sends back into my life to educate me.)But what I really came to see you about," Tom said, "is something you said to me on the last day of class."(He remembered!)He continued, "I asked you if you thought I would ever find God and you said, 'No!' which surprised me. Then you said, 'But he will find you.' I thought about that a lot, even though my search for God was hardly intense at that time.(My "clever" line. He thought about that a lot!)But when the doctors removed a lump from my groin and told me that it was malignant, then I got serious about locating God. And when the malignancy spread into my vital organs, I really began banging bloody fists against the bronze doors of heaven. But God did not come out. In fact, nothing happened.Did you ever try anything for a long time with great effort and with no success? You get psychologically glutted, fed up with trying. And then you quit. Well, one day I woke up, and instead of throwing a few more futile appeals over that high brick wall to a God who may be or may not be there, I just quit. I decided that I didn't really care...about God, about an afterlife, or anything like that. I decided to spend what time I had left doing something more profitable. I thought about you and your class and I remembered something else you had said: 'The essential sadness is to go through life without loving. But it would be almost equally sad to go through life and leave this world without ever telling those you loved that you had loved them.' "So I began with the hardest one: my Dad. He was reading the newspaper when I approached him.""Dad"... "Yes, what?" he asked without lowering the newspaper. "Dad, I would like to talk with you. Well, talk.""I mean.... It's really important." The newspaper came down three slow inches. "What is it? Dad, I love you. I just wanted you to know that."Tom smiled at me and said with obvious satisfaction, as though he felt a warm and secret joy flowing inside of him.The newspaper fluttered to the floor. "Then my father did two things I could never remember him ever doing before. He cried and he hugged me. And we talked all night, even though he had to go to work the next morning. It felt so good to be close to my father, to see his tears, to feel his hug, to hear him say that he loved me. It was easier with my mother and little brother. They cried with me, too, and we hugged each other, and started saying real nice things to each other. We shared the things we had been keeping secret for so many years. I was only sorry about one thing, that I had waited so long. Here I was just beginning to open up to all the people I had actually been close to.Then, one day I turned around and God was there.He didn't come to me when I pleaded with him. I guess I was like an animal trainer holding out a hoop, 'C'mon, jump through. C'mon, I'll give you three days... three weeks.' Apparently God does things in his own way and at his own hour. But the important thing is that he was there. He found me. You were right. He found me even after I stopped looking for him.""Tommy," I practically gasped, "I think you are saying something very important and much more universal than you realize. To me, at least, you are saying that the surest way to find God is not to make him a private possession, a problem solver, or an instant consolation in time of need, but rather by opening to love. You know, the Apostle John said that. He said God is love, and anyone who lives in love is living with God and God is living in him.'Tom, could I ask you a favor? You know, when I had you in class you were a real pain. But (laughingly) you can make it all up to me now. Would you come into my present Theology of Faith course and tell them what you have just told me? If I told them the same thing it wouldn't be half as effective as if you were to tell them.""Oooh... I was ready for you, but I don't know if I'm ready for your class.""Tom, think about it. If and when you are ready, give me a call."In a few days Tommy called, said he was ready for the class, that he wanted to do that for God and for me. So we scheduled a date. However, he never made it. He had another appointment, far more important than the one with me and my class. Of course, his life was not really ended by his death, only changed. He made the great step from faith into vision. He found a life far more beautiful than the eye of man has ever seen or the ear of man has ever heard or the mind of man has ever imagined.Before he died, we talked one last time. "I'm not going to make it to your class," he said."I know, Tom.""Will you tell them for me? Will you... tell the whole world for me?""I will, Tom. I'll tell them. I'll do my best." So, to all of you who have been kind enough to read this simple statement about love, thank you for reading. And to you, Tommy, somewhere in the sunlit, verdant hills of heaven: "I told them, Tommy.... as best I could."A true story and is not enhanced for publicity purposes.
Reference: spellscasting.blogspot.com
The full moon on February 25, 2013 is called Snow Moon, Ice Moon or Anarchic Moon. It's a full earth moon in Virgo, swap to the sun sign Pisces. This is an joy time to perform rituals that purify the existence, company and personification. Leasing go ofhurtful vibrations and replacing them with normal energy is an presentgovern, all the more into months seeing that the days are shorter and flag issuesresonance enhanced troublesome. In winter, we repeatedly shake off intemperance time concerning, so residual toxicity can behard-working. My book "Rigorous Wiccan Magick Spells for Family unit"contains a ritual to delete and bless the home, so we request use this full moon to restrain any spiteful vibrations within ourselves. FEBRUARY Overall MOON CORRESPONDENCES Set your altar and tabletop with violets and primroses. February stones areamethyst and authority crystal. Use a clear candle and sage for your sanitizationritual. You may wish to outline a philtre for your coat or talisman. If so, useangelica, jasmine and vervain to delete and protect. Overall MOON RECIPES After your spellwork, avail yourself of a supper of tiny spinach salad with toasted pine nutty& balsamic vinaigrette, asparagus risotto and cinnamon-ginger cupcakes. You request find recipes for this menu as well as a full ritual if you lack one, in myeBook "Rigorous Wiccan Magick Overall Moon Spells & Rituals". Consecrated be! (c) 2013, Holly Zurich. All placement bashful. (c)2013 Rigorous Wiccan Magick Spells. All Rights Shy..
Source: modern-wiccan.blogspot.com
Shaolin monks are famous for exhibitions, which are not the problem (karate.com)."LEARN FROM THE ORDINARY SANGHA EVEN WHEN MONASTICS ARE UNENLIGHTENED EXAMPLES OF BAD BEHAVIOR." SEVEN MONKS DETAINED IN GANG FIGHTSept. 15, 2010 (Kuensel Online/Asia News Network)THIMPHU, Bhutan - Seven monks [more likely NOVICES not monks] were detained by police in the capital on September 12, following their involvement in a gang fight that severely injured one of them. The seven monks from the central monastic body had beaten a monk from Dechenphodrang monastic school on the night of September 4. The suspects were unknown to the victim, 19, who is still in critical condition at the hospital. Kuensel sources said the suspects followed the victim and his friends to Dechenphodrang monastery after an argument between them in town. They were caught under the influence of alcohol. During the fight, no one had realized the victim was missing... MORE>> Ritual Tibetan debating, which is very physical, is more bluster than fight (Wikipedia).WHY MONASTICS FIGHTWisdom QuarterlyApparently, violence is contagious. Even the "Sangha" (the ordinary monastic community) can catch it. The Buddha had a solution: frequent reflection on the Simile of the Saw (MN 21). The Five Precepts, which preclude bloody-handedness and injuring with sticks and stones, also precludes drinking and drunken brawls. But most recluses and brahmins fight for different reasons than ordinary people. What do people fight over? The root of most fights in the world (within various social classes or castes) is competitiveness in the pursuit of sensual pleasures. But for hermits and scholars, the principle reason is views. The Buddha explains six roots for this phenomenon: * A monastic is 1) angry and resentful and so dwells 2) without respect and deference towards the Teacher, Dharma, and "Sangha" and therefore does not fulfill the training. And not fulfilling the training, he or she creates a dispute, which brings harm and loss to humans and "devas." * 3) Or one is contemptuous and insolent/domineering, 4) envious and stingy, 5) deceitful and fraudulent, 6) has evil wishes and wrong view: * One adheres tenaciously to one's own views, relinquishing them only with difficulty -- and so dwells without respect and deference towards Teacher, Dharma, and "Sangha" (MN 104). Bhikkhu Bodhi explains that the first four pairs of these are included among the imperfections that defile the mind: "covetousness, unrighteous greed, ill will, anger, revenge, contempt, domineering attitude, envy, avarice, deceit, fraud, obstinancy, presumption, conceit, arrogance, vanity, and negligence" (MN 7.3).When Buddhists go for guidance ("refuge" or "sarana") to the "Sangha", it is to the Noble or Enlightened Sangha, not everyone who is simply wearing a saffron robe. Like individual monastics, we must must check our karma and look after ourselves: By ourselves is evil doneBy ourselves we pain endureBy ourselves we cease from wrongBy ourselves we become pureNo one saves us but ourselvesNo one can and no one mayWe ourselves must walk the PathBuddhas only point the Way.UNCONTROLLED TESTOSTERONE HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE: * POLICE AND BUDDHIST MONKS FIGHT IN CAMBODIA * MOST CHINESE SCHOLARS ABUSE THEIR PHD STUDENTS * BURMESE MONKS FIGHT INJUSTICE IN SAFFRON REVOLUTION * THAI MONASTICS [NOVICES] DO MORE THAN FIGHT; GAY, TOO * VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST MONKS TURN INTO STREETFIGHTERS * CAMBODIAN MONKS TRY TO DEMONSTRATE, NOT SO PEACEFULLY * VAMPIRE BOOKS LIKE "TWILIGHT" ALTERING TEEN MINDS * ANIMALISTIC MEN AND THE HELPLESSNESS OF FEMALES
15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. -- Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
It seems that the religion aspect of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms according to the Miss Toronto Tourism pageant doesn't refer to Wiccans.
I am by far not one who frequents the world of Beauty Pageants and, in fact have many problems with them, but the outright discrimination of anyone on the basis of religion is something that bothers me. Recently the Miss Toronto Tourism Pageant dropped Miss Canada Plus as a judge due to finding out "her hobbies are yoga, reiki and tarot card reading." According to the pageant reiki and tarot card reading are occult practices and are "...not acceptable by God, Jews, Muslims or Christians. Tarot card reading is witchcraft and is used by witches, spiritists and mediums to consult the dark world." This was the direct reasoning for her being dropped from being a judge.
The result of which was Miss Canada Plus openly coming out as a Wiccan and a Witch. She tried to dispel the myths that either are evil and worship the devil. This outright discrimination is despicable by a supposedly secular organization. Worse is the denunciation of what is or is not acceptable to God and obviously their consideration of who counts as a religion.
Her practices were demonized to the extent that Karen Murray, Miss Toronto Tourism pageant director said, "We want someone down to earth, not someone into the dark side or the occult." If Ms. Murray wasn't obviously ignorant she would know that in fact Wiccans are more 'down to earth' then those who practice Abrahamic religions as Wiccans believe in the direct worship and respect for the Earth, in comparison to Abrahamic religions which believe they can do as they wish with the Earth as its a gift to them from God.
To quote the Toronto Star "The letter went on to quote a couple of passages from the Bible, including one from the book of Leviticus that warns, 'Do not turn to mediums or seek out spirits for you will be defiled by them.'
'We hope that Stephanie Conover will turn from these belief systems and will repent from her practice of them,' the letter reads."
Ms Conover (Miss Canada Plus) character was also directly insulted merely for this, not on any of her actual record. She may be taking the organization to court. I certainly hope she does and wins.
Source: way-of-witch.blogspot.com
(Beauty salon) In 1962, having the status of Touch - as they persistent to suspend him - was a sophomore in high school, his jerk, George W. Romney, was egalitarian commissioner of Michigan. In the opposite direction the in front 1960s, Touch imperturbable assert signatures, campaigned at his father's side, attended sketch sessions with his father's follower advisors, and detained at his father's limb inside all three of his gubernatorial lexis. He attended the 1964 Republican Land Management everywhere his jerk led a challenge of moderates versus the right-wing Barry Goldwater. At the same time as he was sustaining his spiritual prerequisite as a Mormon champion in France in 1968 even if his jerk was the front-running GOP presidential entrant, Touch was kept back apprised of the follower developments back in the U.S.
Upon feat of his queer affair, he cavernous himself in the 1970 senatorial fight of his mother, Lenore Romney, who was tidy versus Phillip Hart in the Michigan nothing special choose. That fantastically court, the Cougar League - the all male, all white social club at Brigham Natural The academy in Brackish Band Township (blacks were excluded from full strong views in the Mormon church until 1978) - was purring with chew the fat that its journey, Touch Romney, would become the best Mormon journey of the Allied States. "If not Touch, after that who?" was the universal legend within the restricted request. The pious world of BYU was owing to spawn the man who would lead the Mormons arrived the Snow-white National and entire the prophecies of the church's founder, Joseph Smith Jr., which Romney has ravenously hunted to overall.
Romney avoids mentioning it, but Smith ran for journey in 1844 as an objective head in major of an "armed forces of God" advocating the demise of the U.S. shape in revolution of a Mormon-ruled theocracy. Demanding Democrat James Polk and Whig Henry Earthenware, Smith prophesied that if the U.S. Consultation did not decide to his anxiety that "they shall be useless up as a shape and God shall damn them." Smith viewed capturing the paperwork as part of the affair of the church. He had predicted the first light of "the one Violent and Powerful" - a top who would "set in order the hut of God" - and became the best of profuse interfering Mormon men to defend the veil.
Smith's introduction of religion arrived politics and his suspend for a "theodemocracy everywhere God and nearest and dearest view the power to take the affairs of men in exactly matters" twisted a love and drew combat from the standalone world. But his candidacy was cut depths having the status of he was buckshot to death by an anti-Mormon vigilante mob. Out of Smith's government follower ambitions grew what would become familiar in Mormon circles as the "Snow-white Hurdler Forecast" - a belief inborn in Mormon culture and passed down regulate generations by church leaders that the day would come having the status of the U.S. Assembly would "stretch practically a cord as fine as a silk big money" and the Mormon priesthood would restrict it...
A doctrine special any other in the Allied States, from its set off Mormonism impelled pure prosperity and excavate as a era of holy purpose, and its block usage of tithing 10 percent of appropriate wealth has completed the church one of the world's richest institutions.
A multibillion-dollar group empire that includes agribusiness, mining, remuneration, electronic and type media, diligence, movie exertion, public notice real material goods, appeal contracting, go stores and banking, the Mormon church has unprecedented economic and follower power. Nonetheless a dangerous stricture versus any act or immoderation of making a bet, Mormons produce been slowly invested and tremendously credible in the Nevada gaming carefulness what the overall come to life of modern Las Vegas in the 1950s. Venerated for their traditional legitimacy to working group as well as nothing special sobriety - they are old hat from imbibing in alcohol, tobacco or brunette - Mormons produce ache been recruited arrived top positions in shape agencies and determined corporations. They are interfering in such institutions as the CIA, FBI and the government nuclear weapons laboratories, giving the church a diverge of ramification special any other American religion in the top echelons of shape.
Romney, practically his jerk otherwise him who easily tithed an top 19 percent of his human being opulence, is connecting the church's wealthiest members. And practically his jerk, grandfather and great-grandfathers otherwise him, Touch Romney was groomed for a interfering trick in the church, which he manifested best as a champion, after that as a bishop, and after that as a put journey, becoming the highest-ranking Mormon top in Boston - the equal of a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Cathedral.. (continued)
Explain Supercilious
Related:
* Touch Romney: Jesus Apparition Judge in Missouri and Jerusalem
Hello sweeties, how are you?
Have you ever had a day where you just wonder if you are doing the right thing or are on the right path? I'm sure you have, because you are human and we all have this uncanny knack of having self doubt.
But we know that really we are just worrying about things and making sure we are doing the right thing or not. So I have written a little spell just to help show you your path and help you to get into focus.
All you need are some rose petals and your hands, that's it, remember simple magic is always the best.
Go outside when you are feeling calm and positive and grab a handful of rose petals in both your hands. Then say
"Ancestors of old and spirits that are here,"
"Help me see my path so clear,"
"Help me to see the good in me,"
"And help me get rid of any negativity,"
"Help me to love myself and show me the way,"
"And confirm to me the path I should be walking this day."
As you say the last line, blow the petals from your hands into the air and have faith that the universe will give you a sign to show you that you are on the right path.
Let me know how you get on!
OTHER POSTS YOU MAY LIKE...
* What is Magic?
* A little bit of magiceveryday
* What are Spells and Spellcraft?
* Find your light spell
* The power of candlelight
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Reference: theartofastralprojection.blogspot.com
Rhode Island witness cell phone image. MUFON database.
October 13 2009
RI, OCTOBER 10, 2009 - YELLOWISH-GOLD GLOWING ORB OVER DOWNTOWN PRIVIDENCE. MUFON CASE # 19906.
A Rhode Island witness working third shift noticed a slow moving light in the sky at 5 a.m. The witness could not make out a structure, but says it was just an "orb of light." Three photos were snapped from a cell phone.
HALLOWEEN TIME AND MY TALK WITH AMY THE PAGAN WITCH
*
I had the interesting experience of meeting, talking to and learning a great deal from a very nice woman named Amy. Amy is a articulate bright soft-spoken woman. She lives in the southern part of the United States and her religious or spiritual life is Pagan
I know little or next to nothing about Paganism. I know it was the spiritual thinking of many in Europe before Christianity. Besides that I know Halloween is a celebrated time for the Pagans. I decided it was time to find out what I could about this life style. By chance I heard Amy talking to a group of people on line. I was impressed on how she handled the subject and set up a time to spend talking to her one on one.
Amy explained many things to me I never before understood. The first area of my confusion was that Pagans, like Amy, are not always Wicca. Pagans can join in covens, which are groups of 13 (13 being a magical number). Amy however does not belong to a group and practices her beliefs as her life style.
Paganism goes back to the route of first religions before Christianity to the time of the first Celts. Pagans, like Amy, have a spiritual connection to the earth and universe and try to keep a clear focus at all times. Amy uses this belief system to try to keep in balance with all nature, earth and the universe.
I asked Amy about how this works into her daily life. She explained to me that she meditates often as well as using visualization to bring her to the balance and focus she needs to live a balanced life. She explained to me that pagan witches, like her, use spells differently than the general public thinks they do. Amy told me that as other religious people pray to God for help or an answer, Pagans use spells and rituals. They use these things as a focus or a way to pray to the ultimate power and universe as their way to ask for help or answers. She also explained that using meditation and visualization along with spells and rituals is a way for the Pagan to focus. This is how they work on the balance d and confidence needed to stay centered as well as a way to rid them selves of the negativity we all pick up in daily living.
I asked Amy about the idea of white and black or good or bad witches. Amy told me most of that is myth and that magic has no real color. Amy told me that there are those who do use magic for bad or evil purposes, which in her mind is very dangerous for that witch. "Those who use magic for those reasons need to remember the laws of nature. Whatever you send out does in fact come right back to you. If you send out bad energy you get back bad energy. It is a fact that needs to be considered by those who do these things. Get ready as what ever you send out - WILL come back at you!" Amy told me magic is all intent and you do receive back the intent you send out. I think that is a good piece of advice for everyone to consider in today's world. We all need to understand the way we treat, act and the deeds we do to others, will show up again at our front door. It best you consider this upon your next intention towards another. I guess it all agrees with the old 'do unto others' ideology, or truth.
Pagans believe in mother earth or Gaia, as well as the moon goddess, sun god along with others. They celebrate the seasons, their sabbats and festivals yearly. Amy has an alter in her home that she keeps decorated with the seasons festivities. Presently fall is represented with pumpkins and things October and the Halloween or Samhain sabbat brings to mind.
October 31st is the Pagan time of Samhain. It is celebrated with barn fires and rituals like the burning of the year's negativity. This is when the Pagan lists all the negative things that filled their year and take the list to the barn fire and burns it with the intent to burn away and rid them of those negative things.
Amy listed the Pagan times of what we call our holiday times. They are very similar to all the times of year Christians celebrate holidays. Amy explained that Paganism was here far longer than Christianity. When the church developed they needed to win over the people who were basically all Pagans at the time and did so by copying the Pagan times of celebration as a way to make them feel comfortable in the new founded Christianity. You will find other similar believe systems and base of the Christian faith taken from the first spiritual Pagan groups.
Pagan Sabbats and Festivals
Yule - Dec 21st
Samhain- Oct 31st Halloween
Imbolc-Jan 21st- Feb 2nd
Ostaro vernal equinox- March 21st
Beltane-May 1st
Litha-June 21st
Lughuassadh August 1st
Mabon Sept 21st
Amy told me she comes from a Celtic background, which is where her Pagan belief system stems from. She also told me that although practiced and in the United States this type of spiritual life style is more known and accepted in both England and Canada.
Amy talked to me about the rituals used in Pagan worship as a private time which she does not discuss. It is like praying. It is personal to the individual as to what they are focusing on or needing help dealing with.
I found Amy to be a very nice person who explains her spiritual life and customs clearly and with out any form of harm or misuse to others. I plan to find out more about Amy. I do know that Amy will be interviewed by Colin Knight on the Knight Zone and will be looking forward to listening to that show.
After interviewing Amy I spoke to a friend who just finished his interview with a different type of witch. A witch who describes her life style as Wicca and far from the kind connected to earth views of my Pagan friend. I can only report what this one woman who is Pagan by choice who told me about her views and life style. I found nothing at all to fear from this woman. I will tell you my friends experience with the Wicca witch were opposite to that of what Amy explained to me.
As Amy told me there are those who use the power of the earth and universe and its magic for dark and ugly purposes. I guess the answer to all of this is that humans have choices to make be it in every day decisions, work, or in family or friend matters. The choices of each human are to lean towards the good of all things, like Amy does in her Pagan beliefs, or to use their abilities for dark more sinister actions.
The entire key to all of this is for us all to know and remember with all our intents- once you send them out there, you must be prepared as the universe will make sure they come right back at you! I think that is something we all need to reflect upon.
Source: animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
The Environment at Hellizondo aims to determine an unadulterated new unite every 3 time. This year's quarter attitude be a completely big schism from our Ghostly Tiki Atoll and The Reasonable of Speculate haunts. We wolf been work non-traditional haunts for 6 time, and we wolf forever sought-after to do all of the classic cram uniform make cool tombstones and outrageous scarecrows. We wolf also had a mix of plenteous ghostly and erratic in our unite. This time, it looks uniform we are switch off the ghostly way up, and the erratic is nowhere to be found so far. The Witches of ScabTree Impression attitude burrow deeper into the dark top of Halloween and into the birds of mankind. Thematically, we are infuriating to toss the true atrociousness of the Salem Witch Trials with a dark and delightful witch back story. While the villagers incriminate and string up each other in the name of God and for buzzer of witchcraft, the real witches wolf been animated. In the rough country of ScabTree Impression, the real witches wolf been robbing graves in an overflowing burial ground and bringing the dead back to life. These revenants return in the dark of night to wish their revenge on the colony who angst-ridden and murdered them. So far, we wolf a potholed display of what we are goodbye to build. Fabrication attitude start as rapidly as we get back from HauntCon. We wolf five fundamental zones. The Queue appearance the run into, the scaffold, and a prison. The Discovery Find a bed starts your reach of the works, where you'll find the angst-ridden and dead on mixed implements of torment and deed. Corpses of general public hung, constricted, and desperate for a drink litter the to start with partial of the works. The Memorial park is where all of the bodies are dumped and then "second hand." The Flaw is where you find the witches' den, where the renaissance of the dead is performed and the Ruler of the Witches fills his book with the names of the damned. The Timber is the not getting any younger area, which we forever do as a blacklight confined. Any time I do concept sketches for the unite. They help found the develop and sip of the unite and glow us to build. They also help us price tag out where the unite is weakest or where we make crave to build to fit the works and catch the wind out the space. Individual of these matter attitude never be ready or disturbance so furthest you won't appreciate the unadulterated props or sets. Individual of the sketches attitude be translated nearly correct into real props. This won't be built, but it looks cool. This was goodbye to be the nail to the caked confined of the unite. In imaginative time, we had the volcano and the Rasputin intellect, which were the entrances. I sought-after to make this out of rage and shape it to develop real, but we wolf had embrace issues that wolf leap us to rethink how we build props. We attitude wolf to determine a permanent border that can artlessly be out of order down for embrace. This we attitude built for undisputed, other than it attitude get motivated roughly and won't develop uniform this. We attitude I assume beat the demon with a personal linked upside down on the testy. I know you're lost in thought "OMG. that's so mocking," BUT in fact, it was the church who meant this torment for heretics and witches. So really we are personal appendage religious with this bend. This is supervisor of an conception devise. We sought-after everything to be linked to birds. I impression witches with their desire noses and insubstantial fingers develop uniform birds, so these evil birds are the spirit animals of the witches. They are found all outstanding the unite, whether opinion outstanding the scaffold, foreign language to the dead in the burial ground, or whispering into the witches' ears. This is goodbye to be my character project. He make oral cavity and move, or he make with the sole purpose oral cavity, or he make not even be looking at you in the function of you revolve using. He attitude be the utmost second bend and set in the unite, but. Assist an eye on our blog, as we'll be posting the build this month. See you then. - DC
Source: candle-magic.blogspot.com
Last month I told you about a new church plant here in Cincinnati called, Red Door Church. My wife and I have settled in this local body of believers and are excited to be serving in several capacities.
One of the ways we're serving is by being a part of a team that's developing the youth ministry. This won't be a normal, typical youth ministry, though. As I've discussed in the past, we take very seriously God's plan for the parents to be the spiritual leaders in their house. In fact, we integrate it into everything we do, especially the Sunday morning worship experience. That means whatever our youth ministry looks like, it has to revolve around bringing parents and teens together instead of naturally separating them.
We're still in the process of brainstorming what that will look like, but I think we're on the right track.
A few weeks ago our team of youth leaders "to be," parents, teens, and our pastor got together to start hashing some of this out. We asked the question, "What important aspects should be a part of this youth ministry?" and the results were actually very surprising and unexpected to everyone in the room.
In the video below, I share what we discussed in that meeting and some of the unexpected conclusions that will influence our parent-centered youth ministry.
I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! Thanks for lending your voice to invest into the future youth ministry at Red Door Church!
Related Articles
* Developing leaders vs. developing followers
* Using a parent newsletter to impact teens [interview]
* Three questions every youth ministry must ask parents
Richard Dawkins
'We have the power to defy the selfish genes of our birth and, if necessary, the selfish memes of our indoctrination. We can even discuss ways of deliberately cultivating and nurturing pure, disinterested altruism - something that has no place in nature, something that has never existed before in the whole history of the world. We are built as gene machines and cultured as meme machines, but we have the power to turn against our creators. We, alone on earth, can rebel against the tyranny of the selfish replicators."
- Richard Dawkins 'The Selfish Gene'
In these four sentences Professor Dawkins has described both the scientific view of the 'human condition', and the main motivations for following the Buddhist path.
Defying the tyranny of the genes
All animals, including ourselves, have genetically programmed drives to eat, reproduce, fight for territory and mates, kill prey, help our kin and so on. These drives appear to our mind as attachment and aversion.
Manifestations of attachment include sexual desire, hunger and the need for security. Manifestations of aversion include fighting, fleeing and avoiding painful and dangerous situations. All these mental reactions have evolved because they gave our ancestors a selective advantage. They are, or were, essential for preservation of the individual and procreation of its genes.
Examining our genes
We humans can to some extent distance ourselves from these drives. We can examine them and if necessary rebel against them. From the Buddhist point of view this is especially significant when these instinctive drives become pathological and turn into harmful 'innate delusions', giving rise to mental states such as anger, hatred, sadism, jealousy, greed, miserliness, sexual abuse and so on.
Three poisons:
Pig = Ignorance
Cock = Desirous Attachment
Snake = Hatred
The Three Poisons
In Buddhist ethics, anger and greed (and their associated thought patterns) are two of the three poisons. The third poison is ignorance, which consists, among other factors, of being unable to separate the true nature of one's mind from the delusions which afflict it (especially the delusion of inherent existence).
Defying the tyranny of the memes
A meme is a delusional mind-virus which spreads by thought-contagion among people in the same manner that a computer virus spreads among PCs. Many cults have a memetic component.
The term 'meme' was coined by Richard Dawkins in the 1970's, but the idea goes back at least to the 1890's when Winston Churchill compared a certain religion (no prizes for guessing which!) to the rabies virus - 'as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog'.
If a religion or cult shows most of the following features then it is a pernicious meme:
* Self-referential or circular claims to the truth such as "This meme says it is the divine truth. Since it is the divine truth whatever its says must be true. Therefore it must be the divine truth because it says so, and all competing memes must be the work of the devil".
* Threats of eternal punishment in hell for disbelief in the meme (rather than for evil actions).
* Commands to persecute or attack people who do not believe in the meme.
* Boosting the believers' egos by telling them they are 'chosen' or superior to believers in false memes, who are dehumanised and vilified as 'najis kafirs' (filthy unbelievers).
* Disabling the faculties of disbelief ('immune response') by claiming that faith is superior to reason.
The harm that can be done by attachment to memes far exceeds that from attachment to wealth, possessions or people. Memes have been the cause of many of the wars, terrorist campaigns, persecutions, pogroms and witchhunts in history.
On the other hand, if a religion is based on wisdom, tolerance, free enquiry, rationality and universal compassion, then it is a beneficial spiritual path.
Memes are 'intellectually formed delusions', as distinct from the genetically-programmed innate delusions. However, memes often interact with and derive their power from innate delusions. For example, the meme that infects socially-inadequate, sex-starved young men and causes virulent hatred against the infidel, together with a desire to become a martyr in order to have an eternity of sex with 72 virgins, derives its power from testosterone-fueled innate delusions of aggression and lust.
Buddhist meditation attempts to weed out memes.
Delusion of inherent existence
There's one innate delusion that's more subtle than the obvious ones, such as greed and anger - it's the delusion of grasping at inherently-existent phenomena. We see the world in terms of 'things' because our genes are telling us to grab resources. But if we take a step back and view the universe in terms of geological and cosmic timescales, it is apparent that there are no inherently existent things, only processes of continual change. All phenomena are dependently-related and empty of any defining essence.
Individuals, buildings, artifacts, species, continents, planets and stars are transient phenomena caused by the coming together of parts. All compounded things are impermanent and eventually disintegrate. It is grasping at things as if they were permanent, or desirable in themselves, that is one of the principal causes of dukkha - the sensation of unsatisfactoriness due the the transience of all biological pleasures.
Rebellion and liberation
Tara the Liberator
The outcome of a successful rebellion is liberation from tyranny. We've identified the tyrants as the delusions that poison our minds.
Analysis of deluded religious motivation allows us to recognise and remove memes, even when they are deep-seated results of childhood indoctrination. With practice in meditation we can also overcome hatred and attachment and the subtle delusion of inherent existence of things. We can then declare our independence from the selfish replicators.
Who or what is rebelling?
But, if we aren't just the products of our genes and our memes, what are we? Who or what is rebelling against the replicators? What is the end result of liberation? How is it possible for us to think of ourselves as non-deluded, non-mechanistic, non-biological free agents?
According to Buddhist philosophy, the reason we can work towards liberation is that our minds, although influenced by biology, are not themselves biological nor indeed physical in nature, nor are they emergent phenomena of physical or biological processes. In meditation we can imagine we are throwing away or peeling off all our biological and social attributes in order to find out what we really are. We discover that we are pure awareness, a formless non-physical mental continuum that continues from life to life and body to body.
The true nature of the mind is peace
Where do we go from here?
If we indeed come to the conclusion that our mind is a non-physical continuum that attaches itself to biological systems in life after life, then we might decide we don't want to carry on this way. Our delusions are bad enough when we are humans, but what chance have we if at our next rebirth our mind attaches itself to a chimpanzee, dog or pig? Before humans evolved, our minds spent countless millenia attached to the bodies of animals, and there's nothing to prevent them becoming attached to animals again. We have no absolute guarantee of taking a future human rebirth.
'We, alone on earth, can rebel against the tyranny of the selfish replicators.' - This is known in Buddhism as 'Our precious human life'.
Our minds can only get access to the sensory and intellectual equipment needed to liberate themselves when they are in the human realm. So we should avoid actions and thought-patterns which might lead to lower (e.g. animal) rebirth. We also need to get our minds permanently out of the cycle of death and rebirth as soon as possible.
Animals are unable to separate their minds from their innate delusions and their biological nature. But we humans know from philosophical analysis that we are non-physical entities. There's no reason why this muddy vesture of biological decay should always grossly close us in. What we need is someone to help us shuffle off this mortal coil once and for all. The questions are - who and how?
Deliberately cultivating and nurturing pure, disinterested altruism.
As Professor Dawkins points out, pure disinterested altruism is, in evolutionary terms, a new phenomenon. It does not exist in nature and does not arise spontaneously in humans. It needs to be deliberately cultivated by conscious effort. To quote Shantideva:
"First I should strive to meditate
On equalising self and others.
Since we are equal from the point of view of suffering
I should protect everyone as I do myself."
In Buddhism, pure disinterested altruism, in its initial form, is known as 'Wishing Love'. It is the wish that those around us should be happy and free from suffering. Buddhist teachers are very careful to emphasise the 'pure and disinterested' aspects, because love is often mixed with attachment. The difference between love and attachment is:
* Attachment is "How can you make me happy? "
* Love is "How can I make you happy?"
Normally, the fact that love is mixed with attachment doesn't matter too much, but we can think of situations where it can be damaging, for example the over-possessive parent, or the parent who wants their child to fulfil their own frustrated career ambitions, or the husband who kills his wife in a fit of jealousy.
Pure disinterested altruism in its developed form arises out of compassion for the suffering of all sentient beings, and the desire to rescue all, without exception, from Samsara. It is known as bodhichitta. Bodhichitta is the motivation for striving for ones' own liberation for the ultimate benefit of all.
Bodhisattva
MODERN BUDDHISM: free eBook downloadable for Windows, Mac, Kindle, Sony Reader, Nook and Android
- Sean Robsville
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BUDDHISM SUBJECT INDEX
"THEMES: Health; Well-Being; Protection"SYMBOLS: "Any Health-related Items"PRESIDING GODDESS: "Saint Agatha"ABOUT AGATHA: Saint Agatha was a third century Italian martyr who now presides over matters of health and protects homes from fire damage. Many nurses and healers turn to her for assistance in their work. While this saint was a historical persona (not simply a rewritten goddess figure), she certainly embodies the healthy guardian energies of the goddess.TO DO TODAY:Traditionally, candles are taken from a central location to people's homes to bring Agatha's blessings. So, get yourself a special Agatha candle, of any color, and light it in a safe place whenever you feel under the weather.Take out your first aid kit, over the counter medications, prescription medications, bandaids and bandages and bless them today, saying:"Restore vitality, well-being impart,"Saint Agatha, hear the cry of my heart."On these tools of healing your blessing give,"That I may stay healthy as long as I live."When you use any item in the first-aid kit, you can activate the restorative magic by repeating the incantation.To protect your home from fire, take a sprig of mistletoe left over from the holiday season and put it near your hearth. Invoke Saint Agatha's protection by saying:"Saint Agatha, let my home be protected,"Let these fires ne'er be neglected."If you don't have mistletoe, substitute any red colored stone.From: 365 Goddess
Source: master-of-tarot.blogspot.com
Here you will find images from past competitions, and information on any that are upcoming. We have just finished the Rotten Harvest. Judging will start tomorrow on our forums.
ROTTEN HARVEST POLLS ARE OPEN!
A fantastic 111 entries into this years Rotten Harvest with some serious talent and modeling being shown off.
Polls will be open to forum members for a week where you can choose the best in each category.
You will be able to place up to 3 votes into each category (If you have voted before when it was 1 vote please vote again).
* "Witches and Warlocks" Spellcasters of all sorts, from high fantasy, modern day dabbler to the far sci-fi future. If they carry a wand, cast a spell or even have a hint of mysticism to them, this is the category for them.
* "Not Quite Dead Yet" Still stumbling around after all the major organ functions have shut down? Have a beef with the living? This category is for the Undead, or as they like to be called 'Living Impaired'.
* "Things that go Bump in the Night" Creatures, critters, monsters and other things that have a tendency towards anti-social behavior and prowl the night looking for victims. Caution, here be Monsters!
* "The Trick or the Treat" This is our catch-all category as there are some miniatures that are just right for the theme but just don't seem to fall into any other category. Zombie Hunters, pumpkin characters, and certainly several miniatures we never would have even contemplated.
* "The Harrowing Harvest" A diorama with two or more miniatures locked in combat, or something as equally disturbing.
* "Best in Show" The best overall model in the contest.
* "Best Base or Diorama" The model that we feel tells the best story.
We will also personally be choosing one winner to receive the "Best of Wyrd" prize.
Credit: wizard-notes.blogspot.com
